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Battle of Allatoona Part of the American Civil War   Date October 5, 1864 Location Bartow County, Georgia Result Union victory Belligerents United States (Union) CSA (Confederacy) Commanders John M. Corse Samuel G. French Strength Allatoona Garrison; 4th Division, XV Corps (1,944) French's Division (2,000) Casualties and losses 706 799

[hide] v • d • e Franklin-Nashville Campaign   Allatoona – Decatur – Johnsonville – Columbia – Spring Hill – 2nd Franklin – 3rd Murfreesboro – Nashville

The Battle of Allatoona, also known as Allatoona Pass, was fought October 5, 1864, as part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War.

After the fall of Atlanta, Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood moved the Confederate Army of Tennessee northward to threaten the Western and Atlantic Railroad, Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's supply line. Along the way he attacked a number of minor garrisons and damaged track from October 2 to October 4. Sherman sent a reinforcement brigade to Allatoona commanded by Brig. Gen. John M. Corse before the southern army arrived. The saying "hold the fort" originated from Sherman's instructions to General Corse prior to the battle.

Maj. Gen. Samuel G. French's Confederate division arrived near Allatoona at sunrise on October 5. After demanding a surrender and receiving a negative reply, French attacked. The Union line survived a sustained two and a half hour attack, but then fell back and regrouped in an earthen star fort on top of Allatoona Pass. General French repeatedly attacked the position, but the fort held. The Confederates began to run low on ammunition, and reports of arriving Union reinforcements influenced them to move off and rejoin Hood’s force.

 References

• National Park Service battle description
• About North Georgia's detailed description of the battle