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HOLD THE FORT." 
 
 BY 
 
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 P. P, BLISS 
 
 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY 
 
 MISS L..B. HUMPHREY, AND ROBERT LEWIS. 
 
 Engraved by John Andrew & Son, and S. S. Conant. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 WILLIAM F. GILL AND COMPANY. 
 
 CINCINNATI: 
 
 JOHN CHURCH AND COMPANY. 
 
 1877. 
 
 G^x-X 
 
 
 Copyright, 1876, by William F. Gill. 
 
NOTE. 
 
 Major D. D. Whittle relates the following incident, upon which " Hold 
 the Fort " is founded : 
 
 During October, 1864, just before General Sherman commenced his famous 
 march to the sea, while his army lay camped in the neighborhood of Atlanta, the 
 army of Hood, in a carefully prepared movement, passed the right flank of Sherman's 
 army, and gaining his rear, commenced the destruction of the railroad leading north, 
 burning block-houses and capturing the small garrisons along the line. Sherman's 
 army was put in rapid motion, following Hood, to save the supplies and larger posts, 
 the principal of which was located at Altoona Pass, a defile in the Altoona range of 
 mountains, through which ran the railroad. General Corse, of Illinois, was stationed 
 here with a Brigade of troops, composed of Minnesota and Illinois regiments, in all 
 about 1,500 men j Col. Tourtelotte being Second in Command. A million and a 
 half of rations were stored here, and it was highly important that the earthworks 
 commanding the Pass and protecting the supplies should be held. Six thousand men 
 under command of Gen. French, were detailed by Hood to take the position. The 
 works were completely surrounded and summoned to surrender. Corse refused, and 
 sharp fighting commenced. The defenders were slowly driven into a small fort upon 
 the crest of the hill. Many had fallen, and the result seemed to render a prolongation 
 of the fight hopeless. At this moment an officer caught sight of a white signal flag, 
 far away across the valley, fifteen miles distant, upon the top of Kenesaw Mountain. 
 The signal was answered, and soon the message was waved across from mountain to 
 mountain: "Hold the Fort 5 I am coming. W. T. Sherman." Cheers went up; 
 every man was nerved to the full appreciation of the position j and, under a murderous 
 fire, which killed or wounded more than half the men in the fort — Corse himself being 
 shot three times through the head, Col. Tourtelotte taking command, though him- 
 self badly wounded, they held the fort for three hours, until the advance guard of 
 Sherman's army came up, and French was obliged to retreat. 
 
 No incident of the war illustrates more thrillingly the inspiration imparted by 
 the knowledge of the presence of the Commander 5 and that he is cognizant of our 
 position; and that, doing our utmost, he will supplant our weakness by speedy 
 reinforcements. So, the message of Sherman to the soldiers of Altoona becomes the 
 message of the Great Commander, who signals ever to all who fight life's battle, 
 " Hold the Fort." 
 
O ! my comrades, see the signal 
 
 Waving in the sky ! 
 Reinforcements now appearing, 
 
 Victory is nigh ! 
 
EE the mighty host advancing, 
 
 Satan leading on; 
 Mighty men around us falHng, 
 Courage almost gone: 
 
% 
 
 EE the glorious banner waving, 
 Hear the bugle blow ; 
 In our Leader's name v^e'll triumph 
 
 Over every foe. 
 
lERCE and lon^- the battle rag-es, 
 
 But our Help is near; 
 Onward comes our Great Commander, 
 Cheer, my comrades, cheer ! 
 
OLD the fort, for I am coming,'' 
 
 Jesus signals still. 
 Wave the answer back to heaven,- 
 
 ''By Thy grace, we will." 
 
HOLD THE FORT. 
 
 CHORUS, 
 
 " Hold the fort, for I am coming," 
 
 
 Je - sus signals still, Wave the answer ^^ 
 
 — *-^ — >— - 
 
 5=SEsi 
 
 back to heaven, " By thy grace we will.' 
 
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