Allatoona GA Monument

[johan_steele]

On October 5th 1864 more than five thousand American soldiers fought a brutal three and a half hour battle that would claim a third of them as casualties. Men from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa fought men from Texas, Missouri, Mississippi and North Carolina over an obscure mountain pass in North Georgia called Allatoona.

Minnesota, in the form of the 4th Minnesota Infantry Regiment, gave stellar service in the defense of the post losing 19 men killed and mortally wounded and considerably more wounded.

The battle of Allatoona is a testament to the tenacity, courage and perseverance of the American fighting man. The men who fought and died there deserve a monument.
Today the Etowah Valley Historical Society is instrumental in the preservation of this hallowed ground. The organization is making efforts to place a monument to the men of each state engaged in battle there. They have already placed monuments from Texas, Missouri and Mississippi and monuments for Iowa and Illinois are in the process of being procured. Conspicuously absent are monuments from Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The Etowah Valley Historical Society expects the cost per monument to be approximately $10,000 with any excess to be applied to the upkeep of the “Monument Park.” Each monument is a large stone slab cut into the shape of the state with a simple inscription memorializing the men who fought and died there.

Any donations are tax deductible as the Etowah Valley Historical Society is a not for profit organization.
It is hoped to raise these monies so that those Minnesota men will never be forgotten.

Any donations will be forwarded to the Etowah Valley Historical Society.

Etowah Valley Historical Society
c/o Ed Hill, President
36 Ben Ham Circle
Cartersville, GA 30120

POC: Shane Christen
SUVCW Camp 48
3rd MN VI

[johan_steele]

Just as a few further tidbits of historical trivia regarding this battle.

Allatoona is often referred to as the bloodiest battle of the Civil War w/ 30% casualties in less than four hours... a little less than five casualties per minute.

No less than three women in the uniform of a soldier were found among the Confederate casualties. One was identified as a member of the 29th NC, another of the Missouri Brigade and the third woman was never identified in any way being buried with those she fell beside.

Lt Colonel James Redfield of the 39th Iowa was killed while fighting from a chair... he had been wounded twice in the leg before propping himself on a chair so he could continue the battle beside his men. The third wound was fatal.

Ten Confederate 12 Pound Napoleons & two 3" Ordnance Rifles expended their complete ordnance load(minus canister)which was approx one Cannon Ball, Bolt or shell impacting on the US position every minute for eight hours. At a range of approx 1500 yards they managed to do no appreciable damage to the largest US entrenchment, the Star Fort, and had little if any real effect upon the battle.

In contrast the six guns of the 12th Wisconsin Battery expended all of their ammunition and resorted to firing bags of brass buttons packed in sawdust at the enemy infantry. One Napoleon of the battery was double shotted w/ canister at every discharge, the repeated heavy recoil required the replacement of both wheels, the axle and severely damaged the stock rail. This particular gun was pulled from Rowetts Redoubt, the scene of the heaviest fighting, when it expended its initial ammunition load. It was manhandled a distance of approx 250 yards, uphill, under fire into the Star Fort where it would be resupplied and continue its deadly work in earnest until it fully expended its ammunition.

It has been estimated that roughly 600,000 rounds were fired. A little more than a thousand rounds per minute for the duration of the battle.

At one point a force of approx one hundred men made a charge, w/ the intent of setting fire to some warehouses. They suffered a casuaty rate of approx 60% from a single volley delivered from a range of greater than three hundred yards. They made no further attempt. Such accurate shooting was not well known in the Civil War and it was delivered by Union troops.

With tidbits like these is it any wonder that the men involved thought it the hardest fight of the war... and men who had been at places like Shiloh, Iuka, Corinth, Vicksburg campaign, Mission Ridge and the Atlanta campaign had something to measure it against.

[M E Wolf]

Dear Johan_Steele,

Has there been contact with the Senators and Representatives on Capitol Hill? Put this interesting Battle in the bigger newspapers; like the New York Times, The Washington Post--perhaps in VFW and American Legion Post publications? Army Times? The Pentagon?

Just some thoughts.

Respectfully submitted for consideration,
M. E. Wolf

[RLQ1]

This past October, the US Army Corps of Engineers (the owners of the Allatoona Battlefield) had leased to Georgia State Parks the Allatoona Battlefield. I am a staff member of Red Top Mountain State Park who is charged with maintaining the battlefield, and also to assist with the interpretive programs there as well.

Half of the Star Fort is under COE ownership while the other half is privately owned. We recently added new interpretive signs on site, and on the first weekend in October, we, along with our friends from the EVHS and Georgia Division of Reenactors sponsor a living history weekend on site.

Attached are pictures of some of the monuments that have already been erected, as well as some of our new interpretive markers.

[RLQ1]

Here are the monuments. The first one erected was in honor of Cockrell's Missouri troops. Next, the Texas monument, and the latest monument to be erected was the Mississippi monument.

[RLQ1]

Here is the Mississippi monument.

[samgrant]

How about the Corse Monument?


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[RLQ1]

If I am not mistaken, the Illinois and Iowa monuments may go up this year. I haven't heard anything about a monument to Gen. Corse, though I'm sure if he were alive today, he certainly would approve of one!

[M E Wolf]

Dear List Members,

I hope a memorial is thought for, Lt Colonel James Redfield of the 39th Iowa who was killed while fighting from a chair. Wouldn't it be lovely to have him in the chair and fighting from it. Imaginative, creative and shows the 'guts' n' guns Lt. Colonel James Redfield had that day.

Ah--such brave souls; one has to admire them regardless of sides.

Just some thoughts.

Respectfully submitted for consideration,
M. E. Wolf
Grand Ideas with a pauper's purse.

[johan_steele]

Allatoona is indeed a fascinating study; frankly I've never done so much research on an incident that lasted such a short time.

There are no individual monuments planned, no one man or state will get precedence. IMO the memorial park is well planed and I can hope and pray in the next couple years Minnesoata and Wisconsin can place monuments there. But with the brick wall I've hit in raising funds the good lord only knows.

To date just $200 has been pledged to the monument, and $100 of that is mine. A long way from the estimated $10k. I'm hoping tonight to talk to someone from Wisconsin who might be interested in taking up the torch for the Wisconsin monument. The service given by the Wisconsin battery was truly stellar and outright herculean.