313th Regular Meeting Vicious battle produced nearly 1700 casualties Friday, October 10, 2014, 7:30 p.m. engagements. While Alla- Arlington Heights Historical Museum toona did not fall, Hood did 110 West Fremont Street, Arlington Heights, Illinois succeed in interrupting the flow of supplies well enough to convince Sherman that re- The Battle maining in Atlanta was not an option. of Allatoona Sherman, of course, es- chewed both retreat and star- Lee White n October 5, 1864, a Confederate infantry vation, choosing a third op- division attacked the Union garrison at tion: He marched to the sea. Atlanta was de- O Allatoona Pass, a critical point on the stroyed, and those Federals not going with Western and Atlantic Railroad. Despite the rela- Sherman fell back to Tennessee, under the able tively low numbers of combatants — about 3200 command of General George Thomas. Hood, once Rebels faced off against roughly 2000 Federals — again stymied in Georgia, chose his own bold ob- the fight was a vicious, bruising battle that pro- jective: Atlanta. duced nearly 1700 combined casualties. On October 10, 2014, park ranger Lee White Despite the intensity of the engagement, Alla- will speak to us about Allatoona. Lee is an inter- toona is not well known in Civil War circles, ex- pretive ranger at Chickamauga-Chattanooga Na- cept perhaps as the incident that spawned the tional Military Park and well known to many of us catch-phrase “Hold the fort,” and in 1870, a hymn in the Northern Illinois Civil War Round Table with that same title. Allatoona’s relative obscurity from our trips to the park. Lee is also a native of is only part and parcel of the nearly complete ano- North Georgia, having been raised in LaFayette. nymity that surrounds General John Bell Hood’s He is also a contributing member of the Emerging and the Confederate Army of Tennessee’s actions Civil War website community, and the author of between the abandonment of Atlanta and the No- Bushwhacking on a Grand Scale (Savas-Beatie, vember campaign in Tennessee. 2013), an introductory narrative on the battle of With Union General William T. Sherman en- Chickamauga. He is at work on a forthcoming sconced in Atlanta, Hood decided to strike at map study of Hood’s fall campaign in North Sherman’s vulnerable supply line: the tracks of Georgia. Please welcome Lee White and join us to the W & A between that city and Sherman’s base hear his presentation at the Arlington Heights His- at Chattanooga. Hood reasoned that if he could torical Museum. sever the flow of supplies down that rail line, then If you would like to join us for dinner with Lee Sherman’s vast army must either retreat or starve. White at 5:30 p.m. before the meeting October 10 Thus was Hood’s fall campaign born. at Sam’s of Arlington restaurant, 1863 West Cen- From late September to mid-October, Hood tral Road, Arlington Heights, please contact me at struck repeatedly at those tracks, meeting with [email protected] or (847) 343-2032 by some success. Allatoona was the largest of those Wednesday, October 8. — Dave Powell Please note change of date for the October meeting The 1864 Valley Campaign An 1864 Inauspicious Start for the Union n Friday, September 5, the inaugural of the cast of characters in the battle reads like a speaker for Dave Powell’s return as who’s who of American history. O Northern Illinois Civil War Round Table Those participating in the battle included president was author/historian Charlie Knight. George S. Patton (the grandfather of his more fa- Mr. Knight has written a book recently published mous World War II kin), John C. Breckinridge by Savas-Beatie about the first of the 1864 battles (most recently vice president under James Bu- in the Shenandoah Valley. That was the topic of chanan and now the Confederate commander at his presentation. the battle), and Henry Du Pont of the chemical The importance of the Shenandoah Valley family. Additionally, well-known future Indian (often simply referred to as the Valley) was that it fighter General George Crook was near the Valley was the area in west- and was supposed ern Virginia that fed to link up with General Robert E. Sigel but he was Lee’s vaunted Army not on the field of Northern Virginia. that day. Obviously, it was But the partici- equally important to pants who would the Union cause that become legen- they put a stop to this dary at New Mar- support. ket were some Earlier efforts by 247 cadets from the Federals to wrest Virginia Military control of the Valley Institute. Ten of from the Confederates their number died met with abject fail- at New Market ure. The 1862 cam- and are immortal- paign in the same area General Franz Sigel General John C. Breckinridge ized every fif- brought General Tho- teenth of May mas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson great fame as when roll is called. Although the battle was a he rode circles around three Union forces trying to Confederate tactical victory, the Federals could nab him. Jackson’s mapmaker, Jedediah Hotch- have taken advantage of the woefully small Con- kiss, helped him navigate through the passes in federate force had Sigel been willing to pursue. the narrow corridor that was the Valley. Addition- More troops on both sides would participate in the ally, the area was generally pro-Confederate in Valley in the months to come, but final victory sentiment. there would not come till General Philip H. Sheri- Two years later, Jackson was gone, but most dan defeated General Jubal Early at Cedar Creek everything else remained constant; the Rebels still some five months later, just weeks before election controlled the Valley. If General Ulysses S. day in November. Grant’s strategy to fight Lee was to meet with On behalf of the Round Table, I wish to thank success, the Federals had to deny them food from Charlie Knight for a great presentation under less the breadbasket. than optimal circumstances. He had to explain The Union forces deployed to the Valley would everything verbally because we lacked the usual be commanded by General Franz Sigel. The rest audio/visual aids. Page 2 drum roll, October 2014 October Events October Saturday Discussion October 8, Civil War Museum, Kenosha, WI. All members and guests are invited to participate Dinner and program will feature Dr. James in the session to be held at the Hoffman Estates McPherson, who will sign his latest work, Embat- Community Bank, 1375 Palatine Road, Hoffman tled Rebel: Jefferson Davis as Commander in Estates, on Saturday, October 18, from 10:00 a.m. Chief ; social hour and dinner, 5:30 p.m., program, until noon. Attendees are asked to park in the 7 p.m.; dinner and program $45 ($35, Friends of adjacent lot rather than in spaces provided for the Museum), program only, $5 suggested dona- bank customers. The group will discuss the tion. Advance registration required for the dinner 1864 Valley Campaign, led by second vice presi- but not the program. Information on all Civil War dent Tom Postema. Museum programs is available at (262) 653-4140 These discussions are generally held on the or www.thecivilwarmuseum.org. third Saturday of the month from October through October 9, Lake County Civil War Round Table. June. They are held to generate and foster a free Frank Crawford will speak on New Ways to exchange of ideas on events that transpired during Study the Civil War. the Civil War. October 10, Civil War Museum, Kenosha, WI. Ed Pierce will speak on The Prairie Lawyer and the Clarinet Player: Music at the Gettysburg Address, Women's Civil War Book Club noon. Second Friday lecture series is sponsored The next book for the Civil War book club for by the Milwaukee Civil War Roundtable and the women is Widow of the South by Robert Hicks. Iron Brigade Association. The group will meet to discuss the book at 4 p.m., October 10, Chicago Civil War Round Table. December 14, 2014, at the Clayson House Mu- Mark Bradley will speak on Joe Hooker, O. O. seum, 224 East Palatine Road, Palatine. If you are Howard, and the Atlanta Campaign of 1864. interested in joining the group, contact Denise October 14, McHenry County Civil War Round Limburg at [email protected] or (847) 382- Table. David Powell will speak on Failure in the 1022, or Mary Banks at [email protected] or Saddle: Generals Nathan Bedford Forrest and Joe (847) 497-3149. Wheeler. October 17, Salt Creek Civil War Round Table. Leslie Goddard will speak on Gone with the Wind Dues Are Due and the Construction of the Civil War Memory at Dues forms and checks should be sent to treasurer the Glen Ellyn Historical Society. Tom DeFranco, 4844 North Ridgewood Avenue, October 30, Civil War Museum, Kenosha, WI. Norridge, Illinois 60706-2941, as soon as possi- Harold Holzer will discuss and sign his latest ble. Dues for the 2014–15 year are $55 family, work, Lincoln and the Power of the Press ; recep- $45 individual, and $5 student. A sustaining mem- tion, 6 p.m., program, 7 p.m.; $5 suggested dona- bership is defined by any payment over and above tion. The book explores how Lincoln used and the normal rates. Deduct $5 if you receive the silenced the press to speak directly to the people newsletter by e-mail. and shape the opinion of the nation. To Contribute to the Drum Roll Book Discussion Group All members are welcome to contribute items to The Civil War book discussion group led by Tom the newsletter.