Page:Hold the Fort! (Scheips 1971) low resolution.pdf/8

2 Later, Allen D. Frankenberry, who had been on Kennesaw in October 1864 as a second-class private of the Signal Corps, claimed that "Hold the Fort" was inspired by the message that Sherman sent to Brigadier General John N.M. [sic] Corse at Rome, Georgia, ordering him to reinforce Allatoona. According to Frankenberry, this message, which he may have flagged, read: "Move your command to Allatoona. Hold the place. I will help you. Sherman." Actually, however, Sherman's message to Corse to reinforce Allatoona, which Vandever sent on 4 October, was quite different: "Sherman directs you to move forward and join Smith's division with your entire command, using cars, if to be had, and burn provisions rather than lose them." Another message on the same date, signed by Sherman, advised Corse and other commanding officers that the enemy was "moving on Allatoona" and "thence to Rome." Corse evidently received this message in due time, although its transmission was delayed by fog. In any case, because of related instructions and his knowledge of troop dispositions, the Vandever message was perfectly clear to Corse.