tening to engulf our little band without further ado.
Fortunately for us, Col. Tourtellotte's fire caught Sears in flank,
and broke him so badly as to enable me to get a staff officer over
the cut with orders to bring the 50th Illinois over to reinforce
Rowett, who had lost very heavily. However, before the regiment sent
for could arrive, Sears and Young both rallied, and made their
assaults in front and on the flank with so much vigor and in such
force as to break Rowett's line, and had not the 39th Iowa fought
with the desperation it did, I never would have been able to get a
man back inside the Redoubt; as it was, their hand-to-hand conflict
and stubborn stand broke the enemy to that extent that he must stop
and reform before undertaking the assault on the fort. Under cover of
the blows they gave the enemy, the 7th and 93rd Illinois, and what
remained of the 39th Iowa, fell back into the fort.

"The fighting up to this time--about 11 a. m.--was of the most
extraordinary character. Attacked from the north, from the west and
from the south, these three regiments--39th Iowa and 7th and 93rd
Illinois--held Young's and a portion of Sears' and Cockerell's
brigades at bay for nearly two hours and a half. The gallant Col.
Redfield, of the 39th Iowa, fell, shot in four places, and the
extraordinary valor of the men and officers of this regiment, and of
the 7th Illinois, saved to us Allatoona.

"So completely disorganized were the enemy, that no regular assault
could be made on the fort till I had the trenches all filled and the
parapets lined with men. The 12th and 50th Illinois arriving from the
east hill, enabled us to occupy every foot of trench, and keep up a
line of fire that, as long as our ammunition lasted, would render our
little fort impregnable. The broken pieces of the enemy enabled them
to fill every hollow and take every advantage of the rough ground
surrounding the fort, filling every hole and trench, seeking shelter
behind every stump and log that lay within musket range of the fort.
We received their fire from the north, south and west of the Redoubt,
completely enfilading our ditches, and rendering it almost
impracticable for a man to expose his person above the parapet. An
effort was made to carry our works by assault, but the battery (12th