For several months the regiment was employed in Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia, guarding lines of communication. In July it was sent to Tilton. In August, two companies, H and I, were attacked two miles from Dalton by a greatly superior force of the enemy, and, after a brave resistance were compelled to surrender.
On the 13th of October the Confederate General Stewart with a large force appeared before Tilton. Lieutenant-Colonel Archer, of the Seventeenth Iowa, had two hundred seventy-five men with which to defend the place. The blockhouse built of heavy timbers, would hold seventy-five men. Two hundred were placed in the trenches, and as the enemy approached a heavy fire was opened by the little garrison, which was so effective that the Confederates were held off for several hours. General Stewart then sent in a flag of truce, demanding unconditional surrender. Lieutenant-Colonel Archer refused to surrender and again opened fire on the enemy. Stewart next brought up several pieces of artillery and opened on the blockhouse at close range. Every shot struck the building, shattering the heavy timbers, and piercing the roof in many places. Still the little garrison undismayed kept up a hot fire from the loopholes. Thus the fight went on until nearly three o’clock, when Archer’s men had less than a dozen rounds of ammunition left. A shell crashed through the shattered wall, exploded among the brave defenders, prostrating and wounding many. Colonel Archer realizing that further resistance was hopeless, reluctantly surrendered after eight hours steady fighting. Twenty-four of the brave little garrison were wounded, but none killed. Colonel Clark R. Wever, of the Seventeenth, was at this time in command of a brigade at Resaca. On the 12th of October General Hood approached with his army and opened an attack. Colonel Wever’s force numbered but seven hundred men with four pieces of light artillery. In order to deceive the enemy as to the size of his little army Colonel Wever so placed his men and artillery in the forts as to
