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under command of Capt. A. F. Hockersmith, Colonel Colquitt having been wounded at Atlanta, went over the outer works without check.
Abatis made of thorny locust trees and branches were in front of the works at some points.
Cheatham's corps charged along the Columbia pike.
Cleburne's division went through the locust thicket, from which the abatis had been cut, and, being on the right, came first under fire.
He and the men of his division of Stewart's corps went over the outer works first, but there was an inner parapet.
Some of Cheatham's men on the left leaped upon this parapet and planted the Confederate colors.
Those who went over it were killed or captured.
Cleburne did not reach the parapet, but fell just outside.
The army could not stand the unequal fight.
It drew off to move against some other point of attack.
Schofield moved out as soon as it was dark, and by midnight had his army mainly at Nashville.
General Hood took possession of the Federal works, but it was after his own army had suffered terribly and the enemy had escaped.
Hood's loss was estimated at 5,000 or 6,000.
He had lost some of his best generals.
Cleburne of Arkansas, Gist of South Carolina, Adams of Tennessee, Strahl of Tennessee, and Granbury of Texas, were killed; John C. Brown, Quarles, Cockrell, Manigault, Scott and Carter were wounded, and G. W. Gordon captured.
The general officers riding behind .their men or in line with them were shining marks for the deadly rifles aimed from a rest behind breastworks.
Cleburne was killed in a charge at double-quick.
His horse was first killed under him, and he pressed forward with his men on foot, when he was killed within a few hundred feet of the parapet.
He fell pierced through by a single rifle ball.
General Cleburne was loved by the men and honored by the officers of the entire army.
Sleepless in vigilance, ever ready to do his duty, he was never caught unprepared,
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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