Alfred Roman, The military operations of General Beauregard in the war between the states, 1861 to 1865

All the forces on each side were now in action. The Confederate front line, as, according to the conformation of the ground, it developed the positions of the enemy and the needs of reinforcements, had been extended on its right and left and filled, at intervening points, by the troops of the second and third, or reserve lines. With a general direction from northwest to southeast, oblique to the Tennessee River, and its right thrown back, the order of the Federal forces was, from right to left, as follows: Sherman's remaining troops; McClernand's division, with a portion of Veatch's brigade, of Hurlbut's division; and, beyond a wide interval, Stuart's isolated brigade, on the extreme left.

The Confederate forces in opposing order, left to right, were: Two brigades (Pond's and Anderson's) of Ruggles's division, of Bragg's corps; one brigade (Russell's) of Polk's corps; Hardee's three brigades (Cleburne's, Wood's, and Hindman's), with Gibson's brigade, of Ruggles's division, and Trabue's, of Breckinridge's division, in support or filling up the line; Cheatham's division, of Polk's corps, and Breckinridge's division, with Gladden in rear; and on the extreme right, at the distance of about three quarters of a mile, Withers's division (Jackson's and Chalmers's brigades), of Bragg's corps, carrying on the attack against Stuart under General Johnston.

The contest now went on in all parts of the field, without any important incident or change, during the remainder of the morning and the early afternoon. About eleven o'clock, General Johnston, leaving Withers's division, passed over to the rear of General Breckinridge's, and remained directing its movements. Previously to this General Bragg had, by understanding with General Polk, taken position near the right centre and General Polk near the left centre, while General Hardee remained at the extreme left. General Beauregard, following the general movement, maintained a central position in rear.

In the succession of ravines, ridges, and woods, the Federals had, everywhere, natural defensive positions more or less strong, which their opponents were compelled to carry by assault. These were attacked with great bravery and heavy loss of life, but not with that concert and massing of forces essential to decisive effects, though this fact was, in some measure, due to the concealed character of the country, which, in most parts, admitted of no continuous view of any large body of troops. General officers in immediate