Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[496] regiment of Sill's brigade, which was in the second line. This regiment fell back some distance into the open field and then rallied, its place being occupied by a third regiment of my reserve. At this time the enemy, who had attacked on the extreme right of our wing, against Johnson, and also on Davis's front, had been successful, and the two divisions on my right were retiring in great confusion, closely followed by the enemy, completely turning my position, and exposing my line to a fire from the rear. I hastily withdrew the whole of Sill's brigade, and the three regiments sent to support it, at the same time directing Colonel Roberts, of the left brigade, who had changed front and formed in column of regiments, to charge the enemy in the timber from which I had withdrawn three regiments. This was very gallantly done by Colonel Roberts, who captured one piece of the enemy's artillery, which had to be abandoned.

In the meantime I had formed Sill's and Shaeffer's brigades on a line at right angles to my first line, and behind the three batteries of artillery, which were placed in a fine position, directing Colonel Roberts to return and form on the new line. I then made an unavailing attempt to form the troops on my right in this line, in front of which there were open fields through which the enemy was approaching under a heavy fire from Hescock's, Houghtaling's, and Bush's batteries.

After the attempt had proved to be entirely unsuccessful, and my right was again turned, General McCook directed me to advance to the front and form on the right of Negley. This movement was successfully accomplished, under a heavy fire of musketry and artillery, every regiment of mine remaining unbroken.

I took position on Negley's right, Roberts' brigade having been placed in position at right angles to Negley's line, facing to the south, the other two brigades being placed to the rear and at right angles with Roberts', and facing the west, covering the rear of Negley's lines. I then directed Houghtaling's battery to take position at the angle of these two lines, Captain Hescock sending one section of his battery, under Lieutenant Taliaferro, and one section of Bush's battery, to the same point; the remaining pieces of Hescock's and Bush's batteries were placed on the right of Negley's line, facing toward Murfreesboro. In this position I was immediately attacked, when one of the bitterest and most sanguinary contests of the whole day occurred.

General Cheatham's division advanced on Roberts' brigade, and heavy masses of the enemy with three batteries of artillery advanced over the open ground which I had occupied in the previous part of the engagement, at the same time the enemy opening from their intrenchments in the direction of Murfreesboro.

The contest then became terrible. The enemy made three attacks and were three times repulsed, the artillery range of the respective batteries being not over two hundred yards. In these attacks Roberts' brigade lost its gallant commander, who was killed.

There was no sign of faltering with the men, the only cry being for more ammunition, which, unfortunately, could not be supplied on account of the discomfiture of the troops on the right of our wing, which allowed the enemy to come in and capture our ammunition train.

Shaeffer's brigade being entirely out of ammunition, I directed them to fix bayonets and await the enemy. Roberts' brigade, which was nearly out of ammunition, I directed to fall back resisting the enemy. Captain Houghtaling, having exhausted all his ammunition, and nearly all the horses of his battery having been killed, attempted, with the assistance of the men, to withdraw his pieces by hand.

Lieutenant Taliaferro, commanding the section of Hescock's battery, having been killed, and several of his horses shot, his two pieces were brought off by his sergeant with the assistance of the men. The difficulty of withdrawing the artillery here became very great, the ground being rocky and covered with a dense growth of cedar. Houghtaling's battery had to be abandoned, and also two pieces of Bush's battery. The remaining pieces of artillery in the division were brought through the cedars with great difficulty, under a terrible fire from the enemy, on to the open space on the Murfreesboro pike, near the right of General Palmer's division. In coming through the cedars two regiments of Shaeffer's brigade succeeded in obtaining ammunition, and were immediately put in front to resist the enemy, who appeared to be driving in our entire lines.

On arriving at the open space I was directed by Major-General Rosecrans to take these two regiments and put them into action on the right of Palmer's division, where the enemy were pressing heavily. The two regiments went in very gallantly, driving the enemy from the cedar timber and some distance to the front. At the same time I put four pieces of Hescock's battery into action near by and on the same front. The other two regiments of Shaeffer's brigade, and the Thirty-sixth Illinois, of Sill's brigade, were directed to cross the railroad, where they could obtain ammunition. I then, by direction of Major-General McCook, withdrew the two regiments that had been placed on the right of Palmer's division, also Captain Hescock's pieces, that point having been given up to the enemy in the re-arrangement of our lines.

These regiments of Shaeffer's brigade having supplied themselves with ammunition, I put it into action, by direction of Major-General Rosecrans, directly to the front and right of General Wood's division, on the left hand side of the railroad.

The brigade advanced through a clump of timber, and took position on the edge of a cotton field, close upon the enemy's lines, relieving the division of General Wood, which was falling back under a heavy pressure from the enemy.

At this point I lost my third and last brigade