This text is part of:
[513] to an enfilading fire, which compelled it to a speedy retreat. The Federals were driven back upon the clearings situated west of the wood and north of the Franklin road; Johnson's third brigade came to their assistance too late; it was swept away in its turn by the Confederate general Liddell, commanding the left of Cleburne's division, who had deployed on McCown's right. This first combat did not last more than three-quarters of an hour. The sound of battle, as we have said, had reached the ears of Rosecrans just as he was commencing his movement at the other extremity of the line. The remnants of Johnson's division were falling back in disorder to the west in the direction of Overall's Creek; they soon met Wharton's Confederate cavalry, which, prolonging to the left the movement of McCown's, fell upon their flank and captured more than a thousand prisoners, several guns and much camp furniture. Hardee had recommended his two division commanders to bear to the right as soon as the extremity of the enemy's line had been driven in, but McCown, carried away by the heat of the battle, pursued the troops he had just routed in their flight westward. Liddell took the same direction, followed by Johnson's brigade,1 which also belonged to Cleburne's division. During this time the other two brigades of this last division, under Polk and Wood, executed the movement of conversion prescribed by Bragg, for the purpose of striking the Federal division of Davis in front and in flank at the same time, and they thus left a space which grew wider and wider between them and the right of Johnson's brigade, posted on their left. Davis had been allowed time to form his troops, and he received without flinching the onset of Cleburne's two brigades, which, being obliged to extend themselves, attacked him in a single line. He repulsed their first assaults; but attacked on the right by Liddell and Johnson, his troops were exposed to a converging fire which rendered it impossible for them to preserve their position. Post's brigade, which was in most danger, was dispersed, and in its turn uncovered that of Carlin. This gallant officer encouraged the soldiers under him by his example, and
Philadelphia, Jos. H. Coates and co., 1876.
Tufts University provided support for entering this text.
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.
An XML version of this text is available for download, with the additional restriction that you offer Perseus any modifications you make. Perseus provides credit for all accepted changes, storing new additions in a versioning system.