the army of the cumberland-第22节

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freesboro　pike。

Davis's　division　had　up　to　this　time　protected　Sheridan's　right；　and　these　divisions　unitedly　had　resisted　two　assaults。　　After　the　charge　of　the　enemy　that　broke　Davis's　division　and　sent　it　through　the　cedars；　Sheridan　was　compelled　to　change　his　line　and　to　protect　the　right　flank　of　his　command　from　the　enemy；　now　pressing　that　part　of　his　position；　as　well　as　his　front；　in　increasing　numbers；　as　the　line　became　shortened。　　Hastily　withdrawing　Sill's　brigade；　with　the　reserves　sent　it　as　support；　he　directed　Roberts；　with　the　left　brigade；　which　had　changed　front　and　formed　in　columns　of　regiments；　to　charge　the　enemy　in　the　cedars　from　which　he　had　withdrawn　Sill's　brigade　and　the　reserves。　　This　charge　was　at　once　made　by　Roberts；　and　the　enemy's　advance　checked　sufficiently　to　give　Sheridan　time　to　form　his　troops　on　the　new　line；　which　he　at　once　did　by　placing　Sill's　and　Shafer's　brigades　on　a　line　at　right　angles　to　his　first　one；　and　ordered　Roberts　to　return　and　form　his　command　on　this　same　line。　　Sheridan　now　attempted　to　form　the　broken　troops　of　the　other　division　on　the　right　of　his　new　line；　but　in　this　he　was　not　successful。　　After　making　a　gallant　fight　with　his　division；　finding　the　right　of　his　new　line　turned；　Sheridan　was　directed　by　McCook　to　advance　to　the　front　and　reform　his　troops　to　the　right　of　Negley's　division　of　the　Centre　under　Thomas。　　Throwing　forward　his　left　to　join　Negley's　right；　he　placed　Roberts's　brigade　in　position　at　right　angles　to　Negley's　line；　facing　south；　and　then　placed　his　two　other　brigades　in　the　rear；　and　at　right　angles　to　Roberts；　so　as　to　face　westward　and　to　cover　the　rear　of　Negley's　lines。　　In　the　angle　of　these　lines　on　the　right　of　Negley；　he　placed　his　artillery。　　Here　he　was　again　fiercely　assaulted　by　the　enemy；　and　one　of　the　fiercest　and　most　sanguinary　contests　of　the　day　ensued。　　Massing　the　four　divisions　of　Hardee's　and　Polk's　corpseach　of　four　brigadesBragg　hurled　them　against　the　divisions　of　Sheridan　and　Negley；　and　at　the　same　time　the　enemy　opened　fire　from　the　intrenchments　in　the　direction　of　Murfreesboro。　　Here　the　fighting　was　terrific。　　Five　batteries　were　posted　with　these　two　divisions；　the　artillery　range　of　the　respective　forces　being　not　to　exceed　two　hundred　yards。　　Three　times　in　dense　masses　the　enemy　charged　on　these　divisions；　and　three　times　were　they　repulsed。　　Here　Colonel　Roberts　was　killed。　Sheridan's　troops　having　now　exhausted　their　ammunitionShafer's　brigade　being　entirely　out　and　nearly　all　his　horses　killedthen　gave　way；　after　over　four　hours　of　some　of　the　hottest　fighting　of　the　day。　　Sheridan　lost　in　falling　back　from　this　position　eight　guns。　　Nearly　all　the　remainder　of　his　artillery　was　drawn　by　his　men　through　the　cedars。　　On　arriving　at　the　Murfreesboro　pike；　Sheridan　reformed　his　command　in　an　open　space　near　the　right　of　Palmer。

Before　assisting　in　the　gallant　fight　on　the　right　of　the　center　with　Sheridan　in　his　new　position；　Negley's　division；　after　repelling　all　assaults　made　on　it；　had　been　engaged　in　heavy　fighting　on　its　front　since　the　middle　of　the　morning。　　On　the　withdrawal　of　Sheridan；　Negley's　division　found　themselves　surrounded　by　the　enemy　in　swarms。　　Rousseau's　division　in　reserve；　and　Palmer's　on　the　left；　had　retired　to　the　rear　of　the　cedars；　to　form　a　new　line。　　Falling　back　through　the　cedar…brakes　in　the　rear　of　the　division；　under　a　concentrated　fire　of　musketry　and　artillery　at　short　range；　the　rebels　were　driven　back　in　front　and　checked　in　the　rear。　　Miller's　and　Stanley's　brigades　on　reaching　the　woods　reformed　their　lines；　faced　to　the　rear　and　fired　several　volleys　into　the　enemy；　then　advanced　over　the　open　fields　across　which　these　brigades　had　just　retired。　　In　passing　through　the　cedars　the　enemy　pressed　so　closely　on　the　division　that　in　some　parts　of　Miller's　brigade　the　lines　of　the　opposing　armies　seemed　commingled。　The　division　then　reformed　on　the　new　line；　as　directed　by　Thomas；　near　the　Nashville　pike。

Early　in　the　day；　with　the　breaking　up　and　retreat　of　the　two　fine　divisions　of　McCook's　corps；　the　extent　of　the　disaster　to　the　right　was　forced　upon　Rosecrans　with　terrible　earnestness。　　Realizing　at　once　that　upon　him　devolved　the　task　of　making　such　disposition　of　his　command　as　would　ensure　the　safety　of　his　army；　he　immediately　gave　the　necessary　orders　for　the　movement　of　the　troops。　　Hurriedly　galloping　to　the　centre；　where　he　found　Thomas；　he　at　once　ordered　Rousseau's　divisionheld　as　reserve　heretoforeto　be　sent　to　the　support　of　what　was　left　of　McCook's　line　into　the　cedar…brakes　to　the　right　and　rear　of　Sheridan。　　Rosecrans　then　ordered　Crittenden　to　suspend　Van　Cleve's　movement　across　the　river　on　the　left；　to　cover　the　crossing　with　one　brigade；　and　to　move　the　other　two　brigades　westward　across　the　fields　toward　the　railroad　for　a　reserve。　　He　also　directed　Wood　to　suspend　his　preparations　for　his　crossing　and　for　him　to　move　at　once　to　the　new　line　on　the　right　and　hold　Hascall　in　reserve。　　Up　to　this　time　Rosecrans　had　hoped　that　McCook；　notwithstanding　the　disaster　to　the　right；　might　stay　the　onset　with　his　own　troops。　　With　the　volume　of　stragglers　and　the　detachments　from　the　broken　commands　swarming　to　the　rear　through　the　cedars　Rosecrans　soon　became　satisfied　that　McCook　was　routed。　He　then　ordered　Van　Cleve　to　be　sent　in　to　the　right　of　Rousseau；　and　Wood　to　send　Colonel　Harker's　brigade　farther　down　the　Murfreesboro　pike　with　orders　to　go　in　and　attack　the　enemy　on　the　right　of　Van　Cleve。　　The　pioneer　brigade　had　been　posted　on　the　knoll　of　ground　west　of　the　Nashville　pike　and　about　four　or　five　hundred　yards　in　the　rear　of　Palmer's　centre；　supporting　Stokes's　battery。　　On　Negley's　division　being　compelled　to　retire；　Thomas　ordered　him　with　Rousseau　to　form　their　divisions　along　a　depression　in　the　open　ground　in　rear　of　the　cedars；　as　a　temporary　line；　until　the　artillery　could　be　posted　on　the　high　ground　near　to　and　west　of　the　Murfreesboro　pike。　　Rousseau's　division；　cutting　its　way　through　the　enemy　in　falling　back　from　the　cedars；　took　position　on　this　temporary　line　with　all　its　batteries　posted　on　the　knoll　a　short　distance　to　the　rear。　　Here　the　severest　engagement　of　this　day　of　heavy　fighting　was　had；　almost　hand　to　hand。　　At　this　point　the　new　line　had　open　ground　in　front　of　it　for　some　four　or　five　hundred　yards。　　Rousseau；　while　his　batteries　were　unlimbering；　requested　Van　Cleve　to　move　with　Colonel　Samuel　Beatty's　brigade　of　his　division　to　form　on　his　right；　check　the　rebel　advance　and　drive　it　back。　　Van　Cleve　instantly　moved　his　troops　on　the　double　quick　and　reached　the　desired　position　in　good　season。　　Upon　these　troops　in　this　new　line　the　rebels　charged　in　dense　masses；　flushed　with　the　victory　of　the　early　morning　and　elate　with　the　hope　of　continued　success　to　the　end。　　They　had　swept　everything　before　them　thus　far；　and　felt　that　with　renewed　effort　the　successful　issue　of　the　battle　was　within　their　grasp。　　Emerging　from　the　cedars　with　yell　after　yell；　firing　as　they　came；　they　rushed　forward　four　lines　deep　in　the　attempt　to　cross　the　open　field　and　drive　back　this　new　line　that　stood　in　their　pathway　to　final　victory。　　At　once　Rousseau's　division　and　Beatty's　brigade　opened　fire　upon　the　advancing　columns；　while　Guenther's　and　Loomis's　batteries　added　effect　to　it　by　sending　double　shotted　canister　into　their　thick　ranks。　　The　rebels　moved　on　for　a　time；　but　the　fire　proved　too　terrible　and　they　were　driven　back　with　great　slaughter。　　On　reaching　the　cedars　these　troops　were　rallied　by　their　officers；　and　with　fresh　troops　as　supports　they　advanced　once　more；　with　a　determined　effort　to　carry　our　position　at　this　point。　　But　again　they　were；　after　a　more　desperate　struggle；　driven　back。　　Again　and　again　they　returned　to　the　assault；　in　four　deliberate　and　fiercely　sustained　efforts；　each　time　to　meet　with　a　repulse。　　The　brigade　of　regulars　under　the　command　of　Colonel　Shepherd　sustained　the　heaviest　blows　of　this　assault。　　They　had　the　efficient　support　of　Scribner's　and　John　Beatty's　brigades；　of　Loomis's　and　Guenther's　batteries；　and　of　the　pioneer　brigade　under　Captain　St。　Clair　Morton；　with　Stokes's　battery。　　Sheppard's　command　lost　in　killed　and　wounded　in　this　short　and　severe　contest；　26　officers　and　611　enlisted　men；　making　a　total　loss　of　637　out　of　1；566　effectives。　　The　centre　succeeded　in　driving　back　the　enemy　from　its　front；　gallantly　holding　its　ground　against　overwhelming　odds；　while　the　artillery　concentrating　its　fire　on　the　cedar　thickets　on　their　right　drove　the　enemy　far　back　under　cover　of　the　woods。

While　the　right　and　centre　had　been　thus　actively　engaged；　the　left　had　also　borne　its　full　share　of　the　heavy　fighting　of　the　day。　Palmer's　division　was　posted　in　line　of　battle　with　his　right　resting　on　Negley's　left。　　His　line　was　formed　with　Cruft's　brigade　on　the　right；　connecting　with　Negley；　and　his　left　extending　across　a　point　of　woods　to　the　right　of　Hazen's　brigade；　which　was　formed　in　two　lines　with　his　left　resting　on　the　Nashville　pike；　while　Grose's　brigade　was　in　reserve　some　two　hundred　yards　to　the　rear；　formed　in　two　lines　nearly　opposite　the　interval　between　the　b