the army of the cumberland-第29章

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es　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　brigades　in　line　of　battle。　　On　the　withdrawal　of　the　troops　of　the　left　from　across　the　river；　Wood　ordered　Wagner　with　his　brigade　to　hold　his　position　in　the　woods　on　the　left　of　the　Murfreesboro　pike　at　all　hazards；　this　being　an　exceedingly　important　point；　protecting　our　left　front　and　flanks　and　securing　command　of　the　road　leading　to　the　rear。　　Hascall's　and　Harker's　brigades　were　withdrawn；　and　the　latter；　under　an　order　from　Rosecrans；　was　moved　to　the　right　and　rear。　　In　the　heavy　fighting　of　the　general　movement　on　the　right　and　centre；　the　left　gradually　became　engaged；　and　with　this　Hascall　was　ordered　by　Wood　to　take　position　between　Wagner　and　Hazen　on　Wagner's　right。　　With　the　general　advance　of　the　enemy；　moving　on　the　right　of　Polk's　corps　as　a　pivot；　Palmer　and　the　two　brigades　of　Wood's　division　on　the　left　became　engaged。　　Cruft　early　in　the　morning　had　been　ordered　by　Palmer　to　advance；　keeping　in　line　with　Negley；　the　latter　having　sent　word　to　Palmer　that　he　intended　to　advance　his　division　to　attack　the　enemy。　　Cruft　was　advanced　in　two　lines；　two　regiments　in　each　line　with　Miller's　brigade　of　Negley's　division　on　the　right　and　Hazen's　brigade　on　his　left。　　After　Cruft　had　advanced　about　a　hundred　yards；　Palmer　discovered　that　Negley　had　thrown　back　his　right　so　that　his　line　was　almost　perpendicular　to　Cruft's　and　to　his　rear。　　After　Cruft　had　driven　the　enemy's　skirmishers　in；　the　rebels　advanced　in　great　force　in　four　ranks　with　double　lines；　Chalmers　in　the　front　line　with　Donelson's　brigade　following。　　This　charge　Cruft　repulsed；　inflicting　severe　loss　on　the　enemy。　　Chalmers　was　so　severely　wounded　by　the　bursting　of　a　shell　as　to　disqualify　him　for　further　duty　on　the　field。　　Advancing　once　more；　the　rebels　again　attacked　Cruft's　line；　when　a　very　severe　engagement　ensued；　and　after　some　thirty　minutes'　firing　the　enemy　was　again　repulsed。　　When　Negley's　division　went　back　through　the　cedars；　Cruft　was　left　without　support　on　his　right　and　he　then　withdrew　to　the　wood；　the　enemy　following　him　closely　and　pressing　him　hard。　　While　Cruft　was　thus　engaged　on　the　front；　Palmer　found　that　the　right　and　centre　had　been　driven　from　the　first　line；　and　that　the　enemy　in　Negley's　front　was　forcing　his　way　into　the　open　ground　to　his　rear。　　He　then　changed　Grose　from　front　to　rear；　retired　his　new　left　so　as　to　bring　the　rebels　under　the　direct　fire　of　his　line；　and　opened　on　them　with　great　effect；　holding　his　ground　until　the　enemy　was　driven　back。　　Hazen　was　ordered　to　fall　back　from　the　advanced　position　he　then　held；　and　to　occupy　the　crest　of　a　low　wooded　hill　between　the　pike　and　the　railroad；　and　there　resist　the　attack。　This　was　about　eleven　o'clock；　and　all　of　Palmer's　command　was　engaged　with　the　enemyHazen　on　the　railroad；　one　or　two　detached　regiments　to　the　right；　Cruft　still　farther　to　the　right；　actively　engaged；　while　Grose　to　the　rear　was　fighting　heavy　odds。　　Grose　shortly　after　this　changed　to　the　front　again；　the　enemy　being　driven　back　from　his　rear；　and　moved　to　the　left　to　co…operate　with　Hazen。　　After　aiding　in　the　repulse　of　the　troops　that　struck　Cruft's　lines；　Hazen　with　constant　firing　maintained　his　position　on　his　left　at　the　railroad；　retiring　his　right　to　place　his　troops　behind　the　embankment　at　that　place。　　General　Palmer　had　ordered　Grose　to　co…operate　with　Hazen；　and　part　of　Grose's　troops　reporting　to　him；　they　were　placed　in　position　on　the　front。　　Here　was　held　what　was　considered　by　the　enemy　to　be　the　key　to　our　position；　known　as　the　〃Round　Forest。〃　　This　was　attacked　by　the　right　of　Donelson's　brigade；　but　the　attack　was　met　with　a　fire　that　mowed　down　half　its　number；　one　regiment　losing　207　out　of　402。　　In　another　regiment　the　loss　was　306　out　of　425。　　Polk　finding　that　his　troops　had　been　so　severely　punished　that　they　were　not　able　to　renew　the　attack　on　the　extreme　left　of　our　line；　and　that　the　new　line　on　the　right　as　formed　by　Rosecrans　resisted　every　attack；　applied　for　an　order　from　Bragg　directing　four　brigades　from　Breckenridge's　command　to　be　sent　to　him　to　drive　our　left　from　its　line；　and　especially　to　dislodge　us　from　our　position　in　the　〃Round　Forest。〃　　These　brigades　were　sent　to　him；　arriving　in　two　detachments　of　two　brigades　each。　　Adams　and　Jackson's　brigades　first　reported；　under　Breckinridge　in　person。　　Those　of　Preston　and　Palmer　reported　about　two　hours　later。　　About　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　Adams　and　Jackson's　brigades　assailed　our　left　with　determined　energy；　but　after　a　severe　contest　they　were　compelled　to　yield　and　fall　back。　　They　were　rallied　by　Breckenridge；　but　were　too　badly　cut　up　to　renew　the　attack。　　About　four　o'clock；　on　the　arrival　of　the　brigades　of　Preston　and　Palmer；　the　assault　on　the　left　was　renewed　and　again　repulsed；　when　the　enemy　withdrew　and　made　no　further　attack　upon　that　position。　　When　this　last　attack　was　made；　Rosecrans；　anxious　as　to　this　vital　point　of　his　lines；　hurried　there　with　his　staff　to　assist　in　the　repulse。　　It　was　here　that　a　shell　grazing　the　person　of　Rosecrans　carried　off　the　head