een
Fuller and Smith, forced Fuller to change front and use part of his force
to protect his flank, and the Sixty-fourth Illinois in this movement
captured the skirmish-line that killed McPherson, taking from them his
field-glass, orders, and other papers that they had taken from McPherson's
body; and later in the day I sent these to General Sherman. See report
Sixty-fourth Illinois, volume 38, part 3, War Records, page 494. Fuller's
maps, page 480, volume 38, part 3, War Records, show where Fuller fought,
and where we had to intrench.

Where I stood in my line I could see the entire Confederate force, and all
of my own, something that very seldom occurs, and, of course, the scene,
as Blair states, was a magnificent one. I saw Fuller do a most gallant
act. I sent an aide to him with instructions to charge, but before he got
there Walker's division broke the center of Fuller's Brigade, his own
regiment, the Twenty-seventh Ohio, falling back. I saw Fuller get down off
his horse, grab the colors of the Twenty-seventh, rush to the front with
them in his hands, and call upon his regiment to come to the colors; and
they rallied and saved his front. It was but a moment later that I saw
Walker, who commanded the division that was attacking Fuller, fall from
his horse, and the division broke and went into the woods. The action of
Fuller was very gallant, and has been painted, and I have a copy of the
painting in my room.

Blair in his report has this to say of the fighting, which shows that he
watched us a long time before he was attacked; and if you will read his
report carefully, you will see that it bears out my statements in full:

I started to go back to my command and witnessed the fearful assault
made on the Sixteenth Army Corps, and its prompt and gallant repulse
by that command. It was a most fortunate circumstance for the whole
army that the Sixteenth Army Corps occupied the position I have
attempted to describe at the moment of attack, and although it does
not belong to me to report upon the bearing and conduct of the
officers and men of that Corps, still I cannot withhold my expression
of admiration for the manner in which this command met and repulsed
the repeated and persistent attacks of the enemy. The attack upon our
flank was made by the whole of Hardee's Corps.

I speak in my address of Mercer's Brigade fighting on three parts of the
field. Mercer, after helping to ret