Eleventh Iowa, in reserve in rear of the right of Colonel
Marsh's brigade. The alignment of the Third Brigade, by Colonel Raith
throwing his left too far to the front, so as to be exposed to a flank
attack and also to cover Colonel Marsh's right, Colonel Raith wheeled
his left to the rear to connect with Marsh. The right of McClernand's
division, as thus formed, connected with Sherman, but the left was
uncovered.

General Johnston sent two brigades from Polk's corps, Colonel Russell's
and General B.R. Johnson's, to reinforce his extreme left. General
Beauregard, who had taken immediate command on the Confederate left,
sent them farther to his right, and they went into position on the left
of Wood's brigade. Two regiments of Russell's brigade formed on the left
of Wood; the rest were marched by General Clark, the division
commander, still farther to the right. Three of General Johnson's
regiments formed on the right of Russell's two, while General Bragg
moved Johnson's remaining two regiments off to his right, to another
attack. The assault on Colonel Marsh was made with great fury. In five
minutes most of the field officers in the brigade were killed or
wounded. The enemy's fire seemed especially directed at Burrow's
battery, posted in the centre of Marsh's brigade, all the horses of
which were killed or disabled. The colonel and lieutenant-colonel of the
Forty-eighth Illinois being wounded and taken off the field, the
regiment finally became disorganized and retired in disorder. The other
regiments fell back. The battery was lost. The first brigade, which had
not been severely engaged, next retired in some disorder. The Third
Brigade, being now enfiladed and turned on its left flank, Colonel Raith
refused his left regiment, and was himself soon mortally wounded. Wood's
brigade then wheeling to its left and advancing, the Third Brigade fell
back, leaving Waterhouse's battery on the flank of Sherman's division
exposed.

The division formed again, its right connected with Sherman's left on
the Purdy road. When Sherman fell back from the Purdy road, McClernand
adjusted his right to connect again with Sherman's left. While his right
connected still with Sherman, his left for a while almost joined W.H.L.
Wallace in the position which he had assumed, and, when pushed back
still farther, his left was yet to some extent protected by the
character of the ground, rough, intersected by ravines, and dotted with
impenetrable thick