s
left, then beyond his line. These two brigades were then moved to the
front of W.H.L. Wallace. Flushed with victory, they advanced with
confidence. The same resistless fire wounded Hindman and drove back his
command. Led by General A.P. Stewart, the brigades gallantly advanced
again and rushed against the fatal fire, only to be shivered into
fragments that recoiled, to remain out of the contest for the rest of
the day.

The commander of the Confederate Army was killed farther to the right,
at half-past two o'clock in the afternoon. As the news of this loss
spread, there was a feeling of uncertainty and visible relaxation of
effort in parts of his command. In front of Prentiss and Wallace attack
was suspended about an hour.

Hickenlooper's four guns, standing at the salient where Prentiss and
Wallace joined, sweeping both fronts, had all day long been reaping
bloody harvests among the lines of assailants that strove to approach.
So near, yet so far; in plain view, yet out of reach, the little battery
exasperated the baffled brigades while it extorted their admiration.
General Ruggles sent his staff officers in all directions to sweep in
all the guns they could reach. He gives the names of eleven batteries
and one section which he planted in a great crescent, pouring in a
concentric fire. From this tornado of missiles Hickenlooper withdrew his
battery complete, and, passing to the rear through Hurlbut's camp,
reported to Sherman for further service.

The terrible fire of this artillery was supplemented by continued, but
desultory infantry attacks. The Crescent regiment of Louisiana essayed
to charge, but recoiled. Patton Anderson led his brigade up, but was
driven back. About four o'clock, Hurlbut, whose right had joined
Prentiss' left, finally gave way, and Bragg, following him, passed on to
the rear of Prentiss. By half-past four the fighting in front of Sherman
and McClernand had ceased, and Cheatham, Trabue, Johnson, and Russell,
finding that Wallace could not be approached across the dense tangle
filling the great ravine which protected his right, felt their way
unopposed to the plateau in his rear, meeting the combined force under
Bragg in front of Hurlbut's camp. General Polk collected in front of the
steadfast men of Prentiss and Wallace all the other troops within
reach, and at five o'clock, with one mighty effort, surged against their
line, now pounded by Ruggles' batteries.

When Hurlbut fell back, leavi