nguinary. Pugh's command remained still
until the lines, advancing over the open field, were near. Then rising,
they poured in a volley, and continued firing into the smoke until no
bullets were heard whistling back from the front. The two Kentucky
regiments poured in their fire upon the flank, and when the smoke
cleared away, the field was so thickly strewn with bodies, that the
Third Iowa, supposing it was the hostile force lying down, began to
reopen fire upon them.

Before Withers' division became thus engaged with Hurlbut, McArthur, and
Stuart, General Johnston had dispatched Trabue's brigade, of
Breckenridge's reserve, off to his extreme left, to report to General
Beauregard, who, stationed at Shiloh Church, was superintending
operations in that quarter. The three brigades, Bowen, Statham, Trabue,
composing the reserve, had marched in rear of General Johnston's right
in echelon, at intervals of eight hundred yards. Johnston, observing
with anxiety the stubborn resistance opposed to Withers' division, and
eager to crush the National right, called up the remaining brigades of
the reserve, Bowen and Statham, and pushed them forward. Bowen was first
engaged, and the National left, in a series of encounters with the
increased force in its front, gradually but slowly receded, always
forming and rallying on the next ridge in rear of the one abandoned.

The Forty-first Illinois, constituting the left of Hurlbut's division,
held its position, and the Thirty-second Illinois was moved from its
place to support the Forty-first. The afternoon was come. Johnston
directed Statham's brigade against this position. Statham deployed under
cover of a ridge, facing and commanded by the higher ridge held by the
Illinois regiments, and marched in line up the slope. On reaching the
summit, coming into view and range, he was received by a fire that broke
his command, and his regiments fell back behind the slope in confusion.
Battle's Tennessee regiment on the right alone maintained its position
and advanced. Lytle's Tennessee regiment three times rallied and
advanced; but, unable to stand the fire, fell back. Every time it fell
back, the Thirty-second Illinois threw an oblique fire into Battle's
regiment, aiding the direct fire of the Forty-first, and preventing
Battle's further advance. The Forty-fifth Tennessee could not be urged
up the slope. Squads would leave the ranks, run up to a fence, fire, and
fall back to place; but the regime