his left to fill the gap made by the retreat of the Thirty-second and
Forty-first Illinois. Willard's battery, that accompanied McArthur's
brigade, was posted near the road from the landing to Hamburg. Hurlbut
brought up two twenty-pound guns of Major Cavender's artillery, which
were served by Surgeon Cornine and Lieutenant Edwards. A little after
four, according to Bragg, about half-past three according to Hurlbut,
Bragg moved forward. The artillery, aided by the rapid fire of Hurlbut's
infantry, checked the first impulse and made the advancing line pause.
Hurlbut, taking advantage of the lull, and first notifying Prentiss,
withdrew Lauman's brigade and the artillery. Bragg's line advanced
again. Hurlbut attempted to make another stand in front of his camp, but
the attempt was ineffectual. He fell back to the height behind Webster's
batteries.

The Third Iowa and Twenty-eighth Illinois, under Colonel Pugh, made a
desperate effort to maintain their position, but were ordered by General
Hurlbut to fall back when Lauman retired. These two regiments fell back
fighting, forming wherever the ground gave vantage, and turning upon
their pursuers. In the little field they halted and replenished their
cartridge-boxes. Here the Twenty-second Alabama attacked them, but was
so roughly handled that it took no further part in the contest that day.
As these two regiments fell back thus slowly, from time to time turning
at bay, portions of Bragg's command were pushing behind them and the
troops of Hardee, coming from the front of Sherman and McClernand, were
reaching toward their front. A narrow gap was left, and through a
gauntlet of fire, still fighting, the little band pressed on and joined
Hurlbut behind Webster's artillery.

The gunboat Tyler, commanded by Lieutenant Gwin, fired from ten minutes
to three o'clock until ten minutes to four upon Breckenridge's brigades,
and, joined by the Lexington, commanded by Lieutenant Shirk, fired later
upon the portion of Bragg's command close to the river-bank, for
thirty-five minutes. This fire drove a battery from its position, threw
Gibson's brigade and a portion of Trabue's brigade into disorder, killed
ten and wounded many of Wood's brigade, killed and wounded a number of
Anderson's brigade, and compelled it to seek shelter in a ravine.

As the National lines were drifting back toward the landing, Colonel
Webster, of General Grant's staff, gathered all the artillery within
reach--Major