ought into action on a knoll within
half a mile of the enemy's battery, which it immediately silenced. We
then advanced and captured it the second time, and succeeded in holding
it despite the efforts of the enemy to repulse us." This charge entirely
shattered Cleburne's brigade, and it disappeared from the contest. This
ended the battle in Crittenden's front, and Mendenhall's battery
advanced and fired on the flank of the column, by that time retiring
before McCook's division. The force which General Crittenden engaged was
commanded by General Breckenridge, and consisted of one of
Breckenridge's brigades--Statham's--aided by the brigades of Russell and
A.P. Stewart, from Polk's corps. These two brigades constituted Clark's
division, but General Clark having been wounded the previous day, the
brigades were under Breckenridge's immediate command. To these was added
Cleburne's brigade, reduced to one-third of its numbers. One-third was
killed and wounded before Buckland's brigade, Sunday morning; one-third
had straggled to the rear; the remaining third rallied to enter into
Monday's battle.

In accordance with the direction of General Buell, McCook deployed
Rousseau's brigade into line facing toward Shiloh Church. The Fifteenth
Michigan, intended for Prentiss' division, being now without assignment,
reported to McCook, and was by him attached for the day to Rousseau's
brigade. General Beauregard still held his own position near the
church, and as the line of inevitable retreat was by the road passing by
the church, it was necessary that his force should hold this position to
the last. It was a centre to which stragglers and fragments of commands
had drifted during the night. Monday morning the greater part of
Beauregard's army reported there, and, though much was despatched thence
to other quarters, portions so despatched returned to take part in the
final conflict. Pond's brigade, after its rapid retreat from Lewis
Wallace's front, had a fatiguing march before finally settling into
position. He says in his report: "I was ordered by General Ruggles to
form on the extreme left and rest my left on Owl Creek. While proceeding
to execute this order, I was ordered to move by the rear of the main
line to support the extreme right of General Hardee's line. Having taken
my position to support General Hardee's right, I was again ordered by
General Beauregard to advance and occupy the crest of a ridge in the
edge of an old field. M