The Army of the Cumberland [46]
in his front. Davis, as soon as the disaster on his right had fully developed, at once changed front and formed a new line, with his right brigade under Post nearly at right angles to its former position, and made all necessary disposition of his troops to receive the attack. Baldwin's brigade had hastily taken position and had already felt the force of the enemy's concentrated attack. Still the advancing lines of the enemy greatly overlapped the extreme right of Baldwin. Hardly had the troops been placed in this position before the enemy swept down in heavy masses upon both the flank and front, charging with the rebel yell. The two divisions of McCown's and Cleburne's troops which had driven Johnson, hurled themselves upon Baldwin's and Post's brigades, while the fresh troops of Withers's division, composed of Manigualt's and Loomis's brigades, rushed upon those of Davis, under Carlin and Woodruff, and upon that on the right of Sheridan's line under Sill. The change of position of Post's brigade gave to the two remaining brigades of Davis's division, and Sill's brigade of Sheridan's command, the length of division front, and on this the enemy made a united attack. After Baldwin had been compelled to retire, Post repulsed the attack on his brigade, and Carlin, Woodruff, and Sill in the front drove back the assaulting column of the rebels with heavy loss. The enemy then reformed his lines, strengthened them with his reserves under Vaughan and Maney of Cheatham's division and once more pressed forward. Again these heavy lines struck Carlin, Woodruff, and Sill, and were again handsomely repulsed; Sill gallantly charging the rebels and driving them into their line of intrenchments. In this charge, General Sill was killed. His brigade then slowly retired and formed anew in line of battle. Cleburne at the same time charged down on Post's brigade, and he too was a second time repulsed.
The formation of the battle-front of Davis's two left brigades under Carlin and Woodruff was almost perpendicular to that of Sheridan's division, and the left of Woodruff's with the right of Sill's brigade formed the apex of a right triangle. This position was at once observed by the enemy, who saw that if he could take this extreme point of the angle he would be in position to enfilade both lines at once. For the possession of this point every effort was made, and a third attack was ordered upon it with four brigades, under the immediate command of Cheatham, in double lines. Hardee had gathered his command together again for another attack on Post's position. Pressing forward with the victorious troops of McCown's and Cleburne's divisions--the troops that had swept Johnson from the field--he enveloped both flanks of Post's brigade, and compelled him to fall back, with the loss of one gun, to the Nashville pike, where he also reformed his command.
On the withdrawal of Post's brigade, Carlin's right was left exposed to the enemy, who with renewed vigor pressed forward in overwhelming numbers on converging lines, massing as they advanced. Circling around on their right the rebels swept down on the remaining brigades of Davis's division in dense columns. In the previous charge the attack had been so heavy upon the angle formed by Woodruff's left and Sill's right, that in the new formation--after the second repulse--the line at this point was somewhat broken, and after Sill's death the right of the brigade was reformed somewhat to the rear of the former line, the better to support the battery attached to it. In the heavy fighting of the morning the position of all the brigades had been more or less changed, and in several instances the commanding officer of each brigade considered his command as being without support on either flank. On the third assault both Carlin and Woodruff thought this to be the case with their commands, and in the attack then made upon their brigades they became almost surrounded. Carlin stubbornly resisted every effort to drive him from his position until by his remaining longer the loss of his entire
The formation of the battle-front of Davis's two left brigades under Carlin and Woodruff was almost perpendicular to that of Sheridan's division, and the left of Woodruff's with the right of Sill's brigade formed the apex of a right triangle. This position was at once observed by the enemy, who saw that if he could take this extreme point of the angle he would be in position to enfilade both lines at once. For the possession of this point every effort was made, and a third attack was ordered upon it with four brigades, under the immediate command of Cheatham, in double lines. Hardee had gathered his command together again for another attack on Post's position. Pressing forward with the victorious troops of McCown's and Cleburne's divisions--the troops that had swept Johnson from the field--he enveloped both flanks of Post's brigade, and compelled him to fall back, with the loss of one gun, to the Nashville pike, where he also reformed his command.
On the withdrawal of Post's brigade, Carlin's right was left exposed to the enemy, who with renewed vigor pressed forward in overwhelming numbers on converging lines, massing as they advanced. Circling around on their right the rebels swept down on the remaining brigades of Davis's division in dense columns. In the previous charge the attack had been so heavy upon the angle formed by Woodruff's left and Sill's right, that in the new formation--after the second repulse--the line at this point was somewhat broken, and after Sill's death the right of the brigade was reformed somewhat to the rear of the former line, the better to support the battery attached to it. In the heavy fighting of the morning the position of all the brigades had been more or less changed, and in several instances the commanding officer of each brigade considered his command as being without support on either flank. On the third assault both Carlin and Woodruff thought this to be the case with their commands, and in the attack then made upon their brigades they became almost surrounded. Carlin stubbornly resisted every effort to drive him from his position until by his remaining longer the loss of his entire