FIRST DAY’S BATTLE.
The booming of guns from Forts Negley and Cassino and several batteries awakened the inhabitants of Nashville, on the morning of November 15th, to the terrible reality that a battle was raging outside their city. There was great anxiety and hurrying to and fro, for the fate of thousands hung upon the issue. Defeat would be ruin, for it meant the fall of Nashville. Thomas knew this, and therefore decided on attacking Hood before he had time to fortify his new position. At early dawn Steadman’s troops were in motion. The First and Second brigades—colored troops, commanded by Colonels Thompson and Morgan—took up position to the right and left of the Chattanooga line. These were supported by an Indiana battery. Colonel Grosvenor, commanding a brigade formed of detachments of the Fourteenth corps, took up a position on their left. The colored troops drove back the enemy’s skirmishers to their main lines, but wavered under the assault. Grosvenor’s brigade charged, taking the advance line of works; but, as it was not Thomas’s intention to bring on a general engagement at this point, General Steadman ordered them to fall back to their original position, still keeping up a brisk skirmish fire.
About six o’clock in the morning the Fourth corps broke camp, moving on the Hillsboro’ pike in the following order, en echelon on the left; the Second division in front, the First division next, and the Third division in the rear. The corps moved forward, regulating its movements by those of General Smith, who was to attack the rebel left flank, it being intended to make the main assault on this part of the rebel line. The Fourth corps took up the following position. General Samuel Beatty, commanding the Third division, on the left, held the front line, the division of General Nathan Kimball in the centre, came second, and the division of General Elliot, in the rear, connecting with Garrard’s division, of Smith’s corps; then came McArthur’s division.
There was heavy cannonading all the morning. About noon Smith’s and Wood’s skirmishers became engaged. General Wood ordered General Beatty to charge a hill in his front, held by a strong force of the enemy, heavily intrenched. The Second brigade of Beatty’s division, commanded by Colonel Post, was ordered to make the charge. The First brigade, Colonel Straight, moved en echelon on the left, and in support, while the Third brigade of Colonel Kneppler (Seventy-ninth Ohio) was held in reserve. The order was no sooner given for the charge than the Second brigade rushed forward with a yell. The First brigade supported it by a spirited fire, and on the order to charge being given, sprang forward in a spirit of emulation. The rebels occupied a strong position around Montgomery’s house, near the Granny White pike, which now became the central point of the battle. The defence of the rebels at this point was of the most stubborn character. The Unionists fired volley upon volley, charged them repeatedly, and at last drove them in great confusion through the grounds of the mansion. Though ordered to halt on dislodging the rebels from this position, the National troops charged on them as they fled, capturing over two hundred, and securing their entire line of works in front of Wood. In the mean time the First and Second divisions were sharply engaged, pressing back the rebels, and advancing slowly. The batteries were moved forward to the hills abandoned by the rebels, and the fight was carried on heavily all the while by Smith’s corps. About two o’clock General Schofield, who had been in the rear of the Fourth corps, took up a position on the right of Smith, thus extending the Union line without weakening it, and soon became engaged. The roar of artillery and musketry continued fierce along the whole line.
About three o’clock Post’s and Straight’s brigades, abandoning their echelon formation, formed in line with the First brigade of Beatty’s division and the Second division of Wood’s corps, and the whole line again advanced, protected by a fierce artillery fire from Battery H, Fifth regular, the Second Pennsylvania, the First Illinois, the Fourth regular, First and Sixth Ohio batteries. The advance of this line was magnificent, the columns extending in one long line of battle, marching steadily and strongly forward over a clear plateau and driving the enemy before it, Post and Straight moving in simple line of battle, with Kimball’s and Ellicott’s divisions, in column of brigade front. Smith and Schofield continued to press back the rebel left flank to the hills in rear of their first position. Garrard’s and McArthur’s divisions captured the rebel works, and succeeded in turning their left flank and driving them from hill to hill. The line of the Fourth corps for a moment halted and laid down to allow batteries to rake the rebel line. The fire grew nearer and nearer on the right. Soon the rebel lines and columns were seen to be breaking up in mad panic and confusion. A wild cheer ran along the lines. The Fourth corps rose and again advanced at a double quick. The batteries poured shot and shell on the panic-stricken fugitives. So wild was the enthusiasm that civilians rushed to the batteries to help the gunners. Union columns now appeared on the right and connected with the centre, thus forming a V out of their lines.
A deafening cheer went up when Smith’s and Schofield’s columns emerged with flaunting flags, the rebels flying in confusion before them. A gallant charge followed the wild cheering, and accompanied by the roar of artillery, the enemy was pressed back on the centre in confusion, and only night ended the pursuit.