ADVANCE OF CRITTENDEN’S DIVISION.
Next to Nelson came Crittenden. He, too, swept forward over his ground to the front some distance before finding the foe. Between eight and nine o’clock, however, while keeping Smith’s brigade on his left even with Nelson’s flank, and joining Boyle’s brigade to McCook on the right, in the grand advance, he came upon the enemy with a battery in position, and, well supported, Smith dashed his brigade forward. There was sharp, close work with musketry, and the rebels fled. He took three pieces—a twelve-pound howitzer and two brass six-pounders. But they cost the gallant Thirteenth Ohio dear. Major Ben. Piatt Runkle fell, mortally wounded.
For half an hour, perhaps, the storm raged around these captured guns. Then came the recoiling rebel wave that had hurled Nelson back. Crittenden, too, caught its full force. The rebels swept up to the batteries—around them, and down after the retreating Union column. But the two brigades, like those of Nelson’s to their left, took a fresh position, faced the foe, and held their ground. Mendenhall’s and Bartlett’s batteries now began shelling the infantry that alone opposed them. Before abandoning the guns so briefly held, they had spiked them with mud, and this novel expedient was perfectly successful. From that time till after one o’clock, while the fight raged back and forth over the same ground, the rebels did not succeed in firing a shot from their mud-spiked artillery.
At last the Union brigades began to gain the advantage. Crittenden drove the enemy steadily forward. Captain Mendenhall, with First-Lieutenant Parsons, a Western Reserve West Pointer, with Bartlett, poured in their shell. A rush for the contested battery, and it was taken again. The rebels retreated towards the left. Smith and Boyle holding the infantry well in hand, Mendenhall again got their range and poured in shell on the new position. The fortune of the day was against them, as against their comrades in Nelson’s front, and they were soon in full retreat.
Just then Brigadier-General Thomas J. Woods’ advance brigade from his approaching division came up. It was too late for the fight, but it relieved Crittenden’s weary fellows, and pushed on after the rebels until they were found to have left the most advanced Union camps.
M’COOK’S ADVANCE.
Thus the left was saved. Meanwhile McCook, with his magnificent regiments, was doing equally well toward the centre. His division was handled in a way to save great effusion of blood, while equally important results were attained. The reserves were kept as much as possible from under fire, while the troops in front were engaged. Thus the lists of killed and wounded will show that while as heavy fighting was done here as any where on the right or centre, the casualties were remarkably few.
An Illinois battery, serving in the division, was in imminent danger. The Sixth Indiana was ordered to its relief. A rapid rush, close musketry firing—no need of bayonets here—the battery was safe. The enemy were to the front and right. Advancing and firing the Sixth pushed on. The rebel colors dropped. Another volley; yet once more the fated colors fell. Was there fatality in this? The rebels seemed to think so, for they wheeled and disappeared.
Rousseau’s brigade was drawn off in splendid style. The rebel General saw the brigade filing back, and pushed his forces onward again. Kirk’s brigade advanced to meet him, coming out of the woods into an open field. It was met by a tremendous fire, which threw a battalion of regulars in its front into some confusion. They retired to reform, and meanwhile down dropped the brigade on the ground. As the front was cleared the men sprang up and charged across the open field, straight to the woods, under cover, driving the enemy back with their impetuous advance. He rallied promptly. Fierce musketry firing swept the woods. They advanced thirty rods, perhaps, when the Twenty-ninth Indiana got into a marsh and fell partially to the rear. Heavier came the leaden hail. The Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth both fell back fifteen or twenty rods; they rallied and advanced again. They were repulsed, started impetuously forward, and this time came in on the vulnerable points. Colonel Waggoner’s Fifteenth Indiana came up to the support and the enemy disappeared. Fresh troops took their places, and for them the fight ended.
Beginning at the left the waves of success swept forward from point to point over the lost fields of Sunday. Pæans of victory, and the wild cheers of successful soldiers sounded the requiem of the fallen rebels, who had atoned for their treason by the brave man’s death. Nelson, Crittenden, McCook, Hurlbut, McClernand, led their divisions bravely through the fray. The contest lasted longer on the right, and was even more fiercely contested.