Dick saw him often
striding up and down the lines, ordering and begging his men to stand
fast, although they were looking almost into the eyes of their enemies.
The conflict became hand to hand, and assailant and assailed reeled to
and fro. But Sherman would not give up. The fiercest attacks broke in
vain on his iron front. McClernand, with whom he had quarreled the day
before as to who should command the army while Grant was away, came up
with reinforcements, and seeing what the fearless and resolute general
had done, yielded him the place.
The last of the charges broke for the time upon Sherman, and his
exhausted regiment uttered a shout of triumph, but on both sides of
him the Southern troops drove their enemy back and yet further back.
Breckinridge, along Lick Creek, was pushing everything before him.
The bishop-general was doing well. Many of the Northern troops had not
yet recovered from their surprise. A general and three whole regiments,
struck on every side, were captured.
It seemed that nothing could deprive the Southern army of victory,
absolute and complete. General Johnston had marshalled his troops with
superb skill, and intending to reap the full advantage of the surprise,
he continually pushed them forward upon the shattered Northern lines.
He led in person and on horseback the attack upon the Federal center.
Around and behind him rode his staff, and the wild rebel yell swept
again through the forest, when the soldiers saw the stern and lofty
features of the chief whom they trusted, leading them on.
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