The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1863-10-03

having been rallied, Gen. Thomas order
ed u general advance Of the right, and
soon The tide Of battle was decidedly
turned in cur favor. With cheers our
line advanced, haltiug only at times to
sha ter the enemy with musketry. Sew
eral times the Iatter's retreating line
stopped and yainly tried to retain their
gained ground but steadily they were
driven from position 10 position, aud by
O'Clock all the ground lost was nearly
recovered. Several batteries belonging
TO Gems Baird,s and Brannan's divi-
sions, whose horses had been killed and
supports were swept away, were retaken,
and several hundred prisoners captured.
The enemy left all their dead and nearly
all their wounded on the field. There
were at least $40 Of the former. The
Rebel troops engaging Thomas belonged
to Buckner's and Longstreet's commands
Az the time the struggle was turning
in our favor on the left, Bragg's army
proper, consisting Of the corps of Polk
and Hill Formerly Hardee's,) moved to
a most determined and well executed
attack upon Palmer's and Van Cleve's
! divisions in the center. Its object was
obviously to relieve the defeated Rebel
right. Palmer and Van Cleve soon
found themselves overpowered and their
divisions breaking. Their complete
route was imminent, when Davis dlvi
sion came to their support on Van
Cleve's right. The timely reinforce
ments at first had the effect of checking
the enemy and restoring our line but
the Rebel attack was speedily renewed
with grea;er numbers, and the cen err
again compelled to yield. Davis was
forced to the right and Vancleve to the
eft, and the enemy advanced through
the opening made in our line, threaten
ing to take the ceuter and right by their
f1auks, as they had done on the left. At
this critical juncturc Sheridan's division
appeared, and was at once thrown upon
he enemy. 1t stood its ground gallant
ly for while, but becoming soon expos
ed to destructive faux fire, was also
compelled to fall back. Fortunately,
the divisions of Gen. Wood and Neglcy,
that had been easily withdrawn from
Gordou's Mills when the Rebel attack
on The left threatened to be successful,
now came to the rescue After brief
CONTEST, the Rebels found themselves at
last matched, and commenced giving
away i'll their turn, Reynolds having also
| been sent to the assistance of the center.
After the repulse of the Rebel right,
an advance was ordered and the original
posi- ion regaIned about sunset.
About dark the enemy made another
demonstration, with heavy artillery and
muSketry fire upon the center, but elicit
ing )ivcl y response, they soon aban-
doued this last effort of the day. Thus
ended the battle of the 10Th. 1t had
been a defensive one on our part. and
although we lost no ground, and proba-
bly, less men and material than the enc
my, its results could hardly be claimed
as triumph of Union arms. No sub
antial advantage had been won. and a
large portion Of the army was badly
shat cred. That the enemy, with his
numerical superiority, would be able to
offer again battle on the following day
could well be supposed. Gen. Rose
Grams autcipa eG a renewal of the strug-
gle, and prepared for it.
During Jhc night the disposition of
our forces was changed The line was
made 10 rest along cross-road running
northeast and southwest, and connect
ing the Rossvile and Lafayc te roads
BY this disposition, our extreme RICH
was made to rest on Missionary Ridge
Tie new line was mile shorter than
hat Of he day before.
Meantime, as Gen. REYNOLDS was Sc
verejy pressed, Gen Wood was ordered
10 march instantly by the left flank, pass
Brannan, and go to his lelif DAVIS
and Sheridan were to shift over the lefJ :,
and thus close up the line. As the oc-
caslon was urgent, Gen. Wood drew in
his skirmlshers with considerable haste,
and The Rebels, for the second time,
installing withdrawal for a flight,
pressed forward like torrent, and pour
ed musketry, canister, and grape into
the flank Of the division moving upon
the double-qulck. The men endeavored
for time to keep their files in order,
but as the pitiless storm of lead and
iron continued to be hurled against them,
the regiments began to spread out like a
fan wider and wider until finally they
were torn to flinders. This was especial
ly the case with the brigade commanded
by Col. Buell.. Parker's brigade alone
passed on to its deS tlnation compari i've
~ intact.
The battle now extended upon its
most critical phase. The breaks, tenn
porarily caused by the shiftings Of divls-
ions from one point Of The line to an
other, were SO promptly perceived and
Turned to advantage by the enemy, that
they proved fatal, and cost us tie loss If
The day. Davis's Division, coming up
to take Woods position on the extreme
left, was taken with great suddenucss
and fury by the left flank, and pushed
to the right in utter disorder Stimuli
taneous y the weak remnants of Van.
Clevc's and pa.mer's Divisions, exposed
by the withdrawal of Davis's, were at
tackled with equal vehemcnoe on the
right, and forced back in great confusion.
The rout of the left ard the right was
now complete, and even the exeriions of
Gen Rosccrans and his staff, who, wi h