Alfred Roman, The military operations of General Beauregard in the war between the states, 1861 to 1865

[297] battalion formed of stragglers, and sent them in the same direction, to support two batteries (Hodgson's and another) which he had just ordered ahead. Here a vigorous artillery fire was now combined with the efforts of the infantry, under Generals Polk and Ruggles, and the stubborn enemy began to relax his hold.¹

But, farther down on the right, Generals Prentiss and Hurlbut were still contending so strongly that Generals Breckinridge and Crittenden called earnestly on Jackson and Chalmers for assistance.² The flanking march of these two latter brigades was met by Lanman's brigade, supported by powerful artillery, and there a fierce, exhausting contest ensued.

As General Beauregard, in advance of the Shiloh meeting-house, was directing the movement beyond McClernand's camps, Governor Harris reached him, shortly after three o'clock, and informed him of General Johnston's death. This was a great; shock to General Beauregard, who had not anticipated the possibility of such a loss, and who knew what effect it would produce upon the troops, especially those who had formed part of General Johnston's original command. He sent immediate intelligence of the sad event to the corps commanders, enjoining silence concerning it, and, at the same time, gave orders to push the attack vigorously in all quarters of the field.

Wallace's right was now attacked by Looney's and Marshall J. Smith's regiments, of Anderson's brigade, and by a portion of Gibson's, under General Polk. The remains of Hindman's division and Gladden's brigade, with Cheatham's and Breckinridge's forces, were pressed against his left; and Prentiss's command, with a portion of Hurlbut's, was attacked with great determination by General Bragg; while Jackson and Chalmers were assailing Hurlbut in front and on the left flank. The latter, as he withdrew, attempted to make a stand on the line of his camps, but, to avoid being cut off, fell back, at about four o'clock, upon Pittsburg Landing, thus allowing Chalmers and Jackson to move upon the flank of the line formed by Prentiss and Wallace.

While all these forces were closing upon Wallace and Prentiss,