Baldwin in reserve near headquarters was too far from the front to aid in supporting either of the other brigades of Johnson's division.Stragglers from Kirk's and Willich's brigades gave the first information to Baldwin of the disaster on the right.Hastily forming his troops, he had barely time to post them in line of battle before the enemy in immense masses appeared on his front at short range, their left extending far beyond the extreme right of his line.Opening at once a destructive fire upon their dense masses with his infantry and artillery, Baldwin succeeded in checking their advance in his front, but their left continued to swing around on his right.Here four pieces of Simonson's battery posted near the woods in the rear of the first position opened with terrible effect.The enemy came on in such overwhelming numbers, that after half an hour's stubborn resistance Baldwin was compelled to retire, not however until the enemy had flanked his right and were pouring in an enfilading fire.As it was he barely made his escape, since in a moment longer his entire command would have been surrounded and captured.At the edge of the woods Baldwin endeavored to make another stand, but before he could form his line he was again forced back.Retiring slowly, with several halts in the cedars, Baldwin with his brigade reached the railroad where the rest of the division was being reformed.
The right flank being driven from its position by the left of the enemy, Davis's division then felt the full force of the victorious sweep of the rebel troops, flushed with success and aided by the forces immediately in his front.Davis, as soon as the disaster on his right had fully developed, at once changed front and formed a new line, with his right brigade under Post nearly at right angles to its former position, and made all necessary disposition of his troops to receive the attack.Baldwin's brigade had hastily taken position and had already felt the force of the enemy's concentrated attack.Still the advancing lines of the enemy greatly overlapped the extreme right of Baldwin.Hardly had the troops been placed in this position before the enemy swept down in heavy masses upon both the flank and front, charging with the rebel yell.The two divisions of McCown's and Cleburne's troops which had driven Johnson, hurled themselves upon Baldwin's and Post's brigades, while the fresh troops of Withers's division, composed of Manigualt's and Loomis's brigades, rushed upon those of Davis, under Carlin and Woodruff, and upon that on the right of Sheridan's line under Sill.
The change of position of Post's brigade gave to the two remaining brigades of Davis's division, and Sill's brigade of Sheridan's command, the length of division front, and on this the enemy made a united attack.After Baldwin had been compelled to retire, Post repulsed the attack on his brigade, and Carlin, Woodruff, and Sill in the front drove back the assaulting column of the rebels with heavy loss.The enemy then reformed his lines, strengthened them with his reserves under Vaughan and Maney of Cheatham's division and once more pressed forward.Again these heavy lines struck Carlin, Woodruff, and Sill, and were again handsomely repulsed;Sill gallantly charging the rebels and driving them into their line of intrenchments.In this charge, General Sill was killed.His brigade then slowly retired and formed anew in line of battle.
Cleburne at the same time charged down on Post's brigade, and he too was a second time repulsed.
The formation of the battle-front of Davis's two left brigades under Carlin and Woodruff was almost perpendicular to that of Sheridan's division, and the left of Woodruff's with the right of Sill's brigade formed the apex of a right triangle.This position was at once observed by the enemy, who saw that if he could take this extreme point of the angle he would be in position to enfilade both lines at once.For the possession of this point every effort was made, and a third attack was ordered upon it with four brigades, under the immediate command of Cheatham, in double lines.Hardee had gathered his command together again for another attack on Post's position.Pressing forward with the victorious troops of McCown's and Cleburne's divisions--the troops that had swept Johnson from the field--he enveloped both flanks of Post's brigade, and compelled him to fall back, with the loss of one gun, to the Nashville pike, where he also reformed his command.
