In the meantime Bragg, determined to turn Thomas's left, and cut him off from Chattanooga, was making his preparations for a second assault on his right in heavier force.Bragg directed this movement in person.Extending his right by moving Breckinridge's division beyond its former position, he ordered Walker's corps in line on Breckinridge's left, and connected to Cleburne's right on the left of Walker.Bragg's plan was for Breckenridge to advance, wheeling to the left, and thus envelop Thomas's exposed left flank, striking it in the rear.Breckinridge, advancing, was soon in position on the Chattanooga road, partly in rear of Thomas.But he was now detached from the main body of the rebel troops engaged in the movement, and, making a bold assault on the rear, he was here met by the three reserve brigades under Van Deveer, Willich, and Grose, and hurled in rout back on his original line.On reaching it he there found the other troops that had taken part in this charge, and that they had been repulsed at every point by Baird's, Johnson's, and Palmer's divisions.
Beatty, just prior to the repulse of the enemy on the left by Thomas, applied in person to the latter for at least a brigade to support him in the attack of the rebels he was then expecting.Thomas sent an aid to hurry Sheridan up.This officer returned soon afterward, and reported that he had encountered a heavy force of the enemy in the rear of Reynolds's position, which was advancing slowly, with a strong line of skirmishers thrown out; that he had met Harker, who, with his brigade posted on a ridge a short distance to Reynolds's rear, was watching this force approaching, and was of the opinion that these troops were Sheridan's coming to Thomas's assistance.
Thomas then rode forward to determine the character of the advancing troops, which he soon did, and ordered Harker to open fire upon them, resisting their farther advance.Thomas then selected the crest of the commanding ridge, known as "Horseshoe Ridge," on which to place Brannan's division in line, which--on Longstreet's sweeping McCook's lines from the right--had been struck in the flank on the line of battle.On the spurs to the rear he posted his artillery.
On Thomas leaving Harker, the latter opening fire with skirmishers, then posted his right to connect with Brannan's division and portions of Beatty's and Stanley's brigades of Negley's division, which had been ordered over to his point from the extreme left.
Thomas then went to the crest of the hill on the front, where he met Wood with his division, who confirmed him in the opinion that the troops advancing were those of the enemy.Thomas was not aware at that time of the extent of the disaster to the right.He ordered Wood to place his division in line with Brannan's, and to resist as long as possible the advance of the enemy.On receipt of this order Wood immediately threw his troops on the left of Brannan, and had barely time to form his lines when the enemy was upon them in a heavy, fierce assault like those early in the day.
This, however, was handsomely repulsed, the enemy charging again and again with fresh troops, but their efforts were successfully resisted.These were Bushrod Johnson's men, with Patton Anderson's brigade on his right, which had been formed on the brow of the secondary spur of the ridge, and at about two o'clock moved forward, making a most determined assault on our forces.Part of his line reached the crest held by Wood, but was hurled back to its original position under as determined a counter-charge.
Away off at Rossville Gordon Granger with three brigades of reserve corps was stationed.He had heard during the morning heavy firing from the front, in the direction of Thomas, and as the firing increased in volume and intensity on the right, he judged that the enemy were pressing him hard.He then determined, although contrary to his orders, to gather what troops he could and go to Thomas's assistance.Ordering Whittaker's and Mitchell's brigades under the immediate command of Steedman to move to his front, he placed Dan McCook's brigade at the McAfee church, to cover the Ringgold road.Thomas was at this time heavily engaged on "Horseshoe Ridge," between the La Fayette and the Dry Valley roads, about three miles and a half from Granger's headquarters.Pushing forward his troops rapidly, Granger moved past a detachment of the enemy some two miles out, and ordered Dan McCook forward to watch the movements of the rebels, to keep open the La Fayette road, and to cover the open fields on the right of the road intervening between this point and Thomas's position.McCook brought up his brigade as rapidly as possible, took and held his position until late that night.
Granger moving to the front arrived with his command about three o'clock, and reported at once to Thomas, who was then with this part of his command on "Horseshoe Ridge," where the enemy was pressing him hard on front and endeavoring to turn both of his flanks.To the right of this position was a ridge running east and west nearly at right angles with it.On this Bushrod Johnson had reformed his command, so severely repulsed by Wood.Longstreet now strengthened it with Hindman's division and that of Kershaw, all under the command of Hindman, who formed it in heavy columns for an attack on the right flank and rear of Thomas's troops.Kershaw's division had possession of a gorge in this ridge through which his division was moving in heavy masses, with the design of making an attack in the rear.This was the most critical hour of this eventful day.
