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t line between McCown and Polk。 This gave Hardee double the length of front originally contemplated； and made it a single line instead of a double with division front。 These two divisions thus formed then struck McCook's right flankJohnson's division。 McCook's line was very weak and poorly posted。 It was thin and light； without reserves； with neither the troops nor commanding officers in their places； as they should have been； under Rosecrans's orders of the evening before。
Every soldier on that field knew when the sun went down on the 30th that on the following day he would be engaged in a struggle unto death； and the air was full of tokens that one of the most desperate of battles was to be fought。 In the face of all this； Johnson； the commander of the First Division on the right； was not on the line nor near enough to his troops to give orders to them； his headquarters being a mile and a half in the rear。 General Willich the commander of the Second Brigade； which had been posted for the express purpose of protecting the extreme right of our army； was absent from his command at division headquarters。 His brigade was not even in line； as they had been ordered to get their breakfast。 The batteries of the division were not properly posted； and in some cases the horses were away from the guns to the rear for water。 All this was criminal negligencea failure in the performance of dutyfor which some one should have suffered。 To the faulty position of the line and to the unprepared condition of the troops is to be attributed the almost overwhelming disaster that overtook our army on that day。 As the two divisions of the enemy advanced； Kirk threw forward the Forty…fourth Illinois to support the skirmish line； and called on Willich's brigade for help。 This brigade being without an immediate commander； no effort was made to support Kirk。 The contest was too unequal to be maintained for any great length of time； and Johnson's division； after a sharp and spirited but fruitless contest； crumbling to pieces； was driven back with a loss of eleven guns。 Kirk was mortally wounded and Willich was captured； returning to his command as it was driven back。 Kirk's brigade lost 473 killed and wounded； and had 342 captured。 Willich's brigade had a few less killed and wounded； but more than twice that number captured。
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 divisionsthe troops that had swept Johnson from the fieldhe 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。
On the withdrawal of Post's brigade； Carlin's right was left exposed to the enemy； who with renewed vigor pressed forward in overwhelming numbers on converging lines； massing as they advanced。 Circling around on their right the rebels swept down on the remaining brigades of Davis's division in dense columns。 In the previous charge the attack had been so heavy upon the angle formed by Woodruff's left and Sill's right； that in the new formationafter the second repulsethe line at this point was somewhat broken； and after Sill's death the right of the brigade was reformed somewhat to the rear of the former line； the better to support the battery attached to it。 In the heavy fighting of the morning the position of all the brigades had been more or less changed； and in several instances the commanding officer of each brigade considered his command as being without support on either flank。 On the third assault both Carlin and Woodruff thought this to be the case with their commands； and in the attack then made upon their brigades they became almost surrounded。 Carlin stubbornly resisted every effort to drive him from his position until by his remaining longer the loss of his entire brigade became imminent。 His regiment on the left gave way and he then retreated across open fields in the rear to the edge of the woods； where Davis was attempting to reform his line； having placed Hotchkiss's battery just within the timber。 Woodruff then fell back； but being closely pressed； turned and with a determined charge sent the enemy beyond his original position。 Being unsupported he was compelled to retire into the cedars。 Before Woodruff reached the new lines that Davis was trying to form； Carlin's troops opened fire on the advancing enemy； when he was informed that Davis had ordered a farther withdrawal。 He then fell back across the Wilkinson pike； where he rallied his men； who however； on the advance of the enemy； fired one volley and broke to the rear without orders。 Carlin then went with them through the lines of reserves； halting at the railroad； where he reformed his command。 After reaching the cedars Woodruff charged a second time； and compelled the enemy to fall back； but his ammunition giving out； his troops passed to the rear； resisting every effort to rally them until they reached the Murfreesboro pike。
Davis's division had up to this time protected Sheridan's right； and these divisi