wards the Nashville pike and turned his
attention to the immense supply train of the army. A portion of this
train, six miles long when stretched out upon the road, was moving across
the country from the Wilkinson to the Nashville pike. The scene was one of
the most indescribable confusion. Urged by impending calamity the
canvas-covered wagons flew across the fields with the velocity of
four-mule power, each driver plying whip and spur; sutler wagons bounding
over the rocks, distributed their precious contents along the way.
Stanley's thin line of cavalry, stretching from the woods in the rear of
Negley to the right and left, rested its right flank upon the Wilkinson
pike, where Colonel Zahm, with the First, Third, and Fourth Ohio Cavalry
was stationed in rear of Overall's Creek.

Colonel Minty, in command of 950 cavalry, crossed Overall's Creek early in
the morning and took position parallel to and a mile distant from the
Nashville pike. The Fourth Michigan and First Tennessee dismounted, formed
a skirmish line with Jenning's Battalion of the Seventh Pennsylvania and
two companies of the Third Kentucky, under Captain Davis, supported by the
Anderson Troop in their rear. Wharton advanced at full charge, after a few
volleys from his artillery, but meeting with stubborn resistance drew off,
but in a few minutes rallied and bore down, two thousand strong, upon
Minty's little command. The Anderson Troop gave way and the Confederate
troopers swept past the left. Hastily remounting, the remainder of the
command fell back across an open field out of range of the artillery,
leaving the train, with fully a thousand fugitives from the battle-field,
in possession of the enemy. At daybreak Zahm's brigade was drawn up in
line of battle and two squadrons were sent to the right and front to
reconnoitre. Soon the cannons' opening roar upon his left announced the
beginning of battle. The rush of infantry to the rear gave token of
disaster. Now came the exultant shout of victory and the sweeping charge
of McCown's columns overlapping Johnson, and appearing on the right of the
cavalry. Falling back, Zahm formed in line of battle a mile in rear,
where the enemy opened upon him with artillery The first shell killed
Major Moore, of the First Ohio. Again he fell back, when Willich's old
regiment halted in its retreat and formed in support of the cavalry, when
the two repulsed a charge, but only for a moment. The torrent of fugitives
fled throu