nd were now pressing us at every
point.

Just before the retreat, occurred one of the most remarkable
incidents of the battle; few more wonderful are on record. General
Hindman, than whom no more fearless, dashing, or brave man is found
in the Rebel service, was leading his men in a fearful struggle for
the possession of a favorable position, when a shell from the
Federal batteries, striking his horse in the breast and passing into
his body, exploded. The horse was blown to fragments, and the rider,
with his saddle, lifted some ten feet in the air. His staff did not
doubt that their general was killed, and some one cried out,
"General Hindman is blown to pieces." Scarcely was the cry uttered,
when Hindman sprang to his feet and shouted, "Shut up there, I am
worth two dead men yet. Get me another horse." To the amazement of
every one, he was but little bruised. His heavy and strong cavalry
saddle, and probably the bursting of the shell downward, saved him.
In a minute he was on a new horse and rallying his men for another
dash. A man of less flexible and steel-like frame would probably
have been so jarred and stunned by the shock as to be unable to
rise; he, though covered with blood and dust, kept his saddle during
the remainder of the day, and performed prodigies of valor. But no
heroism of officers or men could avail to stay the advance of the
Federal troops.

At three o'clock P.M. the Confederates decided on a retreat to
Corinth; and General Breckenridge, strengthened by three regiments
of cavalry,--Forrest's, Adams', and the Texas Rangers, raising his
effective force to 12,000 men,--received orders to protect the rear.
By four P.M. the Confederates were in full retreat. The main body of
the army passed silently and swiftly along the road toward Corinth,
our division bringing up the rear, determined to make a desperate
stand if pursued. At this time the Union forces might have closed in
upon our retreating columns and cut off Breckenridge's division,
and perhaps captured it. A Federal battery threw some shells, as a
feeler, across the road on which we were retreating, between our
division and the main body, but no reply was made to them, as this
would have betrayed our position. We passed on with little
opposition or loss, and by five o'clock had reached a point one and
a half miles nearer Corinth than the point of attack Sabbath
morning.

Up to this time the pursuit seemed feeble, and the Confederates were
sur