and close behind it, causing, doubtless, many to straggle or stop
to care for their comrades. It has been charged that much
disorganization arose from the pillage of the Union captured camps.
The divisions of Hurlburt and W. H. L. Wallace were soon, with the
reserve artillery, actively engaged, and, save for a brief period,
about 5 P.M., and immediately after, and in consequence of the
capture at that hour of Prentiss and about 2000 of his division,
a continuous Union line from Owl Creek to Lick Creek or the Tennessee
was maintained intact, though often retired.

In the afternoon, so desperate had grown the Confederate situation,
and so anxious was Johnston to destroy the Union Army before night
and reinforcements came, that he led a brigade in person to induce
it to charge as ordered, during which he received a wound in the
leg, which, for want of attention, shortly proved fatal. To his
fall is attributed the ultimate Confederate defeat, though his
second, Beauregard, had written and was familiar with the order of
battle, and had then much reputation as a field general. He had,
in part at least, commanded at Bull Run. Beauregard now assumed
command, and continued the attack persistently until night came.
No reinforcements arrived for either army in time for the Sunday
battle. Through some misunderstanding of orders, and without any
indisposition on his part, General Lew Wallace did not reach the
battle-field until night, and after the exhausted condition of the
troops of both armies had ended the first day's conflict. The Army
of the Tennessee, with a principal division away, had nobly and
heroically met the hosts which sought to overwhelm it; some special
disasters had befallen two of its five divisions in the battle;
General W. H. L. Wallace was mortally wounded, and Prentiss captured,
both division commanders; the Union losses in officers and men were
otherwise great, probably reaching 7000 (first day of battle), yet
when night came the depleted Army of the Tennessee stood firmly at
bay about two miles in rear of its most advanced line of the morning.
Colonel Webster, of Grant's staff, had massed, near and above
Pittsburg Landing, about twenty pieces of artillery (pointed
generally south and southwest) on the crest of a ridge just to the
north of a deep ravine extending across the Union left and into
the Tennessee. Hurburt's division was next on the right of this
artillery, extending westward almost at right