line. Willard's
battery, which was left at Fort Henry, has just arrived. It gallops into
position in the woods west of Thayer's brigade. Dresser and Taylor also
come into position. They are ready.

The Rebels descend the hill on the east side of the brook, and move up
the road. They are flushed with success, and are confident of defeating
General Grant. General Floyd has changed his mind; instead of escaping,
as he can do by the road leading to Nashville, he thinks he will put the
army of General Grant to rout.

[Illustration:

1 Thayer's brigade with Wood's battery.
2 McClernand's brigades.
3 Cruft's brigade.
4 Rebels.]

The advancing columns step across the brook, and begin to ascend the
hill. The artillery opens its fire. The Rebel batteries reply. The
infantry rolls its volleys. The hill and the hollow are enveloped in
clouds of smoke. Wood's, Dresser's, Willard's, and Taylor's batteries
open,--twenty-four guns send their grape and canister, shrapnel and
shells, into the gray ranks which are vainly endeavoring to reach the
top of the hill. The Rebels concentrate their fire upon Wood's battery
and the First Nebraska, but those hardy pioneers from beyond the
Missouri, some of them Rocky Mountain hunters, cannot be driven. The
Rebels fire too high. The air is filled with the screaming of their
bullets, and a wild storm sweeps over the heads of the men from
Nebraska, who lose but ten men killed and wounded in this terrible
contest. The Nebraska men are old hunters, and do not fire at random,
but take deliberate aim.

The Rebels march half-way up the hill, and then fall back to the brook.
They have lost courage. Their officers rally the wavering lines. Again
they advance, but are forced back by the musketry and the grape and
canister.

They break in confusion, and vain are all the attempts of the officers
to rally them. General Floyd's plan, which worked so successfully in the
morning, has failed at noon. General Pillow's telegram was sent too soon
by a half-hour. The Rebels retire to the hill, and help themselves to
the overcoats, blankets, beef, bread, and other things in McClernand's
camp.

General Grant determined to assault the enemy's works. He thought that
the rifle-pits at the northwest angle of the fort could be carried; that
then he could plant his batteries so near that, under their fire, he
could get into the fort. General Smith's division had not been engaged
in the battles of