d helped themselves to
whatever they could lay their hands on, as had already been done in
Prentiss's camps. Officers and men in the Rebel ranks alike forgot all
discipline. They threw off their old gray rags, and appeared in blue
uniforms. They broke open the trunks of the officers, and rifled the
knapsacks of the soldiers. They seized the half-cooked breakfast, and
ate like half-starved wolves. They found bottles of whiskey in some of
the officers' quarters, and drank, danced, sung, hurrahed, and were
half-crazy with the excitement of their victory.

Having taken this look at matters in the vicinity of the church, let us
go towards the river, and see the other divisions.

It was about half past six o'clock in the morning when General Hurlburt
received notice from General Sherman that the Rebels were driving in his
pickets. A few minutes later he had word from Prentiss asking for
assistance.

He sent Veatch's brigade, which you remember consisted of the
Twenty-fifth Indiana, the Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and Forty-eighth
Illinois, to Sherman. The troops sprang into ranks as soon as the order
was issued, and were on the march in ten minutes.

Prentiss sent a second messenger, asking for immediate aid. Hurlburt in
person led his other two brigades, Williams's and Lauman's. He had
Mann's Ohio battery, commanded by Lieutenant Brotzman, Ross's battery,
from Michigan, and Meyer's Thirteenth Ohio battery. He marched out on
the Ridge road, and met Prentiss's troops, disorganized and broken, with
doleful stories of the loss of everything. Prentiss and other officers
were attempting to rally them.

Hurlburt formed in line of battle on the border of an old cotton-field
on the Hamburg road. There were some sheds, and a log-hut with a great
chimney built of mud and sticks, along the road. In front of the hut was
a peach-orchard. Mann's battery was placed near the northeast corner of
the field. Williams's brigade was placed on one side of the field, and
Lauman's on the other, which made the line nearly a right angle. Ross's
battery was posted on the right, and Meyer's on the left. This
disposition of his force enabled Hurlburt to concentrate his fire upon
the field and into the peach-orchard.

You see the position,--the long line of men in blue, in the edge of the
woods, sheltered in part by the giant oaks. You see the log-huts, the
mud chimney, the peach-trees in front, all aflame with pink blossoms.
The field is as smooth as a