sixty, and a hundred times. Officers and
men fell on both sides very fast. Polk's brigades came up, and the
united forces rushed upon the batteries. There was a desperate struggle.
The horses were shot,--Schwartz lost sixteen, Dresser eighteen, and
McAllister thirty. The guns were seized,--Schwartz lost three,
McAllister two, and Dresser three. The infantry could not hold their
ground. They fell back, took a new position, and made another effort to
save their camp.

The woods rang with the hurrahs of the Rebels. The ground was thick with
their dead and wounded, but they were winning. They had the largest
army, and success stimulated them to make another attack. Bragg reformed
his columns.

McClernand's second line of defence was near his camp. His men fought
bravely to save it. Polk's brigades moved to the front, and charged upon
the line, but they were checked. McClernand charged upon them, and in
turn was repulsed. So the contest went on hour after hour.

Buckland and McDowell, of Sherman's command, were too much exhausted and
disorganized by their long contest in the morning to take much part in
this fight. They stood as reserves. Barrett and Taylor had used all
their ammunition, and could not aid.

McClernand's right was unprotected. Bragg saw it, and moved round
Anderson's, Pond's, and a portion of Stewart's brigades. There was a
short struggle, and then the troops gave way. The men ran in confusion
across the field swept by the Rebel artillery. The pursuers, with
exultant cheers, followed, no longer in order, but each Rebel soldier
running for the plunder in the tents. The contest was prolonged a little
on the left, but the camp was in the hands of the Rebels, and McClernand
and Sherman again fell back towards Wallace's camp.

Wallace was already engaged. The tide which had surged against Sherman
and McClernand now came with increased force against his division.
Beauregard aimed for the Landing, to seize the transports, using his
force as a wedge to split the Union army off from the river. He might
have deflected his force to Grant's right, and avoided what, as you will
presently see, prevented him from accomplishing his object; but having
been thus far successful in his plan, he continued the direct advance.

General Wallace was a very brave man. He was cool, had great presence of
mind, and possessed the rare qualification of making his soldiers feel
his presence. He could bring order out of confusion, and