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[179]
Cobb's battery for its action in the fight.
Some further fighting occurred here, but General Breckinridge, finding himself confronted by a largely superior force and having no support, after getting actually in rear of Thomas' main line, reformed his command east of the Chattanooga road, about six hundred yards in front of his first line of the morning.
His account of this movement, in advancing independently, and upon his own responsibility changing front, and moving upon the enemy's flank and rear, has been presented here for the purpose of giving him the credit which his modesty prevented him from claiming and his superiors failed to recognize as it deserved.
Its bearing upon the result of the battle and its immediate effect upon the enemy were such that it led directly to the disaster which soon befell the Federal army.
When the Confederate line had recoiled from Thomas' breastworks, the assault was renewed by fresh lines, and this, together with the threatened danger to Thomas' rear by Breckinridge's movement, led to the transfer of heavy reinforcements from the Federal right and center, leaving a gap in front of General Hood, who threw his division forward promptly and broke their line, inflicting heavy loss upon the enemy and being himself desperately wounded.
The movement was taken up in line by Stewart's division of Buckner's corps and later by Preston's division, which drove all before them with great slaughter, until it became in the nature of a right wheel on the left center; and the greater part of the left wing advanced across the Chattanooga road, assuming a line almost at right angles to its former position.
Thus with his right broken up and bent back, and with renewed charges upon Thomas' breastworks and a fresh advance of Breckinridge, the entire Federal right was beaten back toward the foothills of Missionary Ridge in the rear.
Lately published reminiscences of Charles A. Dana, assistant secretary of war, who was on the field, fully confirm this view.
He says Rosecrans' defeat was
Atlanta, Ga. 1899.
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