Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/360

348 to the right, but to divide the supposed interval equally between Hardee's and Stewart's corps. The attack was thus delayed in fulfilingfulfilling [sic] an express order of General Hood.

Major S. L. Black, now of Indian Bay, Arkansas, says of this, under date of May 31st, 1880: "I was the staff officer referred to by General Hardee, and I did go and post myself at the point indicated, and did halt the left of General Hardee's corps at that point; and also pointed out to a staff officer of General Stewart the place where our left would rest after moving half a division front to the right. When the left of General Hardee's corps began moving further to the right, at the point at which I halted it, which it did before the right of General Stewart's corps came up, I went to the officer in command of the left brigade of Hardee's corps and told him that he must halt his troops, that he had already gone beyond the point at which I had shown him his left must rest. He replied that he had just received orders to close to the right. I remained where I was until General Stewart's right came up, which was about half an hour after our left had moved off, and explained that Hardee's corps had been halted at the point agreed upon, but that it had subsequently been ordered to close to the right. I then galloped to General Hardee and reported that I had halted his left at the point designated, but that it was then moving still further to the right. He replied that his orders were to connect with General Cheatham, who was continually moving to the right. .  .   .  The interval could have been quickly closed, if it had been created by one instead of repeated moves of Cheatham's corps. One corps would move a short distance to the right, halt, face and prepare for action, when it would again become necessary to close to the right. In this matter General Cheatham was not to blame, for I suppose his orders were simply to prevent the enemy from overlapping or turning his flank. .  .   .  I know that General Hardee expressed his impatience at the delay, and his annoyance at the repeated movements to the right."

The advance to the attack was in echelon of divisions from the right; but the troops of Hardee's corps which first struck the works, formidable in character and circular in shape, were repulsed and driven back with considerable loss, including the gallant General Stevens, who fell while leading his troops to the assault. This repulse was to be regretted, both in itself and for its reaction upon Stewart, who had achieved partial success further to the left.