Second Lieutenant Ayres reported that "action commenced on the picket line about 7 a.m.," as the Confederates moved into attack position in front of the Union lines. Polk had organized his wing into two massive lines of battle. The first line, extending north from opposite the Poe house to Reed's Bridge Road, was composed of the divisions of Maj. Gens. Patrick Cleburne and John C. Breckinridge. Breckinridge's three brigades were commanded by Brig. Gens. Ben Hardin Helm, Daniel W. Adams and Marcellus A. Stovall. Their line extended well beyond the Union left, with Helm's brigade opposite the Regulars.

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From their attack position about 700 yards from King, Rebel skirmishers moved out to probe the Union line and quickly engaged the skirmishers of the 18th Infantry. Helm was compelled to reinforce his line with the 4th Kentucky, a move that cost him time in launching his assault.

About 9 a.m., "the enemy drove in my skirmishers and advancing in force attacked my front and flank," reported King. The two battalions of the 18th met the assault and were "warmly engaged," while the 15th and 19th wheeled to the left to ward off a flank attack. Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. John Beatty had moved away toward the McDonald farm, leaving a large gap between his brigade and the Regulars. They had no choice but to refuse their left flank.

The Regulars began their methodical destruction of the Confederate attack as Helm's brigade cleared the trees and surmounted the high ground about 120 yards to their front. Crouched behind their breastworks, the Regulars poured a galling fire into the hapless Confederates. Since Cleburne's division had not yet attacked on Breckinridge's left flank, Scribner's brigade on the Regulars' right was able to enfilade the Rebel line, trapping them in a murderous fire. The assault was repelled, but the Confederates came on again, only to be repulsed once more. A third time they advanced into the terrible fire, which finally destroyed their assault and killed General Helm (President Abraham Lincoln's brother-in-law). As the Rebels retreated, King shuffled his battalions. The 15th moved forward and relieved the 18th, which moved to the left to protect the flank.

The Confederates advanced through the woods about 400 yards, the La Fayette Road forming a boundary between them and acting as an arrow pointing to the heart of the Union rear. Colonel Joseph B. Dodge's brigade gave way under the attack and added to the welter of retreating Federals on the north side of Kelly's field. The 18th U.S. Infantry moved back as well to a second line of defense.

The 47th Georgia entered Kelly's field but was driven back by a Union counterattack. During the Confederate attack, the consolidated 1st and 3rd Florida, commanded by Colonel W.S. Dilworth, became separated from their brigade by a rivulet. Captain G.W. Smith of the 18th Regulars laconically reported, "I charged the enemy's line advancing about 600 yards." King noted: "This charge was the most gallant act of the day. The enemy was again repulsed and my brigade retained its original position."

While the Confederate generals bickered over their roles in the battle, the Union generals strengthened their lines. Dodge's brigade was moved to King's left, and the Regulars contracted their own line, concentrating their firepower. The luckless 24th North Carolina was inauspiciously sited to receive the Regulars' volleys, and one-third of the command was either killed or wounded. The mangled Confederate brigade fell back, and the door to Rossville Gap remained barred to Braxton Bragg. Still, as Baird recorded, "Immediately after this attack on my left ceased, the sound of a tremendous conflict reached us from the southwest."

The sound was the unraveling of the right wing of the Union army and the military career of William Starke Rosecrans. Misled by the quiet on this front and Thomas' requests for reinforcements, Rosecrans had issued orders for much of his army to close on and support the hard-pressed army commander. Rosecrans–who was having a difficult time keeping track of his fluid brigades and believed a gap existed in his line where none actually did–ordered Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Wood to move out and plug the phantom opening, inadvertently creating a real gap in the Union line.

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