Johnson soon realized that the heavy resistance was coming from theflanks and the firing of scattered batteries. His front was virtuallyclear of opposition, and he smartly ordered his troops forward at thedouble-quick. As he emerged from the treeline that marked Wood’s formerposition, Johnson saw Davis’ troops rushing forward to his left, while twoof Sheridan’s brigades were on their way north towards Thomas. OnJohnson’s right, Wood’s two brigades were still in the act of closing onReynolds.

Subscribe Today

• Did you enjoy our article?
• Read more in America's Civil War magazine
• Subscribe online and save nearly 40%!!!
 

While Johnson wheeled to the right to take Wood’s trailing brigade andBrannan from behind, Hindman bowled into Davis and Sheridan, throwing themback into confusion. When Brannan gave way, Brig. Gen. H.P. Van Cleve’sdivision was left exposed and joined the flight from the field. In a flashof gray lightning, the entire Union right disintegrated.

The onrushing Confederates were driving a wedge far into the Federalrear. They crossed the Glenn-Kelly Road just behind the Brotherton field,rushed through heavy stands of timber, and burst onto the open ground ofthe cultivated fields of the Dyer farm. One Confederate regiment overran atroublesome Union battery that had been firing from the Dyer peach orchard,capturing all nine of its guns.

Johnson paused to survey the progress of the attack. Everywhere, itseemed, Union soldiers were on the run, fleeing in panic over thecountryside and down the Dry Valley Road toward McFarland’s Gap, the onlyavailable avenue to reach the safety of Chattanooga. “The scene nowpresented was unspeakably grand,” the amazed general recalled.

The brave but often reckless Hood caught up with Johnson at the Dyer farmand urged him forward. “Go ahead and keep ahead of everything,” Hoodshouted, his left arm still in a sling from a wound received 10 weeksearlier at Gettysburg. Moments later, Hood was hit again. This time, aMinie bullet shattered his right leg. He fell from his horse and into thewaiting arms of members of his old Texas Brigade, who carried him to afield hospital, where the leg was amputated. Meanwhile, Longstreet wasecstatic as his troops swept the men in blue before them. “They havefought their last man, and he is running,” he exclaimed.

Only two Federal units offered resistance of greater than companystrength once the rout was on. Intrepid Colonel John T. Wilder and hisbrigade of mounted infantry assailed Hindman’s exposed flank and droveBrig. Gen. Arthur Manigault’s brigade back nearly a mile from the area ofthe breakthrough. Wilder’s stouthearted troopers from Indiana and Illinoiswere able to delay a force many times their size by employing the Spencerrepeating rifle.

Sheridan’s only remaining brigade, under Brig. Gen. William Lytle, awell-known author and poet, was in the vicinity of the Widow Glenn housewhen Hindman’s Confederates began streaming through the woods. A commandermuch admired by his troops, Lytle was famous for his prewar poem, “Antonyand Cleopatra,” which was popular in the sentimental society of the day andfamiliar to soldiers on both sides.

Lytle found his brigade found his brigade almost completely surrounded byRebels. With the prospect of a successful withdrawal slim, he gallantlyordered his men to charge. He told those near him that if they had to die,they would “die in their tracks with their harness on.” As he led histroops forward, he shouted: “If I must die, I will die as a gentleman. Allright, men, we can die but once. This is the time and place. Let uscharge.” Lytle was shot in the spine during the advance but managed tostay on his horse. Then, he was struck almost simultaneously by threebullets, one of which hit him in the face. As the doomed counterattackcollapsed around him, the steadfast Lytle died.

Assistant Secretary of War Charles Dana was with the Army of Cumberlandat Chickamauga to continue a series of reports to Washington on theprogress of the Western war. Exhausted by the rapid succession of eventsthe prior day, Dana had found a restful place that fateful morning andsettled down in the grass to sleep. When Bushrod Johnson’s soldiers camecrashing trough the Union line, he was suddenly wide awake. “I wasawakened by the most infernal noise I ever heard,” he remembered. “I satup on the grass and the first thing I saw was General Rosecrans crossinghimself–he was a very devout Catholic. ‘Hello!’ I said to myself, ‘if thegeneral is crossing himself, we are in a desperate situation.’”

Help HistoryNet by bookmarking to