Just then Rosecrans rode up and offered Dana some advice. "If you careto live any longer," the general said, "get away from here." The whistlingof bullets grew steadily closer, and Dana now looked upon a terrible sight."I had no sooner collected my thoughts and looked around toward the front,where all this din came from, than I saw our lines break and melt way likeleaves before the wind." He spurred his horse toward Chattanooga, where hetelegraphed the news of the disaster to Washington that night.

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With time, the Confederate onslaught gained momentum, sweeping before itnot only the Federal rank and file but also Rosecrans himself and two ofhis corps commanders, Crittenden and McCook. After negotiating the snarlof men, animals and equipment choking the Dry Valley Road, Rosecrans andhis chief of staff, Brig. Gen. and future president James A. Garfield,stopped for a moment. Off in the distance, the sounds of battle werebarely audible. Rosecrans and Garfield put their ears to the ground butwere still unable to satisfy themselves as to the fate of Thomas and theleft wing of the Union army.

Originally, Rosecrans had decided to go to Thomas personally and orderedGarfield to Chattanooga to prepare the city's defenses. Garfielddisagreed. He felt that Rosecrans should supervise the placement ofChattanooga's defenders, while the chief of staff would find out whathappened to Thomas. Rosecrans assented and started toward Chattanoogawhile Garfield moved in the direction of the battlefield. By the time hereached his destination, Rosecrans was distraught. He was unable to walkwithout assistance and sat with his head in his hands.

Had he known the overall situation, Rosecrans might have been in a betterstate of mind–if only slightly. Thomas, to the great good fortune of theUnion cause, was far from finished. Those troops which had not fled thefield had gathered on the slope of a heavily wooded spur that shot eastwardfrom Missionary Ridge. From this strategic location, named Snodgrass Hillafter a local family, Thomas might protect both the bulk of the armywithdrawing through the ridge at McFarland's Gap and the original positionsof the Union left–if only his patchwork line could hold.

An assortment of Federal troops, from individuals to brigade strength,came together for a last stand. Virtually all command organization wasgone, but the weary soldiers fell into line hurriedly to meet an advancingfoe flush with victory. The Rebels drew up around the new defensiveposition, and a momentary lull settled over the field.

Their goal clearly before them, the emboldened Confederates then rose inunison and assailed their enemy with renewed vigor. They pressed to withinfeet of the Union positions, only to be thrown back again and again,leaving scores of dead and wounded on the ground behind them.

With three of Longstreet's divisions pressing him nearly to the breakingpoint, Thomas noticed a cloud of dust and a large body of troops movingtoward him. Was it friend or foe?

When the advancing column neared, Thomas had his answer. It was Maj.Gen. Gordon Granger with two brigades of the Union army's reserve corpsunder Brig. Gen. James Steedman. These fresh but untried troops broughtnot only fire support but badly needed ammunition to the defenders ofSnodgrass Hill, who had resorted to picking the cartridge boxes of the deadand wounded. For two days, Granger had guarded the Rossville Road north ofthe battlefield. By Sunday afternoon, he was itching to get into thefight. Finally, when he could stand it no longer, he bellowed, "I am goingto Thomas, orders or no orders."

At one point, the marauding Rebels actually seized the crest of SnodgrassHill, planting their battle flag upon it. But thanks to numerous instancesof individual heroism, the stubborn Yankees heaved them back. No singleact of bravery was more spectacular than that of Steedman himself, whograbbed the regimental colors of a unit breaking for the rear and shouted:"Go back boys, go back. but the flag can't go with you!"

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