The Confederate Attack, Cont.

On the right, Harrison placed two regiments across Tanyard Branch to connect with Candy’s left and three on the slight rise east of it. Scott’s brigade advanced across the thickly wooded hills between Northside and Whitehall drives, routing the 33rd New Jersey and capturing its state flag. Although Scott’s men met a storm of fire from Geary’s front, his left regiment captured four of Geary’s guns but was forced to retire without them. His right regiments, diverted by fire from Candy’s men and a battery near his left, crossed Tanyard Branch in this area and charged into the gap along the stream between Harrison’s regiments. At Collier Mill, a few yards farther on, they were halted by a ridge across their front. Massed under the cross fire of Harrison’s men, they were decimated before they could withdraw. Later, a Federal officer wrote, “Few battlefields of the war have been strewn so thickly with dead and wounded as they lay that evening around Collier’s mill.” On Loring’s left, Walthall deployed astride Howell Mill Road and advanced northeast through the Embry plantation. O’Neal’s brigade struck Geary’s right and forced it to swing back across Overbrook Road and the ravine to connect with Williams’ left. But the impetus of the attack plunged O’Neal’s men into the ravine between Geary and Williams, where they lost heavily before they could withdraw. On O’Neal’s left, the right of Reynolds’ brigade made two desperate attempts to cross the ravine on Williams’ front and assault his line, but the concave ridge thrust Williams’ flanks forward, enabling them to enfilade Reynolds’ right regiments and drive them back with heavy losses. Reynolds’ left across Howell Mill swung around Knipe’s right and attacked his flank, but Ruger’s men rushed to his support and Reynolds’ now exposed left was swept by fire from McCook’s intrenchments, forcing Reynolds to retire. Nowhere on the two-mile front had the Confederate assault met with more than passing success. Finally, Hardee and Stewart withdrew their shattered divisions into the shelter of the outer line. Estimates place Hood’s loss at 4,796, while Thomas’s actual loss was 1,779. Although the Army of Tennessee had fought with the same courage and gallantry that had made Sherman’s advance slow and costly, it suffered a bitter defeat.

Atlanta, Georgia · United States