On November 30, 1864, elements of four Confederate divisions under Gens. Patrick R. Cleburne, Samuel G. French, John C. Brown, and Edward C. Walthall rushed forward to assault the Federal line. Their soldiers, drawn from Tennessee, Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Alabama, were among the toughest troops in the Army of Tennessee, and many were veterans of Shiloh, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, and Atlanta. Hundreds of men from Union Gen. George D. Wagner’s Division also raced past in retreat as the Confederates pursued them after overrunning an advanced line a half mile in front. As the Union troops fled toward the main Federal line, their comrades at first held fire, then unleashed lead and iron from the earthworks against the attackers. Just before sundown, the Confederates slammed into the works between Columbia Pike and the Carter cotton gin. Union Gen. James W. Reilly’s Brigade, one of three brigades in Gen. Jacob D. Cox’s Division, initially held firm, and the 6th Ohio Battery’s two guns near the cotton gin inflicted horrific losses. Then the momentum of the assault broke the Federal position in vicious hand-to-hand fighting. The 100th Ohio Infantry near Columbia Pike fell back, as did part of the 104th Ohio Infantry stretching east to the cotton gin, and the Confederates overran the 1st Kentucky Light Artillery’s four guns and briefly gained the advantage.