CHAPTER XXIX
The Battle of the First Day.—1863
GENERAL THOMAS had just succeeded in placing his
leading divisions under Baird and Brannan in position
early on the morning of September 19 when Colonel
Daniel McCook, commanding the brigade of the reserve
corps that had been serving on the front for some days,
reported to him that he had discovered during the night
an isolated rebel brigade on the west bank near Reed's
Bridge, and that it could be cut off and captured, as he
had destroyed that bridge behind it. Thereupon
General Thomas ordered General Brannan to try and capture
the rebel body. Brannan proceeded to carry out the order
at once, and, by nine o'clock, his second brigade had taken
one road to Reed's Bridge, and the third brigade another
running a short distance to the north from McDonald's
house in the same direction, so as to catch the rebels be
tween them. The two brigades were followed by the first
as support. The second brigade, after advancing
three-quarters of a mile and driving the hostile skirmishers
before them, was brought to bay and vigorously attacked at
about 10 A.M. by a large body. It was part of Forrest's
cavalry corps fighting as infantry under his own command.
A severe conflict ensued, in which two regimental
commanders fell, but, being reinforced by a regiment, the
brigade managed to hold its ground for a time. The third
brigade, after marching about a mile and a half towards
the stream, also struck the dismounted rebels, who opened
upon it a heavy fire of musketry and artillery at short
range; but it pushed on and pressed them back to within a
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