The Rebels well knew they would have no child’s play in that battle.  They came prepared for hot, terrible work, in which thousands of men were to fall.  The field attests our determined resistance; it attests their daring advance.  A day’s fighting pushed us slowly, but steadily, toward the Tennessee.  Our last line was formed less than a half mile from its bank.  Sixty pieces of artillery composed a grand battery, against which the enemy rushed.  General Grant’s officers claim that the enemy received a final check when he attacked that line.  The Rebels claim that another hour of daylight, had we received no re-enforcements, would have seen our utter defeat.  Darkness and a fresh division came to our aid.

General Buell was to arrive at Savannah, ten miles below Pittsburg, and on the opposite bank of the river, on the morning of the 6th.  On the evening of the 5th, General Grant proceeded to Savannah to meet him, and was there when the battle began on the following morning.  His boat was immediately headed for Pittsburg, and by nine o’clock the General was on the battle-field.  From that time, the engagement received his personal attention.  When he started from Savannah, some of General Buell’s forces were within two miles of the town.  They were hurried forward as rapidly as possible, and arrived at Pittsburg, some by land and others by water, in season to take position on our left, just as the day was closing.  Others came up in the night, and formed a part of the line on the morning of the 7th.

General Nelson’s Division was the first to cross the river and form on the left of Grant’s shattered army.  As he landed, Nelson rode among the stragglers by the bank and endeavored to rally them.  Hailing a captain of infantry, he told him to get his men together and fall into line.  The captain’s face displayed the utmost terror.  “My regiment is cut to pieces,” was the rejoinder; “every man of my company is killed.”

“Then why ain’t you killed, too, you d——­d coward?” thundered Nelson.  “Gather some of these stragglers and go back into the battle.”

The man obeyed the order.

[Illustration:  NELSON CROSSING THE TENNESSEE RIVER.]

General Nelson reported to General Grant with his division, received his orders, and then dashed about the field, wherever his presence was needed.  The division was only slightly engaged before night came on and suspended the battle.

At dawn on the second day the enemy lay in the position it held When darkness ended the fight.  The gun-boats had shelled the woods during the night, and prevented the Rebels from reaching the river on our left.  A creek and ravine prevented their reaching it on the right.  None of the Rebels stood on the bank of the Tennessee River on that occasion, except as prisoners of war.

As they had commenced the attack on the 6th, it was our turn to begin it on the 7th.  A little past daylight we opened fire, and the fresh troops on the left, under General Buell, were put in motion.  The Rebels had driven us on the 6th, so we drove them on the 7th.  By noon of that day we held the ground lost on the day previous.