But eleven o’clock had come and no material advantage had been gained on the right.  The reinforcements of Thomas having succeeded in checking the advance of Gist and Liddell, the Old WarHorse on the left became impatient, and sent word to Bragg, “My troops can break the lines, if you care to have them broken.”  What sublime confidence did Lee’s old commander of the First Corps have in the powers of his faithful troops!  But General Bragg, it seems, against all military rules or precedent, and in violation of the first principles of army ethics, had already sent orders to Longstreet’s subalterns, directly and not through the Lieutenant General’s headquarters, as it should have been done, to commence the attack.  General Stewart, with his division of Longstreet’s right, was at that moment making successful battle against the left of the Twentieth and right of Twenty-first Corps.  This attack so near to Thomas’ right, caused that astute commander to begin to be as apprehensive of his right as he had been of his left flank, and asked for support in that quarter.  Longstreet now ordered up the gallant Texan, General Hood, with his three brigades, with Kershaw’s and Humphreys in close support.  Hood unmercifully assailed the column in his front, but was as unmercifully slaughtered, himself falling desperately wounded.  Benning’s Brigade was thrown in confusion, but at this juncture Kershaw and Humphreys moved their brigades upon the firing line end commenced the advance.  In front of these two brigades was a broad expanse of cultivated ground, now in stubble.  Beyond this field was a wooded declivity rising still farther away to a ridge called Pea Ridge, on which the enemy was posted.  Our columns were under a terrific fire of shells as they advanced through the open field, and as they neared the timbered ridge they were met by a galling tempest of grape and canister.  The woods and underbrush shielded the enemy from view.

Law now commanding Hood’s Division, reformed his lines and assaulted and took the enemy’s first lines of entrenchments.  Kershaw marched in rear of the brigade, giving commands in that clear, metallic sound that inspired confidence in his troops.  At the foot of the declivity, or where the ground begun to rise towards the enemy’s lines, was a rail fence, and at this obstruction and clearing of it away, Kershaw met a galling fire from the Federal sharpshooters, but not a gun had been fired as yet by our brigade.  But Humphreys was in it hot and heavy.  As we began our advance up the gentle slope, the enemy poured volley after volley into us from its line of battle posted behind the log breastworks.  Now the battle with us raged in earnest.