Palmer's division was posted in line of battle with his right resting on Negley's left.His line was formed with Cruft's brigade on the right, connecting with Negley, and his left extending across a point of woods to the right of Hazen's brigade, which was formed in two lines with his left resting on the Nashville pike, while Grose's brigade was in reserve some two hundred yards to the rear, formed in two lines nearly opposite the interval between the brigades in line of battle.On the withdrawal of the troops of the left from across the river, Wood ordered Wagner with his brigade to hold his position in the woods on the left of the Murfreesboro pike at all hazards, this being an exceedingly important point, protecting our left front and flanks and securing command of the road leading to the rear.Hascall's and Harker's brigades were withdrawn, and the latter, under an order from Rosecrans, was moved to the right and rear.In the heavy fighting of the general movement on the right and centre, the left gradually became engaged, and with this Hascall was ordered by Wood to take position between Wagner and Hazen on Wagner's right.With the general advance of the enemy, moving on the right of Polk's corps as a pivot, Palmer and the two brigades of Wood's division on the left became engaged.Cruft early in the morning had been ordered by Palmer to advance, keeping in line with Negley, the latter having sent word to Palmer that he intended to advance his division to attack the enemy.Cruft was advanced in two lines, two regiments in each line with Miller's brigade of Negley's division on the right and Hazen's brigade on his left.After Cruft had advanced about a hundred yards, Palmer discovered that Negley had thrown back his right so that his line was almost perpendicular to Cruft's and to his rear.After Cruft had driven the enemy's skirmishers in, the rebels advanced in great force in four ranks with double lines, Chalmers in the front line with Donelson's brigade following.This charge Cruft repulsed, inflicting severe loss on the enemy.Chalmers was so severely wounded by the bursting of a shell as to disqualify him for further duty on the field.Advancing once more, the rebels again attacked Cruft's line, when a very severe engagement ensued, and after some thirty minutes' firing the enemy was again repulsed.When Negley's division went back through the cedars, Cruft was left without support on his right and he then withdrew to the wood, the enemy following him closely and pressing him hard.While Cruft was thus engaged on the front, Palmer found that the right and centre had been driven from the first line, and that the enemy in Negley's front was forcing his way into the open ground to his rear.He then changed Grose from front to rear, retired his new left so as to bring the rebels under the direct fire of his line, and opened on them with great effect, holding his ground until the enemy was driven back.Hazen was ordered to fall back from the advanced position he then held, and to occupy the crest of a low wooded hill between the pike and the railroad, and there resist the attack.
This was about eleven o'clock, and all of Palmer's command was engaged with the enemy--Hazen on the railroad, one or two detached regiments to the right, Cruft still farther to the right, actively engaged, while Grose to the rear was fighting heavy odds.Grose shortly after this changed to the front again, the enemy being driven back from his rear, and moved to the left to co-operate with Hazen.After aiding in the repulse of the troops that struck Cruft's lines, Hazen with constant firing maintained his position on his left at the railroad, retiring his right to place his troops behind the embankment at that place.General Palmer had ordered Grose to co-operate with Hazen, and part of Grose's troops reporting to him, they were placed in position on the front.Here was held what was considered by the enemy to be the key to our position, known as the "Round Forest." This was attacked by the right of Donelson's brigade, but the attack was met with a fire that mowed down half its number, one regiment losing 207 out of 402.In another regiment the loss was 306 out of 425.Polk finding that his troops had been so severely punished that they were not able to renew the attack on the extreme left of our line, and that the new line on the right as formed by Rosecrans resisted every attack, applied for an order from Bragg directing four brigades from Breckenridge's command to be sent to him to drive our left from its line, and especially to dislodge us from our position in the "Round Forest." These brigades were sent to him, arriving in two detachments of two brigades each.Adams and Jackson's brigades first reported, under Breckinridge in person.Those of Preston and Palmer reported about two hours later.About two o'clock in the afternoon Adams and Jackson's brigades assailed our left with determined energy, but after a severe contest they were compelled to yield and fall back.They were rallied by Breckenridge, but were too badly cut up to renew the attack.About four o'clock, on the arrival of the brigades of Preston and Palmer, the assault on the left was renewed and again repulsed, when the enemy withdrew and made no further attack upon that position.When this last attack was made, Rosecrans, anxious as to this vital point of his lines, hurried there with his staff to assist in the repulse.It was here that a shell grazing the person of Rosecrans carried off the head of his chief of staff, the lamented Garesche.
