Chapter Four
"Steady men! Steady!" said Colonel Chapman as they approached the small ridge that was about 100 or so yards from the "Butcher's Nest." He looked at his men, most of them halting at the base of the ridge and looking at their comrades in front of them being slaughtered by the Union lines.
Tom took quick aim of his seights at another Confederate, pulling the trigger and sending him to the ground. His friend Adam, along his side was quick to reload and knock off a Confederate flag bearer. The Union lines inside the "Butcher's Nest" was a line of steel as they halted everyone Confederate soldier short of the denfenses thus far. Confederate soldiers moved up on a cannon, only to have their heads torn off by a heavy dose of double-cannister which the Federal artillery were using at such a close range, spreading out hundreds of little pieces of metal rather than the large cannon ball, tearing into wood and men alike and sending them crashing to the ground. Tom looked to his right to see Colonel Daniel E. Sickles called over by General Sedgewick.
"Colonel! Colonel!"
"Yes general?"
"Bring up two companies and position them along side Hunter's men, they're beginning to waiver. We are done retreating. By God we are..." the general was struck in his stomach as he fell gently from his horse with the guidence of Colonel Sickles and other staff officers.
"Major, bring C and D companies over to Hunter's men," said Colonel Sickles.
Tom thought to himself, 'D-Company, that's us.' The major assumed the job and Tom and his many friends and around 150 other Union soldiers were off to the center of the Union line, where General David Hunter's men were under heavy pressure from the remains of General Pillow's Confederates and the wings of General Cheatham's men as well.
"Colonel, colonel. Get me a good damned towel before I bleed to death," ordered General Sedgewick laying in the tall grass with four other officers around him.
As Tom and the Union 'reserves' were rushing over to the center, Adam asked, "Well what the hell is going on?"
"They're breaking through our lines," responded Tom as he looked out into the abyss of smoke and crying dead.
Colonel Chapman stood defiant as bullets whizzed past his head and cannon fire engulfed his left and right. "Tennesians, Kentuckians. Do not forget who you are! You were the first mountaineers of this nation. Men from the hills and mountains! You are the toughest men in all of North America, don't forget it! Now I ask you all, who will come with me!"
"Come on boys," shouted a captain who was promptly cut down by Union rifle fire.
The 7th Tennessee let rip a galant scream, now infamous with the men under Bragg's command in the army of the Tennessee. Colonel Chapman was at the head of the storming spearpoint heading straight for the Union center. Bill lowered his musket, bayonet fixed and began to scream with David looking onwards; convinced now by his friend, he began to scream as well as they approached the Union centerpiece.
Union artillery began to concentrate their fire on Colonel Chapman and the 7th Tennessee. Noises filled the air: shouting, screaming, crying and shooting.
The men of the 7th Tennessee began to fire into the Union lines. Just as Tom and his friends made it to the Union center. Beside them, a Union cannoneer was struck in the head and fell back into the hands of Paul who caught him in the fall, dropping his rifle in the process. Tom looked out and aimed his rifle, capped and pulled the trigger sending a man next to Bill to the ground. He began to reload but was caught up as the soldiers beside him began to waver and flee backwards. A Union cannon at the front, taking aim at Colonel Chapman, mis-fired and exploded killing the artillerymen as well as several soldiers stationed by it.
Colonel Chapman realized the Union panic as his men and General Cheatham's men began to close the distance, especially against the wavering and tired men of General David Hunter and Benjamin Prentiss who had been routed, reformed, routed and once again being routed by Confederate soldiers in the span of a few hours. Tom fell back, running into the back of another Union soldier attempting to flee. He saw Justin trip and begin to be trampled under the feet of fleeing men. He saw Paul pick Justin up as they rushed backwards, as Adam was to Tom's left dropping his gun in the ground and run to safety.
"Come on boys! The day is ours!" shouted Colonel Chapman as he placed his right leg on a wooden log, positioned there by Union soldiers. Waving his sword in the air, he urged his men on as they began to topple over the front of the "Butcher's Nest" unknown of what was in front of them. Bill leaped over the low stack of wood and took aim at a fleeing Union soldier, shooting and sending him falling face first to the ground.
"Turn the cannons! Turn the cannons," shouted Colonel Chapman to a sea of blue and gray.