cumstances the Fourth Corps, under General Wood, with the Third, Second, and First Divisions in line from left to right, made a direct attack in front upon Montgomery Hill, the strong salient of Hood's position. This was entirely successful. It was now manifest to Hood that the purpose of Thomas was to turn his left flank. He had been driven out of his original line, and had fallen back to the base of Harpeth Hill, his line of retreat being still secure by the Granny White pike.

REET

As the Twenty-third Corps had not yet fully organized for attack-and there was a consequent delay in its movements-General McArthur, commanding Smith's first division, asked permission to attack a salient point in front of Schofield's command. As there had been unexplained delay in the movements of the Twenty-third Corps, Thomas, who was in rear of the left center, rode rapidly to the right to learn the reason. When McArthur's request was preferred to him by A. J. Smith, he refused the permission, on the ground that it was due to the Twentythird Corps to let it make the attack in its front. While he was talking to Schofield, McArthur, having received no answer to his request, took silence for consent, carried the point, drove back the enemy, and thus gave a rapid conclusion to the fortunes of the day, without the immediate co-operation of the Twenty-third. The efficiency of McArthur's charge by successive brigades-the front brigade being half

way up the hill when the second and third were put in motion-with Wilson's dash with his dismounted cavalry, was recognized by Hood as a serious blow, the forerunner of imminent disaster soon to fall upon him. "Our line," he says, "thus pierced, gave way; soon thereafter it broke at all points."

No advance of the infantry on the right was made until after three o'clock in the afternoon. Wilson's cavalry had been working on the left and rear of Hood's main line from ten o'clock until that hour, and after many urgent requests to Thomas to seize the opportune moment by the advance of the infantry, Wilson went in person and pointed out portions of his command entering the rebel works, and only needing re-enforcements to roll back and double up Hood's left. It was then that Thomas ordered Schofield to advance. But the work had been already done. This turning movement of the cavalry, enveloping the enemy's left and rear for a mile or more, drove Hood to seek safety for his communications by rapidly retiring.

The enemy attempted a riposte, but by this time General D. N. Couch, of Schofield's corps, threw forward one brigade after another and drove them back with great loss. When night fell the main body of Thomas's troops lay along the Hillsboro pike, almost at right angles to their original position, having crowded the left flank of the enemy back upon its center. The dismounted cavalry was placed in force

upon the extreme right of the Union army on the Hillsboro pike. It was now manifest that Thomas would attempt to turn both flanks, or, by threatening their right, make the attack easier on the left.

Thus ended the first day of the battle of Nashville, Hood having been driven back to seek a new line at the Harpeth Hills, which he strongly intrenched during the night. That night Thomas telegraphed: "Attacked enemy's left this morning; drove it from the river below the city very nearly to Franklin pikedistance about eight miles." The good news spread on lightning wing throughout the country, North and South. This was not a moment too soon for Thomas's welfare, for Grant, having determined to supersede him, was, as we have seen, en route to carry out that purpose. While on his way he received the above dispatch, which so relieved his concern that he turned back, leaving General Thomas to complete his great victory.

It was a cold and dark December night that followed that first day of battle, and the troops of both armies spent it mainly in busy preparation for the next morning. The Union troops were elated by their success and confident for the morrow, while the Confederates had much to repair-indeed, to reorganize, and but little hope of carrying out their purpose. If they could neither beat Thomas nor flank him and go into Kentucky, they would at least retire with sullen dignity. Alas for them! They were