312 The Mississippi Valley in the Civil War

Swept by a fierce artillery fire, exacerbated by therifles of hidden skirmishers, it was a veritablehornet’s nest, from which escape must quickly besought in retreat or advance. But the exultantmood of these men was not the mood for retreat;an uncontrollable impulse carried them straightonward up the slope, without tarrying a momentfor orders. To adopt a happy phrase of the Countof Paris , they “fled forward” in a contagious furyof aggressiveness which nothing could quell.

It was with grave concern that Grant andThomas saw this magnificent charge continue be-An anxious yond its prescribed goal. If success-moment. ful, it meant speedy victory, but ifrepulsed, it would leave the victorious enemy be-tween the isolated forces of Sherman on the onehand and Hooker on the other; and the probableresult would be, — Sherman driven across the Ten-nessee, Thomas pushed back into Chattanooga , andHooker badly mauled. Grant exclaimed, “ Thomas,who ordered those men up the ridge ? ” “I don’tknow,” replied Thomas, “ I did not; Granger, didyou?” “No,” said Gordon Granger, “they are.going without orders; when those fellows getstarted, all hell can’t stop them! ” Grant mutteredthat somebody would suffer if the movement failed. 1

1 See the account of General Fullerton, Granger’s chief of staff,in Battles and Leaders , iii. 725.