which immediately advanced to assist the artillerists. They too ultimately broke under the ferocity of the Southern assault led now by elements from Cleburne, Anderson, Russell and Johnson's brigades, including the 13th Tennessee. Retreat and regroup Viewing the imminent disintegration of his command, Sherman ordered the remnants of his division, including Battery E, to pull back and regroup on the Hamburg-Purdy Road, about 600 yards behind their current position. However, the battery had barely made 100 yards before Major Taylor rode up and ordered it to unlimber and resume firing, insisting that every inch of ground had to be contested: Waterhouse's attempt to comply with Taylor's order cost him three of his four guns, and resulted in the wounding of himself and his First Lieutenant. According to David Reed's history of the Battle, Battery E was engaged on its front by several different Southern regiments as the 13th Tennessee flanked it on the left side and attacked it from the rear, capturing its guns as the members beat a hasty retreat. Colonel (later General) Alfred Vaughan, commanding the 13th Tennessee, reported that when his regiment took possession of Battery E's guns they found "a dead Union officer [lying] near them, with a pointer dog that refused to allow the Confederates to approach the body." The remainder of Sherman's division (including Battery E, minus its three lost guns) finally stabilized their lines in conjunction with General John A. McClernand's First Division. The following morning the Federals counterattacked and the Southern army was forced to retreat to Corinth, giving the exhausted Northerners a victory in the bloodiest battle America had seen up to that time. After the fight Sherman reported that during the battle, his division had captured seven guns to replace those lost to the enemy (three by Battery E, and four from other units) earlier in the engagement; Battery E was re-equipped with this captured ordinance. All told, the battery lost one man killed, sixteen wounded, and one missing during the two-day engagement. Historians Mark Grimsley and Steven Woodsworth opine that Battery E had performed "magnificently" during the battle, making "an important contribution to prolonging Sherman's stand here." "This is all the more remarkable," they go on to say, "considering the complete lack of experience of Watherhouse's men." Lieutenant J.A. Fitch, who took command of the Battery after Captain Waterhouse was wounded, filed the following after-action report with Major Taylor: