About 5
o'clock the rebels succeeded in flanking Gen. Prentiss and took part
of his force prisoners. The battery was immediately withdrawn to an
elevation near the Tennessee river, and it was not long before firing
again commenced and kept up for half an hour, the ground fairly
shaking from the continuous firing on both sides of the line. At
about 6 o'clock the firing ceased, and the rebels withdrew to a safe
distance from the landing. The casualties of the day were three killed
and six wounded, two of the latter dying shortly afterward. The fight
at what was known as the "hornet's nest" was most terrific, and had
not the First battery held out so heroically and valiantly the rebels
would have succeeded in forcing a retreat of the Union lines to a
point dangerously near the Tennessee river. Capt. Munch's horse
received a bullet In his head and fell, and the captain himself
received a wound in the thigh, disabling him from further service
during the battle. After Capt. Munch was wounded Lieut. Pfaender took
command of the battery, and he had a horse shot from under him during
the day. On the morning of April 7, Gen. Buell having arrived, the
battery was held in reserve and did not participate in the battle
that day.
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