| Third Corps - Army of the Mississippi Major General William J. Hardee |
This corps, consisting of three brigades, formed the first line of battle just behind Wood's field and cotton press. The three brigades not filling all the space desired, Gladden's brigade from Bragg's corps was added to the right and placed under Hardee's orders. The corps in line of battle had its center on, and perpendicular to, the Pittsburg road, its left near Owl Creek, its right across the Bark road, in the following order of brigades from left to right: Cleburne's Second Brigade, Wood's Third Brigade, Shaver's First Brigade, and Gladden's brigade. Gen. T. C. Hindman was intrusted with the command of his own and Wood's brigade, and is, in a few cases, referred to as commanding a division. He remained with his old brigade - the First-and does not appear to have given any orders to Wood, and is, in nearly every case, referred to as commanding a brigade. He was disabled about 11 a.m. on the 6th, near the northeast corner of the Review field. The Third Corps in its advance from Mickey's had a skirmish on Friday in which a few prisoners were taken on both sides; another engagement with a picket post near Howell's on Saturday, and on Sunday morning the picket of this corps, under Major Hardcastle, stationed at the corner of Fraley's and Wood's fields, was attacked at 4:55 a.m. by a reconnoitering party sent out by General Prentiss. This affair between pickets lasted over an hour, the corps in the meantime getting into line and advancing, driving back the reconnoitering party, and following it to the first line of camps, where the battle became general. General Hardee in person moved with the right of his line, where General Johnston was directing the battle, until the first camps were passed, when Hardee, after consulting with Johnston at the camp of the Eighteenth Wisconsin, went to the lefta and took general direction of the left flank of the army the remainder of the day. On Monday he was in command on the extreme right of the line.b His corps remained intact until about 9 a.m. of the 6th, when his troops intermingled with other troops. With the possible exception of two or three regiments of Cleburne's brigade, none of his corps were under his command on Sunday after he moved to the left. Neither of his brigades organizations were under his command on Monday. Under General Beauregard's orders, Hardee commenced the withdrawal of his troops at 1 p.m. Monday.
First Brigade - Colonel R.G. Shaver