Noon
He pointed through the woods toward the left where another battle was swelling with a mighty uproar . Bragg having driven in the Union right was now seeking to shatter the Union left , but at this point there was a Northern commander , Hazen , who was no less indomitable than Sheridan . Sheltering themselves along the railway embankment his men , always encouraged by their commander , and his officers , resisted every effort to drive them back . Noon came and found them still holding tenaciously to their positions . For a while now the whole battle sank through sheer exhaustion on both sides . Each commander reformed his line , disentangled his guns , brought forward fresh ammunition and prepared for the great combat which he knew was coming . Bragg , as he noticed the advance of the short winter day , resolved upon the utmost effort to crush his enemy .