Hornet's Nest

The early morning's fighting created a large hole in the Federal center. General Prentiss' Division had taken heavy losses throughout the first few hours of the battle. However, he managed to hold an initial force of around 500 men along a trace used by local farmer Joseph Duncan. Additional strength to the line here was provided by troops under Generals W. H. L. Wallace and Stephen Hurlbut. For the next several hours on April 6, the new Union center had over 6,000 men with another 3,000 or so in reserve. To reach the enemy, Confederate brigades would have to charge across Duncan's open farm fields. At first, few of the Southerners had managed to make it close to the trace. Coming from the thicket beyond were the sounds of minie balls whizzing past. The fire was so concentrated and swarming at times that it reminded Confederate troops of a "Hornet's Nest." This description would forever after be applied to this sector of the battlefield.