Advancing at the time onto Rhea Field was one of the most aggressive fighters in all the Confederacy, Brigadier General Patrick Ronayne Cleburne. A 34-year-old Irishman with daredevil courage, Cleburne had experienced bad luck that morning. His brigade had been split apart by "an almost impassable morass," and now he faced the 53rd Ohio's position with only two small regiments present. Immediately attacking, his men were surprised and cut down by cannon fire from a strategically placed Federal battery atop a nearby hill. Waterhouse's rifled cannon continued to fire downhill with shell and canister, even as another attempt was made by Cleburne to get past the 53rd Ohio's camp.

Charging unsupported by artillery or their companion regiment, which was too broken to re-form in line, the 6th Mississippi moved alone through Rhea Field. A small regiment, 425 men strong before the fighting began, the Mississippians again endured a terrific storm of fire. Although their attack caused the 53rd Ohio to flee the field when their colonel, his nerves at the breaking point, called out, "Retreat and save yourselves!" the Confederates were driven back in disorder.  In less than a half hour  these Mississippians had sustained a loss of 300 men, representing the fourth highest loss during the entire war by any Southern regiment in a single battle.