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MAJ.J.F.  WEYSS. 


dzp  ff  W  Starling,  HP  Tl 


.  ITS.  Vol 


(DIVISION       7f   Position^       = 
U.3. FORCES    )D|VISION       Last  Potihofl,    = 

REBEL  FORCES    j  CAVALRY    ^  Line,  of  Works 


Explanatory  .-The  rebel  line  of  battle  and  their  line  of  attack  on  the  first  d*y  (M  represent^  In  the  map), 
do  oot  correspond.  It  waa  Impossible  for  the  Topographer  to  represent  both.  He  therefore  ohoae  the  line  of  battle  of  the 
rebel*  until  they  moved  to  the  attack.  The  divisions  of  Cleborne  and  HoGown  then  obliqued  to  the  left,  until  the  left  of  their 
line  projected  beyond  the  right  of  Johnson's  right,  flanking  him.  The  reader  will  bear  In  mind  that  the  attack  first  fell 
upon  the  left  of  Johnson's  division,  then  his  right  brigade,  then  Darto  and  Sherridan.  The  position  occupied  on  the  flrrt 
day  of  Jannary ,  is  not  folly  represented ;  the  entire  line  of  the  Left  Wing  not  appearing  in  the  map.  Thii  was  omitted  by 
UM  Topographer  to  avoid  confusion  in  a  redaoed  map.  Otherwise  the  diagram  is  very  perfect. 


ROSECRANS'  CAMPAIGN 


WITH    THE 


Fourteenth  Army  Corps, 


ARMY  OF  THE  CUMBERLAND: 


A    NARRATIVE    OF    PERSONAL    OBSERVATIONS,   WITH    AN    APPENDIX, 
CONSISTING  OF   OFFICIAL   REPORTS  OF   THE 


BATTLE   OF   STONE   11IVEB. 


By  "W.  D.  B.," 

CORRESPONDENT  OP  THE  CINCINNATI  COMMEBCIAL. 


CINCINNATI: 
MOORE,   WILSTACH,   KEYS   &   CO., 

25     WEST     FOURTH     STREET. 

1863. 


Entered    according    to    Act    of    Congress,    in    the    year    1803, 

BY    MOORE,   WILSTACII,  KEYS   &  00., 

In   the   Clerk's   Office  of  the   District   Court  of  the   United   States  for  the  Southern 
District  of  Ohio. 


PREFACE. 


THIS  volume  presents  a  narrative  of  the  personal  observa 
tions  of  the  author  during  the  three  months'  campaign  of 
Major  General  Rosecrans,  commanding  the  original  Fourteenth 
Army  Corps — popularly  designated  the  Army  of  the  Cumber 
land.  It  embraces  a  period  beginning  with  the  30th  day  of 
October,  1862,  when  General  Rosecrans  assumed  command 
of  the  Department  of  the  Cumberland,  and  the  Fourteenth 
Army  Corps,  and  concludes  with  the  occupation  of  Murfrces- 
boro,  Tennessee,  immediately  after  the  memorable  battle  of 
Stone  River.  Doubtless  it  contains  some  statements  which 
might  have  been  wisely  omitted.  Certainly  many  very  inter 
esting  facts  which  could  have  been  profitably  introduced,  were 
excluded.  But  it  is  purely  narrative.  It  aspires  to  nothing 
but  to  record  the  truth  candidly  and  clearly.  No  ill-natured 
flings  or  ex  parte  criticisms  are  indulged.  An  earnest  effort 
is  made  to  deal  fairly  with  all  the  actors  in  the  great  drama 
which  culminated  in  the  victory  on  Stone  River. 

The  description  of  the  Battle  of  Stone  River,  which  con 
cludes  the  narrative,  was  written  partially  from  personal 
observation,  and  partially  with  the  assistance  of  the  official 
reports.  The  successive  action  of  brigades  is  followed  as 
nearly  as  possible.  Biographies  of  regiments,  obviously,  could 
not  be  included  without  unduly  expanding  the  proportions 
of  the  volume.  The  plan  adopted  by  the  author,  of  gen 
erally  describing  the  disaster  to  the  Right  Wing,  and  the 
concurrent  preparations  of  the  General-in-Chief  to  retrieve 
the  misfortunes  of  "Wednesday  morning,  up  to  the  period  of 
the  first  repulse  of  the  enemy,  and  then  returning  to  follow 

(iii) 

M126560 


IV  PREFACE. 

the  tide  of  battle  as  it  flowed  tumultuously  from  Right  to 
Left,  until  it  had  involved  the  entire  army,  was  conceived 
to  be  the  best  for  the  development  of  the  whole  series  of 
involved  engagements.  Time  and  circumstances  were  elusive. 
Distinct  actions  were  convulsing  the  field  simultaneously, 
and  to  bring  out  each  clearly,  required  some  sacrifice  of  the 
important  elements  of  time  and  continuity.  To  write  a  sum 
mary  description  of  the  battle,  and  compensate  for  omission 
of  the  special  engagements  of  brigades  and  divisions  by  the 
ultimate  introduction  of  rhetoric,  would  be  comparatively 
easy.  As  the  author  wrote  this  volume  more  particularly  for 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  and  its  friends,  he  preferred, 
at  the  sacrifice  of  some  proprieties  of  descriptive  writing,  to 
exhibit  the  action  of  each  division  or  brigade,  as  far  as  pos 
sible.  If  any  are  slurred  it  is  the  misfortune  of  the  author. 
It  certainly  was  not  his  purpose  to  overlook  or  unjustly  dis 
parage  any  of  the  worthy  soldiers  who,  by  their  valor  and 
conduct,  are  entitled  to  a  nation's  gratitude. 

The  Appendix  embraces  the  Official  Eeports  of  the  Com- 
mander-in -Chief  of  the  Army,  of  the  three  Corps  Commanders, 
of  all  the  Division  Commanders,  of  the  Chief  of  Cavalry  and 
some  of  his  subordinates.  The  author  desires  to  express  his 
obligations  to  Corporal  Thomas  Worthington,  of  the  One 
Hundred  and  Sixth  Ohio  Volunteers — a  gentleman  who 
merits  a  much  higher  position  in  the  army  than  he  now 
holds — for  appreciated  services  in  assisting  him  to  collect  the 
official  documents  in  the  Appendix. 

The  author  is  also  sincerely  obliged  to  the  accomplished 
Major  J.  F.  Weyss,  of  the  Topographical  Engineers,  Depart 
ment  of  the  Cumberland,  for  the  beautiful  reduced  map  of 
the  battle-field  of  Stone  River,  which  precedes  the  title  page. 

WM.  D.  BICKIIAM. 

Cincinnati,  March  20,  1863. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

PREFACE 3 

CHAPTER  I. 

THE  Army  of  the  Ohio  —Discontent  of  the  Soldiers — Major  General 
Buell  Retires  from  Command — The  Army  Countermarches  Again 
— Assumption  of  Command  by  Major  General  W.  S.  Rosccrans — 
Popular  Fallacies — Embarrassments  of  the  New  Commander — 
His  Communications — Condition  of  the  Army — The  Cavalry  Arm.  9 

CHAPTER  II. 

GENERAL  Order  No.  1 — The  Temporary  Staff — Their  Qualifications 
— Position  of  the  Fourteenth  Army  Corps — Bragg's  Movements 
— Nashville  Invested  by  Rebel  Cavalry — Five  Millions  of  Ra 
tions — Railroad  Annoyances , 15 

CHAPTER  III. 

INTRODUCTION  of  Headquarters  to  the  Female  Rebel  Element — 
Business  at  Headquarters — Improvement  of  the  Cavalry  Arm — 
Mounted  Infantry — Pack  Mules — East  Tennessee — Discipline....  21 

CHAPTER  IV. 

WORKING  Habits  of  the  General  Commanding — His  Fancy  for  Young 
Men — His  Searching  Inspections — His  Injunctions  to  Careless  or 
Neglected  Soldiers — Major  General  Thomas 28 

CHAPTER  V. 

REGIMENTAL  Pioneer  Corps — McCook  moves  to  Nashville — Attack 
upon  Nashville  —  Morgan's  Dishonorable  Ruse  —  The  Attack 
Foiled— Breckinridge— The  Fifty-First  Illinois  Volunteers 34 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  Right  Wing  at  Nashville — Railway  Communications  Re 
sumed — Organization  of  the  Army — Sketches  of  McCook,  Crit- 
tenden,  Rousseau,  Negley,  and  other  Division  Generals 38 

CHAPTER   VII. 

SABB\.TII  in  the  Army — The  Situation — The  Army  Moving — Out 
lines  of  the  Campaign — Its  Relations  to  Other  Departments — 
Bragg's  Advantages — Rosecrans'  Difficulties 44 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

MOUNTED — Rebel  Ruins — Picture  of  Desolation — Fire  in  the  Forest 
— Copy  of  Blue  Grass — Bivouac  Fires  and  Tattoo 49 

(v) 


VI  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

CUNNINGHAM  HOUSE — Nashville  in  Military  Dress — Fort  Negley— 
Social  Tyranny — Female  Despotism — Non-Intercourse  with  Yan 
kees — The  Pass  System — The  Ruined  Suburbs  of  Nashville 55 

CHAPTER  X. 

ADMINISTRATION  of  the  Department — The  Provost  Marshal  General 
— Persistence  of  Rebel  Women — Female  Smugglers — The  Chief 
of  Army  Police — His  Signal  Services G2 

CHAPTER  XI. 

IN  Front  of  Nashville — Changes  in  Commands — Operations  of  the 
Enemy — General  Orders — The  Night-cap  Order — The  Perma 
nent  Staff 71 

CHAPTER  XII. 

GOVERNOR  JOHNSON — The  Contraband  Question — The  Railroad  Re 
paired — The  Enemy  in  Front — His  Cavalry  Enterprises — Colonel 
John  Kennett  Strikes  Back— The  Night-cap  Battalion 84 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

MORAL  Influence  of  Success  —  The  Hartsville  Disgrace  —  John 
Morgan  Captures  a  Federal  Brigade — The  Fight — Vain  Gal 
lantry  of  the  Soldiers — Imbecility  of  the  Commander 92 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

OFFICIAL  Intercourse  between  Generals  Rosecrans  and  Bragg — 
Efforts  to  Meliorate  the  Severities  of  War — Mutual  Reproaches — 
Violation  of  a  Flag  of  Truce — Bragg's  Apology — Repetition  of 
the  Outrage — Correspondence  Ended  by  General  Rosecrans 98 

CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  Hartsville  Affair  Retrieved — Brilliant  Repulse  of  the  Enemy — 
Successful  Foraging — Gallantry  of  the  Soldiers — Good  Conduct 
Approved  by  the  General — Cavalry  Exploit — General  Stanley 
Routs  the  Rebels — Spirit  of  the  Men 106 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  "  Grapevine  "  Telegraph — Fabrication  of  False  Intelligence — 
Southern  Ladies'  Aid  Society — Social  Life  in  Nashville — Slavery 
and  the  Proclamation — Jubilee — Church-Going — Army  Chap 
lains — Their  Fidelity  and  Devotion 112 

CHAPTER    XVII. 

PRESSURE  upon  the  Commander — He  Resents  it — His  Views  of 
War — His  Situation — Number  of  Effectives — Organization — New 
Regiments — Spirit  of  the  Army — The  Enemy  Defiant 120 


CONTENTS.  Vli 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

ORDERS  to  March— Excitement  in  Nashville — Christmas  Night- 
Consultation  of  Generals — "Fight  them!  " — Plan  of  Movement — 
The  Military  Household — Headquarters — Nocturnal  Scenes — 
Lectures  to  Young  Officers — Conversation 132 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  Army  Advances — Its  Spirit  in  Gloomy  Weather — Movements 
—The  Enemy  Driven  and  Two  Guns  Captured — The  Left  Wing — 
The  First  Day's  Operations— A  Night's  Adventure 147 

CHAPTER    XX. 
OPERATIONS  on  Saturday 164 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

OPERATIONS  on  Sunday  and  Monday — Rosecrans  at  the  Front — 
Picket  Skirmishing — Headquarters  at  Lavergne — Rousseau  joins 
the  Center — McCook's  Reconnoissance — Hardce  Retires  to  Mur- 
free?boro — The  Left  Wing  in  front  of  Murfreesboro — Crittenden 
Ordered  to  Occupy  the  Town — Monday  Night 172 

CHAPTER    XXII. 

TUESDAY,  December  30— The  First  Shot  at  the  General  Command 
ing — An  Orderly  Decapitated — Garesche  and  his  Missal — The 
Rebel  Position — Obstinate  Resistance  of  the  Enemy — Ominous 
Sounds — Starkweather's  Combat — Rebel  Cavalry  in  the  Rear — 
Rosecrans  Orders  McCook  to  Prepare  for  Battle 181 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

THE  Line  of  Battle — Vigilance  of  Commanders — Position  of  the 
Enemy — McCook's  Information  from  the  Enemy — The  Plan  of 
Battle — Explanations — Address  to  the  Army — The  Army  on  the 
Eve  of  Battle 193 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE  31st  of  December,  18G2— Prayer  before  Battle— Din  of  Battle- 
Evil  Tidings  —  Panic — Anxiety  at  Headquarters — Incredible 
Reports — Firmness  of  General  Rosecrans — The  Plan  of  Battle 
Defeated — The  General  in  Front — The  Day  going  Against  us — 
Ne\v  Line  Formed — Batteries  Massed  in  the  Center — The  Gen 
eral  Commanding  Leads  a  Charge — The  Tide  of  Battle  Turns — 
St.  Clair  Morton  and  the  Pioneer  Brigade — Night .- 205 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

PRAGUE  upon  Austerlitz — The  Onset  of  the  Rebels— The  Columns 
of  Attack — Edgarton's  Battery — Willich  Unhorsed  and  Cap 
tured — Davis'  Division — Splendid  Resistance  of  Sherridan — • 
Death  of  General  Sill — Repulse  of  the  Enemy — Roberts  Charges 
and  Falls — The  Missourians  at  Bay  with  Empty  Muskets 225 


viii  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

NEGLKY'S  Division— Gallant  Struggle—Staunch  Fighting  of  Miller 

arid    Stanley "Father"    Moody — Turchin's    Regiment — The 

Pennsylvanians — Charge — Rousseau's  Division — The  Regulars.  248 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

PREPARATIONS — Readjustment,  of  the  Lines — Grand  Battle  Scene — 
A  Spectacle  of  Dreadful  Splendor— Destruction  of  Human  Life— 
Garesche's  Death — The  Field  's  our  own 270 

CHAPTER   XXVIII, 

AFTER  the  Conflict— Headquarters — Consultation  of  Generals — 
Decision  of  the  Cominander-in-Chief— Our  Losses— Orders  for 
January  1st — The  Heroism  of  the  Soldiers — The  Medical  Staff...  289 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

JANUARY  1, 18G3 — Change  of  Division  and  Brigade  Commanders — 
Position  of  Divisions  —  Demonstrations  by  the  Enemy  —  The 
Regulars  Double-Quick  to  Stewart's  Creek  and  back — Brilliant 
Affair  of  Colonel  Innis  and  his  Michiganders  at  Lavergne — 
A  Trying  New  Year's  Day — Effect  of  \Yediiesday's  Reverse  at 
Nashville 297 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

FRIDAY,  January  2 — Heavy  Artillery  Battle — Movements  of  the 
Troops — Onslaught  upon  Van  Cleve's  Division — It  is  Broken — • 
The  Batteries  Massed — The  Center  and  Right  Wing  Assisting 
the  Left — A  Banner  and  a  Battery  Captured — Awful  Effect  of 
Our  Artillery— The  Rebels  Routed 306 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

SATURDAY'S  Operations — The  Front  Harassed — East  Tennesseeans 
Charge  with  a  Slogan — The  Last  Hostile  Guns  in  Battle — The 
Wounded — Rebel  Prisoners  Eating  Parched  Corn — A  General 
Surprised — The  Rebels  Retreat — Sunday — Mass — Official  Sum 
mary  of  Battle 319 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

REVIEW  of  the  Field — Self-Reliance  of  the  General  Commanding- 
Moral  Power — Special  Mention  for  Important  Services — Consoli 
dated  Report  of  Casualties — Bragg's  Army — His  Grand  Tactics.  328 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

INCIDENTS  and  Anecdotes — Ambulance  Corps  on  the  Field — The 
Generals,  how  they  Appeared  in  Battle 359 

APPENDIX. 
OFFICIAL  REPORTS  of  the  Battle  of  Stone  River 371 


ROSECJRANS'    CAMPAIGN 


WITH    THE 


FOURTEENTH  ARMY  COUPS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  Army  of  the  Ohio — Discontent  of  the  Soldiers — Major  General 
Buell  Retires  from  Command — The  Army  Countermarches  Again — 
Assumption  of  Command  by  Major  General  W.  S.  Rosecrans — Pop 
ular  Fallacies — Embarrassments  of  the  New  Commander — His  Com 
munications — Cumberland  River  Innavigable,  the  Louisville  and 
Nashville  Railroad  a  Wreck — Condition  of  the  Army — Its  Partial 
Demoralization — The  Cavalry  Arm. 

GENERAL  BRAGG  and  his  army  had  just  escaped  from 
Kentucky.  The  federal  army  was  discouraged,  and 
the  nation  profoundly  disappointed.  A  twelve  month 
had  been  spent  in  fruitless  campaigning ;  millions  of 
money  had  been  lavished  without  compensation  ;  and 
the  bones  of  thousands  of  brave  men  were  moldering 
among  the  hills  and  valleys  of  the  South,  sad  monu 
ments  of  unrequited  toil,  and  uncomplaining  sacrifice. 
It  was  no  fault  of  the  gallant  soldiers  who  carried 
muskets  and  manned  our  cannon.  They  still  rallied 
around  the  old  flag,  but  sternly  and  bitterly,  while 
they  clamored  for  a  chieftain  to  lead  theln  to  victory. 
The  powerful  Army  of  the  Ohio,  which  had  been 
renowned  for  discipline  and  steady  valor,  was  now 

(9) 


THE   FOURTEENTH   ARMY   CORPS. 


much,  wasted  by  tedious  marches  and  distressing  vicis 
situdes,  and  partially  demoralized  by  the  dissatisfaction 
of  .the  troops  and  their  officers  with  their  commander. 
Their  discontent,  and  the  popular  distrust  of  Major 
General  Buell,  engendered  by  his  failure  to  achieve 
results  adequate  to  the  means  within  his  control,  ren 
dered  his  removal  imperative.  "Wheeling  his  columns 
in  the  direction  which  they  had  so  eagerly  pursued  at 
the  heels  of  the  fugitive  battalions  of  Albert  Sidney 
Johnson  but  a  few  months  before,  he  left  them  in 
charge  of  Major  General  Thomas,  and  repairing  to 
Louisville,  met  orders  requiring  him  to  relinquish  his 
command  to  Major  General  William  S.  Rosecrans, 
then  freshly  crowned  with  the  laurels  of  brilliant  vic 
tories  in  Mississippi. 

Prior  to  the  assignment  of  General  Rosecrans  to 
the  command  of  this  army,  it  had  been  designated 
the  "Army  of  the  Ohio."  The  War  Department, 
which  had  frequently  displayed  a  knack  for  cutting 
up  the  territory  of  the  United  States  into  military 
departments — more,  it  seems,  for  the  purpose  of  pro 
viding  commands  for  superfluous  chieftains,  with 
which  it  had  embarrassed  itself,  than  for  any  other 
appreciable  reason — now  carved  out  another  slice  of 
military  territory,  denominated  it  the  Department  of 
the  Cumberland,  changed  the  designation  of  the 
Army  to  "  Fourteenth  Army  Corps,"  and  nominated 
Major  General  Rosecraiis  to  the  command.  The 
department  consisted  of  all  that  portion  of  Tennessee, 
east  of  the  Tennessee  River,  and  so  much  of  the 
States  of  Alabama  and  Georgia  as  General  Rosecrans 
might  occupy.  Fort  Henry  and  Fort  Donelson  were 
subsequently  included,  inasmuch  as  they  were  essen- 


THE  FOURTEENTH  ARMY  CORPS.          11 

tial  to  the  water  line  of  communication  with  the 
department,  and  had  no  intimate  relationship  with 
the  contiguous  departments  of  Major  General  Grant, 
and  Major  General  Wright. 

General  liosecrans  assumed  command  under  pecu 
liarly  embarrassing  circumstances.  His  uniform  suc 
cess  as  department  commander  and  field  officer,  had 
inspired  the  nation  with  confidence  in  him,  and  the 
popular  imagination  was  inflated  with  visions  of  vic 
tories  which  were  only  probable  under  the  brightest 
auspices.  The  people,  informed  that  his  army  was  one 
of  the  largest  in  the  nation,  and  inaccurately  impressed 
that  it  was  perhaps  the  best  disciplined  and  best 
appointed,  and  smarting  under  recent  and  trying  dis 
appointments,  were  clamorous  for  achievements  which 
would  swiftly  wipe  out  the  stains  upon  the  national 
escutcheon,  and  revive  their  flagging  hopes.  They 
presumed  and  assumed  that  the  instruments  of  suc 
cess  were  already  prepared  to  the  hand  of  the  com 
mander,  and  that  nothing  remained  for  him  to  do  but 

O 

to  move  upon  the  enemy  and  destroy  him. 

Strange  that  the  costly  lessons  of  experience  should 
have  been  so  quickly  forgotten.  Strange  that  the 
disasters  of  the  Peninsula,  and  the  fruitless  Siege  of 
Corinth,  should  have  so  soon  escaped  their  memory. 
It  would  seem  that  a  people  possessing  facilities  such 
as  we  enjoy  for  acquiring  information,  scarcely  needed 
a  reminder  of  the  tedious  delays  and  serious  obstruc 
tions  which  must  now  protract  decisive  operations. 

To  say  that  General  Rosecrans  was  profoundly 
impressed  with  the  gravity  of  the  responsibilities  he 
assumed  is  almost  a  pointless  phrase.  lie  encoun 
tered  formidable  discouragements  from  the  moment 


12  THE   FOURTEENTH   AKMY   CORPS. 

lie  assumed  command.  We  can  but  glance  at  some 
of  the  most  conspicuous.  He  had  relieved  General 
13 u ell  at  the  expiration  of  a  year  of  almost  barren 
campaigning.  The  army  had  marched  through  Ken 
tucky  and  Tennessee  into  the  borders  of  Alabama 
and  Mississippi,  toiled  through  weary  months  in  the 
mountains  and  swamps  of  the  South  without  victory, 
and  had  vainly  countermarched  again  in  pursuit  of 
an  inferior  enemy  which  had  twice  eluded  their 
commander.  Its  shattered  columns  were  at  right 
about  toiling  listlessly  and  dispirited  toward  the  des 
olated  and  hostile  territory  which  they  had  twice 
traversed  within  a  single  year,  and  which,  ravaged  and 
exhausted  by  war,  promised  but  little  forage  and  no 
subsistence.  The  season  was  pressing  sharply  upon 
winter — and  winter  in  Tennessee  means  cold,  and 
snow,  and  rain,  and  boundless  mud ;  and  these  mean 
hospitals  thronged  with  suffering  soldiers,  and  val 
leys  ci^wded  with  the  bodies  of  the  dead.  The  only 
water  line  of  communication  with  the  seat  of  hostil 
ities  was  a  thin  ribbon  which  would  barely  buoy  a 
shallop,  and  the  capricious  season,  now  provokingly 
constant,  offered  no  prospect  of  navigation  before  the 
dissolution  of  winter.  A  single  thread  of  railroad  from 
Louisville  to  Nashville,  insufficient  without  hostile 
interruption — even  if  managed  by  an  enterprising  and 
zealous  directory — to  properly  meet  the  requisitions 
of  the  service,  was  wrecked  and  obstructed  from 
Green  River  to  Nashville — more  than  three-fifths  of 
the  length  of  the  line  of  communication  from  the 
primary  to  the  immediate  base  of  operations  at  Nash 
ville.  It  was  evident  that  it  would  require  a  month  of 
incessant  labor  to  repair  it,  and  it  was  liable  to  contin- 


THE   FOURTEENTH   ARMY   CORPS.  13 

uous  irruptions  of  hostile  cavalry  organized  to  destroy 
it,  requiring  the  detail  of  large  detachments  of  the 
effective  force  of  the  army  for  its  protection.  These, 
among  other  equally  serious  and  protracting  embar 
rassments  were  to  be  overcome,  before  a  decisive 
movement  could  be  ventured. 

General  Rosecrans  was  unacquainted  with  his  army 
— a  matter  of  no  trifling  moment — but  happily  his 
previous  career  had  prepared  it  to  confide  in  him. 
The  nation  had  been  taught  to  consider  it  a  standard 
of  discipline.  History,  when  she  lingers  tearfully  at 
the  little  green  graves  of  Chaplin  Hills,  will  attest  the 
valor  of  its  trusty  soldiers.  But  it  was  no  longer  the 
proud  army  which  had  swept  the  frightened  foe  from 
the  heart  of  Kentucky  into  the  far  distant  cotton  fields 
of  Mississippi.  It  had  not  been  bruited  that  the 
solidity  of  those  once  splendid  legions  had  been  well 
nigh  dissolved  by  repression  of  their  fiery  ardor  in 
retreat,  by  the  vicissitudes  of  painful  marches,  and 
confidence  destroyed.  It  had  not  been  told  by  light 
ning  tongues  that  nearly  ten  thousand  of  those  heroes, 
heart-sick  with  barren  efforts  and  unrequited  trials 
had  deserted  when  the  columns  countermarched  to 
Louisville,  nor  that  it  required  the  highest  exercise  of 
patriotism  on  the  part  of  those  veterans,  and  the 
sternest  vigilance  of  their  officers  to  prevent  the  regi 
ments  from  melting  to  skeletons — a  result  almost  to 
have  been  feared  had  not  the  spirits  of  those  wearied 
and  discouraged  troops  been  revived  by  the  substitu 
tion  of  a  new  commander  whom  they  had  learned  to 
admire,  for  one,  who,  by  his  coldness  and  apathy  had 
alienated  the  confidence  they  had  reposed  in  him. 

General  Rosecrans  hardly  dreamed  that  almost  one- 


14  TIIE   FOURTEENTH   ARMY   CORPS. 

third  of  his  army  was  in  hospitals  ;  or  scattered  over 
the  great  West,  fugitives  from  duty  to  the  flag. 
Moreover,  many  of  his  regiments  were  raw  levies 
without  drill  or  discipline,  and  were  often  inefficiently 
commanded.  Ages  of  experience  had  attested  the 
inability  of  an  armed  mob  to  withstand  veteran  bat 
talions  like  those  of  the  rebel  armies  in  shock  of  bat 
tle.  Besides,  the  army  was  barely  half  equipped, 
and  its  cavalry  arm  was  so  inadequate  in  numbers, 
and  so  deficient  in  equipment  and  discipline,  as  to 
excite  astonishment  and  alarm.  A  few  weeks  later 
the  General  Commanding  wrote  officially  that  "the 
enormous  superiority  of  the  rebel  cavalry,  kept  our 
little  cavalry  force  almost  within  the  infantry  lines, 
and  gave  the  enemy  control  of  the  entire  country 
around  us." 


THE   TEMPORARY    STAFF.  15 


CHAPTER  II. 

POPULAR  Expectations — General  Order  No.  1 — The  Temporary  Staff — 
Their  Qualifications — Lieutenant  Colonel  Ducat — The  Chief  Com 
missary — Posi^ou  of  the  Fourteenth  Army  Corps — Bragg's  Move 
ments — Nashville  Invested  by  Rebel  Cavalry — Five  Millions  of 
Rations — Railway  Annoyances — Military  Superintendent  of  Trans 
portation. 

IT  is  well  to  consider  the  degree  of  success,  and 
the  period  of  its  accomplishment  that  a  just  and 
discriminating  people  could  expect  of  an  officer  under 
the  circumstances  which  domineered  over  General 
Rosecrans.  Had  the  nation  guaged  its  expectations 
by  the  achievements  of  commanders  of  other  great 
armies  during  the  war,  and  upon  these  demanded  but 
moderate  improvement,  it  had  more  accurately  con 
formed  to  the  logic  which  had  been  established  for 
reflection.  ""We  shall  expect  much  of  you,"  said 
authority.  The  people  had  been  so  often  disappointed 
by  results  immeasurably  inadequate  to  the  instru 
mentalities  employed  in  conducting  the  war,  and  had 
grown  so  restive  and  impatient,  that  they  were  now 
inclined  to  require  too  much.  Though  grateful  to 
General  Eosecrans  for  his  past  and  invariable  success, 
they  were  disposed  to  be  more  patient  with  him  than 
they  would  have  been  with  any  other  commander  who 
might  have  been  assigned  to  the  department. 

Nevertheless  General  Eosecrans  assumed  his  respon 
sibilities  cheerfully,  and  begun  his  labors  with  char 
acteristic  earnestness  and  vigor.  The  summons  from 


16  THE    TEMPORARY    STAFF. 

the  "War  Department  had  reached  him  at  the  head  of 
his  command  in  Mississippi,  and  he  promptly  repaired 
to  his  new  department,  tarrying  but  sixty  hours  with 
his  family  and  friends  in  Ohio.  On  the  80th  October, 
1862,  he  relieved  General  Buell,  and  assumed  com 
mand  by  virtue  of  the  following  order : 

HEADQUARTERS  14TH  ARMY  CORPS, 

Department  of  the  Cumberland, 
Louisville,  Ky.,  Oct.  30,  18G2. 

GENERAL   ORDERS   NO.    1. 

I.  By   direction  of  the  General-in-Chief,   the  undersigned 
assumes  the  command  of  the  Department  of  the  Cumberland, 
and  the  troops  under  General    Buell's  command,  which  will 
hereafter  constitute  the  Fourteenth  Army  Corps. 

II.  The  following  officers  are  announced  and  will  act  until 
a  permanent  organization  of  Staff  is  effected : 

Lieutenant  Colonel  ARTHUR  C.  DUCAT,  Twelfth  Infantry, 
Illinois  Volunteers,  Acting  Assistant  Inspector  General  and 
Chief  of  Staff. 

Major  C.  GODDARD,  Senior  Aiddecamp,  Acting  Assistant 
Adjutant  General. 

Major  W.  P.  HEPBURN,  Second  Iowa  Cavalry,  Acting  Judge 
Advocate. 

Captain  SAMUEL  SIMMONS,  A.  C.  S.,  Acting  Chief  Commis 
sary. 

Captain  T.  G.  CHANDLER,  A.  Q.  M.,  Acting  Chief  Quarter 
master. 

Captain  N.  MICHLER,  Chief  Topographical  Engineer. 

Captain  J.  H.  GILMAN,  Nineteenth  Infantry  United  States 
Army,  Inspector  of  Artillery. 

Captain  J.  T.  PETERSON,  Fifteenth  Infantry,  United  States 
Army,  Acting  Assistant  Inspector  General. 

First  Lieutenant  T.  EDSON,  Ordnance  Corps,  Ordnance 
Officer. 


THE    TEMPORARY    STAFF.  17 

First  Lieutenant  CIIAS.  R.  THOMPSON,  Engineer  Kegiinent 
of  the  West,  Aiddecamp. 

Second  Lieutenant  BYRON  KIRBY,  Sixth  Infantry  United 
States  Army,  Aiddecamp. 

Surgeon  ROBERT  MURRAY,  U.  S.  A.,  Medical  Director. 

Surgeon  A.  H.  THURSTON,  United  States  Volunteers,  Medi 
cal  Inspector. 

Reports  will  be  made  and  business  transacted  in  accordance 
with  existing  orders  and  regulations. 

Official :  W.  S.  ROSECRANS, 

C.  GrODDARD,  Major   General. 

Major  and  A.  A.  A.  G. 

The  majority  of  the  executive  members  of  this 
staff  accompanied  the  General  from  Mississippi. 
They  had  proved  themselves  capable  and  trust 
worthy,  no  meaningless  phrase  with  an  officer  whose 
personal  staff  are  all  confidential  aids,  and  who  are 
speedily  instructed  to  acquaint  themselves  with  all  the 
duties  necessary  to  qualify  them  to  meet  the  requisi 
tions  of  a  commander  who  holds  that  "  a  staff  officer 
should  know  all  that  his  General  does." 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Ducat,  an  Irishman  by  nativity, 
and  a  soldier  by  nature  and  habit,  had  been  detailed 
for  Acting  Inspector  General  for  qualifications  pre 
eminently  fitting  him  for  that  office.  "I  regard  him 
an  extraordinary  man,"  said  the  General  subsequently, 
alluding  to  the  admirable  system  of  inspections  which 
had  been  perfected  and  put  into  complete  working 
order  by  himself  and  his  assistants,  Captains  Peter 
son  and  Curtis  of  the  regular  army.  For  the  present, 
he  was  Chief  of  Staff,  but  it  was  understood  that  posi 
tion  was  reserved  for  the  brilliant  Garesche. 

Major  Goddard,  for  zealous  and  intelligent  service 


18  THE    TEMPORARY    STAFF. 

in  the  Adjutant  General's  office  of  the  Army  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  for  gallantry  as  Aiddecamp  at  luka 
and  Corinth,  had  been  promoted  from  a  Lieutenancy 
in  the  Twelfth  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry,  to  a  Major 
ity,  and  the  Senior  Aidship.. 

Captain  Chas.  R.  Thompson,  Aiddecamp,  for  gal 
lantry  at  luka  and  Corinth,  had  been  promoted  from 
a  Lieutenancy  in  the  Engineer  regiment  of  the  West, 
to  a  Captaincy  on  the  Staff,  a  proud  position  for  a 
youth  of  less  than  twenty -three  years.  Lieutenant 
Byron  Kirby  had  faithfully  served  on  the  staff  in 
Western  Virginia,  and  through  the  campaign  in  Ten 
nessee  and  Mississippi.  Major  Hepburn  had  exhib 
ited  marked  capacity  as  Judge  Advocate,  but  later  in 
the  campaign,  being  promoted  to  the  Lieutenant 
Colonelcy  of  his  regiment,  he  was  announced  Inspec 
tor  of  Cavalry,  and  was  succeeded  by  Major  Ralston 
Skinner,  appointed  Judge  Advocate  by  the  President, 
and  assigned  to  General  Rosecran's  Staff,  at  the  per 
sonal  request  of  the  Commanding  General. 

Captain  Samuel  Simmons,  Commissary  of  Subsist 
ence — promoted  a  few  weeks  later  to  Lieutenant  Col 
onel,  had  displayed  unusual,  it  may  be  justly  said, 
extraordinary  foresight,  comprehensiveness  of  judg 
ment,  and  energy,  in  the  administration  of  the  Sub 
sistence  Department  of  the  Army  of  the  Mississippi. 
Such  qualifications  were  peculiarly  demanded  in  the 
new  field. 

Captain  Chandler,  an  Assistant  Quartermaster  of 
large  experience,  had  served  General  Rosecrans  in  the 
Department  of  Western  Virginia,  and  had  been  Chief 
Quartermaster  in  the  Department  of  the  Ohio.  His 
present  assignment,  however,  was  but  temporary — 


THE    TEMPORARY    STAFF.  19 

Lieutenant  Colonel  J.  "\\r.  Taylor,  by  liis  ability  in 
Mississippi,  having  merited  the  approbation  of  his 
commander,  had  been  previously  designated  Chief 
Quartermaster  of  the  Department.  The  additional 
members  of  the  temporary  staff,  had  been  in  General 
BuelPs  command,  and  their  merits  at  this  time  had 
not  been  demonstrated  to  the  new  commander. 

General  Rosecrans  remained  but  another  day  at 
Louisville.  The  railroad  bridge  across  Green  River 
being  now  reconstructed,  he  repaired  to  Bowling 
Green,  on  the  1st  of  November,  and  established  head 
quarters  temporarily  at  that  point.  His  army  had 
concentrated  at  Bowling  Green  and  Glasgow,  but 
the  divisions  at  the  latter  post  were  presently  ordered 
forward.  Bragg' s  army  was  still  painfully  toiling 
over  the  rude  mountains  of  East  Tennessee,  heading 
by  a  wide  detour  via  Chattanooga,  toward  Murfrees- 
boro.  Information  touching  his  designs  was  scant. 

O  O 

General  Breckinridge  was  posted  at  Murfreesboro 
with  a  strong  division,  and  Nashville  was  invested  by 
swarms  of  active  and  enterprising  rebel  cavalry.  It 
was  held  by  a  splendid  division  of  troops,  under  Gen 
eral  Negley,  and  although  communication  between 
the  garrison  and  headquarters  of  the  army  was  irreg 
ular,  it  was  not  in  jeopardy.  The  rebels  could  not 
now  concentrate  to  assault  it  before  General  liose- 
crans  could  move  to  its  relief,  so  that  it  was  not  a 
subject  of  embarrassment  to  him. 

Bowling  Green  was  the  present  southern  terminus 
of  the  railroad,  and  the  temporary  supply  depot. 
The  army  could  not  profitably  advance  two  marches 
beyond  until  the  railroad  was  repaired  to  Mitchells- 
ville,  on  the  northern  line  of  Tennessee,  nearly  forty 


20  THE    TEMPORARY    STAFF. 

miles  from  Nashville,  but  from  which  point,  after 
arriving  at  Nashville,  it  might,  with  great  labor  and 
trouble,  be  subsisted  from  day  to  day.  The  Chief 
Commissary  at  once  displayed  his  grasp  by  ordering 
forward  the  extraordinary  supply  of  five  millions  of 
rations,  to  be  renewed  as  rapidly  as  the  tedious  oper 
ation  of  the  railroad  would  permit.  Had  the  energy 
of  the  Commissary  met  a  fair  response  from  the  man 
agers  of  the  railroad,  the  General  Commanding  would 
have  been  relieved  of  serious  vexations.  The  policy 
of  taking  entire  military  control  of  the  line  was  care 
fully  considered,  and  finally  dismissed.  In  the  sense 
of  occupation,  it  was  monopolized  by  the  government, 
but  it  was  managed  by  the  corporation  which  owned  it. 
Colonel  J.  B.  Anderson,  of  Louisville,  was  announced 
Military  Superintendent  of  Railroad  Transportation, 
but  eventually  his  administration  was  not  warmly 
approved. 


BUSINESS    AT    HEADQUARTERS.  21 


CHAPTER  III. 

INTRODUCTION  of  Headquarters  to  the  Female  Rebel  Element — Madam 
applies  Soft  Soap — The  Result  thereof — Business  at  Headquar 
ters — Red-tape  Defended — Resignations  and  Furloughs — Improve 
ment  of  the  Cavalry — Colt's  Revolving  Rifles — Brigadier  General 
David  S.  Stanley — Mounted  Infantry — Pack  Mules — East  Tennes 
see — Discipline. 

THE  General  Commanding  had  arrived  at  Bowling 
Green  in  advance  of  his  camp  equipage.  Although 
habitually  preferring  camp,  he  was  constrained  to 
appropriate  a  dwelling  for  headquarters.  It  is  not 
customary  in  war  to  quarter  upon  friends  where  viru 
lent  enemies  are  accessible  to  instruction  in  the  rights 
of  arms.  Some  high  caste  families  in  Bowling  Green 
had  endeavored  to  indoctrinate  loyal  men  and  women 
with  the  virtues  of  rebel  rights.  The  General  pro 
posed  to  vindicate  his  appreciation  of  the  example, 
and  required  accommodations  at  the  mansion  of  a 
prominent  officer  of  the  bogus  goverment  of  Ken 
tucky.  He  was  enjoying  the  amenities  of  a  retreat 
with  Bragg's  army,  and  his  wife  remained  in  posses 
sion  of  the  homestead.  She  was  not  cordial  accord 
ing  to  the  traditionary  style  of  Kentucky  hospitality, 
but  submitted  frigidly  to  the  "  exigencies  of  the 
service."  She  requested  privilege  to  retain  part  of 
the  premises  for  her  own  occupation,  a  favor  which 
was  graciously  granted.  During  some  eight  or  nine 
days,  the  General  and  his  military  household  perse- 


22  BUSINESS    AT    HEADQUARTERS. 

veringly  squeezed  themselves  into  the  parlor  and  two 
chambers,  dining  in  the  hall,  for  the  accommodation 
of  her  ladyship.  But  madam  was  ungrateful.  She 
seized  the  earliest  opportunity  to  exhibit  her  temper 
and  quality  by  a  high-toned  act  of  gentility  which 
signally  demonstrated  privileged  breeding,  and  forti 
fied  her  claims  to  federal  favor.  It  was  a  season  of 
drought,  and  such  periods  in  Bowling  Green  subject 
the  people  to  inconvenience.  They  are  obliged  to 
cart  water  for  family  consumption  from  Barren  River. 
In  any  northern  town  the  citizens  would  make  haste 
to  provide  themselves  with  cisterns,  but  where  labor 
is  not  compensated,  the  people  do  not  learn  to  make 
themselves  comfortable  so  easily.  But  this  is  irrele 
vant.  Madam's  chattels  had  accumulated  several 
barrels  of  water,  and  headquarter  servants  inconsid 
erately  began  to  use  it.  Madam's  rights  were  invaded, 
and  she  vindicated  them  by  dissolving  a  quantity  of 
soft  soap  in  the  barrels.  Not  long  afterward  she  was 
fretted  by  the  seeming  misuse  of  her  parlor  carpet, 
and  applied  to  remove  it,  whereupon  the  General 
gave  her  a  counter-emollient  in  the  amiable  form  of 
a  disquisition  upon  soft  soap  and  water.  This  was 
the  introduction  of  headquarters  to  the  female  ele 
ment  of  rebellion.  It  was  afterward  more  elaborately 
developed,  though  not  at  Bowling  Green.  The  rebel 
women  of  that  city  were  generally  recluse,  and  did 
not  often  come  in  contact  with  the  "  Yankees."  The 
few  Union  ladies  remaining  there,  sustained  the 
ancient  fame  of  Kentucky  hospitality ;  but  their 
social  life  was  stifled  by  rebellion. 

General  Rosecrans  continued  to  apply  himself  to 
business    unremittingly.      ~No    member   of  the  staff 


BUSINESS    AT    HEADQUARTERS.  23 

found  an  idle  hour.  The  vast  machinery  of  the 
department  was  put  in  motion.  Lines  of  couriers, 
connecting  with  Nashville  and  the  various  camps, 
were  immediately  established,  Captain  Elmer  Otis,  an 
active,  enterprising  officer,  assuming  charge  of  them. 
Military  maps  were  collected  from  every  source; 
friendly  people  were  required  to  furnish  all  possible 
information  concerning  the  topography  and  geogra 
phy  of  the  country;  and  business  of  every  character 
affecting  the  campaign,  was  rapidly  systematized  and 
dispatched.  The  amount  of  business  which  had  accu 
mulated  in  the  Adjutant  General's  office  was  formi 
dable,  and  it  required  nearly  a  regiment  of  clerks  to 
reduce  it.  Everything  touching  the  organization  of 
the  army,  the  hundreds  of  applications  for  the  accept 
ance  of  resignations,  the  almost  thousands  of  appeals 
for  discharges  from  service;  pleas  for  furloughs,  or 
relief  from  duty ;  the  million  and  one  items  of  minu 
tiae  which  no  thorough  General  can  safely  overlook 
in  a  volunteer  army,  formed  an  almost  discouraging 
aggregation  of  business.  How  feebly  do  they  who 
read  the  results  of  a  campaign,  comprehend  the  pro 
digious  amount  of  physical  toil  that  is  supported  by  a 
commanding  general,  not  to  consider  the  incalculable 
intellectual  labor  and  moral  exasperations  which  har- 
rass  him.  Brief  observation  would  invincibly  per 
suade  the  most  inveterate  enemy  of  much  calumniated 
red-tape,  that  no  human  skill  or  industry,  without 
the  aid  of  system,  would  be  equal  to  the  disposition 
of  the  mountains  of  details  which  roll  up  in  sucessive 
billows  at  headquarters. 

It  was  found  necessary  in  the  beginning  to   curb 
the  disposition  of  officers  to  apply  for  leave  of  absence 


24  BUSINESS    AT    HEADQUARTERS. 

or  to  resign.  An  invalid  might  obtain  temporary 
respite  in  the  hospitals,  or  resign.  A  hale  man,  unless 
recommended  by  his  superior  to  resign,  "  for  the  good 
of  the  service,"  was  summarily  notified  to  return  to 
duty.  The  rule  was  inexorable.  But  the  General 
was  swift  to  relieve  the  army  of  incompetents.  lie 
declined  to  listen  to  personal  appeals.  "  I  don't  care 
for  any  individual.  Everything  for  the  service ;  noth 
ing  to  individuals."  Although  an  ardent  friend,  lie 
would  not  permit  the  claims  of  friendship  to  inter 
pose  against  the  interests  of  his  country. 

"THE  EYES  or  THE  ARMY." 

The  improvement  of  his  cavalry  was  a  primary  con 
sideration  in  his  system  of  reorganization.  "  Cav 
alry,"  he  was  wont  to  say,  "are  the  eyes  of  the  army. 
They  can  be  made  its  hands  and  feet."  It  was  his 
object  to  elevate  them  to  that  excellence.  Lee's  Kan 
sas  Cavalry  in  the  Army  of  the  Mississippi,  under  his 
encouragement  were  renowned  in  all  that  country  for 
their  efficiency.  He  wanted  whole  divisions  like  them. 
When  he  assumed  command  of  the  Fourteenth  Army 
Corps,  he  supposed  he  had  twelve  or  fifteen  thousand 
veteran  cavalry  troops.  He  was  surprised  and  cha 
grined  that  he  could  not  muster  half  that  number. 
A  portion  of  these  were  chiefly  valuable  for  their 
capacity  to  evade  danger  and  good  service.  A  troop 
of  jockeys  with  riding  whips  were  quite  as  effective 
as  some  of  the  squadrons.  ~No  fault  of  theirs,  but  of 
neglect,  lack  of  capable  officers,  and  deficiences  of 
equipment. 

He  applied  for  Brigadier  General  David  S.  Stan 
ley,  an  officer  of  great  spirit,  and  superior  military 


BUSINESS   AT   HEADQUARTERS.  25 

skill,  for  Chief  of  Cavalry,  and  that  General  was 
relieved  of  the  command  of  perhaps  the  hest  division 
of  volunteer  infantry  in  the  federal  army,  to  regen 
erate  the  cavalry  arm  of  the  Fourteenth  Corps.  There 
was  no  reserve  from  which  to  draw  reinforcements, 
and  the  General  Commanding  applied  to  the  War 
Department  for  five  thousand  Colt's  revolving  rifles 
as  a  substitute  for  men.  About  three  thousand  w^ere 
received,  when  the  arsenals  were  exhausted.  His 
mind  was  so  impressed  with  the  conviction  that  revolv 
ing  arms  would  give  best  assurance  of  success,  that  if 
he  had  been  offered  the  option  of  raw  men  or 
improved  arms,  it  is  probable  he  would  have  preferred 
the  latter.  It  needs  no  argument  to  satisfy  the  pub 
lic  that  five  charges  are  superior  to  one,  but  the  War 
Department  has  not  yet  discovered  it.  The  moral 
ascendency,  which  such  arms  impart  to  troopers  who 
know  how  to  use  them,  is  of  more  value  to  the  serv 
ice  than  their  relative  physical  strength.  They  have 
a  double  force,  inspiring  with  confidence  the  men  who 
are  supplied  with  them,  and  terrifying  the  enemy. 

General  Rosecrans  desired  to  make  the  cavalry  arm 
perfect  by  combining  with  it  an  organization  of 
mounted  light  infantry  with  light  batteries  for  rapid 
movement,  but  the  government  had  no  such  troops. 
The  rebels  had  adopted  it  with  brilliant  success. 
It  finally  became  so  indispensable  that  infantry  bri 
gades  were  mounted  and  disciplined  for  the  service. 

The  physical  features  of  his  department  also  re 
quired  a  pack  mule  train  to  mutually  adjust  the  parts 
of  his  projected  system  of  warfare.  It  was  almost 
impossible  to  penetrate  the  mountains  of  East  Ten 
nessee  with  ordinary  transportation.  It  was  a  para- 
3 


26  BUSINESS   AT   HEADQUARTERS. 

mount  object  with  Mm  to  relieve  that  Switzerland  of 
America  from  oppression.  It  was  crushed  with  the 
most  accursed  tyranny  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  Its 
quiet  citizens  had  heen  murdered  for  loyalty  to  their 
government.  Its  helpless  women  and  children  had 
been  driven  to  the  mountain  caves,  and  their  dwel 
lings  were  eaten  up  by  incendiary  flames.  Thousands 
of  its  patriotic  men  were  fugitives,  or  were  toiling  and 
fighting  to  reach  their  homes  once  more.  Their 
hearts  were  stricken,  and  they  might  well  exclaim  in 
agony  of  hope  deferred  :  "  How  long,  oh  Lord,  how 
long ! "  It  never  will  cease  to  be  astonishing  that  the 
deliverance  of  the  mountaineers  of  Tennessee  was  so 
long  delayed.  General  Rosecrans  from  sympathy  and 
for  important  military  reasons  determined  to  accom 
plish  it.  But  there  was  delay  here  too.  A  train 
of  five  thousand  pack  mules,  which  were  indispensa 
ble  to  the  enterprise  was  ordered,  and  months  elapsed 
without  satisfaction  of  the  requisition. 

DISCIPLINE. 

The  discipline  of  the  corps  in  all  its  departments 
was  an  object  of  unremitting  effort.  There  was  no 
sound  reason  why  the  discipline  of  veteran  volun 
teers  should  not  be  equal  to  that  of  regulars.  It  was 
not  ify  fault  of  the  soldiers,  who  exhibited  a  ready 
acquiescence  to  orders  when  officers  showed  capacity 
and  rr<e¥ve.  There  were  a  few  regiments  in  the  army 
fully  eVjual  to  those  in  the  regular  service.  These 
had  zealous  officers  of  large  capacity.  There  was 
one  mode  especially  by  which  neglect  of  duty,  care 
lessness  and  incompetency,  would  be  eliminated  and 
the  army  purified.  General  Eosecrans  solicited 


BUSINESS    AT    HEADQUARTERS.  27 

authority  to  dismiss  officers  from  the  service  for  satis 
factory  military  reasons.  The  reply  of  the  Secretary  of 
War  expresses  the  character  of  the  application,  to  wit : 

"  Washington,  Nov.  3, 1862. 
"  MAJOR  GENERAL  KOSECRANS  : 

"The  authority  you  ask,  promptly  to  muster  out  or  dismiss 
from  the  service  officers  for  flagrant  misdemeanors  and  crimes, 
such  as  pillaging,  drunkenness  and  misbehavior  before  the 
enemy,  or  on  guard  duty  is  essential  to  discipline,  and  you  are 
authorized  to  use  it.  Report  of  the  facts  in  each  case  should 
be  immediately  forwarded  to  the  War  Department,  in  order  to 
prevent  improvident  restoration. 

"  [Signed,]  E.  M.  STANTON, 

Secretary  of  War." 

A  general  order  (No.  4)  embodying  the  foregoing 
was  promptly  published,  directing  that  officers  dis 
gracefully  dismissed,  should  be  divested  of  the  insig 
nia  of  rank  in  the  presence  of  their  respective  com 
mands,  and  be  escorted  by  soldiers  outside  of  the 
camps.  It  was  severe  but  it  had  a  most  salutary 
influence. 


28  MAJOR   GENERAL   THOMAS. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

WORKING  Habits  of  the  General  Commanding — His  fancy  for  Young 
Men — His  Aidesdecamp — Reviews — His  Searching  Inspections — 
His  Injunctions  to  Careless  or  Neglected  Soldiers — Major  General 
George  H.  Thomas — His  Person  and  Characteristics — His  Popularity. 

INDUSTRY  was  one  of  the  most  valuable  qualities  of 
General  llosecrans.  Labor  was  a  constitutional  neces 
sity  with  him.  And  he  enjoyed  a  fine  faculty  for  the 
disposition  of  military  business — a  faculty  which  rap 
idly  improved  with  experience.  He  neither  spared 
himself  nor  his  subordinates.  He  insisted  upon  being 
surrounded  by  active,  rapid  workers.  He  "liked 
sandy  fellows/'  because  they  were  so  "  quick  and 
sharp."  He  rarely  found  staff  officers  who  could 
endure  with  him.  Ambition  prompted  all  of  them 
to  remain  steadfastly  with  him  until  nature  would 
sustain  no  more.  Often  they  confessed  with  some 
exhibition  of  selfish  reluctance  that  he  was  endowed 
with  extraordinary  vital  force,  and  a  persistency  which 
defied  fatigue.  Those  who  served  upon  his  staff  in 
Western  Virginia  or  Mississippi  predicted  a  severe 
future.  They  were  not  deceived.  He  was  habitually 
prepared  for  labor  in  quarters  at  ten  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  On  Sundays  and  Wednesdays  he  rose  early 
and  attended  Mass.  He  never  retired  before  two 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  very  often  not  until  four,  and 
sometimes  not  until  broad  daylight.  He  often  mounted 
in  the  afternoons  and  rode  out  to  inspect  or  review  the 


MAJOR    GENERAL   THOMAS.  29 

troops.  It  was  not  extraordinary  that  his  Aids  some 
times  dropped  asleep  in  their  chairs,  while  he  was 
writing  vehemently  or  glancing  eagerly  over  his  maps, 
which  he  studied  almost  incessantly.  Sometimes  he 
glanced  at  his  "  youngsters "  compassionately,  and 
pinching  their  ears  or  rubbing  their  heads  paternally 
until  he  roused  them,  would  send  them  to  bed.  Cap 
tain  Thompson,  and  Captain  Robert  S.  Thorns — the 
latter  a  Volunteer  Aiddecamp  of  superior  merit — 
were  favorites,  deservedly.  They  were  his  amanu 
enses,  had  custody  of  all  the  ciphers,  and  necessarily 
were  confidential  Aids.  Lieutenant  Frank  S.  Bond 
was  attached  to  the  staff  subsequently  in  a  similar 
capacity,  and  soon  won  the  respect  of  his  commander. 
When  in  the  field,  General  Rosecrans  was  apt  to  be 
the  first  officer  in  camp  to  spring  from  his  blankets, 
and  the  last  to  dismount  at  night. 

REVIEWS. 

During  the  few  days  he  remained  at  Bowling  Green, 
he  reviewed  most  of  the  divisions  which  had  reached 
that  vicinity.  Night  labor  compensated  for  hours  thus 
stolen  from  his  maps,  reports,  and  schemes  for  the 
improvement  of  the  army.  At  the  reviews,  the  satis 
faction  of  the  troops  with  the  change  of  commanders, 
was  manifested  by  their  enthusiastic  reception  of  him. 
The  manner  of  his  inspections  at  once  engendered  a 
cordiality  toward  him  which  promised  happy  results. 
The  soldiers  w^ere  satisfied  that  their  commander  took 
an  interest  in  their  welfare — a  moralizing  agency 
which  no  capable  General  of  volunteers  can  safely 
neglect.  He  examined  the  equipments  of  the  men 
with  exacting  scrutiny.  No  trifling  minutiae  escaped 


30  MAJOR    GENERAL    THOMAS. 

him.  Everything  to  which,  the  soldier  was  entitled  was 
important.  A  private  without  his  canteen  instantly 
evoked  a  volley  of  searching  inquiries.  "  Where  is 
your  canteen  ? "  "  How  did  you  lose  it — when — 
where?"  ""Why  don't  you  get  another?"  To 
others,  "you  need  shoes,  and  you  a  knapsack." 
Soldiers  thus  addressed  were  apt  to  reply  frankly, 
sometimes  a  whole  company  laughing  at  the  novelty 
of  such  keen  inquisition.  "  Can't  get  shoes,"  said 
one;  "required  a  canteen  and  couldn't  get  it,"  rejoined 
another.  "  Why  ?  "  quoth  the  General.  "  Go  to  your 
Captain  and  demand  what  you  need!  Go  to  him 
every  day  till  you  get  it.  Bore  him  for  it !  Bore 
him  in  his  quarters  !  Bore  him  at  meal  time  !  Bore 
him  in  bed !  Bore  him ;  bore  him ;  bore  him !  Don't 
let  him  rest ! "  And  to  Captains,  "  You  bore  your 
Colonels ;  let  Colonels  bore  their  Brigadiers ;  Briga 
diers  bore  their  Division  Generals;  Division  Com 
manders  bore  their  Corps  Commanders,  and  let  them 
bore  me.  I'll  see,  then,  if  you  don't  get  what  you  want. 
Bore,  bore,  bore!  until  you  get  everything  you  are 
entitled  to ; "  and  so  on  through  an  entire  division. 

"  That's  the  talk,  boys,"  quoth  a  brawny  fellow. 
"He'll  do,"  said  another — and  the  soldiers  returned 
t(r their  camp-fires  and  talked  about  "Rosy,"  just  as 
those  who  knew  him  best  in  Mississippi  had  talked. 

The  confidence  which  such  deportment  inspired 
was  pregnant  with  future  good.  And  it  was  soon 
observed  that  he  was  careful  to  acknowledge  a  pri 
vate's  salute — a  trifling  act  of  good  breeding  and 
military  etiquette,  costing  nothing,  but  too  frequently 
neglected  by  officers  who  have  much  rank  and  little 
generous  sympathy  with  soldiers  who  win  them  glory. 


MAJOR    GENERAL    THOMAS.  81 

This  is  a  wise  "  regulation,"  but  it  reaches  far  deeper 
than  mere  discipline. 

Shortly  after  headquarters  were  established  at  Bowl 
ing  Green,  Major  General  George  Ii.  Thomas  reported 
himself.  The  military  family  of  the  Commanding 
General  quickly  recognized  the  real  Chief  of  Staff. 
It  had  been  observed  that  General  Rosecrans  did  not 
"consult"  habitually  upon  the  principles  and  policy 
of  the  campaign  with  other  commanding  officers. 
The  keen  eyes  of  those  familiar  with  his  customs, 
however,  discovered  an  unusual  degree  of  respect  and 
confidence  exhibited  toward  General  Thomas.  Con 
fidential  interviews  with  him  were  frequent  and  pro 
tracted.  It  soon  got  to  be  understood  in  the  camps, 
that  "Pap"  Thomas  was  chief  counsellor  at  head 
quarters,  and  confidence  in  "  Eosy  "  grew  apace. 

General  Thomas  had  been  with  the  army  a  twelve 
month  or  more.  The  veterans  knew  him,  and  revered 
him  to  a  man.  His  old  Mill  Spring  division  loved 
him.  He  had  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  the  officers. 
The  old  troops  filially  spoke  of  him  as  "  Pap  "  Thomas. 
In  facetious  moods  he  was  "  Old  Slow  Trot."  The 
former  was  a  soubriquet  of  affection;  the  latter  a 
merry  nick-name  quickened  of  one  of  those  trifles 
that  tickle  an  idle  soldier's  fancy.  Habitually,  a 
veteran  acquires  a  habit  of  boiling  a  man  down  into 
an  expression.  General  Thomas'  steadiness  rather 
attracted  the  lads.  He  was  as  deliberate  on  the 
march  as  at  quarters.  His  escort,  more  impatient  than 
their  commander,  sometimes  took  advantage  of  a  tem 
porary  aberration  and  pushed  him  into  unusual  speed. 
Directly  his  revery  ended,  he  was  apt  to  order  "  slow 
trot !  "  It  caught  popular  fancy,  and  the  General  was 


32  MAJOR   GENERAL    THOMAS. 

fixed  in  a  soubriquet.  General  Rosecrans  himself 
expressed  an  almost  reverential  respect  for  him. 
Alluding  to  him,  one  day,  he  said,  with  a  glow  of 
enthusiasm,  "  George  H.  Thomas  is  a  man  of  ex 
traordinary  character.  Years  ago,  at  the  Military 
Academy,  I  conceived  there  were  points  of  strong 
resemblance  between  his  character  and  that  of  "Wash  - 
ington.  I  was  in  the  habit  of  calling  him  General 
Washington."  His  grave  aspect,  dignified  deport 
ment,  and  imposing  presence  justified  this  conceit. 

Most  men  diminish  as  you  approach  them.  A 
few  magnify,  and  you  feel  their  greatness.  General 
Thomas  grows  upon  you.  Even  his  physique  has 
this  peculiarity.  He  has  a  massive,  full  rounded, 
powerful  form,  which  seems  at  first  to  absorb  several 
inches  of  his  six  feet  of  stature,  but  it  gradually 
expands  upon  you,  as  a  mountain  which  you  approach. 
His  features  are  heavy  but  well  carved,  with  a  strong, 
thin,  combative  nose,  cleanly  cut  lips,  and  great 
square  jaws  and  chin,  indicating  that  firmness  which 
he  develops  so  grandly  in  battle.  It  needs  but  a 
glance  under  his  bushy  brows,  set  like  a  luxuriant 
hedge  upon  the  edge  of  his  broad  white  forehead,  to 
discover  the  strength  and  warmth  of  his  deep,  steady, 
blue  eyes,  which  seem  of  fathomless  depth.  A  ruddy, 
weather-stippled  complexion  indicating  robust  health, 
and  light  brown,  curly  hair,  impart  a  glow  of  cheerful 
ness  to  his  fine  countenance  which  irresistibly  inspires 
your  confidence.  A  short,  thick-set,  sandy  beard, 
a  little  silvered  since  the  war  began,  and  closely 
trimmed  habitually,  completes  an  ensemble  of  unusual 
personal  comeliness  and  vigor  in  a  man  struggling 
among  the  unrelenting  fifties. 


MAJOR   GENERAL    THOMAS.  33 

He  looks  like  a  sanguine  man,  but  the  sanguineous 
is  balanced  by  the  lymph  in  his  composition.  His 
aspect  is  peculiar,  grave  but  not  stern,  with  a  benig 
nant  expression  which  warms  your  heart  while  it 
commands  respect.  He  is  a  close  observer,  but  a 
better  thinker,  and  he  matures  his  opinions  deliber 
ately — usually  reflecting  twice  before  he  speaks  once, 
in  carefully  measured  language.  You  can  not  doubt 
his  firmness.  He  has  an  appearance  of  heaviness, 
but  it  is  more  corporeal  than  intellectual.  He  is  alto 
gether  a  soldier,  simple  in  deportment  and  unaffected, 
without  a  soldier's  vanity.  Without  his  uniform  you 
might  easily  mistake  him  for  a  substantial  western 
farmer.  He  was  a  Brigadier  General  some  months 
before  he  thought  of  permitting  the  star  to  supplant 
the  eagle  which  he  wore  by  virtue  of  his  rank  in  the 
regular  cavalry ;  and  for  months  after  he  was  pro 
moted  to  Major  General,  he  continued  to  shoulder 
the  single  star.  The  twin  stars  were  mounted  soon 
after  the  battle  of  Stone  River,  but  it  is  suspected 
they  found  their  way  to  his  broad  shoulders  surrepti 
tiously.  No  perfect  history  of  the  war  of  the  rebel 
lion  in  which  Major  General  George  H.  Thomas, 
of  Virginia,  does  not  figure  conspicuously,  can  bo 
written.  • 


34  ATTACK   ON   NASHVILLE. 


CHAPTER   V. 

REGIMENTAL  Pioneer  Corps — General  Gilbert — General  R.  S.  Granger 
and  Colonel  S.  D.  Bruce — Major  General  McCook's  Corps  moves  to 
Nashville — Attack  upon  Nashville — Morgan's  Dishonorable  Ruse — 
The  Attack  Foiled — Breckinridge  concludes  the  Mortgage  upon 
Nashville  can  not  be  Lifted — The  Fifty-First  Illinois  Volunteers. 

ADOPTING  Napoleon's  dictum,  that  "  to  command  an 
army  well  a  General  must  think  of  nothing  else,"  the 
General  Commanding  applied  his  restless  and  vigorous 
mind  in  studying  and  correcting  the  deficiencies  of  his 
own  corps.  It  needed  discipline,  and  he  held  the 
officers,  not  the  privates,  responsible.  The  new  regi 
ments  were  relentlessly  drilled.  Pioneer  corps  were 
organized  in  each  regiment  of  the  army  to  repair  roads 
and  construct  bridges,  and  contraband  negroes  were 
either  organized  into  gangs  of  laborers  or  employed 
as  teamsters — a  service  in  which  they  excelled.  The 
General  was  not  content  with  ordinary  formal  reports ; 
he  insisted  upon  statements  of  minutiae,  and  in 
important  matters  the  officers  in  charge  were  person 
ally  examined  and  instructed. 

At  this  period,  the  guard  for  the  protection  of  the 
railroad  north  of  Bowling  Green  was  detailed,  and 
Brigadier  General  Gilbert  was  assigned  to  command, 
with  headquarters  at  Munfordvillc.  Colonel  Sanders 
D.  Bruce,  of  the  Twentieth  Kentucky  Volunteers,  who 
had  recently  distinguished  himself  by  zeal  and  energy, 
was  relieved  from  command  of  the  post  of  Bowling 


ATTACK   ON  NASHVILLE.  35 

Green  by  Brigadier  General  Robert  S.  Granger,  and 
assigned  to  command  a  cavalry  force  to  drive  the 
rebels  out  of  South-western  Kentucky.  Besides  these 
arrangements,  there  were  innumerable  matters  of 
routine  necessary  to  the  success  of  the  military 
administration  of  the  Department  rapidly  disposed  of, 
but  the  details  w^ould  swell  this  narrative  into  a  tedi 
ous  volume.  Allusion  is  made  to  them  merely  to 
convey  a  feeble  intimation  of  the  amount  of  business 
which  necessarily  harrasses  the  mind  of  the  com 
mander  of  a  great  department. 

Major  General  McCook's  corps  had  already  arrived 
at  Bowling  Green.  In  consequence  of  information 
that  the  enemy  were  menacing  Nashville,  General 
McCook  was  directed,  on  the  4th  November,  to  move 
his  corps  to  that  city,  pressing  forward  briskly  so  as 
to  reach  there  by  10  o'clock  a.  m.,  on  the  7th.  He 
marched  accordingly  at  dawn  of  the  4th.  On  the 
morning  of  Thursday,  officers  at  Bowling  Green 
reported  that  they  had  heard  the  mutter  of  heavy 
guns  in  the  direction  of  Nashville — a  distance  of  per 
haps  fifty  miles,  as  the  crow  flies.  It  was  incredible 
that  the  detonation  of  artillery  could  be  carried  so  far 
overland.  But  the  succeeding  day  the  report  was 
seemingly  verified  by  the  arrival  of  couriers  with 
official  dispatches,  announcing  that  the  enemy  had 
been  bafiled  in  an  attempt  to  destroy  the  railroad 
bridge  which  spans  the  Cumberland  river  at  Nash 
ville.  But  they  had  succeeded  in  unmasking  the  great 
batteries  of  Fort  Negley,  Fort  Confiscation,  and  the 
Casino.  Et  is  barely  possible  that  the  mumbling  of 
their  guns  wa&  heard  at  Bowling  Green. 

The  attack  upon  Nashville  was  a  mere  dash,  but  the 


36  ATTACK   ON   NASHVILLE. 

design  of  the  enemy  was  almost  accomplished.  It  was 
afterward  apparent  that  they  had  but  little  confidence 
in  the  enterprise,  otherwise  their  efforts  would  have 
been  sustained  more  persistently.  They  actually 
pushed  within  easy  musket  range  of  the  bridge  before 
they  were  driven  away.  They  attacked  General  ]STeg- 
ley's  pickets  simultaneously  soon  after  midnight  on 
the  6th,  while  a  column  of  mounted  infantry  under 
John  Morgan  forded  the  Cumberland  and  moved  upon 
Edgefield.  A  bickering  picket  fire  was  sustained  on 
the  south  front  of  Nashville  until  daybreak,  our  pick 
ets  falling  back  gradually  to  their  reserves.  As  soon 
as  it  was  light  enough,  the  enemy  opened  a  field  bat 
tery  from  the  crest  of  a  riclge  on  the  left  of  the  Mur- 
freesboro  pike,  the  only  effect  of  which  was  to  unmask 
our  siege  batteries  in  the  forts. 

Part  of  the  Fifty-First  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry, 
on  picket  on  that  road,  were  sharply  attacked  by  rebel 
infantry,  but  they  resisted  gallantly  until  the  remainder 
of  the  regiment  came  up  in  support,  when  the  enemy 
were  handsomely  repulsed,  with  severe  loss.  Our  loss 
was  three  severely  and  four  slightly  wounded,  and 
two  missing. 

Morgan,  meantime,  was  preparing  to  dash  upon  the 
bridge.  In  order  to  gain  time,  it  was  reported  that 
he  had  resorted  to  a  dishonorable  stratagem.  A  flag  of 
truce  was  sent  to  our  lines,  asking  an  exchange  of 
prisoners.  The  ruse  was  too  flimsy  to  deceive,  but  it 
gave  Morgan  time  to  form  his  line  advantageously. 
As  soon  as  his  flag  returned,  he  swept  suddenly 
upon  our  pickets  and  skirmishers,  and. drove  them  in 
upon  the  main  body.  Taking  advantage  of  hollows 
and  the  railway  embankment,  he  moved  swiftly  upon 


ATTACK   ON  NASHVILLE.  37 

the  bridge  without  exposure,  but  as  the  head  of  his 
column  raised  to  a  level  with  the  road,  it  was  met  by 
a  biting  fire  from  the  well-poised  rifles  of  the  Sixteenth 
Illinois  Infantry,  under  Colonel  Smith.  Discovering 
the  futility  of  further  effort,  Morgan  quickly  with 
drew  with  a  loss  of  a  half  dozen  men,  and  revenged 
himself  by  destroying  an  old  frame  freight  house  and 
a  few  platform  cars.  The  Sixteenth  Illinois  had  three 
slightly  and  three  severely  wounded,  including  Cap 
tain  Rowe,  but  the  enemy  were  satisfied  to  retire. 

General  Negley,  deceived  by  the  maneuvers  of  the 
enemy,  supposed  the  main  attack  would  be  made  in 
the  direction  of  the  Franklin  pike,  because  Nashville 
was  most  vulnerable  on  that  side.  Proceeding 

O 

upon  that  belief,  he  pushed  out  that  road  with  an 
escort  of  forty  men  from  the  Seventh  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry,  Stokes'  First  Tennessee  Cavalry,  one  section 
of  Battery  G-,  Marshall's  Fourth  Ohio  Artillery,  and 
one  section  of  Houghtaling's  Illinois  Battery,  sup 
ported  by  the  Fourteenth  Michigan,  Sixty-Ninth. 
Ohio,  and  Seventy-Eighth  Pennsylvania  Infantry. 
Quite  a  warm  artillery  fight  was  sustained  for  several 
hours,  and  both  parties  tried  to  gain  advantage  by 
maneuvering,  but  the  enemy  finally  withdrew  with 
considerable  loss  of  men  and  horses.  Our  loss  was 
four  wounded.  The  enemy  did  not  afford  our  infantry 
an  opportunity  to  take  a  decisive  part  in  this  brush. 
Prisoners  reported  that  Breckinridge  in  person  com 
manded  the  rebel  forces.  He  fell  back  that  night  to 
his  position  in  front  of  Murfreesboro,  satisfied  that  the 
"  Yankee  "  mortgage  on  Nashville  could  not  be  lifted 
by  his  command. 


ORGANIZATION    OF    THE    ARMY. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THE  Right  Wing  at  Nashville — Railway  Communication  with  Mitch- 
ellsville  Resumed — Organization  of  the  Army — Sketches  of  McCook, 
Crittenden;  Rousseau,  Negley,  and  other  Division  Generals. 

BRIGADIER  GENERAL  SILL'S  Division,  of  McCook's 
command,  was  the  first  to  arrive  at  ISTashville.  The 
General  Commanding  promptly  made  acknowledge 
ments  to  General  McCook  for  his  activity  and  energy 
in  arriving  two  hours  in  advance  of  the  time  desig 
nated.  He  had  opened  and  secured  regular  commu 
nication  between  that  city  and  General  Headquarters, 
and  it  was  now  safe  beyond  peradventure.  This  was 
equally  gratifying  to  its  trusty  garrison,  who  had 
been  so  closely  beleagured  that  they  were  suffering  for 
ration-al  comforts.  Tidings  from  the  enemy  were 
equally  reassuring.  They  were  moving  around  from 
Chattanooga,  but  with  difficulty.  The  railway  bridge 
across  the  Tennessee  River  at  Bridgeport  had  been 
destroyed — which  involved  the  necessity  of  tranship 
ment  and  laborious  ferriage  of  troops  and  armament 
at  that  crossing.  It  was  clear  they  were  not  ready  to 
advance. 

On  the  6th  railroad  communication  to  Mitchells- 
ville  was  re-established,  and  heavy  trains  of  subsist 
ence  were  forwarded  to  that  depot.  General  McCook 
was  directed  to  supply  himself  by  wagons  thence,  and 
the  other  corps  were  moved  forward.  The  three 
grand  divisions  of  the  army  were  now  designated  the 


ORGANIZATION    OF    THE   ARMY.  39 

Right  Wing,  Center,  and  Left  Wing,  although,  the 
general  order  to  that  effect  was  not  issued  until  some 
days  later.  The  Right  Wing,  commanded  by  Major 
General  McCook,  consisted  of  three  divisions,  under 
Brigadier  General  J.  W.  Sill,  Brigadier  General  Philip 
II.  Sherridan,  and  Colonel  W.  E.  Woodruff,  who  tem 
porarily  commanded  the  old  division  of  Brigadier 
General  R.  B.  Mitchell.  Major  General  Thomas  com 
manded  the  Center,  consisting  of  the  divisions  of 
Major  General  Lovell  H.  Rousseau,  Brigadier  Gener 
als  Dumont,  Fry,  Palmer,  and  Negley.  Damon t  and 
Fry  were  subsequently  relieved,  and  Palmer  was 
transferred  to  the  Left  Wing.  The  Left  Wing,  com 
manded  by  Major  General  Thomas  L.  Crittenden, 
consisted  of  the  divisions  of  Brigadier  Generals 
Thomas  Jefferson  Wood,  II.  P.  Van  Cleve,  and  W.  S. 
Smith.  The  Headquarters  Staff  was  increased  by  the 
announcement  of  Captain  Elmer  Otis,  commanding 
the  Fourth  regiment  of  United  States  Cavalry,  as 
Chief  of  Courier  Lines,  and  R.  S.  Thorns,  of  Cincin 
nati,  Volunteer  Aiddecamp,  with  rank  of  Captain. 

MAJOR   GENERAL   M'COOK. 

Major  General  McCook  was  considered  a  good  sol 
dier.  He  was  prompt,  energetic,  and  enterprising, 
with  ambition  to  excel.  His  command  was  always  in 
fine  condition,  and,  apparently,  was  attached  to  him. 
He  was  fortunate  in  division  commanders  of  military 
knowledge,  experience,  and  ability,  and  his  brigade 
officers — such  as  Sill,  Willich,  Kirk,  Carlin,  Roberts, 
and  Shaeffer,  and  Gibson,  later,  were  of  the  elite  of 
the  army.  His  troops  had  fought,  some  of  them  in 
Missouri,  a  portion  at  Pea  Ridge,  others  at  Shiloh, 


40  ORGANIZATION   OP   THE   ARMY. 

and  all  at  Chaplin  Hills.  Three-fourths  of  them 
•were  veterans,  and  the  raw  levies  were  required  to 
drill  incessantly.  General  McCook  himself  was  in 
the  prime  of  youthful  vigor — not  exceeding  thirty- 
three  years  of  age,  and  free  from  vicious  habits  which 
tend  to  impair  the  constitution.  He  had  graduated  at 
the  National  Military  Academy,  in  1851,  and  entered 
service  immediately  as  Brevet  Second  Lieutenant  of  the 
Third  United  States  Infantry.  After  promotion  to  a 
First  Lieutenancy,  he  was  Professor  of  Tactics  at  West 
Point,  and  was  First  Lieutenant  of  the  line  when  the 
rebellion  declared  itself  at  Sumter.  Governor  Denni- 
son  at  once  commissioned  him  Colonel  of  the  first 
three  months'  regiment  organized  in  his  native  State, 
and  the  first  organized  in  the  West  under  the  Presi 
dent's  requisition  for  volunteers.  After  serving  three 
months  on  the  Potomac  with  distinction,  as  tactician 
and  disciplinarian,  he  was  recommissioned  by  Gov 
ernor  Dennison  for  three  years.  "While  reorganizing 
his  regiment,  the  President  promoted  him  to  the  posi 
tion  of  Brigadier  General,  and  he  was  assigned  to  the 
Department  of  the  Ohio.  At  Shiloh  he  commanded 
a  division,  and  distinguished  himself.  The  President 
promoted  him  to  the  grade  he  now  enjoys,  and  Gen 
eral  Buell  assigned  to  him  a  corps  of  three  divisions, 
with  which  he  fought  the  sanguinary  but  indecisive 
battle  of  Chaplin  Hills.  General  Rosecrans  continued 
him  in  the  same  command. 

MAJOR   GENERAL    CRITTENDEN. 

Major  General  Crittenden  was  considered,  in  army 
circles,  an  officer  of  popular  manners,  and  an  earnest, 
zealous  soldier.  In  his  youth  he  had  served  as  Aid- 


ORGANIZATION   OF   THE    ARMY.  41 

decamp  in  Mexico,  on  the  staff  of  General  Taylor. 
Otherwise  he  had  no  military  experience.  He  never 
vascillated  in  his  devotion  to  the  Union,  while  his 
most  intimate  friends  in  Kentucky  were  proclaiming 
themselves  traitors.  Exercising  great  influence  in 
his  native  State,  the  President  commissioned  him  a 
Brigadier  General.  He  applied  himself  to  his  duties, 
and  the  division  to  which  he  was  assigned  as  com 
mander,  soon  took  rank  among  the  effective  forces  of 
the  Army  of  the  Ohio.  He  had  now  served  a  year  or 
more,  and  for  his  good  conduct  and  valor  at  Shiloh 
had  been  promoted  to  Major  General.  Later,  three 
divisions,  which  constituted  his  present  corps,  were 
assigned  to  him.  There  was  no  cooler  or  more  thor 
oughly  self-possessed  soldier  in  the  Fourteenth  Army 
Corps.  He  is  the  second  son  of  Hon.  John  J.  Crit- 
tend^n — his  elder  brother,  George,  being  in  the  rebel 
army.  He  is  about  forty  years  old,  of  medium  stat 
ure,  spare  figure,  and  straight  as  a  ramrod — with 
swarthy  complexion,  long  straight  black  hair,  with 
strong,  prominent  features,  and  a  proud,  stately  bear 
ing.  He  is  rather  reticent,  but  "Old  Kentucky" 
asserts  herself  in  his  deportment. 

He  was  fortunate  in  commanding  a  corps  of  vete 
rans,  some  of  whom  had  learned  the  rudiments  of 
grim  visaged  war  in  Western  Virginia.  Only  nine 
regiments  of  them  were  unseasoned.  Two  divisions 
had  fought  at  Shiloh,  and  won  laurels  with  their 
commander.  Nelson's  famous  "  man-of-war  "  division, 
afterward  commanded  by  Palmer,  was  one  of  them. 
Brigadier  Generals  Wood  and  Van  Cleve,  regular  offi 
cers,  ranked  high  for  skill  and  enterprise — Wood 
especially,  who  was  regarded  second  to  none  in  expe- 
4 


42  ORGANIZATION   OF   THE   ARMY. 

rience  and  cultured  intellect.  Palmer  afterward 
made  his  mark.  These  were  ably  sustained  by  Brig 
adier  Generals  Hascall  and  Cruft,  Colonels  Hazen, 
Harker,  Stanley  Matthews,  Wagner,  Grose,  Samuel 
Beatty,  and  Fyffe,  whose  testimony  is  a  rubric  of  rebel 
blood. 

MAJOR   GENERAL   ROUSSEAU. 

Major  General  Rousseau,  commanding  the  reserve 
division  of  the  Center,  was  molded  for  a  hero.  Mature 
had  infused  into  him  a  spirit  of  fiery  enthusiasm, 
which  blazed  in  his  features,  spouted  from  his  beam 
ing  eyes,  and  declared  itself  in  a  voice  which  rung  in 
battle  like  a  clarion.  It  \vas  impossible  to  resist  his 
captivating  influence,  and  no  man  could  so  inflame 
the  ardor  of  troops  in  the  shock  of  conflict.  His  sol 
diers  roared  at  his  presence,  hailing  his  magnificent 
port  with  joyful  acclamations.  Towering  above  the 
heroic  stature  and  swelling  out  in  grand  physical  pro 
portions,  with  a  countenance  glowing  with  frankness, 
generosity,  and  courage,  and  manners  irresistibly 
seductive,  you  perceive  in  him  the  representative  and 
model  of  true  chivalry.  Mounted  upon  his  thorough 
bred  chestnut,  and  careering  before  his  embattled  host, 
you  recognize  your  beau  ideal  of  a  gallant  soldier. 
He  is  thoroughly  a  Kentuckian,  and  thoroughly  a 
patriot,  who  loves  his  country  and  the  government  of 
the  people  with  unconquerable  affection.  Lovell  H. 
Rousseau  is  one  of  the  true  men  of  Kentucky  and  of 
the  nation,  and  when  the  scroll  of  honor  is  -complete, 
his  name  will  glow  with  the  noblest.  He  is  a  volun 
teer  soldier,  promoted  from  the  Colonelcy  of  the 
Louisville  Legion — the  first  regiment  enlisted  in  Ken- 


ORGANIZATION   OF   THE   ARMY.  43 

tucky,  and  by  himself— first  to  a  Brigadier  General, 
and  afterward  to  a  Major  General,  for  distinguished 
gallantry  and  services  at  Shiloh  and  Chaplin  Hills. 

BRIGADIER    GENERAL   NEGLEY. 

Brigadier  General  James  S.  Negley,  of  Pennsylva 
nia,  commanding  the  second  division  of  the  Center, 
\vas  not  popular  with  a  certain  clique  of  officers,  but 
thoroughly  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  the  General 
Commanding,  of  his  immediate  commander,  and  of 
his  splendid  division.  At  this  period  he  was  not  with 
the  main  army.  He  had  been  left  by  General  Buell 
in  command  of  the  garrison  at  Nashville,  where,  by 
his  energy  and  activity,  and  by  his  patriotic  civico- 
military  administration  he  had  won  the  respect  of  the 
Government.  He  was  yet  in  command  at  Nashville, 
and  had  but  recently  repulsed  an  attack  of  the  enemy. 
He  was  destined  to  win  further  honor.  He  was  a  vol 
unteer  officer,  but  ever  proved  himself  a  trusty  sol 
dier.  After  all  the  divisions  had  been  reviewed  by 
the  General  Commanding,  there  was  no  dispute  in  the 
staff  that  his  was  among  the  best  divisions  of  the 
Fourteenth  Corps.  Dumont  and  Fry  soon  afterward 
disappeared,  and  Palmer  took  a  division  in  the  Left 
Wing.  After  the  Hartsville  affair,  Dumont's  Divi 
sion  was  merged  in  others,  and  Brigadier  General 
James  B.  Steadrnan,  a  soldier  and  a  zealous  patriot, 
succeeded  General  Fry.  The  brigade  commanders  of 
the  first  and  second  divisions,  Scribner,  John  Beatty, 
Starkweather,  " Black  Jack"  Shepherd,  Miller,  R.  T. 
Stanley,  and  sturdy  old  Spears,  were  all  distinguished 
men.  The  other  brigadiers  do  not  fall  within  the 
scope  of  this  narrative. 


44  OUTLINES  OF  THE  CAMPAIGN. 


CHAPTEE  VII. 

SABBATH  in  the  Army — Review  of  Ten  Days — The  Military  Situa 
tion — The  Army  Moving — Outlines  of  the  Campaign — Its  Relations 
to  Other  Departments — Bragg's  Advantages — Rosecrans'  Difficul 
ties — His  Numerical  Force. 

ON  the  8th.  it  was  announced  that  headquarters 
would  be  transferred  to  Nashville  on  the  morrow. 
Subsequently  remembering  that  the  succeeding  day 
was  Sunday,  the  General  Commanding  suspended 
the  order  twenty-four  hours.  This  is  worthy  of 
notice  simply  as  an  indication  of  the  principle  by 
which  he  was  governed.  He  entertained  an  aversion 
to  movements  upon  the  Sabbath,  unless  they  were 
indispensable.  The  troops  soon  understood  this,  and 
they  approved  it  from  motives  which  seemed  a  curi 
ous  combination  of  superstition  and  conscientious 
scruples.  But  the  impression  that  Sunday  military 
enterprises  could  not  prosper  was  fixed  in  their 
minds,  and  they  commended  the  example  of  their 
commander. 

Ten  days  had  now  expired  since  General  Rosecrans 
had  assumed  command.  "We  may  regard  this  as  the 
introductory  period  of  preparation.  It  will  clear  the 
record  to  glance  at  the  situation.  Every  available 
hour  had  been  devoted  to  the  preparation  of  his 
forces  and  the  maturation  of  his  plans  for  future 
operations.  The  railroad  had  been  repaired  to  Mitch- 
ellsville.  Supply  trains  were  rushing  over  the  road 


OUTLINES   OF   THE   CAMPAIGN.  45 

as  rapidly  as  steam  and  energy  could  press  them. 
Measures  had  been  taken  for  the  perfection  of  the 
cavalry;  an  immense  pack-mule  train  had  been 
ordered ;  garrisons  had  been  established  to  protect 
communications:  pioneer  corps  had  been  organized ; 
the  army  itself  had  been  reorganized,  and  was  dis- 
playing  its  old  spirit;  horses,  arms,  equipments, 
subsistence,  were  coming  forward,  and  vast  quantities 
of  uncatalogued  but  indispensable  routine  business 
had  been  cleaned  out  of  official  pigeon  holes. 
The  army  was  sweeping  like  a  great  torrent  toward 
Nashville,  overflowing  the  country  with  its  legions 
and  innumerable  trains.  Intense  activity  was  visible 
in  every  quarter  of  the  department,  and  the  campaign 
was  opening  auspiciously.  How  much  labor,  how 
many  harrassing  vexations  were  in  the  womb  of  the 
future  !  The  season  of  drought  was  not  yet  at  its 
zenith.  Cumberland  River  continued  a  feeble  rivulet, 
threading  its  way  limpidly  through  the  clefts  of  the 
mountains,  and  the  Military  Chief  of  the  nation, 
unmindful  of  the  lessons  of  experience,  was  disposed 
to  exact  more  than  he  himself  had  genius  to  accom 
plish  under  far  happier  conditions. 

The  outline  of  the  campaign  was  part  of  a 
vast  system  devised — it  must  be  finally  confessed 
with  great  sagacity — at  "Washington.  This  system 
extended  from  the  Potomac  to  the  western  borders 
of  Missouri,  and  from  the  Potomac  and  the  Ohio  to 
the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  part  assigned  to  General 
Rosecrans  was  a  carving  from  the  general  scheme. 
His  success  depended  as  much  upon  that  of  the  com 
manders  of  other  departments  as  upon  his  own 
genius.  Either  one  of  them  failing,  jeopardized 


46  OUTLINES    OF    THE    CAMPAIGN. 

him,  and  would  necessarily  compel  him  to  suspend 
aggressive  operations,  if  it  did  not  throw  him  upon 
the  defensive.  •  Major  General  Grant,  commanding 
the  Department  of  Western  Tennessee,  was  on  his 
right,  pressing  sharply  into  Mississippi.  If  he  met 
with  disaster,  it  would  uncover  Rosecrans'  right  flank, 
and  expose  him  to  superior  numbers.  If  Grant  held 
his  own,  Rosecrans'  right  was  safe  against  any  project 
from  Pemberton's  Army  of  the  Mississippi ;  and  the 
distance  from  Pemherton  to  Bragg,  and  the  vital 
necessity  to  hold  the  Mississippi  Valley  for  the  rebel 
government,  insured  him  against  the  sudden  concen 
tration  of  any  material  portion  of  Pemberton's  with 
Bragg' s  forces  against  him. 

Major  General  Wright,  commanding  the  Depart 
ment  of  the  Ohio,  which  included  Kentucky  and 
Western  Virginia,  covered  the  left  and  rear  of  Rose- 
crans.  With  his  formidable  army,  there  was  little 
danger  to  be  apprehended  on  that  flank  unless  there 
was  misfortune  elsewhere.  If  thexArmy  of  the  Poto 
mac  met  with  disaster,  it  involved  each  army  of  the 
Republic,  but  the  Fourteenth  Army  Corps  most 
directly  and  seriously.  It  would  enable  the  rebels 
to  detach  heavy  reinforcements  for  the  relief  of  other 
departments,  and  Bragg  was  likely  to  receive  assist 
ance  earliest.  Fortunately,  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
promised  to  afford  employment  for  all  of  Lee's  forces, 
If  federal  operations  on  the  coast  were  successful, 
they  would  occupy  all  the  rebel  troops  in  the  South- 
Eastern  States.  If  otherwise,  Bragg  would  draw 
accessions  thence.  But  the  signs  were  all  hopeful, 
and  it  seemed  morally  certain  that  Bragg  could  not 
get  reinforcements  enough  to  give  him  a  decided 


OUTLINES   OF   THE    CAMPAIGN.  47 

numerical  superiority.  Still  lie  enjoyed  the  formi 
dable  advantage  of  operating  upon  comparatively 
short  interior  lines  in  a  friendly  mountainous  terri 
tory,  which  afforded  him  fair  supplies  of  forage  and 
subsistence,  while  Rosecrans  waged  offensive  warfare 
in  a  hostile  and  desolated  country,  in  which  almost 
every  white  inhabitant  was  a  spy  and  bitter  enemy — 
a  country  which  had  been  gleaned  of  supplies,  and 
which  is  remarkable  for  the  defensive  military  posi 
tions  it  affords.  He,  therefore,  was  compelled  to  trans 
port  his  supplies  over  two  hundred  miles  before  he 
could  hope  to  reach  the  enemy;  and  his  difficulties 
would  increase  as  he  progressed,  according  to  the 
length  of  his  line  of  communication.  The  feebleness 
of  his  cavalry  secured  rebel  communications,  and  the 
superiority  of  their' s  constantly  endangered  his  com 
munications,  so  that  each  day's  march  depleted  his 
already  greatly  diminished  effective  force,  which,  after 
deducting  the  sick,  and  heavy  details  for  garrison 
duty,  did  not  exceed  sixty-five  thousand  men.  The 
number  of  absentees  on  November  15,  as  exhibited 
by  the  consolidated  semi-monthly  report  on  file  in 
the  Adjutant  General's  Office,  exhibits  something 
of  the  condition  of  affairs  when  General  Ilosecrans 
assumed  command,  to  wit : 

Commissioned  Officers  absent  by  authority, 1,188 

Enlisted  Men  "          "  "          25,294 

Total  absent  by  authority, 26,482 


Commissioned  Officers  absent  without  authority, 123 

Enlisted  Men,  '  "  "         6,301 


Total, 6,484 

Grand  total,  thirty -two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  sixty- 


48  OUTLINES    OF   THE    CAMPAIGN. 

six.  Those  absent  without  authority  were  deserters. 
Those  absent  by  authority  embraced  details  and  the 
sick.  But  nearly  one-fourth  of  the  number  of  soldiers 
belonging  to  the  Department  did  not  muster  for  duty. 
It  is  worth  while  to  remember  this  fact,  because  it  is 
: often  inquired,  What  became  of  the  great  Army  of 
the  Cumberland  ? 


ON  TO   NASHVILLE.  49 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

MOUNTED — A  Sharp  Trot  through  Rebel  Ruins — Picture  of  the  Abom 
ination  of  Desolation — Fire  in  the  Forest — Copy  of  Blue  Grass — 
Bivouac  Fires  and  Tattoo — To  Board  and  to  Blankets. 

BUT  to  return  to  narrative.  At  dawn  on  the 
morning  of  November  10,  General  Rosecrans  and  the 
staff  took  passage  on  a  special  railway  train  at  Bowl 
ing  Green,  and  were  whirled  swiftly  to  Mitchellsville. 
Horses  were  in  waiting,  and  five  minutes  after  the 
cars  stopped,  the  General,  escorted  by  a  squadron  of 
the  Fourth  Begular  Cavalry  under  Captain  Otis, 
mounted  and  trotted  briskly  to  the  right  upon  a 
country  road  connecting  with  the  old  Louisville  and 
Nashville  turnpike.  There  was  a  distance  of  little 
less  than  forty  miles  before  him.  The  country  was 
infested  by  roving  bands  of  hostile  guerrillas,  and  the 
route  was  rather  hazardous,  but  it  was  thronged  by 
long  transportation  trains  strongly  guarded,  which 
was  deemed  sufficient  protection.  Nevertheless  the 
staff  were  cautioned  to  remain  with  the  escort. 

The  route  was  interesting  as  the  early  highway  of 
rebellion.  The  first  camp  of  instruction  of  the  insur 
gents  (Camp  Trousdale),  was  passed  a  mile  or  two 
after  crossing  the  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  line.  It 
was  from  this  point  that  South-Western  Kentucky 
was  impregnated  with  the  virus  of  active  rebellion. 
We  were  then  trifling  with  Kentucky  neutrality,  and 
covert  treachery,  while  Simon  Bolivar  Buckner  was 


50  ON    TO    NASHVILLE. 

sending*  the  State  Guard  of  Kentucky  into  this  camp, 
and  amusing  General  McClellan  and  the  Administra 
tion  with  hypocritical  professions  of  loyalty. 

The  first  acre  of  Tennessee  soil  betrayed  the  ruth 
less  track  of  war.  Fallow  fields  were  spread  out 
before  the  vision,  and  the  voice  of  the  planter  was 
not  needed  to  prove  that  the  peaceful  plowshare  had 
been  transformed  into  the  biting  sword.  Fences  had 
been  absorbed  in  camp-fires;  the  click  of  the  old 
mill  wheel  had  ceased ;  broken  windows  and  shat 
tered  frames  stared  from  deserted  homesteads;  and 
charred  chimneys  begrimed  with  smoke  stains,  stood 
in  stark  solitude  in  the  bosom  of  deflowered  gardens 
and  blistered  groves — painful  monuments  of  rebellion 
and  grim  pictures  of  its  bitter  fruits.  Ravage  and 
desolation  everywhere.  There  were  no  little  children 
gamboling  on  cabin  thresholds.  Hardly  a  dog  barked 
at  the  rattling  cavalcade.  Now  and  then  a  woe- 
stricken  woman  peered  sadly  through  a  shivered 
window-pane.  Yonder,  a  rugged  and  ragged  and 
wretched  man  in  butternut  jeans,  clinging  with  the 
resolution  of  desperation  to  the  last  rafter  of  the 
dear  old  homestead,  scowled  ferociously  at  the  pass 
ing  strangers  in  his  country's  uniform.  But,  as  if 
deliberate  purpose  had  not  afflicted  the  land  with  fell 
visitation,  carelessness  and  chance  were  now  aggra 
vating  havoc.  Idle  soldiers  or  heedless  teamsters 
kindling  bivouac  fires  among  the  dry  leaves  of 
autumn,  had  communicated  flames  to  the  forests,  and 
consuming  conflagrations  were  streaming  like  whirl 
winds  through  their  brittle  branches.  Fences  far 
outside  of  the  beaten  war-path,  obscure  fields  of  corn 
covered  by  friendly  distance,  dwellings,  once  homes 


ON    TO   NASHVILLE.  51 

of  innocence  and  rustic  joy,  but  pleasant  homes  no 
more,  farm  tenements  and  standing  grain,  were  now 
licked  up  by  the  scathing  fury  as  the  sand  of  the 
desert  is  swallowed  by  simoon.  A  gloomy  pall  of 
smoke,  fit  emblem  of  the  mournful  pestilence  which 
desolated  that  sad  land,  hovered  over  the  scotched 
and  blistered  face  of  nature  in  dismal  clouds,  through 
which  the  Southern  sun,  like  an  angry  globe  of  fire, 
but  dimly  scattered  its  enfeebled  blaze — the  abomin 
ation  of  desolation,  but  fitting  retribution  for  parri 
cidal  war. 

The  face  of  the  country  pretty  much  all  the  way  to 
Nashville  is  rudely  rumpled.  About  midway  it  is 
intersected  with  rugged  irregular  ridges  spurring  out 
from  the  Cumberland  Mountains,  until  they  sink 
insensibly  into  the  lowlands  of  Western  Tennessee. 
But  the  surface  of  the  whole  territory  is  diversified 
with  cross  ridges  and  bluff  hills — many  of  them  too 
rude  for  profitable  cultivation,  though  the  intervening 
valleys  and  the  frequent  plateaus  are  fertile  and  till 
able  lands.  Compensated  labor  and  a  liberal  intersper- 
sion  of  schoolhouses  would  make  it  an  attractive  and 
desirable  country.  The  sword  is  carving  through  its 
stingy  barbarism  toward  its  industrial  millennium. 

Ten  or  more  miles  north  of  Nashville  the  prospect 
opens  into  a  vista  of  beauty  and  high  cultivation. 
You  fall  upon  a  wide  wavy  landscape  decorated  with 
stately  and  tasteful  mansions,  seducing  sense  by  pleas 
ant  prospects  of  lofty  ceilings  and  spacious  porches. 
They  are  war-scarred  now,  but  even  the  wrecks 
report  their  former  comeliness.  Neat  stone  fences 
wrhich  circumvallate  the  rich  plantations;  substantial 
stock  and  chattel  tenements — both  empty  now ;  noble 


52  ON   TO   NASHVILLE. 

groves  of  oak  and  maple,  casting  their  friendly  misle- 
toe  shadows  upon  rich  carpetings  of  thick-set  turf, 
remind  you  much  of  the  sumptuous  Blue  Grass  region 
of  Central  Kentucky;  all,  the  possessions  of  traitors 
who  have  rushed  to  the  tumult  of  war,  leaving  wives 
and  little  ones  behind  them  to  weather  the  withering 
storm  alone. 

Night  had  ensabled  the  prospect  long  before  the 
cavalcade  discovered  the  feeble  glimmer  of  the  dis 
tant  city.  The  groves  and  hill-sides  were  blazing 
with  cheerful  bivouac  fires.  The  merry  to-bed  tattoo 
rataplanned  cheerily  in  the  deep  valleys  of  the  Cum 
berland,  and  the  good-night  taps  of  great  drums 
rolled  up  their  solemn  diapason  ere  the  horse-hoof- 
clatter  of  the  coming  chief  echoed  in  the  dismal 
streets  of  desolate  Nashville.  It  was  a  wearisome, 
dusty  march,  and  the  smothering  smoke  of  smolder 
ing  forest  fires  had  wrell  nigh  suffocated  jaded  steeds 
and  their  shattered  riders.  A  generous  feast  at  the 
hospitable  board  of  General  McCook — and  the  mem 
ories  of  the  day,  for  the  nonce,  were  soon  buried  in 
the  oblivion  of  soldiers'  blankets. 

The  recollection  of  such  marchings  usually  are 
invested  with  a  restricted  interest.  But  the  future 
historian  will  not  complain  when  he  searches  among 
the  dusty  pages  of  these  stirring  times  to  find  the 
feeblest  pictures  which  may  illustrate  the  character 
of  his  heroes.  Occasions  like  this  disenthralled  the 
mind  of  the  Commanding  General,  and  it  sought 
recreation  in  wandering  over  the  field  of  thought  and 
speculation — nevertheless  pursuing  persistently  the 
great  object  of  his  contemplation  as  the  helm  which 
governed  his  reflections.  But  he  found  relaxation 


ON   TO   NASHVILLE.  53 

from  the  tread-mill  of  office.  Riding  along  the 
highway,  he  was  careful  to  observe  the  configuration 
of  the  country  and  its  military  characteristics,  requir 
ing  the  inscription  upon  the  note-book  of  his  Topo 
graphical  Engineer  of  intersecting  roads,  as  often  as 
such  roads  rambled  off  into  the  forests  along  the  line 
of  march.  Habitually  cheerful,  in  a  remarkable 
degree,  on  such  expeditions  the  mercury  of  his  spirits 
rises  into  playfulness,  which  develops  itself  in  merry 
familiar  quips  and  jests  with  his  subordinates,  and 
none  laugh  more  pleasantly  than  he.  Fine  scenery 
excites  his  poetic  temperament,  and  he  dwells  elo 
quently  upon  the  picturesqueness  of  nature,  exhibit 
ing  at  once  the  keenest  appreciation  of  the  "kind 
mother  of  us  all,"  and  the  niceties  of  landscape  art. 
But  the  grandeur  of  nature  more  frequently  car 
ries  his  mind  into  the  realms  of  religion,  when  he 
is  wont  to  burst  into  adoration  of  his  Maker,  or 
launch  into  vehement  and  impatient  rebuke  of  scoff 
ers.  All  of  nature  to  him  is  admonition  of  God. 
Such  is  his  abhorrence  of  infidelity,  that  he  would 
banish  his  best  loved  officers  from  his  military  house 
hold,  should  any  presume  to  intrude  it  upon  him.  He 
is  wont  to  say  he  has  no  security  for  the  morality  of 
any  man  who  refuses  to  recognize  the  Supreme 
Being.  Religion  is  his  favorite  theme,  and  Roman 
Catholicism  to  him  is  infallible.  In  his  general  dis 
cussions  of  religion,  he  betrays  surprising  acquaint 
ance  with  the  multifarious  theologies  which  have 
vexed  the  world,  and  condemns  them  all  as  corrup 
tions  of  the  true  doctrines  of  the  Mother  Church. 
His  social  conversations  of  this  character  are  seldom 
indulged  with  his  cherished  guest,  Rev.  Father  Trecy, 


54  ON   TO   NASHVILLE. 

with  whom  he  is  always  en  rapport,  hut  he  is  ever 
ready  to  wage  controversy  with  any  other  disputant. 
But  argument  with  him  on  his  faith,  had  as  well  he 
ended  with  the  beginning,  save  for  the  interest  with 
which  he  invests  his  subject,  and  the  ingenious  skill 
with  which  he  supports  it.  Ambling  along  the  high 
way  in  a  day's  journey,  unless  some  single  theme  of 
business  absorbs  him,  he  will  range  through  science, 
art,  and  literature  with  happy  freedom  and  ability. 
You  do  not  listen  long  before  you  are  persuaded  that 
you  hear  one  who  aspires  ambitiously  beyond  the 
mere  soldier.  The  originality  and  shrewdness  of  his 
criticisms,  the  comprehensiveness  of  his  generaliza 
tions,  and  his  erudition,  assures  you  that  you  talk 
with  no  ordinary  man.  Ten  hours'  trotting  with  him, 
though  a  sore  trial  of  flesh,  is  richly  repaid  by 
instruction  received,  and  the  happy  recollections 
which  his  companions  afterward  find  stored  in  their 
memories. 


THE   RICH   AND   POOR   OF  NASHVILLE.  55 


CHAPTER  IX. 

CUNNINGHAM  HOUSE — Nashville  in  Military  Dress — Fort  Negley — 
Unhappiness  of  the  Rich — Misery  of  the  Poor — Heartlessness  of 
the  Master  Class — A  Picture  of  Wretchedness — The  Male  Popula 
tion — Social  Tyranny — The  Unwritten  Law  of  Female  Despotism — 
Non-Intercourse  with  Yankees — The  Pass  System — The  Ruined 
Suburbs  of  Nashville. 

HEADQUARTERS  were  established  in  the  Cunningham 
mansion,  a  spacious  and  elegant  edifice  well  adapted 
to  the  patriotic  uses  to  which  it  was  appropriated. 
The  staff  enjoyed  it,  but  the  elite  of  rebellious  Nash 
ville  did  not  seem  to  appreciate  their  comfort.  Cun 
ningham  was  a  Quartermaster  in  the  rebel  service 
and  a  Federal  Quartermaster  was  now  occupying 
the  dwelling  of  his  neighbor,  Colonel  Stevenson,  also 
a  rebel  Quartermaster.  A  little  later  the  Provost 
Marshal  General  was  elbowed  out  of  the  Cunning 
ham  house,  and  occupied  the  former  residence  of 
General  Zollicoffer.  Many  other  private  and  public 
buildings  were  also  appropriated  to  federal  uses,  and 
they  were  found  quite  convenient.  This  will  interest 
the  rebels  hereafter,  and  it  is  desirable  likewise  to 
designate  objects  of  historical  interest  for  the  future 
entertainment  of  residents  of  Nashville  who  arc  now 
involuntarily  absent. 

Nashville  was  now  a  military  city.  It  exhibited 
many  of  the  features  of  a  conquered  city  which  had 


56  THE   RICH   AND   POOR  OF   NASHVILLE. 

been  recently  relieved  from  a  long  investment.  It  was 
girdled  with  a  waist  of  formidable  fortifications  and 
encircled  by  a  zone  of  warlike  camps.  Its  proud  capi- 
tol,  graceful  and  beautiful,  upon  the  crown  of  a  rocky 
hill  which  commanded  a  charming  prospect  of  splen 
did  suburbs,  and  a  rich  mosaic  of  forests  and  fields  lin 
ing  the  shores  of  the  picturesque  Cumberland,  was  a 
castle  frowning  with  great  guns  on  its  battlements 
and  bristling  with  glittering  bayonets.  •  The  streets 
were  barricaded  with  cotton,  and  earthen  parapets. 
St.  Cloud  Hill,  once  the  cynosure  of  the  Hock  City, 
when  it  was  decorated  with  stately  oaks  which  might 
have  excited  the  pagan  fervor  of  Druid  High  Priest, 
was  a  menacing  fortress  grinning  at  traitors  in  the 
rear  and  scowling  at  armed  rebels  in  front.  The 
Casino  and  Fort  Confiscation  beyond,  confirmed  the 
hopelessness  of  relief  to  the  prisoned  malcontents 
within  their  range.  The  tramp  of  hated  soldiery,  and 
the  ominous  rumble  of  cannon  wheels  echoed  in  the 
stony  streets. 

THE   RICH   AND    POOR. 

A  sad  mixture  of  luxury  and  desolation  excited 
generous  commiseration.  The  dwellings  were  full  of 
rich  furniture  but  the  markets  were  bare  and  money 
scant.  Once  opulent  families  secretly  sought  charity 
that  they  might  live.  Thousands  of  wretched  poor 
women  and  children  existed  in  squalid  want.  Labor 
was  scarce  and  the  "poor  white  trash"  were  often 
too  spiritless  to  work  when  offered — a  fact  abundantly 
attested.  They  suffered  their  children  to  chatter  with 
cold,  and  shivered  through  the  dreary  nights  of  win 
ter  themselves,  rather  than  cut  and  carry  home  the 


THE    RICH    AND    POOR   OF   NASHVILLE.  57 

wood  in  the  adjacent  forest,  which  the  authorities  had 
condemned  for  their  use.  And  they  awaited  in 
wretchedness  and  listless  apathy  for  the  tardy  collec 
tion  and  distribution  of  the  charity  tax  which  the 
Governor  levied  upon  the  wealthy  classes  of  traitors 
for  their  relief.  The  latter  were  heartless,  hut  sen 
sible  to  the  strong  arm  of  power.  The  appeals  of 
misery  among  their  own  poor  was  sound  to  them,  and 
nothing  but  a  sound.  In  November,  a  miserable  ten 
ement  in  the  edge  of  town  was  burned.  An  emacia 
ted  woman  dying  with  slow  fever,  was  dragged  out  of 
the  fire  by  her  almost  equally  wretched  sister,  and 
laid  helpless  upon  the  bed  in  the  commons.  Scores 
of  citizens  passed  her  with  scarce  a  word  and  no  deed 
of  sympathy.  The  prostrate  sick  woman  lay  there 
two  days  with  no  canopy  but  the  clouds,  and  the  pen 
niless  sister  stirring  a  little  pile  of  smoking  chips 
waited  for  her  to  die.  Nobody  took  them  in.  Three 
federal  officers  dashing  across  the  commons  were  hor 
ror-stricken  at  the  woe-begotten,  and  woc-begone 
spectacle,  and  the  sick  woman  and  poverty-stricken 
sister  suffered  no  more.  This  was  one  visible  picture 
of  scores  like  it.  There  were  hundreds  invisible  to 
public  eyes. 

FEMALE    DESPOTISM. 

Most  of  the  able-bodied  male  population  had  gone 
to  war.  Very  few  fought  under  "the  banner  of 
beauty  and  glory."  Scarcely  a  score  of  hale  young 
men  remained  in  the  city.  No  matter  about  their 
inclination.  They  dared  not  resist  rebel  power  where 
it  governed  them.  The  women  who  governed  the 
master  class  scorned  them  if  they  remained  at  home, 


58  THE   RICH   AND   POOR  OF  NASHVILLE. 

after  the  army  was  driven  out.  The  social  influence 
of  the  domineering  caste  was  a  more  relentless 
tyranny  than  the  sword.  Some  loyal  men  remained, 
but  for  the  most  part  the  men  were  either  very  poor  or 
rich  who  exceeded  the  military  age.  These  remained 
to  plot  treason  and  communicate  tidings  to  their  con 
federates  in  arms.  Many  families  had  removed  far 
South,  but  most  of  the  women  and  children  were  left 
in  Nashville.  The  former  were  cold  and  unsocial,  but 
generally  when  necessarily  thrown  in  contact  with 
federal  officers  they  were  courteous.  Often,  the  excep 
tions  occupied  dubious  positions  in  society.  If  other 
wise,  it  was  fair  to  infer  that  their  husbands  had  gone 
to  war  for  the  sake  of  peace  which  they  were  denied 
at  home.  Occasionally  there  was  pleasant  social  inter 
course  between  the  women  and  federal  officers,  but  it 
required  unusual  daring  to  violate  the  unwritten  law 
of  female  despotism.  The-  front  window  shutters  of 
dwellings — which  during  balmy  peace  were  wont  to 
be  flung  glaringly  open  habitually — were  now  as 
habitually  closed  as  if  there  were  a  funeral  in  every 
house.  There  had  been  mourning  in  almost  every 
leading  family,  and  there  was  woe  in  store  which 
they  had  not  drawn. 

THE    PASS    SYSTEM. 

The  rebel  blockade  of  Nashville,  and  the  necessity 
of  severe  military  restrictions  had  kept  marketers 
away  from  the  city.  Even  the  few  supplies  which 
were  ventured  in  from  the  country  were  mostly  appro 
priated  for  the  military  hospitals,  so  that  there  was  a 
sort  of  necessity  for  people  to  go  foraging.  But  all 
were  forbidden  to  pass  the  military  lines  without  writ- 


THE   ftlCH    AND    POOR   OF   NASHVILLE.  59 

ten  permit.  It  was  hazardous  to  pass  any  persons 
because,  with  an  exception  now  and  then,  they  were 
mostly  self-avowed  rebels.  Nothing  was  clearer  than 
that  a  majority  of  them  would  avail  themselves  of  all 
opportunities  to  convey  information  or  smuggle  arti 
cles  contraband  of  war  through  the  lines  to  the  ene 
my.  Experience  had  taught  the  authorities  to  doubt 
the  veracity  of  all,  and  especially  the  fair  portion  of 
community— whom  men  are  ever  willing  enough  to 
trust.  General  Negley,  commandant  of  the  post,  had 
tested  the  question  thoroughly  and  although  a  gal 
lant  man  himself,  he  admonished  the  Provost  Marshal 
General  to  beware  of  the  women — a  very  necessary 
admonition.  There  was  more  need  of  it,  however,  at 
the  outposts,  since  soldiers  all  over  the  world,  ever 
susceptible  to  beauty,  insisted  that  a  pretty  face  is  a 
valid  countersign. 

But  the  unanimous  testimony  of  the  various  com 
mandants  of  the  city,  had  been  cast  in  the  balance 
against  the  women.  The  burthen  of  proof  touching 
their  veracity  was  laid  upon  them  heavily.  "Whatever 
they  may  have  been  at  the  time  of  the  first  Yankee 
irruption,  there  was  no  disputing  now  that  they  were 
generally  very  courteous.  But  whether  it  was  frailty 
of  memory,  or  an  assurance  that  they  were  not  in 
honor  bound  to  keep  faith  with  Yankees,  too  many 
were  accustomed  to  violate  their  most  sacred  pledge, 
so  that  often  truthful  and  excellent  women  suffered 
the  consequences  of  the  turpitude  of  their  friends. 
Many  who  resided  in  the  suburbs  but  outside  of  our 
lines  found  it  necessary  to  visit  the  city,  and  hundreds 
who  resided  within  the  lines  either  had  good  reasons 
for  desiring  to  pass  outside,  or  feigned  them.  Couse- 


60  THE   RICH   AND   POOR   OF   NASHVILLE. 

quently  there  was  an  incessant  clamor  for  passes  until 
General  Negley  interdicted  them  entirely.  After  the 
embargo  was  raised  the  demand  increased,  and  the 
General  Commanding  arrived  at  Nashville  in  the 
midst  of  the  pass  epidemic.  We  have  had  the  diag 
nosis  of  the  humor ;  we  shall  hereafter  observe  the 
treatment  of  the  (im)patients. 

The  exquisite  suburbs  of  Nashville,  renowned  all  over 
the  Union  for  their  tasteful  elegance,  were  more  war- 
stricken  than  the  once  fair  city.  Splendid  seats,  gar 
nished  with  all  the  appliances  of  wealth,  and  lustrous 
with  the  polish  of  art  and  graces  of  munificent 
nature,  were  now  bleak,  lonely,  and  ruined — sad 
monuments  of  rebellion.  Their  graceful  porches  were 
scotched  by  flames,  their  stately  columns  carved  and 
hewn  with  rude  inscriptions,  their  noble  groves  scat 
tered  in  chips,  and  broken  branches,  and  ashes,  over 
the  dark  green  turf.  The  rich  furniture  of  lordly 
dwellings,  their  treasures  of  art  and  literature  were 
mutilated,  scattered,  or  destroyed,  and  charming  gar 
dens  were  trampled  in  the  dust.  Ruin  glared  at  you 
with  baleful  visage.  Now  and  then  a  dwelling  was 
dismally  tenanted,  but  there  were  no  external  signs 
of  animation.  You  would  say  "  somebody  is  dead." 
The  men  were  exiles,  but  lone  women  remained  in 
woeful  gloom.  Those  palaces  were  more  dreary  than 
a  monastery.  The  fronts  frowned  in  loneliness  ;  the 
wide  doors  were  sealed  to  the  frames  like  the  gates 
of  a  dungeon.  Scarce  a  glimmer  of  light,  a  furtive 
gleam  perhaps,  sometimes  flashed  through  the  latticed 
shutters  and  violated  the  shrouded  sanctity  of  the 
somber  occupants.  Those  mournful  women  not  long 
ago  were  gay  and  graceful  queens  of  brilliant  salons. 


THE   RICII   AND    POOR   OF   NASHVILLE.  61 

shedding  their  luster  upon  society  whose  equal  in  the 
social  art  could  hardly  be  found  in  all  the  sunny  South. 
They  mope  there  now  in  hopeless  solitude,  brooding 
bitterly  through  the  weary  months  upon  the  miseries 
of  war,  which  was  born  of  their  pride,  and  weeping 
unquenchable  tears  over  the  fall  of  those  they  loved. 
So  let  them  cherish  their  self-created  sorrow.  It  is 
the  penalty  of  rebellion. 


62  THE    CHIEF    OF   ARMY    POLICE. 


CHAPTER    X. 

ADMINISTRATION*  of  the  Department — Civico-Military  Police  — The 
Provost,  Marshal  General — Female  Diplomacy — Persistence  of  Rebel 
Women — Female  Smugglers — The  Petticoat  System  finally  Adjust 
ed — The  Chief  of  Army  Police — His  Signal  Services — Trade  Mat 
ters — The  Non-combatant  Policy. 

THE  concentration  of  the  army  at  Nashville  having 
been  ordered,  General  Kosecrans  directed  his  atten 
tion  to  the  general  administration  of  the  department 
while  he  tediously  awaited  the  accumulation  of  sup 
plies.  The  duties  of  the  department  of  the  Provost 
Marshal  General  were  the  most  vexatious.  They 
involved  questions  of  both  individual  and  general 
policy;  of  trade  and  of  political  administration.  Cap 
tain  "Wm.  M.  Wiles,  of  the  Twenty-Second  Indiana 
Volunteer  Infantry,  a  young  officer  of  energy  and 
capacity,  who  had  discharged  similar  functions  on  the 
staff  of  the  General  Commanding  in  Mississippi,  wag 
announced  Provost  Marshal  General.  He  was  at  once 
involved  in  the  meshes  of  rebel  female  diplomacy. 
He  had  hardly  eaten  his  first  breakfast  in  Nashville 
before  he  was  enveloped  by  swarms  of  bewildering 
beauties  —  some  of  them  not  so  pretty  —  pleading, 
beseeching,  coaxing  and  plying  the  seductive  arts  of 
their  sex  to  secure  permits  to  pass  through  the  mili 
tary  lines ;  or  soliciting  guards  to  protect  their  prem 
ises  against  pillagers ;  or  begging  for  safe-guards, 
which  would  secure  them  against  the  visitation  of 


THE    CII1KF    OF   ARMY    POLICE.  63 

foragers.  During  a  little  while,  Wiles  found  play 
ful  gossip  with  sprightly  women  a  very  nice  thing, 
but  a  dozen,  a  score,  a  room  full  at  once,  sapped  his 
philosophy  speedily ;  he  summarily  denied  all  appli 
cations.  The  pouting  petitioners  clamored  for  the 
General.  He  was  inaccessible.  They  lingered  will 
fully  in  the  hall  waiting  for  him  to  emerge  from  his 
apartment.  A  cordon  of  pathetic  women  blockaded 
the  staircase,  and  fired  whole  volleys  of  touching 
petitions  at  him.  One  "had  a  baby  at  home,  outside 
the  lines.  She  must  have  a  pass  to  return.  It  would 
cry  its  eyes  out.  If  it  did'nt,  she  would."  She  learned 
that  she  had  no  business  to  come  inside  the  lines. 
Another  was  obliged  to  have  a  pass  to  go  to  the  coun 
try  for  provisions.  The  General  excused  himself. 
"  It's  not  my  business,"  he  said,  "  to  give  but  to  refuse 
passes."  A  third  had  a  "  poor  sick  uncle,"  whom  she 
"  must  see.'''  Quoth  the  General,  "  I  have  a  sick 
uncle.  When  my  Uncle  Sam  recovers  from  his  severe 
indisposition,  I  may  consider  the  propriety  of  granting 
passes  to  rebel  women." 

CUNNING  LADIES. 

This  species  of  vexation  did  not  cease  while  head 
quarters  were  in  Nashville.  A  rigid  rule  governing 
the  issue  of  passes  was  established,  but  necessarily 
there  were  exceptions.  Sometimes  two  hundred 
women  applied  in  a  day.  A  certain  class  of  market 
ers  and  poor  people  were  liberally  indulged.  It  was 
indiscreet  to  grant  a  permit  to  any  of  the  aspiring 
classes  without  rigidly  catechising  each,  and  requiring 
a  moral  guarantee  against  imposition.  The  artfulness 
of  some  of  the  more  accomplished  women  was  divert- 


64  THE   CHIEF   OF   ARMY   POLICE. 

ing.  Such  were  too  cunning,  if  not  too  well  bred,  to 
oftend  fin  officer.  If  unsuccessful  in  their  application 
to  the  Provost  Marshal,  they  devised  schemes  to  gain 
an  interview  with  the  General.  They  rarely  failed  to 
see  him,  but  they  often  regretted  it.  Army  officers 
interceded  for  them ;  influential  loyal  citizens,  whose 
petitions  it  was  not  politic  to  refuse,  became  their 
advocates  and  guarantors.  Finally,  a  number  of 
women  were  permitted  to  pass  to  the  rebel  lines 
under  flags  of  truce,  conditioned  to  return  no  more 
within  federal  lines,  and  solemnly  pledged  to  convey 
neither  military  information  or  articles  contraband  of 
war  to  the  enemy. 

THE   PETTICOAT   SYSTEM. 

The  perfidy  which  has  so  prominently  characterized 
the  rebels  from  the  beginning  of  the  war,  was  fre 
quently  exhibited  by  ladies  whose  social  position 
should  have  elevated  them  above  the  crimes  of  perjury 
and  larceny.  It  seemed  impossible  for  them  to  resist 
temptation.  They  were  often  detected  in  smuggling 
both  contraband  goods  and  information,  after  having 
entered  into  sacred  obligations  to  respect  the  conditions 
upon  which  passes  were  issued.  They  were  mean 
spirited  enough  afterward  to  boast  that  they  had  per 
fidiously  outwitted  the  "  Yankees."  A  female  detec 
tive  entrapped  one  honorable  dame,  enveloped  in  an 
enormous  grey  cassimere  pettyskirt,  which  was 
intended  for  a  rebel  uniform.  An  immense  pocket, 
spacious  as  a  market  basket,  was  crammed  with  qui 
nine.  Another  was  politely  denuded  by  the  female 
detective,  and  a  quantity  of  letters  directed  to  rebel 
officers  was  found  under  her  chemise.  Another,  who 


THE    CHIEF    OF    ARMY   POLICE  65 

had  a  permit  to  remove  her  household  goods  South, 
was  arrested  at  the  outposts,  and  escorted  back  to  the 
Army  Police  Office.  A  prodigious  quantity  of  quinine, 
blue  mass,  morphine,  men's  brogans  and  boots  for 
army  use,  with  gre}^  uniforms,  clothing,  needles, 
threads,  buttons,  et  cetera,  were  found  concealed  inside 
of  her  feather  beds.  Two  pairs  of  long-legged  heavy 
cavalry  boots,  which  madam  had  attached  to  her  own 
skirts,  fell  from  their  delicate  hiding  place,  when  she 
sprung  from  her  vehicle  at  command  of  the  officer 
who  arrested  her.  It  was  shrewdly  suspected  that  the 
"  Southern  Ladies'  Aid  Society,"  which  had  a  flourish 
ing  branch  at  Nashville,  was  not  entirely  innocent  in 
the  premises,  and  its  members  finally  exhibited  anx 
iety  to  avoid  the  keen  espionage  of  the  Army  Yidocq. 

COLONEL   WILLIAM    TRUESDAIL. 

The  adjustment  of  the  petticoat  system  was  finally 
perfected  by  Colonel  William  Truesdail,  Chief  of 
Army  Police — an  officer  who  has  rendered  most  sig 
nal  services  to  the  Government,  but  whose  operations 
can  not  be  described  until  there  shall  be  peace  in  all 
our  borders.  His  department,  though  intimately 
associated  with  the  office  of  the  Provost  Marshal, 
rapidly  developed  into  the  proportions  of  a  great 
bureau.  He  gathered  about  him  an  army  of  spies  and 
scouts,  and  for  local  administration  devised  a  system 
of  surveillance,  which  pursued  declared  and  secret 
enemies  into  their  most  secluded  haunts.  His  faculty 
for  acquiring  satisfactory  information  from  the  enemy 
was  wonderful.  He  was  accustomed  to  make  daily 
written  reports  to  the  General  Commanding  of  the 
forces,  location  and  movements  of  the  rebekanny,  and 
6 


66  THE  CHIEF  OF  ARMY  POLICE. 

subsequent  development  established  the  integrity  of 
liis  information.  There  was  no  species  of  evil  affect 
ing  the  prosperity  of  the  campaign  that  escaped  his 
observation.  Mischievous  sutlers  were  watched ;  the 
trade  in  counterfeit  confederate  notes  was  broken  up; 
smugglers  were  detected;  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Circle  in  the  army  and  out  of  it  were  circumvented  ; 
the  Southern  Ladies'  Aid  Society — organized  to  pro 
mote  the  comfort  of  rebel  officers — was  embarrassed, 
compelled  to  operate  more  secretly,  and  was  often 
defeated  in  its  enterprises.  In  short,  the  system  was 
a  vast  net-work,  extending  its  meshes  far  and  wide, 
and  enveloping  the  shrewdest  conspiracies  of  declared 
enemies  or  falsely-professing  neutrals. 

Colonel  .Truesdail  is  remarkably  adapted  for  this 
peculiar  service.  He  is  a  gentleman  by  nature  and 
habit,  with  large  experience  among  men,  and  a  search 
ing,  penetrating  cast  of  mind,  which,  united  with 
untiring  vigilance,  secures  him  against  the  deceptions 
which  his  profession  requires  him  to  exercise.  He 
first  entered  the  service  with  General  Pope,  and  it  is 
often  said  that  "  Truesdail  made  Pope  " — the  value  of 
the  creation  being  a  subject  not  under  consideration. 
But  there  are  not  a  few  military  men  of  sound  judg 
ment  who  entertain  an  opinion  that  if  General  Pope 
had  taken  Truesdail  with  him  to  the  Potomac,  his 
rear  never  would  have  been  successfully  assailed  by 
the  enemy.  In  Nashville  his  first  business  was  to  pre 
pare  a  directory  of  rebels  and  loyal  people,  which  was 
a  valuable  guide  in  the  issue  of  passes.  The  list  of 
professedly  innocuous  persons  was  large.  These  were 
regarded  suspicious  characters  until  they  had  proved 
their  fidelity.  The  catalogue  of  thoroughly  loyal 


THE   CHIEF   OF   ARMY   POLICE.  67 

people  did  not  occupy  many  sheets  of  foolscap,  but 
there  was  a  surprising  number  of  men  and  women 
who  were  in  favor  of  the  "Union  as  it  ivas" — the 
meanest  and  most  treacherous  description  of  traitors, 
since  their  cowardly  energies  were  secretly  directed 
against  the  Government.  The  conspicuous  rebels  were 
too  adroit  to  thrust  themselves  upon  the  attention  of 
authority.  Nevertheless  they  were  dangerous,  because 
they  shrewdly  used  the  professing  non-combatant 
class.  After  a  few  days'  experience  in  Nashville, 
Truesdail  adopted  a  bitter  police  maxim,  which  he 
incessantly  enjoined  upon  the  Provost  Marshal — 
"Don't  trust  women" — a  biting  commentary  upon 
the  virtue  of  high-toned  chivalry ;  the  more  severe, 
since  Colonel  Truesdail  himself  was  a  Missourian,  who 
comprehended  the  influence  of  the  "institution." 
There  were  some,  however,  to  whom  the  rule  was  not 
applicable. 

TRADE    MATTERS. 

The  justification  of  trade  matters  was  one  of  the 
most  perplexing  subjects  of  internal  police.  The 
merchants  who  remained  in  business  were  anxious  to 
resume  trade.  Most  of  them  were  rebels.  It  was 
morally  certain  that  all  of  them,  unless  deterred  by 
sharp  restrictions,  would  sell  to  all  purchasers,  regard 
less  of  the  requisitions  of  patriotism.  The  malcon 
tents  claimed  trade  privileges  on  the  score  of  11011- 
combatancy,  but  they  were  unwilling  to  enter  into 
bonds  to  assure  their  neutrality.  The  loyal  men 
resisted  the  applications  of  this  class,  and  resented 
the  encroachment  of  numerous  speculators  from 
abroad.  Their  trade  was  purely  local  to  the  military 
occupation.  They  could  not  hope  to  extend  it  beyond 


68  THE    CHIEF    OF    ARMY    POLICE. 

the  outposts.  After  consultation  with  Governor 
Johnson  and  prominent  loyal  citizens,  General  Ros- 
ecrans  ordered  all  army  sutlers  out  of  Nashville, 
requiring  them  to  rejoin  their  regiments,  closed  the 
doors  against  foreign  speculative  enterprise,  and 
announced,  in  orders,  to  people  of  all  classes,  that 
the  government  would  afford  them  protection  and 
trade  privileges,  conditioned  that  they  would  enter 
into  penal  bonds,  with  security,  and  upon  taking  an 
oath  to  remain  non-combatants  until  the  close  of  the 
war.  In  its  simplest  form,  it  said  to  secessionists, 
who  were  not  disposed  to  take  arms,  "  If  you  will 
not  hurt  us  in  any  way,  we  will  not  hurt  you ;  but 
we  require  security  for  your  pledges.  We  have  the 
right  arid  the  power  to  prevent  you  from  injuring  us, 
by  exiling  you.  We  will  not  exercise  either,  if  you 
guarantee  neutrality,  and  we  will  protect  you  as  citi 
zens  entitled  to  certain  rights/*'  A  Board  of  Trade, 
composed  of  several  loyal  citizens  of  Kashville,  was 
also  appointed,  to  whom  all  applications  for  the 
importation  of  merchandise  was  referred ;  and  upon 
their  written  approval,  permits  were  granted  by  the 
Provost  Marshal  General. 

A  form  of  parole  bond  for  non-combatants, 
secured  by  two  sureties,  in  an  amount  according 
to  the  property  ability  of  each,  was  issued  for  the 
subscription  of  all  who  desired  to  accept  the  terms. 
The  subscriber  gave  his  penal  bond,  and  bound  him 
self  by  oath  to  "  keep  the  peace,  and  afford  neither 
aid  nor  comfort  to  the  enemies  of  the  Government 
of  the  United  States;  that  he  will  be  a  true  and 
steadfast  citizen  of  the  United  States,  and  that  dur 
ing  the  present  rebellion  he  will  not  go  beyond  the 


THE   CHIEF   OF   ARMY    POLICE.  69 

lines  of  the  federal  armies,  nor  into  any  section  of 
the  country  in  possession  of  the  enemy,  without  per 
mission  of  the  authorities  of  the  United  States." 
Whereupon  he  was  entitled  to  the  benefits  of  the 
following 

GUARANTEES   OP   PROTECTION. 

This  is  to  certify,  that  the  citizen  named  in  the  within  bond, 
having  properly  executed  the  same  with  approved  surety,  ho 
is  entitled  from  henceforth,  to  the  full  protection  and  support 
of  the  Government  of  the  United  States,  and  which  is  hereby 
pledged  to  him.  All  persons,  military  as  well  as  civil,  are 
hereby  commanded  to  respect  him  as  a  good  and  loyal  citizen, 
in  the  full  enjoyment  of  his  property,  both  real  and  personal. 
All  foraging  is  hereby  forbidden  upon  his  premises,  unless  actu 
ally  necessary  for  the  support  and  well-being  of  the  federal 
armies,  in  which  case  all  possible  care  shall  be  exercised, 
and  full  receipt  be  given  by  the  officer  in  charge,  which  shall 
be  duly  recognized,  and  the  property  paid  for  by  the  United 
States  Government.  Officers  in  command  of  foraging  expedi 
tions  will  be  held  to  the  strictest  accountability  for  the  pro 
tection  herein  guaranteed. 

W.  S.  ROSECRANS, 
Major  General  Commanding  Department  of  the  Cumberland* 

ANDREW  JOHNSON, 

Military  Governor  of  the  State  of  Tennessee. 

The  execution  of  these  bonds  was  entrusted  to 
Provost  Judge  Fitch,  who  had  been  instrumental  in 
adjusting  the  system,  and  whose  services  in  the  Police 
Department  entitle  him  to  honorable  recognition. 
The  new  policy  embraced  all  persons  within  the  mili 
tary  lines.  Many  accepted  it  with  alacrity,  especially 
the  middle  class ;  but  the  master  class  resented  it. 


70  THE    CHIEF    OF    ARMY    POLICE. 

Daring  a  few  day  it  excited  general  discussion,  and 
was  so  variously  misinterpreted  that  General  Rose- 
crans  finally  issued  the  following  explanatory  paper, 
viz. : 

HEADQUARTERS  FOURTEENTH  ARMY  CORPS,  ^ 
Department  of  the  Cumberland, 

Nashville,  Nov.  30,  18G2.  j 

Questions  have  arisen  as  to  the  nature  of  the  Parole  Oath, 
why  and  how  far  it  is  binding.  In  answering  them,  I  shall 
assume  that  to  be  true  which  is  not  so,  viz. :  That  the  South 
ern  Confederacy  is  a  lawful  established  government.  Whence 
it  would  follow  that  males  of  Tennessee  capable  of  bearing 
arms,  who  are  within  the  control  of  the  federal  lines,  are  law 
ful  subjects  of  that  [the  Confederate]  Government,  and  liable 
to  be  put  into  its  army. 

According  to  the  laws  of  war,  it  is  at  the  option  of  the  Fed 
eral  Government  to  dispose  of  them  and  all  their  effects  as  it 
sees  fit,  subject  to  the  laws  and  usages  of  civilized  nations. 

If,  by  those  laws,  an  invading  army  may  depopulate  a  coun 
try,  and  take  captive  its  inhabitants,  with  greater  reason,  as  a 
lesser  evil,  it  may  take  prisoners  and  confine,  whenever  and 
wherever  it  may  be  necessary  to  prevent  mischief,  those  of 
them  who  are  liable  and  likely  to  bear  arms  against  it. 

When  it  says  to  them,  "  Out  of  humanity  I  will  not  do  so  ; 
I  will  allow  you  now  to  follow  your  peaceful  avocations,  if  you 
will  pledge  me,  and  keep  your  promises,  that  you  will  do  me 
no  military  mischief,"  it  is  a  great  mitigation  of  its  rights  in 
favor  of  humanity. 

The  parole  of  a  soldier  not  to  take  up  arms  until  lawfully 
exchanged,  overrides  all  his  obligations  as  a  citizen  and  his 
oath  of  enlistment,  and  as  a  relaxation  of  the  rigors  of  war  is 
held  sacred  by  civilized  nations. 

The  parole  of  harmless  inhabitants  is  a  still  greater  mitiga 
tion  of  the  rights  of  war,  because  it  does  more  good,  and  he  is 


THE    CHIEF    OF    ARMY    POLICE.  71 

under  but  the  single  obligation  of  a  citizen.  For  still  stronger 
reasons,  it  must  therefore  be  held  sacred  by  all  who  pretend 
to  civilization,  or  even  to  humanity. 

Its  justice  is  obvious.  It  is  humane,  and  promotes  the  wel 
fare  of  the  country,  which  is  for  the  benefit  of  the  people,  as 
well  as  of  whoever  ultimately  holds  it. 

The  motto  of  our  Government  is  not  that  of  the  Confed 
erate  Revolutionists — "  Rule  or  Ruin  ;  "  but  "  Government  is 
instituted  for  the  good  of  the  people." 

The  end  to  be  attained,  and  the  justice  of  the  means  being 
thus  pointed  out,  I  have  only  to  say  that  the  non-combatant's 
oath  is  justly,  and  will  be  held,  binding  during  the  war  ;  and 
those  who  take  it,  unless  exchanged,  like  prisoners  of  war,  will 
be  absolved  from  its  obligations  only  when  the  war  is  ended. 

W.  S.  ROSECRANS, 

Major  General  Commanding. 

Whatever  may  prove  the  result  of  this  policy  ulti 
mately,  it  unquestionably  had  a  good  effect  at  that 
time.  It  imparted  a  healthy  and  cheerful  tone  to 
trade  circles,  and  palliated  the  discontent  of  many 
who  were  sour  because  they  were  afflicted,  and  had 
not  intelligence  to  attribute  their  grievances  to  the 
system  of  social  and  political  tyranny  which  forced 
Tennessee  into  the  rebellion. 


72  THE    PERMANENT   STAFF. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

THE  Army  in  Front  of  Nashville — Changes  in  Commands — Brigadier 
General  J.  J.  Reynolds  —  Operations  of  the  Enemy  —  General 
Orders — The  Night-cap  Ordfcr — The  Permanent  Staff— Garesche — 
"Uay  Old  Stanley  " — St.  Clair  Morton — Other  Staff  Characters. 

THE  garrison  of  jSTasLville,  constituting  General 
Negley's  command,  was  reviewed  by  the  General 
Commanding  on  the  llth  of  November,  and  the  other 
divisions  of  the  army  successively,  as  they  arrived  in 
front  of  the  city.  Major  General  McCook's  corps  soon 
took  up  a  line  on  the  south-eastern  front  of  Nashville, 
covering  the  Murfreesboro  turnpike,  and  extending 
to  the  right,  covering  the  Nolens  ville  road.  Some 
days  later  Major  General  Crittenden's  corps  arrived, 
when  McCook's  line  withdrew  further  to  the  right, 
Crittenden's  right  flank  connecting  with  his  left,  and 
covering  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  his  left  extending 
across  Stone  River,  with  Millcreek  in  front,  and  out 
posts  about  nine  miles  from  the  city.  Subsequently 
the  divisions  of  Major  General  Rousseau,  and  Briga 
dier  General  Negley  of  the  Center,  moved  to  the  front 
and  connected  with  McCook's  right,  covering  the 
Franklin  turnpike.  The  other  divisions  of  the  Center 
remained  at  Gallatin  to  protect  communications,  but 
General  Thomas  repaired  to  Nashville.  Meantime, 
Colonel  "W.  E.  Woodruff,  commanding  the  first 
division  of  the  Right  "Wing,  was  relieved  by  Brigadier 


THE    PERMANENT   STAFF.  73 

General  Jeff.  C.  Davis,  and  Brigadier  General  R.  W. 
Johnson,  senior  officer,  relieved  Brigadier  General  J. 
W.  Sill  of  the  command  of  the  second  division. 
General  Sill  was  assigned  to  command  the  first  bri 
gade  of  General  Sherridan's  division,  and  Colonel 
Woodruff  took  command  of  General  Davis'  third 
brigade.  Other  changes  were  also  made.  Brigadier 
General  Joseph  J.  Reynolds,  who  greatly  distin 
guished  himself  in  Western  Virginia,  and  who  was 
esteemed  one  of  the  ablest  officers  in  the  service, 
reported  for  duty,  and  a  division  was  organized  for 
him.  The  changes  consequent  upon  the  merger  of 
Dumont's  division  threw  Reynolds  into  the  Center, 
and  he  was  now  at  Gallatin.  Brigadier  General  J. 
M.  Palmer  relieved  Brigadier  General  William  S. 
Smith,  who  was  in  command  of  kelson's  famous 
division,  and  Smith  was  ordered  to  Bowling  Green  to 
organize  a  cavalry  command.  Brigadier  General 
Mansoii  relieved  Brigadier  General  Robert  S.  Granger 
at  Bowling  Green,  and  the  latter  was  ordered  to 
report  at  iSTashville.  Brigadier  General  Robert  B. 
Mitchell,  an  officer  of  fine  ability,  who  had  conspicu 
ously  distinguished  himself  in  the  battles  of  Wilson 
Creek  and  Chaplin  Hills,  relieved  General  IsTegley, 
commandant  of  the  post  of  JSTashville,  and  the  latter 
went  to  the  front. 

The  line  in  front  of  Nashville  described  a  wide 
expanded  arc  trending  in  a  south-easterly  direction, 
girdling  the  city  with  a  broad  zone  of  fieecy  camps, 
which  wound  over  the  evergreen  and  russet  hills  like 
a  belt  of  snow.  Millcreek,  a  small  and  sinuous  stream, 
with  bluffy  banks,  and  skirted  with  thin  canebrakes, 
formed  a  good  natural  fosse  in  front.  The  troops 
7 


74  THE    PERMANENT    STAFF. 

rested  upon  a  range  of  commanding  cross  ridges  and 
bounding  hills,  which  upheaved  the  surface  in  great 
round  billows,,  and  culminated  in  crests  of  oak  and 
cedar  forests,  which  subserved  the  triple  purposes  of 
landscape  beauty,  cover  for  the  army,  and  powerful 
natural  fortifications. 

THE    SITUATION. 

The  situation  was  not  yet  clearly  pronounced.  The 
enemy  masked  his  operations  carefully  with  a  formi 
dable  shield  of  cavalry,  which  were  untiringly  vigi 
lant.  It  was  reported  that  Bragg  was  reconstructing 
the  railroad  bridge  across  the  Tennessee  River,  and 
fortifying  the  banks  of  that  stream,  but  the  principal 
energies  of  the  enemy  seemed  to  be  directed  to  the 
collection  of  able-bodied  negroes  and  supplies  from 
the  surrounding  country,  and  to  the  enforcement  of 
the  conscript  act.  Squads  of  refugees  found  their 
way  into  our  camps  daily,  complaining  that  they  were 
compelled  to  fly  to  us  for  protection  or  take  up  arms 
against  the  government.  They  reported  camps  of 
the  enemy  all  the  way  from  the  Tennessee  River  to 
Murfreesboro,  and  at  towns  on  either  side  of  the 
railroad.  Federal  spies  had  not  been  able  to  ascer 
tain  satisfactorily  whether  Bragg  intended  to  stand 
north  of  the  Tennessee,  or  to  fall  back  upon  Chatta 
nooga.  Rebel  residents  at  Nashville  bitterly  insisted 
that  our  advance  would  be  resisted  in  force  in  Mid 
dle  Tennessee,  and  that  Nashville  itself  would  be 
attacked.  But  this  seemed  to  be  contradicted  by  the 
wives  of  rebel  officers,  who  betrayed  anxiety  to  see 
their  friends  "  before  they  moved  further  south." 
Altogether  the  attitude  of  the  enemy  was  so  uncer- 


THE    PERMANENT    STAFF.  75 

tain  that  it  was  concluded  they  would  not  stand  north 
of  the  Tennessee  River,  but  would  adopt  the  wiser 
course  of  drawing  General  Rosecrans  as  far  as  possi 
ble  from  his  base. 

The  line  which  had  been  taken  up  by  General 
Rosecrans  was  thin  and  extended,  and  rather  invited 
the  enemy  to  attempt  the  left,  but  they  could  not  be 
induced  to  try  the  experiment.  It  was  credibly  stated 
that  Kirby  Smith  was  moving  to  Lebanon  with  a 
view  to  striking  a  blow,  but  with  the  strong  display 
of  federal  force  at  Gallatin,  it  was  not  a  hopeful 
enterprise.  The  enemy  had  no  foothold  whatever  on 
the  north  side  of  the  Cumberland,  the  cavalry  divi 
sion,  under  Colonel  John  Kennett,  having  driven 
them  south,  while  Colonel  Bruce  was  giving  Wood 
ward's  gangs,  in  south-western  Kentucky,  their  coup 
de  grace. 

BUSINESS. 

Routine  business,  correspondence,  the  adjustment 
of  a  new  system  of  inspections,  devised  by  Lieuten 
ant  Colonel  Ducat  and  Captain  Peterson,  the  organ 
ization  of  a  signal  corps,  by  the  same  officers,  and 
innumerable  items  of  official  detail  now  absorbed  the 
time  of  the  Commanding  General  and  his  rapidly- 
increasing  staff.  A  flood  of  general  orders,  correcting 
evils  which  had  fastened  themselves  upon  the  army, 
were  published  and  enforced.  The  performance  of 
guard  duty — more  difficult  than  any  other  to  enforce 
in  volunteer  armies — was  rigidly  required  of  officers. 
The  abuses  of  sutlers  were  corrected.  General  Order 
"No.  4,  threatening  disgraceful  dismissal  from  the 
service,  was  sharply  executed  upon  dozens  of  drunken, 
incompetent,  or  deserting  officers.  Cowardly  soldiers 


76  THE    PERMANENT   STAFF. 

(vho  had  been  disaffected,  doubtless,  by  Knights  of 
the  Golden  Circle,  and  who  were  practically  deserting 
by  willfully  surrendering  to  the  enemy  in  order  to  be 
paroled,  were  menaced  with  an  order  threatening  to 
garnish  their  heads  with  night-caps  and  march  them 
through  the  streets  of  Northern  cities  in  this  humili 
ating  disguise. 

THE    PERMANENT    STAFF. 

The  following  permanent  staff  was  also  announced, 
viz. : 

Lieutenant  Colonel  JULIUS  P.  GARESCHE,  Assistant 
Adjutant  General  and  Chief  of  Staff. 

Major  "W.  H.  SIDELL,  Fifteenth  United  States  In 
fantry,  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant  General  and  Chief 
Mustering  and  Disbursing  Officer. 

Major  C.  GODDARD,  Senior  Aiddecamp,  Acting  As 
sistant  Adjutant  General. 

Captain  J.  BATES  DICKSON,  Assistant  Adjutant 
General. 

First  Lieutenant  HENRY  STONE,  First  Wisconsin 
Volunteer  Infantry,  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant  Gen 
eral  . 

Major  RALSTON  SKINNER,  Judge  Advocate. 

Captain  CHARLES  E.  THOMPSON,  Aiddecamp. 

First  Lieutenant  FRANK  S.  BOND,  Tenth  Connecticut 
Volunteers,  Aiddecamp. 

Second  Lieutenant  BYRON  KIRBY,  Sixth  United 
States  Infantry,  Aiddecamp. 

Captain  EGBERT  S.  THOMS,  Volunteer  Aiddecamp. 

Captain  WILLIAM  D.  BICKHAM,  Volunteer  Aidde 
camp. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  A.  C.  DUCAT,  of  Illinois,  Assist 
ant  Inspector  General. 


THE    PERMANENT    STAFF.  77 

Captain  J.  C.  PETERSON,  Fifteenth  United  States 
Infantry,  Acting  Assistant  Inspector  General. 

Captain  JAMES  CURTIS,  Fifteenth  United  States 
Infantry,  Acting  Assistant  Inspector  General. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  J.  W.  TAYLOR,  Quartermaster's 
Department,  Chief  Quartermaster. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  SAMUEL  SIMMONS,  Commissary 
of  Subsistence,  Chief  Commissary. 

Surgeon  EBEN  SWIFT,  United  States  Army,  Medical 
Director. 

Surgeon WEEDS,  Medical  Inspector. 

Captain  JAMES  ST.  CLAIR  MORTON,  Corps  of  En 
gineers,  Chief  Engineer. 

Second  Lieutenant  GEORGE  BURROUGHS,  Corps  of 
Engineers. 

Second  Lieutenant  II.  C.  "WHARTON,  Corps  of  En 
gineers. 

Captain  £T.  MICHLER,  of  Topographical  Engineers, 
Chief  of  Topographical  Engineers. 

First  Lieutenant  T.  EDSON,  Ordnance  Corps,  Ordi 
nance  Officer. 

Brigadier  General  D.  S.  STANLEY,  United  States 
Volunteers,  Chief  of  Cavalry. 

Colonel  JAMES  BARNETT,  First  Ohio  Artillery,  Chief 
of  Artillery. 

Captain  J.  II.  GILMAN,  Nineteenth  United  States 
Infantry,  Inspector  of  Artillery. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  "W.  P.  HEPBURN,  Second  Iowa 
Cavalry,  Inspector  of  Cavalry. 

Captain  "W.  M.  WILES,  Twenty-Second  Indiana 
Volunteer  Infantry,  Provost  Marshal  General. 

Captain  ELMER  OTIS,  Fourth  United  States  Cavalry, 
Chief  of  Courier  Lines. 


78  THE    PERMANENT   STAFF. 

Captain  J.  H.  YOUXG,  Fifteenth  United  States  In 
fantry,  Assistant  Mustering  Officer. 

Captain  JESSE  MERRILL,  Volunteers,  Signal  Officer. 

The  gallant  and  accomplished  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Garesche'  reported  for  duty  on  the  14th  of  November, 
and  at  once  assumed  position  as  Chief  of  Staff.  He 
was  a  man  of  remarkable  character,  distinguished  for 
the  delicacy  and  strength  of  his  intellect,  his  moral 
purity,  his  refined  and  e'xquisitely  cultured  manners, 
and  his  systematic  business  habits  and  capacity.  Such 
qualities,  with  disinterestedness  and  entire  absence  of 
ostentation  endeared  him  to  all  with  whom  he  was 
associated.  He  proved  a  treasure  to  the  Commanding 
General,  who  had  long  esteemed  and  admired  him. 
There  was  hardly  a  more  polished  and  universally 
respected  officer  in  the  regular  service.  He  was 
devoted  to  his  profession,  and  his  military  judgment 
carried  conviction  whenever  his  advice  was  sought. 
And  that  which  his  countrymen  admired  most  in  him 
was  his  pure  and  exalted  patriotism.  It  is  now 
known  that  he  joined  the  Fourteenth  Army  Corps 
with  the  presentiment  firmly  fixed  in  his  mind  that 
he  would  fall  in  his  first  battle. 

Gareschd  was  a  native  of  Cuba — born  of  French 
parents.  "When  quite  young  he  removed  to  Dela 
ware.  He  spent  a  few  months  at  Georgetown  College 
in  the  District  of  Columbia,  where  the  brilliancy  of 
his  intellect  caused  him  to  be  regarded  the  most 
promising  student  in  his  classes.  In  1887  he  entered 
the  Military  Academy  at  West  Point,  and  graduated 
June  30th,  1841,  well  up  in  a  numerous  class,  which 
embraced  Major  Generals  Buell,  Schuyler  Hamilton, 
Reynolds,  and  Richardson,  Brigadier  Generals  Lyon, 


THE    PERMANENT    STAFF.  79 

Totten,  Plummer,  Brannan,  and  others  of  the  federal 
army,  who  have  distinguished  themselves  in  this  war. 
On  the  1st  of  July,  of  that  year,  he  was  commissioned 
Second  Lieutenant  of  the  Fourth  Artillery,  and  was 
promoted  to  a  First  Lieutenancy,  June  18th,  1846. 
lie  served  in  the  war  with  Mexico,  on  General  Tay 
lor's  line  of  operations.  After  declaration  of  peace 
he  remained  on  the  frontiers  of  Texas,  about  a  year, 
when  he  was  recalled  to  Washington  and  was  assigned 
to  the  Adjutant  General's  office,  with  the  rank  of 
Captain.  lie  proved  so  peculiarly  competent  that 
he  was  permanently  transferred  to  that  department. 
The  desertion  of  officers  of  this  corps  to  the  rebels, 
made  room  for  his  promotion,  first  to  a  Majority, 
and  later  to  the  rank  of  Lieutenant  Colonel.  The 
business  of  the  office  was  now  enormous,  but  as 
Chief  Assistant  he  proved  himself  fully  equal  to  the 
responsibilities  which  devolved  upon  him.  He  car 
ried  the  same  system  which  had  characterized  his 
department  in  Washington  into  the  Department  of 
the  Cumberland,  and  he  relieved  the  General  Com 
manding  of  vast  labor  which  otherwise  would  have 
oppressed  him.  The  general  orders  of  which  he  was 
the  author,  were  remarkable  for  their  clearness  and 
precision.  As  specimens  of  military  literature  they 
were  unsurpassed.  Until  the  instant  of  his  fall  upon 
the  battle  field  he  was  the  constant  and  cherished  per 
sonal  friend  and  adviser  of  his  General. 

GENERAL    D.    S.    STANLEY. 

The  Chief  of  Cavalry  is  also  a  marked  man,Vut  of 
another  stamp.  He  is  an  active,  enterprising  soldier, 
familiar  alike  with  the  abstract  science,  and  the  prac- 


80  THE   PERMANENT   STAFF. 

tical  art  of  war.  He  stood  high  in  the  regular  army 
before  the  rebellion,  and  later,  by  his  skill  and  cour 
age,  won  distinction  in  various  severe  battles.  It  was 
his  good  fortune  to  be  loved  by  all  whom  he  com 
manded.  The  soldiers  had  faith  in  his  zeal  and  skill, 
and  his  fiery  courage  inspired  them  with  confident 
enthusiam.  They  compared  him  not  inaptly  with 
Murat,  and  airily  applied  to  him  the  soubriquet  of 
"  gay  old  Stanley  " — singing  merrily  at  festive  board 
or  cheerful  bivouac  fire 

"  Here's  to  gay  old  Stanley 
Pass  him  round,  pass  him  round." 

His  associates  in  the  regular  army  think  there  are 
no  better  field  officers  than  Brigadier  General  (now 
Major  General)  David  S.  Stanley,  and  many  esteem 
him  the  best  cavalry  ofiicer  in  the  service.  He  had 
distinguished  himself  under  the  eye  of  General  Rose- 
crans  in  the  brillant  battle  of  Corinth,  in  command 
of  the  best  division  in  Major  General  Grant's  Depart 
ment — a  division  which  he  had  disciplined — and  had 
been  invited  by  Hosccrans  to  his  present  distinguished 
position. 

He  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  aged  about  thirty-six  years. 
He  entered  the  Military  Academy,  at  West  Point,  in 
1848,  and  graduated  with  honor  1852 ;  entering  the 
service  as  Brevet  Second  Lieutenant  of  the  Second 
United  States  Dragoons,  on  the  1st  of  July,  1852,  and 
at  the  commencement  of  the  rebellion  he  ranked  as 
Capjain.  At  that  time  his  sympathies  were  erron 
eously  assumed  to  be  with  the  rebellion,  because  he 
had  come  into  the  possession  of  slave  property  by 
marriage,  but  he  soon  and  decidedly  silenced  that 


THE   PERMANENT   STAFF.  81 

calumny.  He  first  served  with,  distinction  in  Mis 
souri,  and  was  appointed  Brigadier  General  of  Volun 
teers,  in  consideration  of  his  services  and  abilities. 
He  is  a  man  of  sanguine  nervous  temperament,  of 
vehement  and  fiery  spirit,  with  blazing  blue  eyes  and 
a  lithe  figure  somewhat  above  medium  stature.  Not 
withstanding  his  disappointment  he  cheerfully  as 
sumed  command  of  his  small  cavalry  command,  and 
was  not  long  in  promoting  it  to  a  state  of  discipline 
which  made  it  formidable  to  the  enemy. 

JAMES    ST.    CLAIR   MORTON. 

The  staff  also  embraced  a  military  genius.  Garesche* 
was  a  peculiar  man,  but  St.  Clair  Morton,  Chief  of 
Engineers,  is  a  most  striking  character.  His  fertility 
of  resource  baffles  all  obstacles.  The  mastery  of  his 
profession  was  not  singular,  but  his  mastery  of  all 
obstacles  which  obstruct  his  designs ;  the  domineering 
confidence  with  which  he  assails  difficulties  in  his 
path,  and  the  success  which  invariably  crowns  his 
exertions  are  remarkable.  He  never  admits  that  he 
can  not  accomplish  an  enterprise  intrusted  to  him,  but 
he  enters  upon  it,  no  matter  how  difficult,  with 
determined  and  assuring  alacrity.  Be  sure  he  never 
fails.  Fort  Negley,  a  star  and  bastion  work  of  great 
strength  and  beauty,  which  frowns  upon  Nashville 
from  the  oval  crown  of  St.  Cloud  Hill,  will  lone: 

*  o 

remain  to  illustrate  his  skill  in  the  legitimate  line  of 
his  profession.  The  moral  influence  of  his  cheerful 
deportment  innoculates  all  with  whom  he  comes  in 
contact.  It  inspires  his  subordinates  with  unconquer 
able  ardor  and  inflames  a  spirit  of  enterprise  which 
defies  opposition.  His  commander  and  he  were  soon 


82  THE    PERMANENT    STAFF. 

cn  rapport.  The  former  lias  ever  delighted  in  the 
expression  of  admiration  for  his  Chief  of  Engineers, 
and  the  latter — though  not  insensible  to  the  partiality 
of  his  Chief — as  modest  as  he  is  worthy,  betrays  his 
appreciation  of  such  distinguishing  praise  by  ever 
increasing  zeal  for  the  service  he  loves. 

Morton's  spirit  and  his  person  happily  accord.  As 
one  aspires  so  is  the  other  imposing.  The  former 
would  assert  a  proud  place  in  any  arena,  and  his  com 
manding  figure  and  striking  face  would  win  atten 
tion  among  chosen  men.  In  spite  of  the  few  years 
against  him  —  (he  is  thirty-six)  —  his  countenance 
recalls  the  image  of 

"A  youth,  who  bore,  'mid  snow  and  ice 
A  banner  with  the  strange  device." 

He  is  a  Saxon,  with  Norman  fire  gleaming  in  his  strong 
steadfast  blue  eyes,  vivifying  his  fair,  boldly  chis 
eled  and  expressive  features.  His  long,  wavy,  almost 
fiaxen  hair  brushed  back  from  his  broad,  compact 
brows,  as  if  to  give  his  faculties  unobstructed  play, 
crowns  an  ensemble  which  romance  might  happily  bor 
row  for  a  hero.  St.  Clair  Morton,  still  a  Captain  of 
Engineers,  though  promised  a  Brigadier's  commission 
by  the  President,  entered  the  Military  Academy  at 
"West  Point,  in  September,  1847.  On  the  1st  of  July, 
1851,  he  entered  the  service  as  Brevet  Second  Lieu 
tenant  in  the  Corps  of  Engineers — having  graduated 
second  in  a  numerous  and  talented  class. 

There  were  no  other  brilliant  names  in  the  staff 
when  it  was  organized,  though  all  subsequently  won 
.honorable  distinction.     Excepting  Gareschd  and  Tay 
lor,  all  were  under  fifty  years  of  age — young  and  zeal  - 


THE   PERMANENT   STAFF.  83 

ous  patriots,  energetic  and  brainy.  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Taylor,  a  native  of  ~New  York,  but  now  a 
citizen  of  the  great  West,  had  established  his  reputa 
tion  as  a  Quartermaster  in  the  Army  of  the  Mississippi, 
capable  to  administer  a  great  department.  There 
was  no  more  gallant  man  in  the  field,  or  a  more  grace 
ful  gentleman  in  the  army.  The  superior  qualiii ca 
tions  of  the  Chief  Commissary  have  been  remarked. 
Colonel  Barnet,  Chief  of  Artillery,  had  acquired 
deserved  professional  reputation  in  an  active  arduous 
career  dating  from  the  first  operations  of  the  federal 
army  in  Western  Virginia,  when  at  Phillippi,  he  fired 
the  first  field  piece  which  had  been  heard  among  those 
mountains.  He  had  displayed  his  coolness  and  cour 
age  in  various  fields  and  was  regarded  one  of  the  best 
volunteer  artillerists  in  the  service.  Major  Skinner 
was  a  novice  in  military  life,  but  he  entered  the 
service  with  distinguished  recommendations  for  large 
capacity,  incorruptible  integrity,  and  enthusiastic  zeal 
for  his  country.  Goddard,  Wiles,  and  Thompson, 
had  each  fought  under  the  eye  of  the  General,  and 
were  approved  good  soldiers.  The  youthfulness 
of  the  staff  was  characteristic  of  the  General.  He 
ever  insisted  upon  being  surrounded  by  young  men. 
"Young  men  without  experience,"  he  said,  "are  bet 
ter  than  experienced  old  men.  Young  men  will  learn  ; 
old  men  fixed  in  their  habits  and  opinions  will  not 
learn."  In  short  he  "  liked  youngsters.  They  are 
full  of  snap,  think  rapidly  and  execute  quickly. 
They  will  do  what  I  require  of  them." 


84  THE   ENEMY  IN   FRONT. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

GOVERNOR  ANDREW  JOHNSON — Municipal  Affairs  of  Nashville — The 
Contraband  Question — The  Railroad  Repaired— The  Enemy  Takes 
up  a  Line  in  Front — His  Cavalry  Enterprises — Colonel  John  Ken- 
nett  strikes  Back — Reconnoissances  and  Skirmishes — The  Night- 
Cap  Battalion. 

HON.  ANDREW  JOHNSON,  the  Military  Governor  of 
Tennessee,  appeared,  to  the  eyes  of  superficial 
observers,  to  be  busy  enough,  but  it  was  difficult  to 
define  his  functions.  His  authority  could  not  extend 
beyond  the  military  lines,  which  were  then  rather 
contracted.  The  civil  and  military  administration  of 
Tennessee,  on  the  other  hand,  were  so  intimately 
blended  that  it  was  quite  impossible  to  separate  them, 
so  that  the  responsibility  of  civil  government  really 
devolved  on  General  Rosecrans.  Rebels  who  had  busi 
ness  with  the  government  declined  generally  to  hold 
intercourse  with  the  Governor,  and  loyal  men  sought 
the  attention  of  the  military  chief.  Excepting  the 
issuance  of  commissions  to  officers  of  Tennessee  vol 
unteers,  and  to  a  magistrate  now  and  then ;  the  col 
lection  and  distribution  of  taxes  levied  upon  wealthy 
rebels  for  charitable  purposes;  and  correspondence 
with  the  State  Department  at  Washington,  there  was 
really  nothing  else  for  the  Governor  to  do.  Hon. 
Hugh  Smith  was  Mayor  of  Nashville,  but  his  office 
was  almost  a  sinecure,  the  municipal  government 
being  reduced  to  petty  police  business  and  the 
hebdomadal  meetings  of  Aldermen. 


THE   ENEMY   IN   FRONT.  85 

The  customary  annoyances  of  the  contraband  ques 
tion  had  not  involved  the  Commander  of  the  Depart 
ment.  Efforts  were  made  to  elicit  his  views  upon 
slavery  in  the  rebel  States,  but  he  declined  to  embar 
rass  himself.  He  had  adopted  the  only  wise  course 
that  an  officer  could  safely  pursue.  The  Proclama 
tion  was  then  a  paper  promise  of  the  President. 
The  General  replying  to  suggestive  inquiries  upon 
this  point  was  wont  to  say  emphatically,  "I  am 
bound  to  obey  the  orders  of  the  government,  not  to 
inquire  why  they  are  issued.  I  shall  obey."  He  did 
not  hesitate  to  appropriate  the  services  of  the  slaves 
of  rebels  for  public  purposes,  and  he  was  not  at  all 
squeamish  in  denouncing  slavery  as  a  vital  element 
of  military  strength,  of  wThich  a  wise  government  was 
bound  to  take  advantage.  Numerous  gangs  of  fugi 
tive  negroes  had  been  already  organized,  and  were 
constructing  fortifications  around  Nashville — and  this 
was  a  competition  in  the  labor  market  against  which 
free  white  soldiers  raised  no  objections.  Indeed,  they 
seemed  to  approve  it.  The  practice  of  General  Rose- 
crans  in  this  connection  is  illustrated  in  the  following 
extracts  from  one  of  his  general  orders,  viz. : 

I.  Negroes  may  be  employed  and  paid,  in  conformity  with 
the  Act  of  Congress,  as  follows  : 

1.  As  teamsters  on  Quartermasters'  trains,  provided  a  suffi 
cient    number    of   white    teamsters    and   wagon-masters    are 
retained  to  preserve  order. 

2.  As  laborers  in  the  Quartermaster  and  Engineer  Depart 
ments. 

3.  As  cooks,  nurses,  and  attendants  in  hospital. 

4.  As  company  cooks,  two  to  a  company. 


86  THE    ENEMY   IN   FRONT. 

5.  As  officers'  servants,  according  to  number  allowed  by  law. 

Commanders  of  corps,  divisions,  brigades,  and   independent 

posts  are  authorized  to  procure  and  employ  negroes,  as  above  : 

1.  From  those  found  free  and  roaming  at  large. 

2.  From  those  belonging   to  masters   serving  in  the  rebel 
army,  or  who   have  been  employed,   in   any  manner,   in   the 
rebel  service, 

3.  From   those  belonging  to  persons  who,  though  not  now 
serving  in   the  rebel   cause,  are  disloyal,  or  have  children   or 
other   near  relatives   in  the  rebel  army,  who  are  benefited  or 
maintained  by  the  labor  of  such  slaves. 

Lastly,  when  it  becomes  an  absolute  necessity,  from  among 
those  belonging  to  loyal  men.  In  this  case,  a  copy  of  the 
order  directing  their  employment,  and  a  descriptive  list  of 
persons  so  employed,  shall  be  given  to  the  owner,  duly  authen 
ticated-  by  the  commanding  officer  of  the  troops  in  whose 
service  they  are  employed. 

The  Commanding  General  enjoins  great  caution  in  the 
employment  of  women,  in  any  case  where  it  might  lead  to 
immorality. 

1 1.  All  persons  so  employed  in  each  regiment,  except  those 
employed  as  officers'  servants,  will  be  entered  on  Quartermas 
ters'  rolls  as  laborers  or  teamsters,  stating  their  age,  sex,  name 
of  master  or  claimant,  date  of  employment,  and  the  length  of 
time  employed ;  and  in  the  column  of  "  remarks  "  will  be 
noted  on  what  duty  and  by  whom  employed.  Those  employed 
by  the  Engineer,  Quartermaster,  or  Medical  departments,  will 
be  entered  on  their  appropriate  rolls.  They  will  be  provided 
with  clothing,  to  be  deducted  from  their  pay,  the  balance  to 
be  paid  to  the  person  employed,  unless  he  belongs  to  a  loyal 
master,  in  which  case  payment  will  be  made  to  the  master. 

Every  negro  thus  employed  will  receive  a  certificate  from 
his  employer,  setting  forth  the  fact  and  nature  of  his  employ 
ment,  and  no  male  or  female  negro  will  remain  in  camp,  or  be 
subsisted  therein,  without  such  certificate. 


THE    ENEMY   IN   FRONT.  87 

A  few  loyal  persons  complained  of  the  abduction 
of  their  slaves  by  the  troops.  General  Rosecrans 
promptly  ordered  the  ejection  of  such  from  camp, 
according  to  orders  from  the  "War  Office,  but  refused 
to  exercise  the  power  of  the  government  to  appre 
hend  and  deliver  the  fugitives. 

On  the  26th  of  November  railroad  communication 
with  Louisville  was  resumed.  Up  to  this  period  the 
army  had  been  subsisted,  and  two  or  three  days' 
rations  had  accumulated  in  the  public  warehouses. 
The  railroad  managers  were  urged  to  push  their  carry 
ing  capacity  to  the  utmost.  They  had  agreed  to  run 
through  one  hundred  car-loads  a  day,  but  they  hardly 
averaged  one- fourth  of  that  number.  There  was  no 
ilternative.  The  drought  continued,  and  Cumberland 
River  still  remained  at  its  lowest  ebb. 

The  enemy  had  latterly  developed  strongly  in  our 
immediate  front,  Bragg  had  taken  up  a  line  in  the 
rear  of  Stewart's  Creek,  nineteen  miles  from  Nash 
ville,  extending  from  the  Lebanon  pike  on  his  right 
to  the  Franklin  pike  on  his  left.  Strong  lines  of 
cavalry  videttes  with  heavy  reserves  covered  his  front 
from  Lebanon  pike  to  a  point  on  the  left  of  Nolens- 
ville,  intersecting  the  Murfreesboro  pike  eleven  miles 
in  front  of  Nashville,  and  separated  from  our  outposts 
about  two  miles.  Strong  bodies  of  cavalry  and 
mounted  infantry  were  posted  on  the  flanks,  and  at 
Lavergne  and  Nolensville — Morgan  on  the  right,  For 
rest  on  the  left,  General  Wheeler  at  Lavergne,  Gen 
eral  Wharton  at  Nolensville.  The  right  wing  of  the 
enemy  was  then  commanded  by  Kirby  Smith,  the  left 
by  Hardee,  the  center  by  Polk.  Colonel  Truesdail 
estimated  their  effective  infantry  force  at  not  exceeding 


THE   ENEMY   IN   FRONT. 

forty  thousand  men,  and  not  long  afterward  reported 
the  completion  of  the  railroad  bridge  across  the  Ten 
nessee  River. 

SKIRMISHES. 

In  the  meantime  the  enemy's  cavalry  had  been 
constantly  harrassing  our  outposts.  Scarcely  a  day 
elapsed  that  they  did  not  disturb  our  pickets  with 
spiteful  musketry,  and  occasionally  they  flung  a  few 
shells  by  way  of  diversion.  Innumerable  efforts  were 
made  to  punish  them,  but  they  uniformly  fled  from 
attack.  Our  forage  trains,  usually  guarded  by  a  bri 
gade  of  infantry  and  a  section  of  artillery,  industri 
ously  collected  forage  from  the  debatable  belt  of 
territory  between  the  camps,  but  they  hardly  gathered 
a  nubbin  of  corn  without  fighting  for  it.  Several 
vigorous  dashes  had  been  made  at  our  trains  from 
Mitchellsville  to  Nashville,  and  in  the  course  of  a 
fortnight  we  lost  probably  one  hundred  and  fifty  men 
and  a  few  wagons  by  capture.  33 ut  our  own  expedi 
tions  captured  as  many  from  them.  On  the  morning 
of  the  13th  of  November,  Lieutenant  Beals  and  his 
command  of  twenty  men  from  the  Fourth  Michigan 
Cavalry  were  sharply  picked  up  on  Stone  River  by  a 
superior  force  of  Morgan's  troopers. 

The  veteran  and  enterprising  Colonel  John  Kennett, 
acting  Chief  of  Cavalry  until  General  Stanley  reported 
for  duty,  gave  the  enemy  sharp  counterstrokes  in  the 
vicinity  of  Hartsville,  pouncing  suddenly  upon  large 
depots,  and  capturing  large  quantities  of  stores,  with 
some  men.  Following  up  his  success  energetically, 
he  soon  drove  Morgan's  gangs  to  the  south  side  of 
the  Cumberland,  and  reported  back  at  Nashville  for 


THE    ENEMY   IN    FRONT.  89 

farther  orders.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Stewart  of  the 
Second  Indiana  Cavalry,  also  made  a  spirited  dash  in 
front  with  five  hundred  men,  riding  down  some  Texas 
troopers.  On  the  27th,  Colonel  Kennett  made  a 
reconnoissance  on  our  right  front  and  drove  a  strong 
body  of  the  enemy  pell  mell  some  fifteen  miles  down 
the  Franklin  pike.  The  same  day  Brigadier  General 
Kirk,  one  of  the  hest  soldiers  in  the  volunteer  army, 
with  part  of  his  brigade  consisting  of  a  squadron 
of  the  Third  Indiana  Cavalry  under  Major  Kline, 
Seventy-Seventh  Pennsylvania,  Twenty-Ninth  and 
Thirtieth  Indiana,  Thirty-Fourth  and  Seventy-Ninth 
Illinois  Infantry,  made  a  successful  reconnoissance 
against  sharp  resistance,  and  drove  General  Wheeler's 
force  out  of  Lavergne,  where  he  destroyed  a  few 
public  storehouses  which  had  been  occupied  by  the 
rebels.  In  that  brisk  little  affair  we  had  eleven 
wounded,  including  Lieutenant  Colonel  Hurd  of  the 
Thirtieth  Indiana — none  missing  or  killed.  The  ene 
my's  loss  was  not  ascertained,  but  General  Wheeler 
was  among  the  wounded.  That  afternoon  Brigadier 
General  Sherridan  also  reconnoitered  in  front  of 
Nolensville,  driving  the  enemy  back  to  that  village 
without  loss.  Colonel  Roberts,  of  the  Forty- Second 
Illinois  Infantry,  commanding  brigade,  moved  out  the 
Charlotte  pike  the  same  evening,  and  surprised  Cap 
tain  Portch  and  a  few  men  of  Morgan's  command, 
capturing  the  whole  party  with  their  arms,  equip 
ment  and  horses. 

General  Stanley  had  reported  for  duty  about  the 

middle  of  November,  and  upon  assuming  command 

of  the  cavalry  organized  it  in  two   divisions,  taking 

the  first  under  his  own  direction,  and  assigning  the 

8 


90 


THE    ENEMY   IN   FRONT. 


second  to  Colonel  John  Kennett.  The  latter  organ 
ized  his  command  into  brigades,  the  first  consisting 
of  the  Fourth  Michigan  regiment,  Colonel  Minty, 
the  Third  Kentucky,  Colonel  Murray,  Seventh  Penn 
sylvania,  Major  Wynkoop,  and  First  Tennessee, 
Colonel  "W.  B.  Stokes,  which  was  commanded  by 
Colonel  Minty.  The  second  brigade,  under  Colonel 
Lewis  Zahn,  consisted  of  the  First  Ohio,  Colonel 
Millikin,  Third  Ohio,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Murray, 
and  Fourth  Ohio,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Pugh.  The 
Fifth  Kentucky,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Scott,  was  posted 
in  Nashville ;  the  Fourth,  Colonel  Bayless,  at  Bowl 
ing  Green;  and  the  First,  Colonel  Woolford,  was 
detained  on  scouting  service  in  Kentucky.  The 
remaining  regiments  constituted  a  reserve  under 
General  Stanley's  immediate  direction.  General 
Stanley  kept  the  enemy  agitated  on  the  right  and  in 
front,  and  Kennett  was  posted  on  the  left,  where  he 
did  excellent  service. 

Among  the  encouraging  little  affairs  of  this  period, 
a  dashing  exploit  by  Major  Hill  with  a  squadron  of 
the  Second  Indiana  met  the  approbation  of  the  Chief. 
The  enemy  had  made  a  sudden  dash  across  the  Cum 
berland  near  Hartsville,  capturing  a  forage  train  and 
some  men.  Hill  pursued  vigorously  some  eighteen 
miles,  recapturing  the  train  and  prisoners,  besides 
killing  seme  eighteen  or  twenty  rebels.  The  General 
Commanding  promptly  complimented  him  and  his 
command  for  their  "  good  conduct  and  energy."  He 
regarded  "  this  little  affair  as  very  creditable  to  the 
cavalry." 

The  night-cap  order  of  the  General  Commanding 
had  been  regarded  as  a  humorous  menace.  On  the 


THE    ENEMY   IN   FRONT.  91 

28th  of  November,  however,  all  doubts  upon  the  sub 
ject  were  settled.  Fifty  straggling1  cowards  who  had 
voluntarily  surrendered  to  the  enemy  without  resist 
ance  and  had  been  paroled,  were  crowned  with  white 
cotton  night-caps  of  a  ridiculous  pattern  and  deco 
rated  with  fiery  red  trimmings.  In  this  humiliating 
plight  they  were  paraded  grotesquely  through  Nash 
ville  with  fifes  and  drums  to  the  tune  of  Eogue's 
March,  and  were  then  forwarded  to  a  camp  for  paroled 
prisoners  in  Indiana.  The  example  was  severe  but 
salutary. 


92  THE    IIARTSVILLE    DISASTER. 


CHAPTE  R    XIII. 

MORAL  Influence  of  Success — The  Hartsville  Disgrace — Colonel  John 
Morgan  Surprises  and  Captures  a  Federal  Brigade — The  Fight — 
Vain  Gallantry  of  the  Soldiers — Imbecility  of  the  Commander—- 
Casualties. 

BRISK  and  successful  skirmishes  occurring  frequently 
had  a  happy  effect.  The  cavalry  especially,  begun  to 
exhibit  encouraging  confidence  in  themselves.  The 
enemy,  who  had  professed  contempt  for  "Yankee 
cavalry,"  were  exhibiting  wholesome  dread  of  it. 
General  Stanley  vainly  endeavored  to  coax  an  equal 
fight  out  of  them.  Their  unsleeping  vigilance  foiled 
him.  But  they  watched  their  opportunity  to  strike 
unguarded  points.  On  Sunday  morning,  the  7th  of 
December,  they  found  one,  and  struck  successfully  at 
Hartsville.  The  blow  was  squarely  in  the  face  of  the 
army. 

Brigadier  General  Dumont's  division  was  posted  at 
Castillian  Springs,  in  front  of  Gallatin.  Complying 
with  orders,  he  had  thrown  forward  a  brigade  some 
eight  or  nine  miles  to  Hartsville,  to  guard  a  ford  at 
that  point,  and  to  observe  the  Lebanon  road.  Under 
direction  of  General  Thomas,  they  took  up  a  strong 
position  upon  high  ground,  which,  by  good  manage 
ment  and  strong  fighting,  it  was  presumed  they 
could  hold  against  a  division.  They  were  at  first 
commanded  by  Colonel  J.  R.  Scott,  of  the  valiant 
Nineteenth  Illinois  Infantry,  but  he  was  subsequently 


THE   HARTSVILLE   DISASTER.  93 

relieved  by  Colonel  A.  B.  Moore,  of  the  One  Hundred 
and  Fourth  Illinois  Infantry,  an  officer  without  experi 
ence,  and,  it  would  seem,  without  moral  determination. 
His  brigade  consisted  of  raw  levies — the  One  Hundred 
and  Fourth  Illinois,  the  One  Hundred  and  Sixth  and 
One  Hundred  and  Eighth  Ohio  Volunteers,  together 
with  a  section  of  Knicklin's  Indiana  Battery,  and  three 
hundred  men  of  the  Second  Indiana  Cavalry,  under 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Stewart,  constituted  a  force  of 
nineteen  hundred  and  eighty-four  men.  The  second 
brigade,  under  Colonel  Harlan,  and  the  Fortieth, 
under  Colonel  Miller,  were  at  Castillian  Springs, 
within  good  supporting  distance. 

THE   WARNING. 

Notwithstanding  the  repeated  injunctions  of  Gen 
eral  Thomas,  to  look  w^ell  to  his  picket  guards,  the 
rebel  Morgan,  with  a  force  of  about  fifteen  hundred 
mounted  infantry,  surprised  Moore  at  sunrise  on  the 
7th  of  December,  and  captured  him  with  fifteen  hund 
red  and  five  men,  and  most  of  their  officers,  together 
with  their  two  field  pieces,  a  large  portion  of  their 
arms,  equipment,  ammunition,  and  transportation.  It 
was  a  most  shameful  affair,  without  palliation.  The 
skirmishing,  combat,  rout,  and  pursuit  occupied  less 
than  an  hour  and  a  half.  The  cavalry  wras  not  effi 
cient,  the  One  Hundred  and  Sixth  Ohio  did  some  good 
fighting,  and  the  One  Hundred  and  Fourth  Illinois 
acquitted  itself  gallantly.  Knicklin's  guns  were  also  wrell 
handled.  There  was  no  reason,  but  the  incompetency 
of  the  commander,  why  the  rebels  were  not  destroyed 
or  captured.  It  was  subsequently  ascertained  that 
Colonel  Moore  had  been  twice  warned  that  he  would 


94  THE    HARTSVILLE    DISASTER. 

be  attacked  on  the  7th.  A  slave  who  had  overheard 
his  master — who  was  a  member  of  Morgan's  com 
mand — confide  to  his  wife  that  the  attack  was  con 
templated,  waded  the  Cumberland  River  after  night, 
on  the  4th,  and  notified  Captain  Lewis  and  Captain 
Bertassy  of  the  contemplated  surprise.  They 
reported  it  to  Colonel  Moore,  who  dismissed  the 
information  with  contemptuous  indifference.  On 
the  nifflit  of  the  6th,  the  same  negro  as;ain  crossed 

O  O  O 

the  river  and  notified  Captain  Lewis  that  the  enemy 
were  encamped  within  four  miles  of  Hartsville,  and 
would  attack  at  daybreak  next  morning.  The  officer 
of  the  day  and  the  Colonel  Commanding,  were 
promptly  notified,  but  the  warning  was  again  un 
heeded. 

SURPRISE   OF   THE    GARRISON   AT    HARTSVILLE. 

At  sunrise  Sunday  morning,  notice  of  the  approach 
of  the  enemy  in  the  rear  was  suddenly  given  by  one 
of  the  camp  guards,  who  discovered  the  gray  jackets 
moving  down  the  declivity  of  an  opposite  hill.  His 
shout,  "  The  rebels  are  coming !  "  was  the  first  admo 
nition  the  camp  received.  The  posting  of  pickets  on 
that  side  had  been  neglected.  Captain  Good,  a  brave 
officer,  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Eighth  Ohio,  swiftly 
moved,  upon  his  own  responsibility,  to  the  right  front 
with  a  company  of  skirmishers,  and  opened  a  sharp 
fire.  The  enemy,  surprised  at  the  hitherto  quiet 
deportment  of  the  camp,  suspected  stratagem,  and 
were  cautious  in  their  approach.  Time  enough  to 
form  his  line  advantageously  was  thus  afforded 
Colonel  Moore,  but  he  was  too  confused  to  take 
advantage  of  it.  At  the  suggestion  of  Colonel  Tafel 


THE   HARTSVILLE    DISASTER.  95 

of  the  One  Hundred  and  Sixth  Ohio,  lie  occupied  the 
crown  of  a  bold  bald  hill  to  the  right  of  the  camps. 
The  troops  flung  themselves  along  the  crest  and  stood 
there  silently,  waiting  orders,  while  the  enemy  were 
moving  deliberately  in  column  of  fours  down  the 
declivity  of  the  opposite  hill,  to  form  in  the  ravine 
which  separated  the  hostile  forces.  Nobody  seemed 
to  think  of  the  propriety  of  sending  to  Castillian 
Springs  for  reinforcements,  but  the  enemy  having 
approached  in  the  rear,  and  clouds  of  mounted  skir 
mishers  beginning  already  to  harrass  Moore's  flanks, 
efforts  to  send  for  aid  probably  would  have  been 
defeated.  Nevertheless  a  prudent  officer  would  have 
tried  the  experiment. 

After  descending  into  the  hollow  the  rebels  dis 
mounted,  moved  forward  in  compact  line,  and  under 
a  scattering  and  ineffective  fire  from  Moore's  line, 
gained  cover  behind  a  fence  at  the  foot  of  the  hill 
below  our  troops.  Moore's  line  was  now  thoroughly 
exposed,  while  the  enemy  fought  with  comparative 
security,  and  so  effectively  that  our  men  soon  begun 
to  give  way.  Moore  seemed  thoroughly  disconcerted, 
and  it  was  clear  that  unless  his  troops  fought  their  own 
way  through  the  difficulty  they  would  be  hopelessly 
defeated.  The  Illinois  troops  and  the  One  Hundred 
and  Sixth  Ohio  stood  up  to  the  work  fairly,  the  former 
especially,  but  the  One  Hundred  and  Eighth,  indiffer 
ently  officered,  was  the  first  to  break  and  fall  back.  The 
field  pieces,  meantime,  had  opened  from  their  park 
and  were  making  some  noise.  One  of  them  was  soon 
brought  to  the  center,  and  at  the  first  fire  exploded  a 
rebel  caisson.  Colonel  Moore  now  ordered  the  whole 
line  to  fall  back  to  the  rear  of  the  gun,  leaving  it 


96  THE    HARTSVILLE    DISASTER. 

exposed  to  the  enemy.  In  a  few  minutes  its  horses 
and  many  of  its  men  were  picked  off  by  sharp-shoot 
ers,  and  it  was  dragged  to  the  rear  of  the  camps,  tak 
ing  position  on  a  rocky  hill,  where  the  other  gun  was 
playing  upon  the  rebel  reserves  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  river. 

Moore's  line,  already  badly  confused,  was  ordered  to 
fall  back  to  the  guns — a  movement  which  was  exe 
cuted  with  more  haste  than  skill.  Colonel  Tafel  was 
carrying  his  regiment  off  on  the  right,  on  a  skirt  of 
timber,  when  the  enemy  made  his  appearance  on  his 
flank  in  strong  force.  Tafel  engaged  immediately, 
and  a  sharp  fight  ensued.  The  One  Hundred  and  Sixth 
fought  and  fell  back  gradually,  while  the  other  regi 
ments  reformed  on  the  hill.  The  rebels,  however, 
finally  pushed  into  the  camps  of  the  One  Hundred  and 
Fourth  Illinois  and  One  Hundred  and  Sixth  Ohio,  which 
compelled  Tafel  to  retire  to  the  main  body.  Before 
he  reached  that  point,  Colonel  Moore  surrendered. 
Squads  of  rebels  dashed  up  toward  Tafel's  regiment 
and  were  fired  on,  but  discovering  that  he  was  nearly 
surrounded,  and  that  three-fourths  of  the  command 
had  been  surrendered,  Tafel  at  length  succumbed. 
Captain  Good  and  his  skirmishers  were  still  ignorant 
of  the  extent  of  the  misfortune,  and  sustained  a  lively 
fight  in  the  rear  of  the  right  flank,  to  prevent  a 
squadron  of  cavalry  from  breaking  into  the  camps. 
When  notified  of  the  condition  of  affairs,  his  gallant 
company  scattered  in  the  forests,  and  many  saved 
themselves.  After  surrendering  his  sword,  Captain 
Good  himself  managed  to  elude  his  captors  and 
escaped. 


THE   HARTSVILLE   DISASTER.  $7 

MORGAN   RETREATS. 

Morgan,  fully  aware  that  fugitives  would  soon 
report  at  Castillian  Springs,  discovered  necessity  for 
haste.  Gathering  the  cream  of  the  spoils  as  rapidly 
as  possible,  he  drove  the  captives  across  the  river  and 
moved  swiftly  in  retreat.  Before  his  rear  guard  had 
gotten  out  of  the  way,  Colonel  Harlan  came  up  with 
his  brigade,  and  enjoyed  the  melancholy  satisfaction 
of  flinging  a  few  shells  into  the  successful  fugitives. 
The  rebels  had  a  right  to  be  proud  of  their  achieve 
ment,  but  it  would  have  cost  them  dearly  had  Scott 
been  in  command  of  the  post. 

Our  loss  in  this  disgraceful  affair,  was  fifty-five 
killed  and  one  hundred  wounded.  The  casualties  of 
the  enemy  were  about  equal — the  Second  and  Ninth 
Kentucky  rebel  regiments  alone  being  sixty-four. 
Colonel  Moore  and  the  field  officers  of  the  three  reg 
iments  of  infantry,  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  Stewart, 
of  the  Second  Indiana  Cavalry,  together  with  most  of 
the  line  officers  of  the  brigade,  were  captured.  Major 
Hill,  of  the  latter  regiment,  escaped  after  receiving  a 
severe  wound.  Lieutenant  W.  Y.  Gholson,  Acting 

'  O 

Assistant  Adjutant  General  of  the  brigade,  a  young 
officer  of  superior  merit,  was  killed  while  gallantly 
discharging  his  duty  in  the  heat  of  conflict. 


98  VIOLATING   FLAGS    OF    TRUCE. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

OFFICIAL  Intercourse  between  General  Rosecrans  and  General  Bragg — 
An  Effort  to  Meliorate  the  Severities  of  War — Mutual  Reproaches — 
Violation  of  a  Flag  of  Truce  and  Bragg's  Apology — A  Repetition 
of  the  Outrage  under  more  Exasperating  Circumstances — Corre 
spondence  finally  Ended  by  General  Rosecrans. 

PRIOR  to  the  20th  of  !N"ovember,  intercourse  between 
the  Commanding  Generals  of  the  respective  armies 
had  been  frequent.  A  high-toned  courtesy  generally 
had  been  observed.  Flags  of  truce  were  interchanged 
almost  daily.  An  effort  was  made  by  both  General 
Rosecrans  and  General  Bragg  to  mollify  the  asperi 
ties  of  war,  and  confine  the  exercise  of  martial  power 
to  its  legitimate  sphere.  General  Bragg  complained 
of  the  ill  treatment  of  certain  of  his  cavalry  who 
had  been  captured.  After  it  was  understood  that  he 
refused  to  acknowledge  guerrillas  as  entitled  to  the 
rights  of  war,  and  upon  his  explanation  that  his 
recognized  forces  had  all  been  mustered  into  rebel 
service  as  soldiers,  the  two  leaders  endeavored  to 
adjust  a  system  for  the  relief  of  non-combatants 
from  arrest  and  imprisonment.  General  Rosecrans 
expressed  his  abhorrence  of  the  practice  of  "  harass 
ing  and  arresting  non-combatants,  who  are  strictly 
so."  He  said,  "  I  never  authorize  or  permit  the  arrest 
of  such  persons  unless  there  is  a  prima  facie  case  of  a 
forfeiture  of  their  claims  to  non-combatants,  by  acts 
bearing  the  character  of  military  mischief.  *  *  * 


VIOLATING   FLAGS   OF   TRUCE.  99 

Pillage,  wanton  destruction  of  private  property,  is 
strictly  prohibited,  and  rigorously  punished  whenever 
detected.  The  burning  of  houses  is  only  justified 
when  they  have  been  used  as  little  fortifications." 
General  Bragg  concurred,  but  did  not  find  it  conveni 
ent  to  practice  accordingly. 

ROBBING   UNION   PRISONERS    OF    WAR. 

The  rebels  continued  to  outrage  the  laws  of  war  so 
grossly  that  General  Rosecrans  protested  indignantly, 
sometimes  provoking  harsh  replies.  But  as  long  as 
intercourse  was  maintained  he  continued  to  reproach 
the  enemy  with  military  crimes.  Among  others,  their 
practice  of  plundering  surgeons  and  other  captives 
was  most  aggravating.  A  federal  surgeon  at  Harts- 
ville  was  robbed  while  he  was  dressing  a  wounded 
rebel.  The  Hartsville  prisoners  were  deprived  of  part 
of  their  overcoats  on  the  field  of  battle,  and  of  the 
remainder  by  General  Wheeler's  order  at  Lavergne. 
The  same  evening  they  were  marched  to  our  outposts 
without  previous  notice  to  General  Rosecrans,  and 
offered  in  exchange — arriving  in  our  front  at  night 
fall. 

General  Rosecrans  indignantly  protested  against  it 
as  a  violation  of  the  cartel  for  the  exchange  of  prison 
ers  which  had  been  negotiated  by  the  United  States 
and  rebel  authorities.  It  had  been  agreed  that  all 
exchanges  should  take  place  at  Aikeu's  landing,  or 
Yicksburg,  or  some  other  place  "  to  be  previously 
agreed  upon."  Bragg's  policy  was  transparent.  He 
desired  to  avoid  the  expense  and  trouble  of  forwarding 
the  prisoners  to  either  of  the  foregoing  places,  and  to 
impose  corresponding  cost  and  annoyance  upon  Gen- 


100  VIOLATING   FLAGS    OF    TRUCE. 

eral  Rosecrans.  The  sentiments  of  the  latter  were 
sharply  expressed  in  the  following  note,  which  was 
forwarded  immediately  to  the  rebel  general  by  flag  of 
truce : 

HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OP  THE  CUMBERLAND.  ) 
Nashville,  December  11,  1862.          j 

GENERAL  BRAXTON  BRAGG: 

General — Your  letter,  enclosing  list  of  prisoners  captured 
at  Hartsville  and  paroled  by  you,  has  been  received.  It  is 
reported  to  me  that  the  Hag  of  truce  presented  itself  about 
dark  and  during  a  skirmish.  As  it  will  be  impossible  to  verify 
the  roll  of  prisoners  to-night,  or  say  anything  of  their  con 
dition,  I  have  directed  the  prisoners  to  be  receipted  for,  until 
the  rolls  can  be  verified,  when  they  will  be  returned  duly 
receipted.  We  take  care  of  your  prisoners,  feed  them,  make 
them  comfortable,  and  conduct  them  to  the  proper  place  of 
exchange.  Ours  were  sufficiently  clad,  and  I  think  ought  to 
have  been  treated  in  a  similar  manner.  Sending  these  prison 
ers  here  and  imposing  them  on  my  humanity  without  a 
previous  agreement  is  a  violation  of  the  spirit  and  letter  of  the 
cartel.  I  regret  to  notice  this  act  of  injustice  and  discourtesy, 
which  is  aggravated  by  their  not  being  sent  to  us  at  a  proper 
hour  of  the  day,  when  all  the  business  could  have  been  con 
ducted  without  inconvenience  to  either  party.  Paroled  prison 
ers  hereafter  will  only  be  received  in  accordance  with  the  terms 
of  the  cartel. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  General, 

Yours,  respectfully, 

W.  S.  EOSECEANS, 

Major  General  Commanding. 

General  Bragg  attempted  to  wriggle  himself  out  of 
the  responsibility  by  virtuously  assuming  that  he  was 


VIOLATING   FLAGS    0$  *TR\Jt&.  101 

moved  by  sentiments  of  enlightened  humanity — con 
veniently  forgetting  how  inhuman  it  was  to  rob  the 
prisoners  of  their  clothing.  General  Rosecrans  determ 
ining  to  fix  the  mean  record  against  him,  responded 
to  his  paltry  excuse  in  the  following  strain  : 

HEADQUARTERS  FOURTEENTH  ARMY  CORPS,  ^ 

Department  of  the  Cumberland,  > 

Nashville,  December  11,  1862.   J 

GENERAL  BRAXTON  BRAGG: 

General— Your  letter,  enclosing  list  of  prisoners  captured 
at  Hartsville  and  paroled  by  you,  has  been  received.  It  is 
reported  to  me  that  the  flag  of  truce  presented  itself  about 
dark  and  during  a  skirmish. 

The  officer  who  conducted  them  to  our  lines  insisted  upon 
our  receiving  them,  as  I  am  informed,  ';  upon  the  ground  of 
humanity."  We  take  care  of  your  prisoners,  feed  them,  make 
them  as  comfortable  as  we  can,  and  conduct  them  to  the  proper 
place  of  exchange.  That  is  our  idea  of  humanity.  Our  pris 
oners  were  sufficiently  clad  when  taken,  and  I  think  ought  to 
have  been  similarly  treated.  Whether  your  idea  of  humanity 
consists  in  robbing  them  of  their  blankets  and  overcoats  I 
know  not,  but  such,  they  assure  me,  was  the  treatment  they 
received  from  your  troops. 

Without  entering  further  into  that  question,  however,  I 
must  be  permitted  to  observe  that  to  send  these  prisoners  to 
my  lines  without  any  previous  agreement  with  me  to  receive 
them,  is  a  violation  both  of  the  letter  and  spirit  of  the  cartel. 

I  regret  to  notice  that  this  act  of  injustice  and  discourtesy, 
which  is  aggravated  by  the  fact  of  their  not  being  sent  to  us 
at  a  proper  hour  of  the  day,  when  all  the  business  could  have 
been  transacted  without  inconvenience  to  either  party. 

Paroled  prisoners  will  hereafter  only  be  received  by  me  in 
accordance  with  the  terms  of  the  cartel.  Herewith  you  will 


10:2  VIOLATING   FLAGS    OF    TRUCE. 

please  receive  receipts  for  the  prisoners  taken  at  Hartsville, 
conformed  to  the  lists  of  them  forwarded  by  you.  Although 
purporting  apparently  to  be  original,  these  lists  are  evidently 
mere  copies — not  attested  by  the  signature  of  any  officer  of 
either  army.  As  it  regards  the  third  list  sent  by  you,  inas 
much  as  it  contains  the  names  of  persons  of  whom  I  know 
nothing,  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  say  or  do  anything. 
Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

W.  S.  ROSECRANS, 

Major  General  Commanding. 

"  Upon  the  ground  of  humanity  "  was  the  identical 
expression  used  by  General  Bragg  in  his  letter,  hut  he 
subsequently  said  no  special  grounds  for  sending  them 
to  our  lines  was  cited. 

VIOLATION    OF   FLAGS    OF    TRUCE. 

Throughout  the  correspondence  Bragg  had  exhib 
ited  exasperating  insincerity.  And  the  spirit  which 
animated  him  was  illustrated  by  the  evident  care 
taken  by  him  to  publish  his  letters  to  General  Rose- 
crans  in  the  rebel  newspapers.  He  was  "  firing  the 
Southern  heart,"  not  seeking  justice.  His  communi 
cations  breathed  that  spirit  of  "high  toned"  assump 
tion  which  will  cause  the  Southern  character  to  blaze 
in  history  with  ridiculous  glare.  The  element  of 
truth  was  rarely  a  constituent.  Truth  itself  crept  in 
by  mncmonical  oversight.  The  abuse  finally  cor 
rected  itself  rather  abruptly.  A  detachment  of  his 
cavalry  one  day  took  advantage  of  a  federal  flag  of 
truce,  which  was  being  entertained  at  his  lines,  to 
capture  a  post  of  three  videttes,  on  the  Murfreesboro 
pike.  After  a  sharp  correspondence,  in  which  Bragg 


VIOLATING   FLAGS    OF    TRUCE.  103 

was  evasive,  he  finally  surrendered  the  prisoners, 
together  with  their  horses  and  equipments — except 
ing  their  overcoats,  of  which  they  had  heen  robbed 
by  rebel  troops — apologizing  for  the  violation  of  the 
flag,  but  offering  no  excuse  for  pillaging  the  soldiers 
so  wrongfully  captured. 

But  on  the  15th  of  November  the  flag  of  truce 
business  received  a  paralytic  shock.  Bragg  sent  a 
flag  to  our  lines,  and  while  a  detachment  of  some 
sixty  of  the  Fourth  Michigan  Cavalry,  under  Captain 
Able,  was  entertaining  the  rebel  flag  officer  at  the 
outposts,  a  detachment  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  rebel 
horsemen  suddenly  charged  upon  the  federal  party, 
killed  a  half  dozen,  captured  the  remainder,  and  rode 
off  with  Bragg's  flag  officer.  General  Rosecrans 
immediately  forwarded  a  formal  demand  to  Bragg  for 
an  apology  and  the  restitution  of  the  prisoners,  with 
their  horses  and  equipments.  He  complained  to 
Bragg  that  "another  outrage  of  the  grossest  charac 
ter  has  been  perpetrated  by  your  troops,  in  the  pres 
ence  of  your  own  'flag,'  commanded  by  a  Lieutenant 
Colonel  in  your  service,  who  was  courteously  received. 
I  can  not  believe  you  had  authorized,  or  will  permit  to 
go  unpunished  or  without  prompt  reparation  such 
barbarous  conduct  —  conduct  hardly  paralleled  by 
savages.  You  can  not  restore  life  to  my  men  who 
have  been  inhumanly  murdered,  but  I  shall  leave  to 
your  own  head  and  heart  to  devise  such  a  reparation 
as  is  demanded  by  your  own  honor,  and  the  honor  of 
our  common  humanity." 

It  was  a  prima  facie  case,  but  Bragg  evaded  and 
finally  sought  to  justify  the  outrage.  General  Kose- 
crans  at  once  threatened  to  suspend  further  inter- 


104  VIOLATING   FLAGS    OP    TRUCE. 

course,  writing  that  "after  your  (Bragg' s)  non-con 
demnation  of  the  behavior  of  your  men  on  a  preced 
ing  occasion,  under  similar  circumstances,  and  the 
return  of  three  men  thus  captured — albeit  minus 
overcoats  and  holsters,  I  will  only  most  respectfully 
quote  your  own  phrase.  l  Words  will  not  suffice — we 
must  have  deeds.'  In  short,  my  dear  General^  the 
sine  qua  non  to  our  future  correspondence  or  official 
intercourse  is  the  prompt  return  of  those  men,  with 
all  their  clothes,  arms,  and  equipments.  When  you 
speak  by  such  deeds  of  simple  justice,  I  shall  be  able 
to  understand  you."  Bragg  had  returned  three  men 
who  had  been  wrongfully  captured.  Fifty  were  too 
great  a  temptation  for  his  high  toned  virtue.  He 
replied,  at  length,  that  having  fully  investigated  the 
matter,  he  concluded  not  only  that  the  action  was 
fully  warranted,  but  that  General  Rosecrans  owed 
him  an  apology  for  the  capture  and  detention  of  his 
flag  twenty-four  hours — both  false  pleas.  General 
Rosecrans  finally  closed  official  intercourse  with  his 
perfidious  enemy,  in  a  sharp  and  comprehensive 
resume  of  the  transaction. 

He  was  "utterly  amazed"  at  Bragg's  impudent 
assertion  that  his  flag  had  been  detained.  The  rebel 
flag  officer,  Lieutenant  Ctflonel  Hawkins,  had 
expressed  his  satisfaction  with  the  generous  cour 
tesy  with  which  he  had  been  entertained.  Hawkins 
was  borne  away  by  the  rebel  party  who  had  shame 
fully  violated  the  flag,  "and  did  not,"  said  General 
Rosecrans,  "present  himself  again  until  next  morn 
ing.  The  only  detention  of  your  flag  that  occurred 
took  place  the  next  day,  when,  having  been  dismissed, 
Hawkins  halted  by  the  way  to  feed  his  horse  within 


VIOLATING   FLAGS    OF    TRUCE.  105 

two  miles  of  our  outposts,  and  that  even  this  deten 
tion  was  but  about  half  an  hour,  and  was  apologised 
for.  It  thus  appearing  that  the  statements  contained 
in  your  letter,  as  to  the  occurrences  connected  with 
your  flag,  and  the  outrages  perpetrated  in  its  presence, 
utterly  at  variance  with  the  actual  facts  reported  to 
me  by  my  officers,  of  the  truth  of  which  I  have  not 
the  shadow  of  a  doubt,  have  only  to  say,  with  pro 
found  disappointment  and  regret,  that  the  sources  of 
your  information,  or  your  own  views,  are  such  that 
until  you  shall  redress  that  outrage,  by  returning  rny 
men,  with  everything  they  had  when  taken,  so  far  as 
is  possible,  I  shall  not  be  able  to  hold  any  further  offi 
cial  intercourse  with  you.  Indeed,  you  render  it 
impracticable,  because  I  can  not  trust  your  messen 
gers,  or  the  statements  made  by  them  of  occurrences 
patent  as  the  sun.  l$o  flag  will,  therefore,  be  received 
from  you,  except  the  one  conveying  that  reparation, 
or  the  statement  that  circumstances  beyond  your  con 
trol  render  it  impossible." 

While  this  controversy  was  pending,  Jeff.  Davis, 
President  of  the  Confederate  States,  arrived  at  Mur- 
freesboro.  It  is  fair  to  infer  that  he  approved  Bragg's 
perfidy.  It  is  proper  to  observe,  in  this  connection, 
that  after  the  visit  of  President  Davis  in  Tennessee, 
Bragg  exhibited  a  more  decided  determination  to 
resist  the  advance  of  the  federal  army. 


106  BRILLIANT    EXPLOITS. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

THE  Hartsville  Affair  Retrieved — Brilliant  Repulse  of  the  Enemy  by 
Matthews'  Brigade — Successful  Foraging — Gallantry  of  the  Sol 
diers—Good  Conduct  Publicly  Approved  by  the  General — A  Bril 
liant  Cavalry  Exploit — General  D.  S.  Stanley  Routs  the  Rebels  and 
Captures  Franklin — Spirit  of  the  Men. 

ON  the  9th  of  December  the  Hartsville  disgrace  was 
partially  retrieved.  A  strong  force  of  mounted  rebel 
infantry  and  cavalry,  with  artillery,  under  Brigadier 
General  Wheeler,  attacked  a  brigade  of  infantry 
under  Acting  Brigadier  General  Stanley  Matthews,  of 
the  Fifty-First  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry,  and,  after 
two  sharp  combats,  were  severely  repulsed.  Colonel 
Matthews  moved  into  the  debatable  strip  between  the 
two  lines  with  a  large  foraging  train.  His  force  con 
sisted  of  the  Fifty-First  Ohio,  Thirty-Fifth  Indiana, 
the  Eighth  and  Twenty-First  Kentucky  Infantry,  and 
a  section  of  Swallow's  Seventh  Indiana  Battery. 
Diverging  from  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  and  striking 
to  the  left,  he  crossed  Millcreek  at  Dobbin's  Ferry, 
leaving  a  sergeant  and  ten  men  of  the  Twenty-First 
Kentucky  to  guard  the  rear.  The  Kentucky  regi 
ments,  with  skirmishers  well  out,  were  formed  in 
front,  the  other  two  regiments  loading  the  wagons 
and  protecting  the  rear. 

THE    COMBAT. 

The  train  was  finally  filled,  and  was  about  counter 
marching,  when  a  smart  rattle  of  musketry  at  the  ford 


BRILLIANT   EXPLOITS.  107 

indicated  an  attack  in  the  rear.  Colonel  Matthews 
immediately  double-quicked  the  Fifty-First  Ohio  and 
Thirty-Fifth  Indiana  to  the  ford,  arriving  to  the 
assistance  of  the  gallant  little  picket  guard  in  time 
to  save  them.  The  enemy  were  already  charging 
through  the  woods.  Matthews'  inferior  force  was 
quickly  deployed,  and  opened  a  sharp  fire,  which  at 
once  checked  the  rebels.  Following  up  this  success 
promptty,  the  gallant  Buckeyes  and  Hoosiers  speedily 
drove  the  enemy  to  cover,  and  finally  compelled  them 
to  retire  out  of  range. 

The  train  had  moved  up  during  the  combat.  The 
situation  was  critical.  Colonel  Matthews  anticipated 
another  attack  by  increased  numbers,  and  it  was 
doubtful  whether  the  train  could  be  saved;  but  he 
determined  to  make  the  effort.  The  Kentucky  troops 
were  directed  to  protect  the  rear,  while  the  Ohio  and 
Indiana  regiments  took  the  advance,  skirmishers 
being  thrown  out  well  on  all  sides.  The  spirited 
little  force,  now  flushed  by  success,  pushed  home 
ward  briskly,  but  anticipating  attack.  They  had 
moved  but  a  short  distance  when  the  pickets  in  the 
rear  gave  the  alarm.  The  enemy  pressed  forward 
eagerly,  evidently  contemplating  a  charge.  Wheeler 
himself  was  urging  them  by  voice  and  example. 
The  Kentuckians  waited  patiently  until  the  enemy 
approached  within  direct  range,  and  then  gave  them 
a  volley  which  caused  them  to  recoil. 

They  recovered  in  a  moment,  and  again  advanced, 
but  less  eagerly  than  before.  The  fight  became  gen 
eral  and  sharp.  Wheeler  tried  to  press  Matthews' 
flanks,  but  was  driven  back.  Another  strong  effort 
was  made  to  break  the  line,  but  being  foiled,  the 


108  BRILLIANT    EXPLOITS. 

rebels  slacked  fire,  and  in  a  short  time  disappeared 
altogether,  leaving  Colonel  Matthews  master  of  the 
field,  though  severely  bruised  by  a  fall  from  his 
horse.  The  brigade  marched  home  triumphantly, 
and  received  the  plaudits  of  the  army  for  its  brilliant 
conduct.  Our  loss  was  Adjutant  B.  II.  Muller,  of  the 
Thirty-Fifth  Indiana,  and  four  enlisted  men  killed; 
two  commissioned  officers,  including  Lieutenant  Col 
onel  Balfe,  and  thirty-three  enlisted  men  wounded, 
and  four  missing.  The  rebel  newspapers  announced 
that  their  casualties  were  one  hundred.  "We  captured 
but  one  prisoner.  The  skillful  management  and 
gallant  bearing  of  Colonel  Matthews  was  generously 
applauded  by  the  General  Commanding. 

SPECIAL    HONORABLE    MENTION. 

The  conduct  of  the  troops  was  scanned  with  inter 
est  because  it  was  the  beginning  of  the  campaign, 
and  it  was  desirable  to  measure  the  reliability  of  the 
army.  Colonel  Matthews  reported  that  every  man  in 
the  command  behaved  himself  handsomely,  and  upon 
his  official  recommendation,  General  Rosecrans  pub 
lished  a  field  order,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy, 
commending  the  heroism  of  the  brave  sergeant  and 
ten  men  who  held  Dobbin's  Ford  so  stoutly,  viz.  : 

SPECIAL    FIELD    ORDER. 

The  General  Commanding  takes  this  method  of  compli 
menting  the  following  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates 
of  the  Twenty-First  Kentucky  Volunteer  Infantry,  for  their 
gallant  conduct  in  the  skirmish  near  Dobbin's  Ford,  on  the 
9th  inst.  : 

Sergeant  J.  F.  Morton,  Co.  F,  commanding  squad. 


BRILLIANT    EXPLOITS.  109 

Corporal  Henry  Stahel,  Co.  A. 

J.  P.  Hagan,  Co.  F. 
Private  Geo.  P.  Montjoy,  Co.  A. 
"       Cassias  Kiger,  Co.  A. 
"       Edward  Welch,  Co.  A. 
"        Wm.  Murphy,  Co.  A. 
«       R.  B.  Clusin,  Co.  F. 
"       AY.  W.  Oliver,  Co.  F. 
"       Juo.  Morion,  Co.  F. 
"       B.  S.  Jones,  Co.  F. 
By  command  of 

MAJOR  GENERAL  ROSECRANS, 
J.  BATES  DICKSON,  Captain  and  A.  A.  General. 

Such  prompt  recognition  of  good  conduct  in  battle 
has  vast  influence  upon  the  morale  of  an  army.  It  is 
to  be  regretted  that  all  commanders  and  the  govern 
ment  have  not  yet  learned  to  attach  sufficient  import 
ance  to  the  value  of  rewards  to  the  brave  soldiers  of 
the  Republic. 

GENERAL    STANLEY^   SPIRITED    DASH    ON   FRANKLIN. 

The  revolving  rifles  were  received  four  or  five 
weeks  after  they  were  ordered.  General  Stanley 
distributed  them  immediately  among  his  most  reli 
able  cavalry  troops.  The  Fourth  Ohio  Cavalry, 
which  was  one  of  the  best  regiments  in  the  field,  was 
now  properly  armed  for  the  first  time  since  it  had 
entered  the  army.  Other  regiments  which  had  been 
neglected  were  also  improved  by  the  new  arm.  The 
men  evinced  anxiety  to  practice  their  five-shooters  on 
the  rebels.  Stanley,  nothing  loth,  proposed  to  gratify 
them.  Massing  a  considerable  force  on  the  llth  of 
December,  he  pushed  down  the  Franklin  road  for  the 


110  BRILLIANT   EXPLOITS. 

purpose  of  making  a  reconnoissance  and  to  surprise 
the  rebel  garrison  at  Franklin. 

Soon  after  passing  the  outposts  the  twang  of  a  car 
bine  advertised  the  presence  of  the  enemy.  The 
advance  guard  pressed  up  keenly  and  evoked  a  sharp 
volley  from  a  line  of  horsemen  in  a  thicket.  Dashing 
furiously  forward  a  regiment  of  Wharton's  Texas 
riders  were  driven  out  of  their  nests  and  scurried 
over  the  hills,  our  fellows  after  them  at  a  slashing 
pace.  It  was  an  exciting  hurdle  race,  over  rocks  and 
ridges,  hedges  and  fences,  while  a  merry  ping  of  rifles 
and  carbines  rang  through  the  woods  in  every  direc 
tion.  It  was  now  rifle  and  spur;  on,  Stanley,  on; 
run,  rebels,  run;  until  the  last  gray-back  disappeared 
in  the  jungle.  The  bugles  sang  truce  for  the  nonce, 
and  the  blue  jacket  clans  gathered  in  to  breathe  a 
little. 

Pushing  out  his  scouts  right  and  left,  Stanley  was 
not  long  in  beating  up  more  game.  Again  it  was 
rifle  and  spur,  and  rattle  of  small  arms,  but  the  enemy 
refused  to  await  the  shock.  The  whole  day  was  thus 
galloped  away,  Stanley  losing  not  a  man,  the  rebels 
keeping  clean  out  of  revolver  range.  At  nightfall 
Stanley  had  chased  the  enemy  beyond  Triune, 
destroyed  two  camps,  and  had  captured  some  pris 
oners  and  horses.  The  men  were  jaded,  but  flushed 
with  success. 

THE    SURPRISE    FOILED. 

The  command  was  now  about  west  of,  and  only  seven 
miles  from  Murfreesboro.  There  was  a  strong  rebel 
force  at  Nolensville  in  front  of  them,  the  main  body 
of  Bragg's  army  was  at  Murfreesboro,  and  Buckner's 


BRILLIANT    EXPLOITS.  Ill 

division  was  behind  them.  Nevertheless  Stanley 
determined  to  make  a  dash  at  Franklin.  Accord 
ingly  the  horses  were  fed,  and  the  men  rolled  up  in 
their  blankets  for  a  few  hours'  slumber.  Unfor 
tunately  an  hour  or  two  before  the  time  appointed  to 
move  a  prowling  rebel  drew  an  ineffective  shot  from 
one  of  Stanley's  videttes,  a  Tennessee  sergeant.  He 
returned  the  fire  with  fatal  effect.  Not  long  after 
ward  another  picket  firing  alarmed  the  rebels  at 
Franklin  so  that  a  surprise  was  out  of  the  question. 

Determined  not  to  be  balked,  Stanley  prepared  to 
move  upon  Franklin  at  all  hazards,  but  he  now  waited 
until  broad  daylight.  Gathering  his  force  in  hand, 
he  advanced  cautiously  upon  the  town,  drove  in  the 
rebel  pickets,  and  then  shot  out  the  head  of  his  col 
umn  directly  at  the  main  street.  The  rebels  fled  to 
the  houses  and  opened  a  brisk  fire,  but  the  Seventh 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry  under  Major  "Wynkoop,  charged 
into  them,  and  drove  them  pell  mell  into  the  country. 
Stanley  lost  not  a  man.  The  enemy  left  a  Captain 
and  four  privates  dead  in  Franklin,  and  ten  severely 
wounded,  besides  fifteen  or  twenty  prisoners  who 
were  cut  ofi'.  General  Stanley  occupied  the  town  an 
hour  or  two,  destroyed  a  valuable  flouring  mill,  cap 
tured  a  considerable  number  of  horses,  and  returned 
to  receive  the  congratulations  of  the  General  Com 
manding  for  his  spirit  and  enterprise.  The  conduct 
of  the  troops,  especially  that  of  the  Seventh  Penn 
sylvania  and  Fourth  Ohio,  was  spirited  and  daring. 
The  reconnoissance  was  perfectly  successful.  It  had 
been  reported  that  the  enemy  was  shifting  his  forces 
to  turn  our  right.  General  Stanley  ascertained  that 
no  demonstrations  of  the  kind  were  making. 


112  SOCIAL    LIFE    IN    NASHVILLE. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

THE  "Grapevine"  Telegraph — A  Southern  Institution — Fabrication 
of  False  Intelligence — Southern  Ladies'  Aid  Society — Its  Policy — 
Social  Life  in  Nashville — The  Slaves  and  the  Proclamation — The 
Year  of  Jubilee — The  Slaveholders — Church-Going — Army  Chap 
lains — Their  Fidelity  and  Devotion. 

THE  false  reports  touching  rebel  movements,  which 
incessantly  circulated  in  Nashville,  br'igs  us  to  the 
consideration  of  the  "grapevine  telegraph  " — a  pecu 
liar  institution  of  rebel  generation,  devised  for  the 
duplex  purpose  of  "firing  the  Southern  heart,"  and 
to  annoy  the  "Yankees."  It  is  worthy  of  attention, 
as  one  of  the  signs  of  the  times,  expressing  the  spirit 
of  lying  which  war  engenders.  But  it  is  no  more 
than  just  to  say  that  there  is  often  so  little  difference 
between  the  "grapevine"  and  the  associated  press 
telegraph,  that  they  might  as  well  be  identical.  But 
the  "grapevine"  was  the  favorite  institution  of 
Nashville — a  purely  Southern  invention — furnishing 
entertainment,  it  was  said — slanderously,  no  doubt — 
to  gossipy  females,  who  preferred  the  manipulation 
of  this  enchanting  instrument  to  the  less  dainty 
exercise  of  their  sewing  machines — no,  not  sewing 
machines ;  labor-saving  inventions  are  not  apt  to 
cross  the  Mason  and  Dixie  line. 

A   PANDORA   BOX. 

A  daily  dish  of  alarming  reports  w^as  served  for 
Yankee  entertainment  by  the  inventive  newsmongers. 


SOCIAL    LIFE    IN   NASHVILLE.  113 

Ivirby  Smith  was  moving  here  to-day;  Hardee  there 
to-morrow;  Bragg  had  received  great  reinforcements; 
Grant  was  defeated,  and  so  on  for  quantity.  Inquiry 
for  "grapevine"  intelligence  was  as  customary  as  sun 
set,  and  the  solicitor  of  exciting  reports  was  seldom 
disappointed.  Any  thorough-bred  rebel  was  ever 
ready  to  open  his  budget  on  application,  and  it  was 
usually  a  pandora  of  tidings  evil  to  federal  ears.  An 
effort  to  devise  a  counter-irritation  signally  failed. 
The  "  Yankees,"  renowned  the  world  over  for  their 
acuteness,  were  no  match  for  the  rebels  in  this  species 
of  invention.  But  it  was  extremely  diverting  to  the 
malcontents,  whose  resources  of  enjoyment  had  been 
quite  thoroughly  excised. 

BACK-PARLOR   PROCEEDINGS. 

The  fabrication  of  false  intelligence  and  smuggling 
goods  contraband  of  Avar,  was  almost  an  absorbing 
business  with  the  master-class  of  the  Rock  City.  For 
a  considerable  period  they  enjoyed  secret  facilities  of 
communication  with  the  rebel  camps,  which  puzzled 
even  the  ingenuity  of  Truesdail  to  detect.  Thej* 
received  and  forwarded  letters  constantly,  and  rebel 
newspapers  were  circulated  by  them  when  even  our 
best  spies  failed  to  procure  them.  Meetings  of  men 
and  women  were  held  surreptitiously  in  dark  back- 
parlors,  where  plans  were  concocted  for  the  relief  of 
their  friends  in  the  army.  Women  took  the  lead. 
They  were  best  calculated  to  manage  the  Yankees. 
They  were  accomplished  and  beautiful.  The  Yan 
kees  were  courteous  and  susceptible  to  women,  but 
rough-handed  with  masculine  rebels.  This  was  the 
view  the  Southern  Ladies'  Aid  Society  took  of  it. 
10 


114  SOCIAL   LIFE   IN   NASHVILLE. 

They  condemned  discourtesy  to  the  federals.  It 
was  not  good  policy — certainly  not  lady-like.  They 
"  hated  the  Yankees,"  but  it  was  wise  to  dissemble. 
These  amiable  conspiratrices  were  very  adroit,  and 
plied  their  cunning  arts  seductively.  The  leaders  did 
not  demonstrate  themselves  overtly.  Their  schemes 
were  deeply  masked  under  the  innocent  prattle  of 
pathetic  ladies  who  were  "  tired  of  the  war,"  and 
anxious  for  "peace  on  any  terms."  Now  and  then  a 
high-spirited  dame  of  the  "  blue  blood,"  permitted 
her  temper  to  betray  her;  but  such  ebullitions  were 
dangerous  under  the  shadow  of  Truesdail.  And  yet 
they  treated  him  with  distinguished  courtesy.  He 
"  was  so  kind." 

SOCIAL    FEATURES    OF   NASHVILLE. 

Aside  from  those  nocturnal  seances,  there  wras  but 
little  social  enjoyment  in  Nashville.  There  were  not 
gentlemen  enough  to  make  society,  and  truly  there 
was  a  skeleton  in  every  house — in  every  heart.  The 
women  got  together  to  kiss  each  other,  to  cry  together, 
to  devise  schemes  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  their 
husbands,  brothers,  and  so  forth,  but  their  glee  was 
more  mournful  than  their  sorrow.  A  patriot  could 
admire  their  constancy  and  courage,  while  he  pitied 
their  folly  and  condemned  their  malign  influence. 
But  God  hardened  Pharaoh's  heart. 

Public  entertainment  there  was  none.  The  theater 
was  open,  truly,  but  the  drama  was  public  tragedy — 
drums,  banners,  bayonets,  cannon,  a  hearse  rumbling 
a  dirge  over  rude  streets,  at  a  dead  rebel's  funeral. 
Female  forms  on  the  stage  were  more  attractive  than 
the  manager's  programme.  A  lady  in  the  proscenium 


SOCIAL    LIFE    IN   NASHVILLE.  115 

boxes  was  a  better  card  than  a  star  glimmering  at  the 
foot-lights.  Three-fourths  of  the  audience  were  sol 
diers  and  officers — staff  and  commanders  in  stage- 
boxes,  applauding  to  the  echo,  because  there  was  now 
and  then  a  spectral  similitude  of  something  they  had 
seen  when  there  was  no  popular  frenzy.  Here  and 
there  a  gambling  den,  but  few  gamblers.  They  were 
mostly  fighting  under  the  bars  sinister,  and  the  absence 
of  the  paymaster  from  the  federal  army  caused  stag 
nation  in  the  "  chip  "  market.  A  few  loyal  residents, 
and  the  wives  of  Union  officers,  devised  trifling  schemes 
of  enjoyment,  but  the  baleful  shadow  of  war  inter 
posed.  The  next  battle  might  transmute  ball  costume 
into  bombazine. 

THE  SLAVES  AND  THE  PROCLAMATION. 

The  only  jocund  people  were  the  negroes,  and  their's 
was  pathetic  joy.  There  was  a  cloud  of  doubt  shad 
ing  their  happiness.  Would  their  year  of  jubilee  ever 
dawn?  The  modified  proclamation  was  a  death-war 
rant  to  them,  and  hope  scarcely  promised  a  reprieve. 
The  shadow  on  the  hearts  of  those  creatures  was 
darker  than  the  skin  which  God  gave  them.  More 
than  anywhere  else  in  the  land  of  white  and  black 
bondage,  the  slaves  of  Nashville  had  hugged  the 
delusive  phantom  of  freedom  to  their  breasts.  To 
them  it  was  "  a  thing  of  joy  forever."  With  the 
usual  exaggerative  disposition  of  their  race,  they 
anticipated  the  dawn  of  January  as  if  it  were  to  be 
the  Star  of  the  East,  to  glow  with  stellar  splendor. 

Many  were  prematurely  rattling  their  chains,  and 
filing  deep  into  the  fibres  of  the  shackles  which  had 
eaten  into  their  marrows.  Already  they  were  inde- 


116  SOCIAL    LIFE    IN    NASHVILLE. 

pendent  of  mastery,  and  foolishly  boasted  that  their 
souls  were  their  own.  Some  had  rented  shanties, 
which,  prospectively,  were  their  castles,  and  they  lin 
gered  about  the  rattling  doors  with  jealous  fascina 
tion,  waiting  with  throbbing  hearts  for  the  clangor 
of  the  midnight  bell  of  the  old  year  to  proclaim  their 
liberty.  Never  had  there  been  such  sounds  of  revelry 
in  the  house  of  bondage — balls,  little  dances,  banjo 
ilings  in  rickety  cabins,  concerts  in  which  the  touch 
ing  pathos  of  the  American  negro  race  pealed  in  wild 
passion  upon  the  resonant  strings  of  homely  violins, 
or  swelled  into  melody  upon  the  rich,  full  voices  of 
the  slaves.  They  sang  Jo  paeans  to  liberty.  They 
talked  of  the  proclamation  incessantly;  celebrated 
their  coming  freedom  in  homely  but  happy  refrains; 
dreamed  of  emancipation,  and  related  their  dreams 
with  the  eloquence  of  joy.  They  had  borrowed  the 
jewelry  of  the  Egyptians  prematurely.  The  word  of 
promise  was  held  to  their  ears,  but  broken  to  their 
hearts. 

THEIR    MISTRESSES. 

Their  haughty  mistresses — for  their  masters  were 
mostly  self-exiled  traitors — were  as  restive  as  their 
negroes.  The  proclamation  was  to  them  as  a  cloud 
surcharged  with  lightnings  and  thunders.  Those 
whose  humor  was  not  so  hot  as  to  betray  them  into 
indiscreet  bitterness,  discussed  the  subject  pitifully, 
but  with  a  refinement  of  selfishness  that  stifled  the 
sympathy  which  their  sexual  pathos  had  otherwise 
inspired.  Invariably,  "  What  will  we  do,  if  deprived 
of  our  servants?  They  are  indispensable  to  us.  We 
can  not  work.  We  were  never  taught  to  labor.  "We 
can  not  procure  white  servants.  We  will  not  endure 


SOCIAL    LIFE    IN    NASHVILLE.  117 

to  employ  our  emancipated  slaves/'  Not  a  plea  for 
the  slave ;  no,  not  one,  even  from  women,  who,  in  all 
ages  and  in  all  nations,  have  plead  more  for  liberty, 
sacrificed  more  for  it,  and  contended  more  for  it  than 
men  often  dare.  Now  and  then  a  visionary  man,  pre 
suming  on  your  ignorance,  ventured  that  "  the  poor 
creatures  could  not  take  care  of  themselves/'  but  they 
shunned  an  examination  of  their  logic.  Strange  that 
a  negro  can  support  a  whole  family  of  white  people 
by  the  labor  of  his  hands,  and  yet  be  unable  to  subsist 
himself.  A  dog  can  do  that. 

CHURCH-GOING. 

There  was  some  church-going,  but  more  at  a  trait 
or's  funeral  than  at  worship.  A  man  of  God  preached 
on  the  corner,  reading  his  petitions  to  the  Throne  of 
Grace  from  a  prayer-book,  and  his  flock  echoed  him  as 
if  mocking  him,  but  they  did  not  pray  for  their  coun 
try.  The  passage  was  erased  in  all  their  missals — • 
"  Forgive  them,  Father,  for  they  know  not  what  they 
do."'  Opposite,  sometimes,  there  was  a  generous, 
heartful  voice  of  prayer  which  swelled  and  soared 
upward  in  grand  volume,  appealing  to  the  God  of 
battles  fervently  for  the  brave  soldiers  of  the  Republic. 
The  preacher  wielded  the  "  sword  of  the  Lord  and  of 
Gideon."  He  fought  as  well  as  prayed  for  his  bleed 
ing  country,  and  his  name  is  written  Moody,  among 
those  of  good  men  and  heroes. 

ARMY   CHAPLAINS. 

And  now  that  we  talk  of  the  church  militant,  let 
indignant  slander  be  silent.  "Who  that  has  watched 
the  man  of  God  with  the  spirit  of  Christianity,  dares 
libel  the  noble  men  who  bear  the  cross  of  the  Akrughty 


118  SOCIAL    LIFE    IN   NASHVILLE. 

into  the  field  of  blood  ?  "Will  the  soldiers  of  the  Four 
teenth  Army  Corps  despise  the  office  of  the  Christian 
chaplain,  who  was  first  by  his  side  at  the  couch  of 
suffering,  and  the  last  to  desert  him  in  his  sorrow? 
Will  any  sneer  at  the  office  or  curse  the  memory  of 
Black,  of  John  Poacher,  of  Lay  ton,  of  Lozier,  of 
Wilkins,  of  Gaddis,  of  Father  0'IIiggins,  of  Father 
Cooney,  of  noble  and  gallant  Father  Trecy,  of  Brad- 
shaw,  of  Decker,  and  of  scores  of  Christian  heroes, 
who  ventured  health,  happiness,  life,  in  the  camp  and 
on  the  battle-field,  to  soothe  the  agony  of  the  pros 
trate  and  dying  soldier  ?  The  hand  that  wields  the 
pen  of  calumny  against  the  devoted  chaplains  of  the 
armies  of  the  Republic,  should  be  forever  palsied. 
Soldiers  of  the  Union,  cherish  your  worthy  chaplains. 
^s"ot  many  are  unworthy.  Citizens  of  the  Republic, 
credit  not  the  foul  expressions  of  flippant  and  mis 
chievous  scoffers,  who  falsely  tell  you  that  the 
preachers  of  the  army  are  recreant  to  their  trust 
Here  and  there  is  an  apostate ;  now  and  then  a  hyp- 
pocrite ;  but  they  stand  out  like  blasted  trees  upon 
some  rude  mountain,  conspicuous  because  they  are  few 
in  numbers.  They  are  the  by- word  and  the  scorn  of 
good  and  of  evil  men. 

There  is  an  unwritten  history  of  the  chaplains  of 
your  armies,  but  it  is  inscribed  upon  the  scroll  of  the 
blessed.  Is  exile  from  the  bliss  of  home  nothing?  Is 
privation,  exposure,  danger  of  sickness,  of  death  by 
disease,  or  upon  the  battle-field,  nothing?  Are  the 
trials,  the  heart-sickness,  the  toils,  the  weary  marches, 
the  night  watches  in  the  face  of  the  foe,  the  hunger, 
the  rain,  the  snow,  the  cold  of  winter,  of  trilling 
moment  in  the  great  record  of  wretched  war?  The 
preacher  of  the  army  writes  to  friends  at  home  of  the 


SOCIAL    LIFE    IN    NASHVILLE.  *  110 

sorrows  and  hardships  of  the  soldier.  "When  he  enjoys 
brief  respite  from  his  labors,  he  harrows  your  soul, 
from  the  pulpit,  with  descriptions  of  a  soldier's  trials  ; 
at  your  fireside  your  heart  aches,  and  your  eyes  float 
in  scalding  tears,  at  his  touching  pictures  of  a  soldier's 
last  agony.  He  tells  you  of  the  soldier;  glows  with 
enthusiasm  in  recounting  their  deeds  of  heroism;  the 
image  of  the  dear  old  flag,  which  the  preacher  loves, 
floats  before  his  vision,  and  you  feel  the  silent  bene 
diction  which  swells  in  his  heart,  when  his  full,  elo 
quent  voice  rings  in  enconium  of  the  valor  of  your 
heroes — but  the  preacher  says  not  one  word  of  him 
self;  no,  not  one  word!  And  yet — and  yet,  the  sor 
rows  of  the  soldiers  are  his  ;  the  trials  of  the  soldiers 
are  his;  the  vigils  of  the  soldiers  are  his — and  more, 
for  he  stands  by  the  wounded  soldier's  side  in  battle, 
as  woman  watches  at  the  couch  of  those  she  loves. 

Preachers  have  wielded  the  trenchant  blade  in  the 
face  of  the  foe.  Preachers  have  spilled  their  blood 
on  the  battle-field  under  the  old  flag  for  which  they 
fought  and  prayed.  Preachers  have  died  on  the  bat 
tle-field  doing  deeds  of  mere}'  and  Christian  charity. 
Preachers,  worn  and  exhausted  by  the  vicissitudes  of 
a  soldier's  life,  have  eked  their  last  sigh  in  soldiers' 
hospitals.  Dozens  of  them,  feeble  and  emaciated, 
the  fountains  of  their  life  sapped  by  toil  and  expo 
sure,  have  finally  crawled  home  to  linger  out  a  few 
brief  days  of  suffering,  and  to  die^the  victims  of  the 
scofrer,  who  never  thinks  of  God,  but  to  profane  his 
name.  It  is  their  destiny  to  bear  their  cross  patiently 
and  bravely.  There  are  hundreds  to-day,  in  your 
armies,  who  labor  and  wait  for  the  crown  which  com 
pensates  for  all  the  bitter  injustice  of  men. 


120  "  REORGANIZATION    OF    THE    ARMY. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

EXTERIOR.  Pressure  upon  the  Commander  —  He  resists  it.  —  His  View 
of  War  —  His  Situation  —  Number  of  Effectives  —  Organization  —  • 
Muster  Roll  of  the  Regiments  for  an  Advance  —  The  Pioneer  Bri 
gade  —  The  Tenth  Ohio  —  States  Represented  in  the  Army  —  New 
Regiments  —  A  Glance  at,  Commanding  Officers  —  Spirit  of  the 
Army  —  The  Enemy  Defiant. 


long  after  the  resumption  of  railroad  commu 
nication  with  ISTashville,  General  Rosecrans  began  to 
feel  the  influence  of  external  pressure  urging  a  for 
ward  movement.  Said  a  very  distinguished  Tennes- 
sean,  with  some  exhibition  of  bitter  impatience, 
""Why  does  not  Ixosecrans  move?"  Perhaps  the 
suggestion  was  insinuated  from  Nashville  to  Wash 
ington.  It  was  believed  such  interference  was 
resented.  The  General  Commanding,  concerning 
public  impatience,  said  vehemently,  "  I  will  not  move 
until  I  am  ready  !  I  will  not  move  for  popular  effect! 
War  is  a  business  to  be  conducted  systematically.  I 
believe  I  understand  my  business.  If  my  views  are 
not  approved,  let  me  be  removed.  I  will  not  budge 
until  I  am  ready.  The  next  battle  in  this  department 
is  likely  to  be  decisive  of  the  war.  There  must  be  no 
failure."  "Why  move?  Supplies  for  five  days  had 
accumulated  about  the  5th  of  December.  If  the 
army  moved  from  the  immediate  front  of  Nashville, 
a  halt  to  await  subsistence  would  be  imperatively 
necessary  at  the  expiration  of  three  days.  General 


REORGANIZATION   OF   TIIE    ARMY.  121 

Kosecrans  subsequently  officially  explained  that  under 
such  circumstances  "  the  evident  difficulties  and  labors 
of  an  advance  into  this  country,  and  against  such  a 
force,  and  at  such  distance  from  our  base  of  opera 
tions,  with  which  we  are  connected  by  a  single  preca 
rious  thread,  made  it  manifest  that  our  policy  was  to 
induce  the  enemy  to  travel  over  as  much  as  possible 
of  the  space  that  separated  us ;  thus  avoiding  for  us 
the  wear  and  tear  and  diminution  of  our  forces,  and 
subjecting  the  enemy  to  all  these  inconveniences, 
besides  increasing  for  him,  and  diminishing  for  us,  the 
dangerous  consequences  of  a  retreat." 

But  by  Christmas  rations  enough  had  been  col 
lected  at  Nashville  to  supply  the  army  until  the  1st 
of  February,  by  which  period  it  was  probable  that 
navigation  in  the  Cumberland  River  would  be 
resumed.  The  army  was  therefore  ready  to  advance, 
and  prospects  for  the  future  were  altogether  favor 
able.  The  enemy  had  been  induced  to  believe  that 
Rosecrans  had  gone  into  winter  quarters  at  Nashville, 
and  had  prepared  his  own  at  Murfreesboro,  with  some 
boastings  of  an  intention  to  make  them  finally  at 
Nashville,  without,  however,  making  any  alarming 
demonstrations  looking  to  that  result. 

Bragg  having  sent  a  large  force  of  cavalry  into 
West  Tennessee  to  annoy  General  Grant,  and  another 
large  force  into  Kentucky  to  break  up  railroad  con 
nection  between  Louisville  and  Nashville,  it  was 
deemed  that  the  opportune  moment  for  movement 
had  arrived.  Colonel  Truesdail  had  definitely  ascer 
tained  that  Folk's  and  Kirby  Smith's  forces  were  at 
Murfreesboro,  and  that  Hardee's  corps  was  on  the 
Shelbyville  and  Nolensville  pike  between  Triune  and 
11 


122  REORGANIZATION    OF    THE    ARMY. 

Eaglesville.  Oar  own  movable  effective  force  was 
now  collected  in  front  of  Nashville,  stretching  irreg 
ularly  some  ten  miles  or  more  across  the  country. 
Reynolds'  and  Steadman's  divisions  were  in  pur 
suit  of  Morgan,  or  guarding  the  railroad.  A  strong 
garrison  had  been  detailed  for  the  protection  of 
Nashville.  Innumerable  details  and  the  large  num 
ber  of  sick  and  deserters  had  reduced  the  effective 
offensive  force  to  forty-six  thousand  nine  hundred  and 
ten  men  of  all  arms.  Of  these,  forty-one  thousand 
four  hundred  and  twenty-one  were  infantry,  two 
thousand  two  hundred  and  twenty-three  artillery,  and 
three  thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty-six  cavalry,  and 
several  regiments  of  the  latter  were  raw  and  unreli 
able.  The  corps  were  organized  as  follows,  viz. : 

EIGHT  WING— (Numbering  15,933  men.) 
Major  General  Alex.  McDowell  Me  Cook,  Commanding. 

FIRST  DIVISION, 

BRIGADIER    GENERAL    JEFF    C.    DAVIS    COMMANDING. 

First  Brigade,  Colonel  P.  Sidney  Post  Commanding. 

Twenty-Second  Indiana  Regiment,  Colonel  Gooding. 

Fifty-Ninth  Illinois  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Frederick. 

Seventy-Fourth  Illinois  Regiment,  Colonel  Marsh. 

Seventy-Fifth  Illinois  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Bennett. 
Second  Brigade,  Colonel  W.  P.  Carlin  Commanding. 

Twenty-First  Illinois  Regiment,  Col.  Alexander. 

Thirty-Eighth  Illinois  Regiment,  Major  Gilmer. 

Fifteenth  Wisconsin  Regiment,  Colonel  H.  C.  Heg. 

One  Hundred  and  First  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  Stem. 
Third  Brigade,  Colonel  W.  E.  Woodruff  Commanding. 

Twenty-Fifth  Illinois  Regiment,  Major  Norlin. 

Thirty -Fifth  Illinois  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Chandler. 

Eighty-First  Indiana  Regiment,  Major  Woodbury. 
Artillery  attached  to  First  Division. 

Fifth  Wisconsin  Battery,  Captain  Pinney. 


REORGANIZATION    OF   THE   ARMY.  123 

Eighth  Wisconsin  Battery,  Captain  Carpenter. 
Second  Minnesota  Battery,  Captain  Hotchkiss. 

SECOND  DIVISION, 

BRIGADIER    GENERAL    R.    W.    JOHNSON    COMMANDING. 

.First  Brigade,  Brigadier  General  A.   Willick,  Commanding. 

Forty-Ninth  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  W.  II.  Gibson. 

Thirty-Ninth  Indiana  Regiment,  Colonel  T,  J.  Itarrison. 

Thirty-Second  Indiana  Regiment,  Colonel  Von  Trebra. 

Fifteenth  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  W.  H.  Wallace. 

Eighty-Ninth  Illinois  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Hotchkiss. 
Second  Brigade,  Brigadier  General  Kirk  Commanding. 

Seventy-Seventh  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  Colonel  Stambaugh. 

Twenty-Ninth  Indiana  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Dunn. 

Thirtieth  Indiana  Regiment,  Colonel  J.  B.  Dodge. 

Seventy-Ninth  Illinois  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Reed. 

Thirty-Fourth  Illinois  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Bristol. 
Third  Brigade,  Colonel  P.  P.  Baldwin  Commanding. 

Sixth  Indiana  Regiment,  Colonel  Baldwin^ 

First  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  Ed.  Parrott. 

Ninety-Third  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  Charles  Anderson. 

Fifth  Kentucky  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  W.  W.  Berry. 
Artillery. 

First  Ohio  Battery,  Company  — ,  Captain  Goodspeed* 

First  Ohio  Battery,  Company  E,  Captain  Edgarton, 

Fifth  Indiana  Battery,  Captain  Simonson. 

Four  companies   of  the  Third  Indiana  Regiment  of  Cavalry,  com 
manded  by  Major  Kline,  were  attached  to  the  Second  Division. 

THIRD   DIVISION, 

BRIGADIER    GENERAL    PHILIP   ft.    SHERRIDAN    COMMANDING. 

First  Brigade,  Brigadier  General  J.  W.  Sill   Commanding. 

Thirty-Sixth  Illinois  Regiment,  Colonel  Greusel. 

Twenty-Fourth  Wisconsin  Regiment,  Colonel  Larrabee. 

Twenty-First  Michigan  Regiment,  Colonel  'R.  R.  Stephens. 

Eighty-Eighth  Illinois  Regiment,  Colonel  T.  T.  Sherman. 
Second  Brigade,  Colonel  Shaeffet  Commanding. 

Second  Missouri  Regiment,  Colonel  Laiboldt. 

Fifteenth  Missouri  Regiment,  Major  Webber. 

Forty-Fourth  Illinois  Regiment,  Colonel  Reed. 

Seventy-Third  Illinois  Regiment,  Colonel  Jacques. 


124  REORGANIZATION   OF   THE   ARMY. 

Third  Brigade,  Colonel  Roberts  Commanding. 

Twenty-Second  Illinois  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Swannick. 

Twenty-Seventh  Illinois  Regiment,  Colonel  F.  A.  Harrington. 

Forty-Second  Illinois  Regiment,  Major  N.  H.  Walworth. 

Fifty-First  Illinois  Regiment,  Colonel  L.  P.  Bradley. 
Artillery. 

First  Missouri  Battery,  Captain  G.  Hescock. 

Fourteenth  Illinois  Battery,  Captain  Houghtaling. 

Fourth  Indiana  Battery,  Captain  Bush. 

CENTER— (Numbering  13,395  men). 
Major  General  George  H.  Thomas  Commanding. 

FIRST  DIVISION, 

MAJOR    GENERAL    LOVELL    II.    ROUSSEAU   COMMANDING. 

First  Brigade,  Colonel  B.  P.  Scribner  Commanding. 

Thirty-Eighth  Indiana  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  D.  F.  Griffin. 

Thirty-Third  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  O.'F.  Moore. 

Second  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  John  Kell. 

Ninety-Fourth  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  John  W.  Frizell. 

Tenth  Wisconsin  Regiment,  Colonel  A.  R.  Chapin. 
Second  Brigade,  Colonel  John  Beatty  Commanding. 

Fifteenth  Kentucky  Regiment,  Colonel  Forman. 

Third  Ohio  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  J.  H.  Lawson. 

Tenth  Ohio  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  J.  W.  Burke,  detached. 

Forty-Second  Indiana  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Shanklin. 

Eighty-Eighth  Indiana  Regiment,  Colonel  Humphreys. 
Third  Brigade,  Colonel  Starkweather  Commanding. 

First  Wisconsin  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Bingham. 

Twenty-First  Wisconsin  Regiment,  Colonel  Hobart. 

Twenty-Fourth  Illinois  Regiment,  Colonel  Mihalotzy. 

Seventy-Ninth  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  Colonel  Hambright. 
Fourth  Brigade  (Regulars},  Lieutenant  Colonel  0.  S.  Shepard. 

Fifteenth  United  States  Infantry,  Major  J.  H.  King. 

Sixteenth  United  States  Infantry,  Major  Slemmer. 

Eighteenth  United  States  Infantry,  First  Battalion,  Major  Cald- 
well. 

Eighteenth  United  States  Infantry,  Second  Battalion,  Major  Fred. 
Townsend. 

Nineteenth  United  States  Infantry,  Major  Carpenter. 


REORGANIZATION    OF    THE   ARMY.  125 

Artillery. 

First  Michigan  Battery,  Lieutenant  Van  Pelt  (Loomis). 
Fifth  United  States   Artillery,  Battery  II,  Lieutenant  Guenther. 
First  Kentucky  Battery,  Captain  Stone. 
Colonel  0.  A  Loomis,  Chief  of  Artillery  of  the  Corps. 

SECOND  DIVISION, 

BRIGADIER    GENERAL   JAMES    S.    NEGLEY    COMMANDING. 

First  Brigade,  General  J.  G.  Spears  Commanding. 

First  East  Tennessee  Regiment,  Colonel  R.  K.  Byrd. 

Second  East  Tennessee  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Melton. 
Second  Brigade,  Colonel  T.  R.  Stanley  Commanding. 

Eighteenth  Ohio  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Given. 

Sixty-Ninth  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  W.  B.  Cassilly. 

Nineteenth  Illinois  Regiment,  Colonel  J.  R.  Scott. 

Eleventh  Michigan  Regiment,  Colonel  Stoughton. 
Third  Brigade,  Colonel  John  F.  Miller  Commanding. 

Seventy-Eighth  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  Colonel  Sirwell. 

Twenty-First  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  J.  H.  Neibling. 

Seventy-Fourth  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  Granville  Moody. 

Thirty-Seventh  Indiana  Regiment,  Colonel  Hull. 
Artillery. 

First  Ohio  Battery  G,  Marshall's. 

First  Ohio  Battery  M,  Schultz. 

First  Kentucky  Battery  M,  Lieutenant  Ellsworth. 
Captain  John  Mendenhall,  United  States  Army,  Chief  of  Artillery 
of  the  Corps. 

Other  Tennessee  regiments,  which  formed  part  of 
Spears'  hrigade,  do  not  properly  come  within  the 
scope  of  this  narrative.  Colonel  Walker's  brigade, 
which  follows,  had  been  temporarily  detached  from 
Steadman's  division. 

Colonel  M.  B.  Walker's  Brigade — (Detached.} 

Seventeenth  Ohio  Regiment, Colonel  J.  M.  Connell. 
Thirty-First  Ohio  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  P.  W.  Lister. 
Thirty-Eighth  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  Phelps. 
Eighty-Second  Indiana  Regiment,  Colonel  Hunter. 
Ohio  Battery,  Captain  Church. 


126  *  REORGANIZATION    OF    THE    ARMY. 

LEFT  WIFG— (Numbering  13,288  men). 
Major  General  Thomas  L.  Crittenden  Commanding. 

FIRST  DIVISION, 

BRIGADIER    GENERAL    THOMAS   J.    WOOD    COMMANDING. 

First  Brigade,  Brigadier  General  Miles  S.  Hascall  Commanding. 

Twenty-Sixth  Ohio  Regiment,  Colqnel  E.  P.  Fyffe. 

Fifty-Eighth  Indiana  Regiment,  Colonel  Geo.  P.  Buell. 

Third  Kentucky  Regiment,  Colonel  McKee. 

One  Hundredth  Illinois  Regiment,  Colonel  Bartleson. 
Second  Brigade,  Colonel  George  D.   Wagner  Commanding. 

Fifty-Seventh  Indiana  Regiment,  Colonel  C.  C.  Hines. 

Fortieth  Indiana  Regiment,  Colonel  J.  W.  Blake. 

Fifteenth  Indiana  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Wood. 

Ninety-Seventh  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  Lane. 
Third  Brigade,  Colonel  C.  G.  Harkcr  Commanding. 

Fifty-First  Indiana  Regiment,  Colonel  Streight. 

Sixty-Fourth  Ohio  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Mcllvain. 

Thirteenth  Michigan  Regiment,  Colonel  Shoemaker. 

Sixty-Fifth  Ohio  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Cassil. 

Seventy-Third  Indiana  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Hathaway. 
Artillery. 

Eighth  Indiana  Battery,  Captain  Estep. 

Tenth  Indiana  Battery,  Captain  Cox. 

Sixth  Ohio  Battery,  Captain  Bradley. 

SECOND  DIVISION, 

BRIGADIER    GENERAL    J.    M.    PALMER,    COMMANDING, 

First  Brigade,  Brigadier  General  C.  Cruft,   Commanding. 

First  Kentucky  Regiment,  Colonel  D.  A.  Enyart. 

Second  Kentucky  Regiment,  Colonel  T.  D.  Sedgwick. 

Thirty-First  Indiana  Regiment,  Colonel  John  Osborne. 

Ninetieth  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  Ross. 
Second  Brigade,  Colonel  W.  B.  Hazen,  Commanding. 

Forty-First  Ohio  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Aquila  Wiley. 

Sixth  Kentucky  Regiment,  Colonel  W.  C.  Whittaker. 

Ninth  Indiana  Regiment,  Colonel  W.  H.  Blake. 

One  Hundred  and  Tenth  Illinois  Regiment,  Colonel  Thos.  S.  Casey. 
Third  Brigade,  Colonel  W.  Grose  Commanding. 

Thirty-Sixth  Indiana  Regiment,  Major  Kinley. 

Twenty-Fourth  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  Fred.  Jones. 


REORGANIZATION    OP    THE    ARMY.  127 

Sixth  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  N.  L.  Anderson. 
Twenty-Third  Kentucky  Regiment,  Major  Hamrick. 
Eighty-Fourth  Illinois  Regiment,  Colonel  Waters. 
Artillery. 

Fourth  United  States  Artillery,  Battery  M,  Lieutenant  Parsons. 
First  Ohio  Artillery,  Battery  B,  Captain  Standart. 
Indiana  Battery,  Captain  Cockerell 

THIRD  DIVISION, 

BRIGADIER    GENERAL    II.    P.    VAN    CLEVE    COMMANDING. 

First  Brigade,  Colonel  Samuel  Bealty   Commanding, 

Ninth  Kentucky  Regiment,  Colonel  Grider. 

Eleventh  Kentucky  Regiment,  Major  E.  S.  Motley. 

Nineteenth  Ohio  Regiment,  Major  C.  F.  Manderson. 

Seventy-Ninth  Indiana  Regiment,  Colonel  Fred.  Kneffler. 
Second  Brigade,  Colonel  J.  P.  Fyffe  Commanding. 

Forty-Fourth  Indiana  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Reed. 

Thirteenth  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  J.  G.  Hawkins. 

Eighty-Sixth  Indiana  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Dick. 

Fifty-Ninth  Ohio  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Howard. 
Third  Brigade,  Colonel  Stanley  Matthews  Commanding. 

Fifty-First  Ohio  Regiment,  Lieutenant  Colonel  McLain. 

Thirty-Fifth  Indiana  Regiment,  Colonel  B.  R.  Mullen. 

Twenty-First  Kentucky  Regiment,  Colonel  S.  W.  Price. 

Eighth  Kentucky  Regiment,  Colonel  S.  M.  Barnes. 

Ninety-Ninth  Ohio  Regiment,  Colonel  P.  T.  Swaine. 
Artillery. 

Seventh  Indiana  Battery,  Captain  Swallow. 

Third  Wisconsin  Battery,  Lieutenant  Livingston. 

Twenty-Sixth  Pennsylvania  Battery,  Lieutenant  Steven.s}, 

CAVALRY, 

BRIGADIER  GENERAL   DAYI&,    S,    STANLEY    COMMANDING. 

First  Ohio  Volunteer  Cavalry,  Colonel  Minor  Millikin. 
Third  Ohio  Volunteer  Cavalry,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Murray. 
Fourth  Ohio  Volunteer  Cavalry,  Lieutenant  Colonel  J.  L.  Pugh. 
Seventh  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  Majqr  W'yn^QQp. 
Fourth  Michigan  Volunteer  Cavalry,  Co.lqnel  Minty. 
Third  Kentucky  Volunteer  Cayalry,  Colonel  Murray. 
First  Middle  Tennessee  Cayalry,  Colonel  W.  B.  Stokes. 
Second  East  Tennessee  Cavalry,  Colonel  Cook. 
Third  Indiana  Oavalry  (four  companies  only),  Major  Kline. 


128  REORGANIZATION   OF   THE   ARMY. 

Fifteenth  Pennsylvania  (three  hundred  men),  Major  Rosengarten. 
Fourth  United  States  Cavalry,  Captain  Elmer  Otis. 

Colonel  John  Kennett,  of  the  Fourth  Ohio  Cavalry, 
commanded  the  Second  Cavalry  Division  on  the  left 
wing.  Colonel  Zahn,  of  the  Third  Ohio  Cavalry, 
commanded  a  cavalry  brigade  on  the  right  under 
General  Stanley.  Colonel  Minty,  of  the  Fourth 
Michigan,  commanded  a  brigade  under  Colonel  Ken 
nett.  ' 

PIONEER   BRIGADE. 

Besides  the  foregoing,  there  was  a  brigade  of  Pio 
neers,  which  had  been  selected  by  Captain  James  St. 
Clair  Morton,  United  States  Engineers,  from  forty 
different  regiments.  It  proved  invaluable  to  the  serv 
ice.  It  numbered  about  seventeen  hundred  men,  and 
was  organized  in  three  battalions,  commanded  respect 
ively  by  Captain  Bridges,  of  the  Nineteenth  Illinois  ; 
Captain  Hood,  of  the  Eleventh  Michigan  ;  and  Cap 
tain  Clements,  of  the  Sixty-Ninth  Ohio  Infantry,  the 
whole  being  under  Captain  Morton's  command,  and 
organized  and  disciplined  by  him.  The  Chicago 
Board  of  Trade  Battery,  Captain  Stokes,  was  attached 
to  it.  But  the  members  of  this  organization  were 
included  in  the  foregoing  muster.  The  Michigan 
Engineers  and  Mechanics,  Colonel  Innis,  numbering 
about  four  hundred  men,  was  on  detached  duty,  and 
it  greatly  distinguished  itself.  The  immortal  Tenth 
Ohio  Regiment,  Col.  J.  W.  Burke,  which  had  been 
proverbial  for  its  splendid  soldierly  qualities,  and  dis 
tinguished  for  its  brilliant  gallantry  at  Carnifex  Ferry 
and  Chaplin  Hills,  had  been  detached  from  Colonel 
Jobn  Beatty's  brigade,  and  as  a  token  of  honorable 


REORGANIZATION   OF   THE   ARMY.  129 

distinction  was  assigned  to  duty  by  General  Rosecrans 
as  General  Headquarters'  Guard. 

Regiments  were  numerous  enough,  but  many  were 
reduced  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  fighting  men  each. 
The  six  battalions  of  regulars  numbered  only  fourteen 
hundred  men,  and,  as  has  been  shown,  there  were 
only  two  thousand  two  hundred  and  twenty-three 
men  to  handle  one  hundred  and  fifty  field  pieces.  Of 
the  infantry  regiments,  thirty- two  (including  the  First 
and  Second  Kentucky  Infantry,  which  were  enlisted 
and  generally  officered  in  Cincinnati),  were  from 
Ohio;  twenty-five  from  Indiana;  twenty-two  from 
Illinois  ;  three  from  Pennsylvania ;  five  from  "Wiscon 
sin;  ten  from  Kentucky;  two  from  Missouri;  three 
from  Michigan  ;  and  two  from  Tennessee.  Three  of 
the  cavalry  regiments  were  from  Ohio,  two  from  Ten 
nessee,  one  from  Kentucky,  two  from  Pennsylvania, 
one  from  Michigan,  and  a  detachment  of  four  small 
companies  from  Indiana. 

THE   GENERALS. 

The  Right  Wing  and  Center  were  commanded  by 
educated  soldiers  of  large  experience.  Major  General 
Crittenden  had  not  received  a  military  education.  He 
was  essentially  a  volunteer,  but  was  a  vigilant  and 
zealous  officer.  Brigadier  Generals  Johnson,  Sherri- 
dan,  Van  Cleve,  and  Wood,  commanding  divisions, 
were  graduates  of  the  Military  Academy  at  West 
Point,  and  were  approved,  good  soldiers  of  experience. 
Brigadier  General  Davis  was  a  regular  officer  of  expe 
rience  and  skill.  Major  General  Rousseau,  Brigadier 
Generals  E"egley  and  Palmer,  commanding  divisions, 
were  volunteers.  General  Kegley,  however,  had 


130  REORGANIZATION    OF   THE   ARMY. 

served  in  the  war  with  Mexico,  and  had  devoted  his 
attention  to  military  matters  during  many  years. 
Excepting  Brigadier  Generals  Sill,  Kirk,  Willich, 
Cruft,  Hascall,  and  Spears,  the  brigade  commanders 
were  Colonels.  Sill  and  Ilascall  were  graduates  of 
West  Point.  Kirk,  Willich,  and  Cruft  were  volun 
teers,  hut  Willich  had  been  a  soldier  in  Europe. 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Shepherd,  commanding  the  bri 
gade  of  regular  troops,  Colonel  W.  P.  Carlin,  Colo 
nel  W.  B.  Hazen,  and  Colonel  Charles  G.  Harker, 
were  also  graduates.  All  the  remaining  brigade 
commanders  were  volunteers.  Excepting  Colonel  P. 
T.  Swainc,  commanding  the  Ninety-Ninth  Ohio  Regi 
ment,  all  the  regimental,  field  and  line  officers,  except 
ing  those  in  the  brigade  of  regulars,  were  purely 
volunteers — many  of  them  yet  in  the  "  School  of  the 
Soldier,"  but  some  were  men  of  fine  military  capac 
ity.  Excepting  the  Chief  of  Cavalry,  and  the  officers 
of  the  Fourth  United  States  Cavalry,  all  the  field,  and 
staff,  and  line  officers  of  the  cavalry  were  volunteer 
soldiers.  Mendenhall,  Stokes,  Guenther,  and  Parsons, 
were  the  only  artillery  officers,  excepting  several  sub 
ordinates,  who  were  regularly  educated  in  gunnery; 
but  fe\v  in  any  service  were  superior  to  Loomis,  of 
Michigan,  and  Barnet,  of  Ohio.  Hescock,  Bradley, 
Standart,  Edgarton,  Cox,  Swallow,  Bush,  and  Simon- 
son,  also  ranked  high  in  the  art  of  gunnery, 

THE   SITUATION. 

But  the   army,  on  December  25th,  was  generally 

in   superb   condition — -well-appointed,   spirited,   and 

,  confident.     They  seemed  animated  with  a  conviction 

that  with  a  fighting  general  they  could  redeem  the 


REORGANIZATION   OF   THE   ARMY.  131 

blank  record  of  the  past  months  of  barren  toil.  The 
General  Commanding,  relying  upon  Providence  and 
trusting  in  the  steadfast  valor  of  his  gallant  legions, 
was  sanguine  and  hopeful.  The  enemy  were  now 
facing  us  squarely  and  defiantly — separated  from  o in 
line  of  outposts  by  a  strip  of  territory  two  miles  wide 
in  our  direct  front,  with  a  line  of  videttes  posting 
upon  an  irregular  front  corresponding  with  our  own, 
extending  on  their  left  from  the  front  of  Triune  to 
Nolensville,  thence  to  Baird's  Mills,  the  line  crossing 
the  Murfreesboro  pike  four  miles  in  front  of  Lavergne. 
It  had  been  .reported  that  Stevenson's  division,  of 
Kirby  Smith's  Corps,  had  been  sent  to  reinforce  Pem- 
berton's  Army  of  the  Mississippi,  and  that  Kirby 
Smith  himself  had  gone  to  assume  command  of  a  new 
department.  The  remainder  of  his  command,  it  was 
said,  had  been  merged  into  the  corps  of  Polk  and 
Hardee.  Hitherto,  Kirby  Smith  had  commanded  the 
rio-ht,  Polk  the  center,  and  Hardee  the  left  of  the 

O  7  I 

rebel  army.  Their  disposition  of  cavalry  remained 
unchanged,  save  that  Forrest,  as  already  stated,  was 
cutting  up  General  Grant's  communications,  and  Mor 
gan  was  moving  into  Kentucky  to  cut  railroad  con 
nections  between  Louisville  and  Nashville — General 
Reynolds'  and  General  Steadman's  forces  pursuing 
him — Major  General  Wright,  commanding  the  Depart 
ment  of  the  Ohio,  endeavoring  to  head  him  off.  But 
Morgan  accomplished  his  enterprise — broke  up  the 
railroad  at  various  points,  destroyed  much  public 
property,  captured  many  prisoners,  and  escaped  with 
out  serious  loss.  Meantime,  matters  of  great  moment 
were  culminating. 


132  ROSECRANS   AND   THOMAS. 


CHAPTER     XVIII. 

ORDERS  to  March — Preparation — Excitement  in  Nashville — Christmas | 
Night — Consultation  of  Generals  —  Rosecrans,  Thomas,  McCook, 
Crittenden,  Stanley,  Johnson,  Negley,  Sherridan — "Fight  them  !"— - 
The  Plan  of  Movement — The  Commanding  General  and  his  Military 
Household — Customs  of  Headquarters — Nocturnal  Scenes — Lectures* 
to  Young  Officers — Conversation — Politics,  Literature,  Science,  War 
—Good  Night. 

THE  opportune  moment  for  aggressive  movement 
was  at  hand.     Orders  for  an  advance  of  the  Four 
teenth  Army  Corps  were  issued  Wednesday,  the  24th i 
of  December.     The  columns  would  move  at  daylight' 
Christmas  morning.     Presently  the  camps  blazed  withi 
excitement.     The  sturdy  troops  greeted  the  announce 
ment  with  shrill  clamor,  which  swelled  its  cheerful! 
volume  far  along  the  ridges  and  down  into  the  val-> 
leys,  as  musket  volleys  roll  along  a  line  of  battle. 
There  was  glorious  assurance  in  that  manful  uproar. 
The    populous     hills     blazed   with     sparkling    fires. 
Thousands    were   cooking    rations    for    the    march. 
The    commissariat    labored   under  manifold  requisi 
tions.    Muskets  soon  gleamed  with  fatal  luster.    Busy 
pens  swiftly  indited  fond  adieus,  perhaps  the  last,  to< 
loved  ones  at  home,  and  it  was  not  long  before  the 
mails  groaned  under  the  weight  of  affectionate  testi 
mony  from  those  brave  hearts.     The  horseman  care 
fully  brushed  his  equipments,  adjusted  his  last  strap, 
looked  well  to  his  holsters,  and  patted  his  faithful 


ROSECRANS   AND   THOMAS.  133 

charger  kindly  on  Ins  shining  neck,  as  if  soliciting  his 
last  proof  of  endurance  and  fidelity.  The  cannonier 
burnished  his  trusty  piece  until  it  glistened,  then 
poised  it  again  and  again,  sighting  it  at  imaginary 
foes,  so  soon  to  assume  stern  substantial  form.  Aids 
and  orderlies  thundered  over  the  highways  and 
through  the  bustling  camps,  swiftly  bearing  messages. 
Here  and  there  were  tableaux  of  soldiers,  earnest  and 
animated,  standing  by  the  old  flag  at  headquarters, 
talking  of  battle  and  of  victory.  Picturesque  groups 
of  officers  in  eager  colloquy,  clustered  about  brigade 
and  division  marquees,  now  and  then  one  swiftly 
mounting  and  away  with  orders.  And  the  surgeon, 
in  his  tent,  drew  from  his  case  the  glittering  blade  at 
which  the  bold  heart  shrinks  in  fear  which  no  mortal 
enemy  can  inspire.  The  young  soldier  daintily  fin 
gers  the  probe,  and  shuddering,  asks  its  use.  The 
veteran  of  battles  grimly  jests  at  the  knife,  and  stalks 
away  soberly  to  his  comrades.  The  surgeon,  seem 
ingly  cold  and  unfeeling,  but  with  warm  and  sensitive 
heart,  covered,  it  seems  to  the  soldiers,  with  a  glare  of 
ice,  carefully  wipes  the  last  atom  of  moisture  or  dust 
from  the  gleaming  steel,  and  his  cruel  preparation  is 
done. 

EXCITEMENT   IN   NASHVILLE. 

The  tidings  wafted  back  to  Nashville,  and  revolved 
ipon  a  thousand  busy  tongues.  Haughty  dames  of 
she  capital  stood  upon  their  stately  porticoes  gossip 
ing  sagely  with  other  dames,  or  hastily  flitted  from 
house  to  house  wild  with  excitement  which  flamed 
in  their  eyes  and  burned  in  their  flushing  cheeks. 
Had  the  eye  of  suspicion  enjoyed  power  to  peer  into 
:he  mysteries  of  secluded  apartments,  it  might  have 


134  ROSECRANS   AND    THOMAS. 

discovered  nervous  preparation  for  secret  enterprise, 
that  waited  for  execution  only  until  darkness.  Who 
can  doubt  that  trusty  messengers  fled  swiftly  that 
night  from  ladies'  chambers  to  the  camps  of  the 
enemy,  bearing  great  news?  It  was  never  explained, 
but  before  the  hours  of  evening  waned  into  midnight, 
other  and  countermanding  orders  went  out,  and  the 
camps  settled  moodily  to  rest.  But  it  was  only  a  sus 
pension  for  twenty-four  hours.  The  General  Com 
manding  devoted  Christmas  morning  to  worshiping 
God. 

CONSULTATION   AT    HEADQUARTERS. 

Christmas  night  there  was  an  assemblage  of  com 
manders  at  headquarters.  There  was  consultation, 
but  "council  of  war"  none.  The  Chief  likes  them 
not.  Decidedly,  he  indorses  the  martial  maxim — 
"  councils  of  war  don't  fight."  Major  General 
Thomas  was  there,  certainly — "true  and  prudent, 
distinguished  in  council,  and  on  many  battle  fields  for 
his  courage,"  could  it  be  otherwise?  McCook, 
"brave,  faithful,  and  loyal  soldier,"  standing  with  his 
elbow  on  the  mantel,  merry  and  confident,  and  boast 
ful  of  his  gallant  corps — then  heroes  of  two  sanguin 
ary  battles ;  Crittenden,  "  whose  heart  is  that  of  a 
true  soldier  and  patriot,"  stately  and  reticent,  believ 
ing  in  the  justice  of  the  "old  Master"  of  us  all,  but 
assuring  that  "if  the  rebels  stood  at  all  there  would 

be  d d  hard  fighting  ;  "  "  gay  old  Stanley,"  hero 

of  five  battles,  quick  and  comprehensive  in  sugges 
tion,  moving  about  restlessly,  with  saber  rattling  at 
his  heels;  Johnson,  grave  arid  saturnine,  but  earnest 
and  thoughtful ;  l!Tegley,  prompt,  decisive,  and  ready 
upon  requisition,  come  when  it  might;  and  quiet 


ROSECRANS    AND   THOMAS.  135 

Phil.  Sherridan,  keen  observer,  but  silent  now, — so 
unlike  him  in  battle,  where  he  shows  a  heart  of  oak. 
Others  may  have  called  between  sunset  and  midnight. 

ROSECRANS   AND    THOMAS. 

There  was  swift  interchange  of  thought,  and  two 
drew  aside.     The  bed  of  the  Chief  occupied  the  space 
between  two  doors.     The  right  hand  door  communi 
cated  with  the  military   telegraph   office.     Between 
the  bed  and  the  front  window  near  it  was  a  narrow 
space.     The  topographical  maps  were  tacked  to  the 
door  and  spread  upon  the  bed.     The  aids' table  was 
under  the  window-sill.     The  Chief  sometimes  used  a 
corner  of  it,  and  sometimes  a  corner  of  Garesche°s 
table,  which  was  under  the  other  front  window,  near 
the  grate.     When  the  Chief  consulted  the  "true  and 
j  prudent,"  the  latter  sidled  and  backed  into  the  niche 
I  between  the  two  tables,  and  his  Commander  seated 
i  himself  directly  in  his  front,  looking  into   his  eyes. 
i  General  Thomas  backed  in  there   now,   you   would 
i  have  said  mechanically — it  was  a  habit  of  a  month's 
[growth.     The  Chief  was  balanced  upon  the  edge  of 
a  chair,  leaning  over  vis-a-vis,  almost  in  the  embrace 
of  Thomas.     The  conversation  was  animated,  almost 
vehement,   the    consulted    listening  profoundly,   the 
consulter  talking  rapidly  and  hotly,  with  blazing  eyes, 
the  former  nodding  now  and  then,  perhaps  dropping 
I  a  curt  suggestion.     All  undertone,  but  there  was  des- 
itiny  in  it.     Battle  was  flashing  from  the  tips  of  nerv- 
jous  fingers  which  had  base  upon  the  edge  of  the  chair. 
i  Those  who  know  General  Rosecrans  can  see  the  plan 
as  he  was  manipulating  it  in  his  nervous  way. 
The   others  were   chatting  a  little   common-place 


136  ROSECRANS  AND  THOMAS. 

colloquy,  or  looking  into  the  grate  watching  the  cedar 
sticks  curl  into  flame.  How  much  of  the  past  and  of 
the  future  one  may  see  in  a  blaze  or  a  heap  of  glow 
ing  coals.  Garesche*,  his  head  bowed  over  the  corner 
of  the  table,  which  seemed  part  of  him,  until  his 
broad,  clear  brow  almost  touched  the  tip  of  his  pen — 
for  he  was  near-sighted — was  flinging  oft'  sheets  of 
manuscript  in  his  wonderful  way — orders,  correspond 
ence,  instructions — suspending  now  and  then  to 
respond  pleasantly  to  some  interpolated  query.  You 
supposed  he  was  always  sitting  at  that  corner  of  his 
table — and  indeed  he  was,  from  ten  o'clock  of  morn 
ing  till  long  after  midnight,  when  not  racing  through 
a  fresh  newspaper,  with  a  sort  of  impatience  which 
indicated  a  jealousy  that  it  was  robbing  him  of  pre 
cious  time.  Staff  officers  were  tip-toeing  in  and  out 
softly,  or  lounging  about  in  easy  chairs  or  upon  a  cot 
near  the  chimney-jam  corner  of  the  chamber,  over 
against  the  back  wall.  Father  Trecy  slipped  into  the 
room  in  his  gentlemanly  way — everybody  greeting 
him  kindly — let  fly  his  budget  of  "  grapevines  "  which 
he  had  a  faculty  for  picking  up  in  the  streets — and 
then  slipped  out  again  as  softly.  Ducat,  a  military 
Javert,  devoted  to  duty,  which  he  always  discharged 
perfectly,  stepped  in  promptly  and  stepped  out 
promptly  with  instructions.  The  "  old  boy" — they 
addressed  him  so,  and  lovingly — looked  in  modestly, 
but  when  Kirby  disappeared  none  could  tell.  He  had 
a  cat-like  habit  of  getting  away  when  there  was  noth 
ing  for  him  to  do.  Thorns  ancF  Thompson,  at  the  foot 
of  the  cot,  flanking  a  little  deal  table,  dimly  illumined 
by  the  feeble  glimmer  of  a  stearine  dip,  industriously 
worried  out  the  pregnant  ciphers.  Tom  fed  the 


ROSECRAN3   AND   THOMAS.  137 

cheerful  fire  in  the  grate;  the  bright  blaze  was  roar 
ing  pleasantly  up  the  chimney;  the  telegraph  fingers 
were  clicking  merrily  in  the  little  room,  and  Monsieur 
John  produced  his  steaming  toddy. 

RESULT    OP   THE    CONSULTATION. 

Strange  that  nobody  ever  seemed  jealous  ot 
Thomas.  But  he  was  so  modest  and  unpretentious. 
When  the  command  of  the  great  Army  of  the  Ohio 
was  tendered  him,  you  know  he  declined  that  glitter 
ing  recognition  of  his  worth.  Monsieur  Vault  had 
\nstinctively  timed  the  toddy.  When  the  glasses  got 
to  the  corner,  there  was  an  eager  sentence  or  two,  an 
acquiescing  nod  on  either  side,  and  history  was  made. 
The  Chief  was  jocose  an  instant,  but  directly  a  glass 
went  down  upon  Garesch<fs  table  with  a  clang. 
Garesch^  looked  up,  surprised  a  little,  and  lounged 
back  in  his  chair.  Suddenly  the  Chief — "  We  move 
to-morrow,  gentlemen !  We  shall  begin  to  skirmish, 
probably,  as  soon  as  we  pass  the  outposts.  Press 
them  hard!  Drive  them  out  of  their  nests!  Make 
them  fight  or  run!  Strike  hard  and  fast!  Give 
them  no  rest !  Fight  them  !  Fight  them  !  FIGHT,  I 
say!"  and  his  glittering  blue  eyes  flashed  like  a  gleam 
of  lightning,  and  the  nervous  right  hand  dashed  into 
the  palm  of  the  scarified  left,  ringing  as  if  cymbals 
were  clanging.  Thomas  looked  up  with  a  grim  smile 
of  approval ;  McCook's  sharp  eyes  twinkled  with 
internal  enjoyment;  and  Crittenden  straightened  up 
his  trim  figure  with  a  sort  of  swell,  as  if  he  had 
heard  the  programme  exactly,  and  was  prepared  to 
execute  it.  It  was  then  accepted  as  a  probability  that 
the  enemy  would  make  a  stand  at  Stewart's  Creek — 
12 


108  ROSECRANS   AND   THOMAS. 

five  miles  in  the  rear  of  Lavergne,  going  by  the  Mur- 
freesboro  turnpike.  General  Rosecrans  therefore 
directed  the  army  to  move  in  three  columns,  accord 
ing  to  the  following  instructions,  to-wit. : 

PLAN   OF   MOVEMENT. 

McCook,  with  three  divisions,  to  advance  by  the 
l^olensville  pike  to  Triune. 

Thomas,  with  two  divisions  (N"egley's  and  Rous 
seau's),  to  advance  on  his  right,  by  the  Franklin  and 
Wilson  pikes,  threatening  Hardee's  right,  and  then  to 
fall  in  by  the  cross-roads  to  Nolensville. 

Crittenden,  with  Wood's,  Palmer's,  and  Van  Cleve's 
divisions,  to  advance  by  the  Murfreesboro  pike  to 
Lavergne. 

"With  Thomas'  two  divisions  at  ^Tolensville, 
McCook  was  to  attack  Hardee  at  Triune,  and  if  the 
enemy  reinforced  Hardee,  Thomas  was  to  support 
McCook. 

If  McCook  beat  Hardee,  or  Hardee  retreated,  and 
the  enemy  met  us  at  Stewart's  Creek,  five  miles  south 
of  Lavergne,  Crittenden  was  to  attack  him ;  Thomas 
was  to  come  in  on  his  left  flank,  and  McCook,  after 
detaching  a  division  to  pursue  or  observe  Hardee,  if 
retreating  south,  was  to  move,  with  the  remainder  of 
his  force,  on  their  rear. 

Brigadier  General  Stanley  was  to  cover  the  move 
ment  with  his  cavalry.  He  divided  his  corps  intc 
three  columns,  and  directed  the  first  brigade,  com 
manded  by  Colonel  Minty,  of  the  Fourth  Michigan 
Volunteer  Cavalry,  to  move  upon  the  Murfreesboro 
pike,  in  advance  of  the  Left  Wing.  The  second  bri 
gade,  commanded  by  Colonel  Zahn,  of  the  Third 


ROSECRAXS   AND    THOMAS.  139 

Ohio  Volunteer  Cavalry,  was  ordered  to  the  Frank 
lin  road  to  dislodge  the  enemy's  cavalry,  and  to  move 
parallel  to  the  .Right  Wing,  protecting  its  right  flank. 
The  reserve  cavalry,  consisting  of  the  new  regiments — 
Anderson  Troop,  or  Fifteenth  Pennsylvania,  the 
First  Middle  Tennessee,  the  Second  East  Tennessee 
Cavalry,  and  four  companies  of  the  Third  Indiana 
Cavalry — General  Stanley  was  himself  to  command, 
and  precede  General  McCook's  corps  on  the  oSTolens- 
ville  turnpike.  Colonel  John  Kennett,  of  the  Fourth 
Ohio  Cavalry,  was  to  command  the  cavalry  on  the 
Left  Wing.  The  Fourth  United  States  Cavalry,  Cap 
tain  Elmer  Otis,  was  reserved  for  escort  and  courier 
duty. 

General  Thomas  was  the  first  to  say  good  night.  It 
was  full  midnight  hefore  all  the  commanders  had  dis 
persed.  As  they  rose  to  depart,  the  Chief  took  each 
by  the  hand,  and  to  all  gave  his  parting  admonition : 
"Fight  them!  Spread  out  your  skirmishers  far  and 
wide  !  Iveep  pushing  ahead !  Expose  their  nests ! 
Fight !  Keep  fighting!  They  will  not  stand  it.  Good 
night ! " 

SOCIAL    LIFE    AT   HEADQUARTERS. 

This  was  the  night  preceding  movement.  It  was, 
therefore,  more  interesting  and  exciting  than  other 
nights.  Yet  it  was  only  an  exaggerated  copy  of 
many.  Ordinarily,  officers  of  all  departments,  citi 
zens,  et  id  omnia,  thronged  the  General's  chamber 
during  the  day,  and  every  hour  was  absorbed  in  busi 
ness.  The  nights  were  busy,  too,  but  there  were 
pleasant  episodes.  Commanders  were  most  apt  to 
call  socially  then,  and  the  Chief's  military  household 


140  ROSECRAXS    AND    THOMAS. 

assembled  about  him.  Garesche*,  always  present,  was. 
wedded  to  his  papers,  but  never  seemed  oppressed. 
His  faculty  for  disposing  of  business  was  marvelous. 
He  never  exhibited  impatience  or  irritability,  but  was 
ever  ready  to  oblige,  and  to  respond  to  all  questions 
with  charming  courtesy.  On  occasion  he  took  cheer 
ful  part  in  conversation,  displaying  the  charms  of  a 
richly  cultivated  intellect,  and  enjoying  facetise  with 
as  keen  relish  as  the  most  mercurial.  Goddard  and 
Dickson,  for  the  most  part,  were  swallowed  up  in  the 
freshet  which  ever  threatened  to  overflow  the  Adju 
tant  General's  Bureau.  Bond,  Thorns,  and  Thomp 
son,  were  seldom  absent.  Thorns  and  Thompson  had 
custody  of  the  ciphers,  but  all  the  aids  were  thor 
oughly  inducted  into  the  mysteries  and  miseries  of 
late  hours  and  incessant  labor.  St.  Clair  Morton 
would  flash  in,  state  case,  suggest,  and  flash  out 
again,  galloping  away  always  as  if  everything  he  had 
to  do  was  urgent  until  it  was  accomplished.  The 
General  usually  had  a  pleasant  laugh  at  Morton  after 
he  was  gone,  narrating  some  happy  anecdote  illus 
trating  his  practical  executive  faculty.  After  a  brief 
facetious  episode,  the  Chief  was  apt  to  dictate  three 
or  four  letters  or  dispatches  simultaneously,  setting 
Bond,  Thompson  and  Thorns  at  work,  while  he 
chatted  with  somebody  aside.  Some  of  his  most 
nervous  letters  and  public  papers  were  produced  in 
this  way.  Bruner  and  Melarky  meantime  were  inces 
santly  manipulating  the  telegraph  instrument  in  the 
adjoining  chamber.  Father  Trecy — an  exiled  priest 
from  Huntsville,  Alabama,  esteemed  alike  by  the 
Commander  and  Staff  for  his  worth — and  the  special 
guest  of  the  former — usually  dropped  in  about  ten 


ROSECRANS    AND    THOMAS.  141 

o'clock,  entertained  the  circle  with  collections  of 
"  grapevine,"  enjoyed  merriment  with  the  gayest, 
talked  eruditely  with  the  learned,  and  then  retired  to 
his  cot.  Kirby  ever  slipped  in  and  slipped  out  as  he 
did  Christmas  night.  The  Quartermaster  and  Com 
missary  were  wont  to  report  at  night.  Once  in  a 
while  the  army  Vidocq  surprised  the  staff  hy  his  mete 
oric  hlaze,  but  his  commander  usually  went  to  see  him. 
'Wiles,  the  Provost  Marshal,  as  admirable  for  his  mod 
esty  as  for  zeal  in  the  public  service,  ordinarily  got  in 
at  midnight  or  later ;  an  hour  at  which  the  General 
Commanding  was  ready  to  lecture  him  for  following 
his  own  example  by  working  too  hard.  But  the  Gen 
eral  had  such  an  affectionate,  jovial  way  of  reprimand 
ing  him,  that  the  interview  usually  ended  in  general 
pleasantry.  Ducat  was  always  present  when  instruc 
tions  were  desirable.  He  hardly  ever  retired  that  his 
Chief  did  not  say,  "  I  like  that  man — he  is  a  thorough 
soldier."  "  So  say  we  all  of  us,"  ran  the  merry 
roundelay.  Colonel  Ducat  had  perfected  a  system  of 
army  inspections,  by  which  the  effective  strength  of 
the  army,  or  any  portion  of  it,  could  be  determined 
in  an  instant,  which,  together  with  his  high  soldierly 
character,  commended  him  to  his  Chiefs  regard. 
Skinner,  high-minded  and  sympathetic,  was  keenly 
desirous  to  build  up  a  system  of  army  jurisprudence 
that  would  reflect  credit  upon  the  department,  and 
was  apt  sometimes,  by  expressing  his  notions  of  equity 
rather  generously,  to  run  counter  to  the  General's 
severer  ideas  of  military  justice  and  propriety,  thus 
occasionally  evoking  sharp  criticisms,  which  his  sen 
sitiveness  caused  him  to  misconstrue  into  censure — his 
staff'  companions  rather  enjoying  his  nervousness 


142  ROSECRANS   AND    THOMAS. 

because  they  better  understood  the  animus  of  their 
sometimes  martial  Rhadamanthus.  Skinner  under 
stood  it  after  awhile,  and  succeeded  in  so  tempering 
justice  with  mercy  that  he  seemed  in  a  fair  way  to 
accomplish  the  object  of  his  honorable  ambition.  The 
Chief  esteemed  no  officer  of  his  staff  more  thoroughly. 
Michler,  of  the  "  Topogs,"  often  had  a  time  of  it.  His 
was  the  nervous  department.  It  was  no  bed  of  roses, 
but  there  were  thorns  enough.  As  map  maker,  he 
naturally  touched  sensitive  points,  and  evoked  search^ 
ing  criticisms  from  a  commander  who  particularly 
insisted  in  having  the  exact  location,  range,  direction, 
sinuosities,  meanderings,  elevations,  depressions,  and 
proportions  of  every  river,  rivulet,  road,  ridge,  ravine, 
hill,  hollow,  forest,  swamp,  bridge,  cornfield,  cotton 
plantation,  canebreak,  or  cedar  thicket  within  the 
scope  of  the  field  of  operations.  He  was  very  apt  to 
conclude,  after  enveloping  himself  in  his  blankets  at 
bed  time,  that  his  bureau  was  a  sort  of  military 
Tophet.  Edson,  of  the  Ordnance  Corps,  worried 
through  a  similar  experience,  since  powder  and  ball 
were  as  essential  to  war  as  maps  and  hard  tack.  But 
it  was  a  matter  of  pride  to  all.  at  last,  to  meet  the 
approval  of  a  Chief  who  pertinaciously  insisted  upon 
knowing  for  himself  that  everything  necessary  to  suc 
cess  had  been  done,  and  precisely  how  it  was  done. 
This  course  of  Lectures  to  Young  Officers  interpolated 
in  the  course  of  a  miscellaneous  evening  conversazi 
one,  was  quite  a  treat  to  those  who  escaped  fire,  or 
had  run  the  gauntlet  successfully. 


ROSECRANS   AND    THOMAS.  143 


CONVERSATION. 

When  lectures  were  concluded,  orders  executed, 
correspondence  all  disposed  of,  somewhere  about  mid 
night — an  hour  earlier  or  an  hour  later  was  altogether 
immaterial  —  dull  care  was  dismissed  and  pleasure 
assumed  supremacy.  Nobody  then  was  more  facetious 
or  happy  than  the  General.  The  temper  of  conver 
sation,  of  course,  depended  altogether  upon  the  direc 
tion  given  it  in  the  beginning.  If  religious,  it  was 
apt  to  absorb  the  hours  until  they  run  almost  into 
daylight.  The  Chief  took  the  argument  and  carried 
it,  often  into  the  realms  of  Mother  Church,  where  the 
vehemence  of  his  intellect  and  his  zealous  temper 
developed  themselves  thoroughly.  He  had  the  Fathers 
of  the  Church  at  his  tongue's  end,  and  exhibited  a 
familiarity  with  controversial  theology  that  made  him 
a  formidable  antagonist  to  the  best  read,  even  of  the 
clerical  profession.  He  would  admit  no  fallibility 
whatever  in  any  department  of  his  own  church,  but 
he  did  not  permit  his  strong  reliance  in  the  Church 
of  Rome  to  warp  his  judgment  in  material  things, 
especially  in  military  matters.  It  has  been  recklessly 
said  that  he  required  the  attendance  of  the  Roman 
Catholics  of  his  staff,  escort,  and  attendants,  at  mass 
every  Wednesday  and  Sunday.  It  is  a  gross  calumny. 
He  never  interferes  with  the  spiritual  affairs  of  any 
subordinate,  regarding  those  as  sacred  personal  mat 
ters,  to  be  governed  by  the  convictions  of  each  indi 
vidual.  Moreover,  General  Stanley  and  Garesche* 
were  the  only  Romanists  on  his  staff. 

He  had  no  taste  for  party  politics,  having  dismissed 
the  subject  until  the  rebellion  should  be  crushed — a 


144  ROSECRANS    AND    THOMAS. 

point  upon  which  he  expressed  no  doubts.  And, 
indeed,  he  never  had  been  a  politician.  Upon  the 
general  subject  of  slavery,  he  held  the  faith  that  had 
been  proclaimed  immemorially  by  his  church  and  by 
all  nations  which  have  pretended  to  civilization — save 
the  chivalrous  portion  of  these  United  States.  Touch 
ing  slavery  and  the  rebellion  he  was  quite  clear  that 
there  had  grown  up  a  necessity  to  emasculate  that 
element  of  military  power.  The  Proclamation  was 
yet  a  promise.  When  it  became  an  order  he  would 
obey. 

Upon  belle  lettres  he  opened  a  mine  of  rich  lore, 
and  charmed  you,  as  well  by  the  felicity  of  his  illus 
trations,  as  by  the  pungent  and  comprehensive  char 
acter  of  his  criticism.  It  was  not  a  little  amusing  to 
the  author  to  read  in  a  leading  Eastern  journal,  that 
in  science  and  literature  Rosecrans  was  probably  the 
inferior  of  McClellan  and  Buell.  Their  respective 
mutual  classmates,  and  later  associates,  are  sure  that 
either  of  the  latter  might  learn  from  him  in  each 
department.  His  general  knowledge  of  science  is 
extensive.  Geology  and  mineralogy  are  specialities, 
and  in  those  sciences  he  ranks  among  the  most  accom 
plished  in  the  country. 

It  was  often  a  subject  of  curious  speculation  by 
members  of  the  staff  that  a  man  so  full  of  ideas,  and 
who  expressed  himself  so  readily  and  forcibly  without 
hesitating  for  language,  and  with  such  striking  force, 
in  the  presence  of  his  military  family,  should  be  an 
inferior  public  speaker.  It  was  nevertheless  true  that 
he  hesitated  and  stammered  upon  attempting  to 
address  even  a  line  of  soldiers  at  review.  In  those 
nocturnal  seances,  and  indeed  habitually,  his  deport- 


ROSECRANS   AND    THOMAS.  145 

ment  toward  his  staff  was  extremely  affable,  often 
almost  to  affectionate  familiarity.  General  McCook 
carelessly  remarking  of  him  to  a  friend,  said,  "The 
fact  is,  Rosecrans  is  too  clever — he  is  too  easy  of 
access."  It  was  singular  that  he  rarely  discussed  Jiis 
generals  to  their  disparagement.  But  if  anybody  knew 
anything  of  any  commander,  there  was  no  relief  for 
him  until  he  had  detailed  the  particulars.  He  was 
incessantly  accumulating  testimony  by  which  he 
might  guage  his  officers,  that  he  might  put  them  in 
their  proper  positions. 

In  professional  matters  he  was  exacting.  The  end 
of  the  night,  and  the  lengthening  hours  of  morning, 
often  crept  upon  him  and  his  coterie  of  the  junior 
officers  of  staff,  discoursing  the  art  of  war  in  all  its 
practical  ramifications,  and  it  was  not  unfrequently 
suggested,  that  to  a  young  man  proposing  to  adopt 
the  profession  of  arms,  the  Military  Academy  itself 
would  hardly  be  so  good  a  school  for  practical  war, 
as  an  active  position  upon  the  staff  of  General  Rose 
crans.  He  considered  war  an  exact  science,  admitting 
no  carelessness  or  slovenliness.  He  often  said — and 
when  he  said  it  irritably  you  might  see  it  fly  out  of 
his  eyes  and  off  the  ends  of  his  fingers — "  My  staff 
should  know  everything  I  know;"  "I  don't  allow 
any  staff  officer  to  forget  anything."  But  if  an 
unlucky  wight  knew  anything  imperfectly  and 
attempted  to  report  it,  the  Chief  was  apt,  as  the  staff 
said,  "  to  make  the  fur  fly."  "  How  do  you  know 
this  ?  "  "Who  told  you?  "  "How  does  he  know  ?  " 
"  Why  didn't  you  learn  all  the  particulars  ?  "  "  What 
are  you  an  officer  for?"  "  It's  your  business  to 
know."  "  You  must  know."  "  War  means  killing," 
13 


146  ROSECRANS    AND    THOMAS. 

and  so  on  to  an  end  with  a  sharp  sting  in  it.  To  one 
he  would  say,  "  You  don't  observe  closely ; "  to 
another,  "  You  don't  state  case  clearly  ;  "  to  a  third, 
"  You  are  deficient  in  geography — you  must  study." 
He  took  a  great  fancy  to  Thorns  on  account  of  his 
skill  in  mathematics  and  for  his  general  intelligence. 
Thorns  mastered  the  most  difficult  ciphers  in  a  few 
hours,  which  was  unusual.  Christmas  had  been  gone 
several  hours  when  the  General  Commanding  said 
"goodnight!" 


COLLISION   WITH    THE   ENEMY  147 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

THE  Army  Advances — Its  Spirit  in  Gloomy  Weather — Movements  of 
the  Center— Sharp  Combats  of  the  Right  Wing — The  Enemy  Driver^ 
and  Two  Guns  Captured — The  Cavalry — Gallant  Charges— The  Left 
Wing — The  Thirty-First  Indiana  and  First  Kentucky  Infantry 
Charge  and  Rout  the  Enemy — Close  of  the  First  Day's  Opera 
tions — The  Commanding  General  Seeks  the  Right  Wing — A  Night's 
Adventures. 

FRIDAY  the  26th  of  December,  dawned  drearily. 
Daylight  feebly  struggled  through  an  unbroken  mass 
of  black  clouds  and  thick  volumes  of  mist,  which 
p uft eel  up  from  the  valleys.  Rain  wras  pouring  down 
in  streams  which  gathered  into  volumes  in  the  gullies, 
and  made  foaming  yellow  torrents  of  the  little  brooks 
that  lately  stole  so  softly  around  the  hills.  Yet 
reveille  rolled  merrily  along  the  line  and  through  the 
drowTsy  camps.  The  stout  soldiers  sprung  up  gaily, 
and  shook  off  the  shackles  of  sleep,  crowing  like 
game-cocks,  and  roaring  joyfully  like  giants  refreshed. 
Yet  a  little  while,  and  they  were  rushing  along  the 
highways  in  magnificent  panoply,  horsemen,  infantry, 
cannon,  cannoniers,  and  mighty  trains.  It  needed 
but  a  blaze  of  sunshine  to  burnish  their  steel.  The 
steady  rain  drenched  their  garments  but  did  not  quench 
their  ardor.  There  were  but  few  stragglers  that 
exciting  day.  Strange,  that  when  nature  frowns  so 
gloomily,  soldiers  should  be  so  cheery;  nevertheless  it 
is  true,  that  when  the  barometer  falls  the  mercury  of 
their  spirits  rises  until  it  culminates  in  hilarity.  The 


148  COLLISION   WITH    THE   ENEMY. 

veteran  campaigner  ever  bears  such  testimony.  The 
colossal  columns  overflowed  the  roads,  and  swept 
through  the  leafless  forests  like  mighty  waves.  Brave 
hearts  beat  high,  for  the  march  had  begun  with  glad 
augury  for  the  future.  There  was  battle  in  the  breeze 
which  now  began  to  rise,  but  our  soldiers  felt  that 
there  was  victory  in  their  trusty  steel. 

"  Gay  old  Stanley"  and  gallant  John  Kennett  were 
on  the  right  and  left  and  in  front,  with  their  cavalry, 
to  start  the  game  and  cover  the  flanks.  General 
Thomas  moved  his  column — thirteen  thousand  three 
hundred  and  ninety-five  effective  men — through  the 
rich,  rustic  villas  of  the  Franklin  pike  to  Brentwood. 
£s"egley  in  front,  diverging  left  to  the  Wilson  pike, 
closely  followed  by  Eousseau  and  Walker's  brigade, 
Zahn's  brigade  of  cavalry  on  the  right.  General 
McCook,  with  Stanley's  cavalry  reserve  in  front, 
pushed  the  first  division  of  his  corps,  under  General 
Davis,  upon  the  Edmonson  pike,  with  orders  to 
move  to  Prim's  blacksmith  shop,  whence  it  was  to 
march  direct,  by  a  country  road,  to  Nolensville  and 
Triune.  The  Third  Division,  General  Sherridan, 
moving  upon  the  direct  road  to  2s"olensville,  was  fol 
lowed  by  the  reserve  division  under  General  Johnson. 
The  Left  Wing,  under  General  Crittenden,  moved  in 
column  upon  the  direct  turnpike  to  Murfreesboro. 
General  Palmer's  division  in  front,  covered  by  Minty's 
cavalry  brigade,  and  followed  by  Wood's  division, 
with  Van  Cleve's  in  reserve. 

The  country  over  which  the  army  was  sweeping, 
afforded  peculiar  advantages  to  the  enemy.  A  small 
force  could  retard  the  advance  of  greatly  superior 
numbers,  and  almost  with  impunity  to  themselves. 


COLLISION   WITH    THE    ENEMY.  149 

Considerable  tracts  of  cultivated  lands  occur  at  inter 
vals  on  either  side  of  the  turnpikes,  but  the  interven 
ing  spaces  are  heavily  wooded  and  interspersed  with 
dense  cedar  ridges,  which  thoroughly  masked  the 
enemy.  The  country  rolls  up  in  great  rude  billows, 
ranging  in  successions  of  parallel  cross  ridges,  now 
and  then  flanked  by  transverse  crests,  which  served 
for  observatories.  Cedar  brakes,  rugged  defiles,  and 
intersecting  streams  with  rocky  bluff  banks,  formed 
formidable  natural  barriers  to  the  march  of  an 
aggressive  army,  and  the  enemy,  perfectly  familiar 
with  the  topography  and  geography  of  the  field  of 
operations,  availed  themselves  skillfully  of  its  defen 
sive  advantages.  To  dislodge  them  from  these  forti 
fications  of  nature,  required  careful,  tedious  and  bold 
skirmishing,  but  our  officers  displayed  skill  and  judg 
ment,  and  the  results  inspired  the  army  with  renewed 
ardor. 

THE    CENTER. 

General  Thomas  had  directed  his  command  to 
encamp  that  night  at  Owen's  store,  on  the  Wilson 
pike,  but  General  Kegley,  hearing  the  sound  of  con 
flict  in  the  direction  of  Xolensville,  left  his  train  with 
a  guard  to  follow,  and  pushed  forward  across  the 
country  to  support  General  Davis,  who  had  uncovered 
the  enemy,  and  was  striking  him  hard  in  the  face. 
Negley's  aid  was  not  needed,  and  his  command 
bivouacked  near  Nolensville.  Rousseau  went  into 
camp  at  Owen's  store,  and  Walker's  brigade,  forming 
the  rear  guard,  rested  at  Brentwood — the  Center  hav 
ing  failed  that  day  to  find  the  enemy. 


150  COLLISION   WITH    THE    ENEMY. 


THE    RIGHT    WING. 

McCook  had  barely  moved  two  miles  when  a  sharp 
rattle  of  musketry,  in  front  of  both  Davis  and  Sher- 
ridan  warned  him  of  the  presence  of  the  enemy. 
Moving  laboriously  out  the  Edmonson  pike,  which 
had  been  rendered  almost  impassable  by  the  storm, 
General  Davis  had  sent  his  escort,  consisting  of 
Company  B,  Thirty-Sixth  Illinois  Infantry,  Captain 
Shirer,  mounted  for  escort  duty,  to  the  front,  direct 
ing  them  to  drive  in  the  enemy's  pickets,  and  attack 
them  incessantly  on  the  flanks.  The  country  was 
rude  and  broken,  and  embarrassed  by  cedar  brakes, 
but  Shiner  did  his  duty  so  well  that  the  Fifty-Iftnth 
Illinois  Infantry,  thrown  out  on  either  flank  of  his 
little  force,  had  hardly  a  chance  to  pull  a  trigger. 
The  infantry,  Post's  brigade,  in  front,  and  the  artil 
lery,  moved  up,  without  hostile  obstruction,  to  a  point 
within  a  mile  of  Nolensville.  General  Davis  now 
ascertained  that  the  enemy  occupied  the  village  with 
cavalry  and  artillery  in  some  force. 

Post's  brigade,  consisting  of  the  Twenty-Second 
Indiana,  Seventy-Fourth,  Seventy-Fifth  and  Fifty- 
Kinth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  with  the  Fifth 
Wisconsin  Battery,  Captain  Pinney,  was  immediately 
deployed  to  advance  upon  the  village,  the  left  resting 
upon  the  pike,  the  right  upon  a  hill  which  commanded 
the  town,  Pinney's  battery  posted  on  a  knoll  on  the 
left  of  the  pike.  The  enemy  made  show  of  resist 
ance,  flinging  some  shells,  but  Pinney  soon  made  it 
too  hot  for  them,  and  they  evacuated  the  town.  A 
large  force  of  rebel  cavalry  was  now  discovered  mov 
ing  to  the  left  and  dismounting,  apparently  intending 


COLLISION   WITH    THE    ENEMY.  151 

to  attack  our  right  and  rear.  The  Twenty-Second 
Indiana  Infantry  moved  to  the  right  to  repel  the 
threatened  attack.  The  Second  Brigade,  commanded 
by  Colonel  W.  P.  Carlin,  and  consisting  of  the 
Twenty-First  and  Thirty-Eighth  Illinois,  Fifteenth 
Wisconsin  and  One  Hundred  and  First  Ohio  Regi 
ments  of  Infantry,  and  the  Second  Minnesota  Battery, 
Captain  Hotchkiss,  by  this  time  had  formed  in  line  of 
battle  on  Post's  right.  Moving  rapidly  forward,  they 
soon  engaged  the  enemy,  the  men  deporting  them 
selves  splendidly.  The  Third  Brigade,  consisting  of 
the  Twenty-Fifth  and  Thirty-Fifth  Illinois,  and  the 
Eighty-First  Indiana  Infantry,  with  the  Eighth  "Wis 
consin  Battery,  Captain  Carpenter,  and  commanded 
by  Colonel  W.  E.  Woodruff,  was  deployed  on  the 
extreme  right  to  check  any  flank  movement  that 
might  be  projected.  It  was  now  plain  that  the 
enemy  were  endeavoring  to  hold  -us  in  check  to  give 
their  main  body  time  to  prepare  for  battle,  but  their 
strong  exhibition  of  force,  and  the  great  advantage 
of  position  in  their  favor,  required  of  General  Davis 
the  exercise  of  great  caution.  But  the  line  was  well 
formed,  and  Carlin  pushed  forward  steadily,  sustain 
ing  a  sharp  tire  until  the  enemy  were  dislodged  and 
driven  from  their  position. 

Day  was  waning,  but  the  troops,  although  wea 
ried  by  their  heavy  march  and  sharp  skirmishing, 
exhibited  splendid  pluck.  General  Davis,  eager  as 
a  game-cock,  deemed  it  wise  to  follow  up  his  advan 
tage.  The  enemy  retreated  about  two  miles  to  a 
rugged  hill,  the  road  passing  through  a  defile  known 
as  Knob's  Gap.  Deploying  on  either  side  of  the 
road,  with  one  section  of  their  artillery  in  the  defile, 


152  COLLISION   WITH    THE   ENEMY. 

and  other  pieces  on  the  crest  of  the  hill,  they  waited 
another  encounter.  The  line  advanced  in  the  order 
of  battle  of  the  first  collision — Post's  brigade  moving 
up  the  road  and  to  the  left  of  it,  Carlin  on  the  right. 
The  enemy  opened  upon  Carlin  with  their  artillery  at 
long  range.  Hotchkiss  and  Pinney  moved  up,  and 
went  into  action  quickly,  while  Carlin  charged  up 
the  hill,  carried  the  crest  in  handsome  style,  and  cap 
tured  two  bronze  field  pieces.  Post  had  also  carried 
the  hights  on  the  left,  driving  the  enemy  out  of 
position,  but  they  saved  their  guns.  Woodruff  on  the 
right,  had  opportunity  only  to  drive  in  the  rebel  skirm 
ishers.  The  conduct  of  the  troops  during  the  entire 
day  had  been  superb.  The  One  Hundred  and  First 
Ohio,  Colonel  Stem,  was  particularly  signalized 
because  it  was  a  new  regiment — the  men  behaving 
like  veterans.  It  had  the  honor  to  capture  one  of 
the  guns,  which  was  inscribed  "  Shiloh,"  and  had 
belonged  to  Georgia  troops.  Our  loss  in  the  skirm 
ishing  and  two  combats  was  less  than  a  dozen  killed 
and  wounded.  The  day  had  now  closed,  and  Davis' 
gallant  division  went  into  bivouac. 

STANLEY'S  OPERATIONS. 

At  the  crossing  of  Mill  Creek,  soon  after  leaving 
camp  in  front  of  Nashville,  General  Sherridan's 
division  encountered  the  rebel  cavalry,  but  his  skirm 
ishers  routed  them  briskly,  killing  several  and  cap 
turing  a  lieutenant  and  private.  Stanley's  cavalry 
reserve  stirred  up  the  enemy  in  considerable  force  a 
mile  north  of  Bully  Jack  Pass,  charged  upon  them 
sharply,  and  drove  them  at  a  slashing  pace  two  miles 
to  the  left  and  rear  of  Lavergne,  forcing  them  twice 


COLLISION    WITH    THE    ENEMY.  153 

to  hand  to  hand  encounters,  in  which  the  individual 
as  well  as  organized  superiority  of  our  gallant  troop 
ers  was  exhibited.  The  Fifteenth  Pennsylvania  Cav 
alry,  commanded  by  Majors  Rosengarten  and  Ward, 
and  the  four  companies  of  the  Third  Indiana  Cav 
alry,  under  Major  Kline,  conspicuously  distinguished 
themselves.  The  Pennsylvanians  were  raw  troops, 
but  they  displayed  a  spirit  and  courage  which  reflected 
great  credit  upon  them.  General  Stanley,  remarking 
their  conduct  that  evening,  said :  "They  went  into 
the  fight  as  if  they  liked  it,  and  were  unwilling  to 
stop."  Their  gallant  leader,  Rosengarten,  in  the  sec 
ond  charge,  had  an  amusing  single-handed  combat 
with  a  stout  rebel  whom  he  overhauled.  His  pistol 
missed  fire,  and  the  rebel  was  equally  unlucky.  Their 
weapons  being  useless,  they  brought  their  fists  into 
requisition.  The  rebel  quickly  put  the  •Major's  eye  in 
mourning,  but  the  latter,  with  a  stout  right-hander, 
sent  his  antagonist  to  grass,  and  left  him  a  captive 
under  guard.  Stanley's  work  was  done  so  neatly  and 
effectually,  that  Sherridan  moved  up  to  iSTolensville 
without  further  obstruction,  and  supported  General 
Davis,  while  the  latter  was  driving  the  enemy  from 
Knob's  Gap.  General  Johnson's  division  being  in 
reserve,  did  not  come  in  contact  with  the  enemy. 
Colonel  Lewis  Zahn,  with  his  cavalry  command, 
moving  down  the  Franklin  pike,  drove  in  the  rebel 
pickets  two  miles  in  front  of  that  town,  charged  gal 
lantly,  and  drove  the  enemy  two  miles  beyond  town, 
killing  four,  capturing  ten,  including  a  lieutenant  of 
General  Bragg's  escort,  and  destroyed  a  camp.  Lieu 
tenant  Colonel  E.  II.  Murray,  with  the  Third  Ohio 
Cavalry,  also  dismounted  several  rebels,  and  captured 


154  COLLISION   WITH   THE   ENEMY. 

ten  prisoners.  The  results  of  this  day's  operations 
were  encouraging,  and  the  impulse  was  felt  all  over 
the  army.  Ten  men  covered  our  casualties  on  the 
right,  while  the  enemy  had  fifteen  or  twenty  killed, 
many  wounded,  and  lost  nearly  fifty  prisoners.  The 
Right  Wing,  numbering  fifteen  thousand  nine  hun- 
deed  and  thirty-three  effectives,  went  into  camp  at 
Nolensville  and  vicinity  about  dark,  wearied,  but 
hopeful  and  sanguine. 

THE   LEFT   WING. 

The  Left  Wing,  Major  General  Crittenden,  number 
ing  thirteen  thousand  two  hundred  and  eighty-eight 
effectives,  moved  down  the  main  Nashville  and  Mur- 
frecsboro  turnpike.  Brigadier  General  J.  M.  Palmer's 
division  had  the  advance,  Brigadier  General  Charles 
Cruft's  brigade  of  twelve  hundred  and  seven  effectives, 
comprising  the  First  and  Second  Kentucky,  Thirty- 
First  Indiana  and  Ninetieth  Ohio  Infantry  in  front, 
covered  by  Colonel  Minty's  brigade  of  cavalry. 
Minty  encountered  the  rebel  videttes  in  a  cedar 
thicket,  about  two  miles  from  our  late  front,  and 
drove  them  back  upon  their  reserves.  Pursuing 
them  sharply  under  direction  of  Colonel  Kennett, 
he  found  them  constantly  covered,  but  by  dint  of 
sharp  riding  and  hard  pushing,  finally  drove  them 
back  upon  Lavergne,  where  they  rallied  in  strong 
force  with  infantry  and  artillery.  The  afternoon 
was  waning  when  General  Cruft  was  directed  to 
drive  the  enemy  from  the  woods  on  the  left,  and 
take  the  village,  if  possible,  before  dark.  The  First 
Kentucky  and  Thirty-First  Indiana  Infantry,  under 
Colonel  I).  A.  Enyart,  and  the  Third  Kentucky  Cav- 


COLLISION   WITH    THE   ENEMY.  155 

airy,  Colonel  Murray,  covering  their  left,  with  a  sec 
tion  of  Stanclart's  Ohio  Battery,  under  Lieutenant 
Xcwall,  were  deployed  for  that  purpose,  and  moved 
boldly  upon  the  enemy.  The  Sixth  Kentucky  and 
Is  inth  Indiana  Infantry,  temporarily  under  the  com 
mand  of  Colonel  Walter  Whittaker,  were  thrown  out 
upon  the  right  to  cover  that  flank.  The  enemy 
opened  sharply  with  artillery  and  musketry,  but  Col 
onel  Enyart  advanced  steadily,  and  finally  gave  the 
order  to  "  charge  bayonets ! "  The  gallant  lads  obeyed 
with  a  roar  of  enthusiasm,  and  the  enemy  fled  to  the 
opposite  bank  of  Stony  Creek.  They  never  wait 
for  bayonets.  Colonel  Whittakcr,  meantime,  had 
suddenly  fallen  upon  a  force  of  the  enemy  in  a 
thicket,  and  had  one  man  of  the  !N"inth  Indiana 
killed,  one  wounded,  and  two  of  the  Sixth  Kentucky 
wounded.  The  enemy,  however,  declined  to  wait  to 
give  Whittakcr  revenge,  and  joined  their  comrades 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  creek.  In  Colonel  En- 
yart's  affair,  Lieutenant  bewail  gained  credit  by  the 
skillful  management  of  his  guns.  With  one  shell  he 
killed  three  horses  and  dismounted  seven  men.  Mur 
ray's  Kentucky  Cavalry  kept  the  left  flank  clear,  and 
captured  five  of  the  enemy.  It  was  adjudged  that 
night,  however,  that  it  would  have  been  better  policy, 
in  that  country,  to  have  driven  the  enemy  out  of  the 
defiles  and  cedar  thickets  with  infantry  —  Colonel 
Kennett  satisfactorily  showing  that  it  exhausted  men 
and  horses  without  compensatory  advantages. 

The  division  of  General  Wood  followed  Palmer  in 
close  supporting  distance,  but  the  work  was  so  well 
done  in  front  that  their  movements  were  unob 
structed.  But  the  resistance  which  the  advance  met 


156  COLLISION   WITH    THE    ENEMY. 

prevented  the  left  wing  from  gaining  possession  of  the 
commanding  bights  south  of  Lavergne,  and  the 
affair  at  the  village  occupied  so  much  time  that  no 
reconnoissance  could  he  made.  The  enemy  still  occu 
pied  the  hights  in  considerable  force,  admonishing 
our  commanders  to  exercise  vigilance.  The  mutual 
losses  that  day  on  the  left  were  about  equal.  The 
troops  settled  to  rest  near  Lavergne,  fatigued  but 
hopeful.  It  is  now  time  to  look  at  the  movements 
of  the  Commander-in-Chief. 

MOVEMENTS  OF  THE  COMMANDED. 

Mounting  soon  after  eleven  o'clock,  in  a  drenching 
storm,  General  Rosecrans  and  the  staff,  with  the 
original  Anderson  Troop,  and  a  squadron  of  the 
Fourth  United  States  Cavalry,  detailed  for  escort, 
moved  toward  the  Murfreesboro  pike.  The  caval 
cade  was  winding  about  the  suburban  highways  of 
Nashville,  when  the  sullen  reverberation  of  cannon 
rolled  up  from  the  south-west.  "Only  shelling 
skirmishers/'  yet  the  thunder  of  hostile  guns  made 
the  heart  beat  and  the  blood  mount.  Every  rider 
straightened  in  his  saddle,  and  struck  impulsively 
into  brisker  speed.  Mile  upon  mile  was  quickly  left 
behind.  The  firing  waxed  sharper,  and  the  trot  of 
the  troop  stretched  into  a  gallop.  The  uproar  was 
on  the  right.  McCook  had  started  the  game,  and  his 
pack  was  opening  in  full  cry.  But  it  was  too  far 
away  for  eager  ears  to  catch  the  full  swell  of  the 
sonorous  music.  A  little  while,  and  a  whole -tone 
bellowed  from  the  direct  front.  Crittenden,  too,  had 
found  something.  The  General  spurred  "Boney" 
gently,  and  the  escort  plunged  headlong  forward,  up 


COLLISION   WITH    THE   ENEMY.  157 

hill  and  down,  on  the  side  of  the  road  or  through  the 
fields,  it  mattered  little.  The  heavy  trains  lumbered 
onward,  and  the  stalwart  columns,  thronging  thy 
highway,  pushed  ahead  staunchly.  Seven  or  eight 
miles  from  Nashville,  the  quick  eye  of  the  General 
caught  glimpse  of  one  of  Merrill's  signals,  and  called 
a  halt.  Eiders  dismounted,  and  panting  steeds  rested. 
There  was  silence  again,  now  and  then  a  gun  boom 
ing  far  away  to  the  south-west.  "  McCook  must  he 
near  Nbleusville  now,"  quoth  Garesche.  "  Yes," 
said  the  General;  "he  will  find  the  enemy  there  in 
some  force."  The  signal  flag  upon  the  distant  ridge 
flared  again.  "What  is  it,  Merrill?"  "All  right, 
sir."  Somebody  suggested,  quietly,  that  the  enemy 
might  take  advantage  of  the  divided  columns  to 
strike  the  left.  "That  would  be  profitable  to  them," 
said  the  caustic  General,  "  with  the  right  swinging 
into  their  rear."  A  brisk  breeze  from  the  north 
west  had  began  to  disperse  the  mist,  and  the  clouds 
broke  away.  The  sun  shone  out  upon  the  cheerful 
landscape,  and  the  General  resumed  the  march. 

SEARCHING   FOR   M'COOK'S    QUARTERS. 

Beyond  Hamilton  Church,  just  a  half  mile  from  the 
eleven-mile  granite  post,  on  the  Murfreesboro  pike, 
a  rude  country  road,  tracing  the  crest  of  a  ridge, 
debouches  into  the  main  pike.  The  cross  road,  with 
divaricating  branches  ruder  than  itself,  cuts  a  rugged 
country  some  ten  miles  across  the  waist,  and  after 
vexatious  sinuosities,  intersects  the  ISTolensville  pike 
several  miles  north  of  the  village.  There  is  a  spacious 
clusty-hued  frame  house  (in  happier  times  it  was  a 
tavern)  on  the  south-west  corner  of  the  Murfreesboro 


158  COLLISION    WITH    THE    ENEMY. 

junction,  with  a  cornfield  and  a  pleasant  maple  grove 
in  the  rear.  Upon  arriving  at  this  point,  the  General 
directed  headquarters  to  be  established  in  the  field 
and  grove,  Kirby  taking  charge,  Garesche'  dismount 
ing  and  entering  the  house  to  forward  orders  to 
Crittenden.  All  was  silent  on  the  left,  but  there  was 
uproar  on  the  right,  denoting  sharp  combat. 

Halting  but  a  moment,  the  General  pushed  onward 
briskly  to  reconnoiter  and  find  the  commander  of  the 
Right  Wing.  After  crossing  the  railroad  and  exam 
ining  the  country  until  sunset,  the  cannonading  on 
the  right  having  now  ceased,  the  Chief  retraced  his 
steps  from  the  summit  of  a  mountain,  and  drew  up  in 
a  narrow  lane  in  front  of  Smith's  house.  Smith  said 
it  was  about  five  miles  to  IsTolensville.  Garesche*,  who 
had  rejoined  him.  Goddard,  Thompson,  Barnet, 
Michler,  Gilman,  and  one  or  two  others,  were  detailed 
by  the  General  to  accompany  him  to  McCook's 
headquarters,  Lieutenant  Royse  commanding  the 
escort.  The  rest  were  dismissed.  Twilight,  then 
darkness,  and  with  darkness  heavy  clonds  and  rain, 
fell  upon  the  cortege  as  it  spurred  briskly  through 
the  rugged  narrow  lanes  and  gloomy  forests,  upon 
unknown  paths,  which  but  an  hour  ago  had  rattled 
under  the  hoofs  of  rebel  horsemen. 

Later  a  barrier  intercepted  the  march.  A  stone 
wall  interfered.  There  was  a  dwelling  on  the  left, 
and  the  tenant,  an  old  woman,  did  not  know  the  road 
to  Nolensville.  She  "had  never  been  three  miles 
away  from  thar  anywhar."  There  was  another  house 
on  the  right,  where  there  was  a  man.  It  was  quite 
agreeable  to  hear  him  announce  that  he  occupied  the 
premises  of  the  notorious  Dick  McOanu,  a  rebel  col- 


COLLISION    WITH    THE    ENEMY.  159 

onel  of  cavalry,  who  had  halted  there  but  an  hour  or 
so  before — perhaps  he  was  then  not  far  distant.  But 
the  fellow  knew  the  way  to  Nolensville,  and  a  guide 
was  necessary.  There  was  no  alternative  for  him. 
Threading  their  way  back  through  dismal  forests 
and  rocky  roads  (it  seemed  unnatural  to  find  such 
wild  country  so  near  Nashville),  the  General  and  his 
attendants  at  last  struck  the  main  route.  After  a 
slashing  pace  of  an  hour  or  more  over  a  highway 
from  which  the  horses'  iron  hoofs  struck  fire  at  every 
leap,  the  Nolensville  pike  was  gained.  "  General/' 
interposed  an  officer  of  escort,  "this  way  of  going 
like  — 1  over  rocks  will  knock  up  the  horses." 
"That's  true,"  replied  the  General,  rousing  from  his 
absorbing  thought — "  Walk !  "  It  was  dark  as  Ere 
bus,  and  recognition  without  a  voice  was  impossible. 
Directly  the  General  called  an  orderly.  "  Go  back," 
he  said,  "and  tell  that  young  man  that  he  must  not 
be  profaue." 

THE   BIVOUAC. 

The  General  and  his  companions  had  now  been  in 
saddle  nine  hours.  The  latter  were  weary  and  hun 
gry.  Eager  eyes  had  descried  a  vista  of  cheerful 
camps  but  a  few  moments  before.  As  the  column 
pushed  out  of  a  deep  wooded  vale,  and  wound  labori 
ously  up  the  curving  ridge  of  a  towering  crest,  a  glare 
from  innumerable  bivouac  fires,  blazing  meteor-like 
upon  the  opposite  slope,  partially  dispelled  the  thick 
darkness.  All  hailed  the  flush  of  lights  as  a  welcom 
ing  beacon,  little  dreaming  that  their  indefatigable 
leader  would  be  crashing  back  over  the  same  dreary 
track  before  the  noon  of  night. 


1GO  COLLISION   WITH    THE    ENEMY. 

As  they  pressed  onward,  the  humid  atmosphere 
became  impregnated  with  pungent  odor  of  burning 
cedar,  which  shivering  soldiers  had  heaped  up  in  rude 
pyramids,  and  which  now  exuded  grateful  warmth 
and  pleasant  fragrance.  The  forests  were  glinting 
with  incessant  showers  of  glittering  sparks  Hitting 
from  the  crackling  fuel,  and  it  seemed  as  if  their  bar 
ren  boughs  were  emitting  swarms  of  fire-flies.  Here 
and  there  were  cosy  bivouacs  under  dense  masses  of 
evergreens,  whose  shadowy  outlines,  magnified  into 
phantom  forms  by  darkness,  resembled  vast  convex 
thunder  clouds  hovering  to  the  valleys  and  clinging 
to  the  hill  sides,  and  sharp  gleams  of  flame  light 
flashing  through  the  interstices  of  the  branches  which 
vibrated  in  the  wind,  rendered  the  illusion  more  per 
fect.  Heaps  of  fragrant  timber  were  glowing  inside, 
and  volumes  of  lack-luster  smoke  flowing  up  against 
the  tangled  twigs  which  formed  almost  impermeable 
ceilings — nature's  inimitable  groining — imparted  a 
funereal  aspect  to  those  arboreal  grottoes  that  might 
have  enchanted  the  gloomy  fancy  of  the  weird's 
women  — 

"  That  look  not  like  inhabitants  o:  the  earth." 

A  shrill  vocal  murmuring  roar,  sounding  like  falling 
waters  in  the  distance,  ran  through  the  camps,  and 
now  and  then  a  cheery  shout  echoed  afar  off.  The 
figures  of  restless  soldiers,  picturesquely  grouped 
around  the  blazing  piles,  were  eye-sketched  through 
the  dim  crepusculous  haze  against  the  black  perspect 
ive  of  darkness  behind  the  fires,  and  seemed  in  their 
dusky  indistinctness  like  gigantic  specters.  But 
gradually  the  murmuring  voices  died  away  as  an  echo, 


COLLISION   WITH    THE   ENEMY.  161 

the  army  settled  softly  to  the  grateful  bosom  of  mother 
earth,  and  happy  soldiers  dreaming  of  home  thought 
not  of  the  morrow. 

The  escort  picked  its  way  carefully  through  a  seem 
ingly  tangled  mass  of  mules  and  wagons,  and  the 
Chief  at  last  found  the  commander  of  the  Eight 
Wing  at  Nolensville,  in  the  heart  of  a  grove,  just  off 
the  highway.  The  flames  of  a  roaring  fire  were  soar 
ing  high,  and  groups  of  officers  were  lounging  about 
it,  discussing  the  morrow.  General  McCook  was  the 
guest  of  General  Johnson — that  is  to  say,  partook  of 
his  rations  and  enjoyed  his  cheerful  brands.  ISTo  tents 
were  pitched,  but  the  two  Generals  had  established 
their  quarters  in  the  grove  by  the  side  of  a  rough 
moss-covered  rock,  which  served  for  lounges  and  lire- 
place.  A  pair  of  roadmaster's  cars,  like  ambulatory 
daguerreian  establishments,  were  drawrn  up  in  front, 
and  quarters  for  the  night  were  provided  within. 


It  was  evident  that  McCook  expected  his  Com 
mander.  After  brief  greeting  they  drew  aside  with 
Garesche*  and  Goddard  into  one  of  the  cars,  and 
entered  upon  the  business  of  the  succeeding  day.  It 
was  a  curious  group;  the  two  Generals  squatted  upon 
the  floor  vis-a-vis  to  Garesche*  and  Goddard,  a  feeble 
candle  in  the  socket  of  a  bayonet  probed  into  the 
floor  between  them  furnishing  dim  twilight.  The 
Generals  talked  earnestly,  the  Chief  of  Staff  and 
Senior  Aid  writing  orders  upon  slips  resting  upon 
their  knees.  The  General  Commanding  expressed 
his  gratification  with  the  gallant  conduct  of  the 
troops,  but  was  especially  pleased  with  the  ardor  and 
14 


162  COLLISION    WITH    THE    ENEMY. 

firmness  of  the  One  Hundred  and  First  Ohio,  a  raw 
regiment,  under  fire  on  the  26th  of  December  for  the 
first  time.  McCook  reported  Hardee  in  his  front  at 
Triune,  some  seven  miles  distant,  and  expected  seri 
ous  resistance  next  day.  It  was  somewhere  "between 
ten  and  eleven  o'clock  when  the  consultation  was 
ended.  Many  of  the  staff,  overcome  by  fatigue, 
were  drowsing  in  blankets  upon  the  rocks  around  the 
fire.  McCook  was  directed  to  move  at  daylight,  and 
push  the  enemy  hard.  "  We  mount  now,  gentlemen,*' 
and  a  blast  of  the  bugle  rang  through  the  valley. 
McCook  followed  a  little  way,  and  extending  his 
hand,  said,  "Good  night,  General;"  and  then  im 
pressively,  "  with  the  blessing  of  God,  General,  I  will 
whip  my  friend  Hardee  to-morrow  !  "  "  God  bless 
.yon,"  echoed  his  Chieftain  fervently,  and  a  moment 
later  he  was  sweeping  rapidly  down  the  pike.  The 
darkness  was  now  so  dense  that  horses  and  riders  in 
front  would  have  seemed  phantoms  but  for  clattering 
hoofs  and  clanging  scabbards.  Occasionally  horse 
men  were  met  on  the  highway.  A  curt  "halt!" 
brought  them  to  a  stand.  Explanation  of  business 
was  required,  and  the  column  moved  onward.  Two 
aids  of  General  Thomas  were  thus  accosted,  and  a 
tedious  ride  was  saved.  After  a  trot  of  an  hour  or 
more,  the  column  was  suddenly  checked  by  a  fence 
beyond  the  edge  of  a  forest.  Lost,  assuredly.  A  line 
of  couriers  had  been  stretched  across  the  waist  of  the 
country,  but  even  they  were  not  now  accessible.  An 
hour  or  more  was  spent  in  retracing  the  route.  The 
General  was  evidently  provoked  at  the  misadventure? 
and  charged  through  the  woods  impatiently.  A 
dozen  voices  hallooing  and  the  twang  of  a  bugle 


COLLISION    WITH    THE   ENEMY.  163 

increased  the  confusion,  during  which  the  column 
was  divided,  the  General  and  part  of  the  staff  press 
ing  instinctively  homeward,  leaving  Barnet,  Oilman, 
Michler  and  the  author  with  the  Anderson  Troop,  to 
make  their  own  way  through  the  gloom.  The  Chief 
got  hack  to  camp  soon  after  one  o'clock  in  the  morn 
ing,  but  the  rear  rambled  obscurely  through  the  for 
ests  an  hour  or  more,  pushing  steadily  toward  the 
lines  of  the  enemy  until  Michler  advised  a  halt  and 
glanced  at  his  compass.  Sure  enough  it  was  a  haz 
ardous  adventure,  and  nothing  remained  but  retro 
grade  movement.  The  courier  line  was  found  at  last, 
and  a  little  after  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  camp 
was  joyfully  descried.  The  General  was  in  saddle 
that  day  fourteen  hours,  riding  forty-two  miles ;  the 
deserted  portion  of  bis  staff  were  mounted  sixteen 
hours,  riding  forty-eight  miles  without  partaking  of 
food.  But  all  that  territory  now  is  terra  incognita  to 
them. 


164          THE  ADVANCE  ON  SATURDAY. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

OPERATIONS    ON    SATURDAY. 

SUNRISE  of  Saturday  was  more  dreary  than  the  pre 
vious  morning'.  Off  the  highways  men  and  horses 
found  deep  mud.  A  glare  of  slush  was  dissolving 
the  hard  turnpike.  It  was  very  fatiguing  to  the 
infantry.  The  clouds  which  had  broken  at  noon  of 
yesterday  had  again  massed  heavily,  and  a  dense  pall 
of  mist  shrouded  the  horizon.  Shaking  his  head 
with  an  air  of  disappointment,  the  Chief  said  omin 
ously,  "  Not  much  progress  to-day,  I  fear."  It  was 
not  raining  then,  and  the  maps  were  spread  upon  a 
table  in  the  grove.  He  ran  his  finger  rapidly  over 
the  lines  showing  the  various  routes  of  march  and 
the  point  of  junction  of  the  several  columns.  Sug 
gesting  that  the  enemy  might  stand  on  the  south 
bank  of  Stewart's  Creek,  he  yet  expressed  strong 
doubts  of  it,  and  was  uncertain  whether  they  would 
oppose  his  advance  in  force  north  of  Duck  River. 
The  reasoning  seemed  against  it.  "Why  should  Bragg 
fight  him  so  near  Nashville  when  he  might  do  it 
more  advantageously  nearer  his  own  base.  Obviously 
it  was  Bragg's  true  policy  to  draw  Rosecrans  as  far 
as  possible  from  his  base.  Every  mile  traveled  dimin 
ished  the  effective  force  of  the  latter  and  opened  his 
communications  to  dangerous  attack.  And  e  contra 
the  enemy  by  contracting  his  own  lines  concentrated 
his  strength  and  protected  his  line  of  retreat  in  case 


THE   ADVANCE   ON   SATURDAY.  165 

of  disaster.  However,  the  General  was  sanguine  and 
discoursed  cheerfully  of  the  future.  At  about  nine 
o'clock  the  mist  began  to  rise,  and  the  sun  shone  out 
feebly.  Meantime  the  Right  Wing  had  been  moving 
since  daylight,  and  there  was  an  occasional  boom  of 
cannon  bounding  from  hill  to  hill. 

THE    CENTER. 

General  Negley's  division  waited  at  E"olensvil]e 
until  ten  o'clock  for  his  train  to  cross  from  the 
Wilson  pike,  where  he  left  it  the  day  before  to  move 
up  in  support  of  Davis.  He  now  moved  to  the  east 
over  a  rugged  and  difficult  by-road  with  instructions 
to  connect  with  Crittenden's  right  flank  near  Stew- 
artsboro  on  the  Murfreesboro  pike.  In  consequence 
of  the  heavy  rain  of  the  previous  night,  Rousseau 
found  the  cross-roads  from  the  Wilson  pike  nearly 
impassable,  and  consequently  did  not  reach  j^olens- 
ville  with  his  troops  and  train  until  night.  Walker's 
brigade,  by  order  of  General  Thomas,  retraced  its 
steps  from  Brentwood  and  crossed  over  to  the 
Nolensville  pike.  ISTeglcy's  march  was  successfully 
executed  but  with  great  difficulty,  though  without 
obstruction  from  the  enemy. 

THE    RIGHT    WING. 

General  McCook  was  prepared  to  move  at  daylight. 
The  Second  Division,  Brigadier  General  Johnson  com 
manding,  in  advance,  supported  by  the  Third  Division, 
Brigadier  General  Sherridan  commanding;  the  First 
Division,  Brigadier  General  Davis,  in  reserve;  the 
Fifteenth  Pennsylvania  and  the  First  and  Second 
Tennessee  Cavalry  in  front,  under  General  Stanley. 


166          THE  ADVANCE  ON  SATURDAY. 

The  fog  was  so  dense  that  it  was  impossible  to 
distinguish  objects  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards  distant. 
Movement  was  therefore  greatly  retarded.  About 
two  miles  from  camp,  General  Johnson's  vanguard — 
Brigadier  General  Kirk's  brigade  in  advance — encoun 
tered  the  enemy  in  strong  force  of  cavalry,  infantry, 
and  artillery.  A  sharp  fire  was  opened  upon  John 
son,  but  the  fog  was  so  dense  that  it  was  impossible 
to  distinguish  friend  from  foe.  Our  own  flank  skirm 
ishers  had  fired  upon  Stanley's  cavalry,  and  General 
McCook  being  unfamiliar  with  the  ground,  and 
having  ascertained  that  Hardee  had  been  in  line  of 
battle  all  night  waiting  for  him,  deemed  it  prudent  to 
delay  further  operations  until  the  fog  lifted. 

At  one  o'clock  the  mist  being  partially  dissipated 
the  columns  moved  forward,  the  Thirty-Fourth 
Illinois  and  Twenty-Ninth  Indiana  Infantry  in  ad 
vance  as  skirmishers,  supported  by  Edgarton's  Ohio 
Battery  and  the  Thirtieth  Indiana  Infantry  ;  the  Sev 
enty-Seventh  Pennsylvania  and  Seventy-Ninth  Illinois 
following  in  line  of  battle  in  reserve.  Baldwin's 
brigade  deployed  on  the  right  of  the  road.  Upon 
approaching  Triune,  General  McCook  ascertained 
that  the  main  body  of  rebels  had  retired,  leaving  a 
force  of  cavalry  with  a  full  battery  to  contest  the 
crossing  of  Wilson's  Creek  on  the  edge  of  the  vil 
lage,  the  bridge  having  been  destroyed  by  the  enemy. 
Driving  the  rebel  skirmishers  before  him,  General 
Johnson,  by  sharp  fighting,  finally  gained  the  crest 
of  an  elevation  overlooking  Triune,  and  the  enemy 
were  descried  in  line  of  battle,  with  their  center  in 
the  village.  Edgarton's  Battery  was  immediately  put 
in  position,  and  opened  with  such  effect  that  the 


THE  ADVANCE  ON  SATURDAY.          167 

rebels  were  quickly  thrown  into  confusion,  and  re 
treated  rapidly  down  the  Eaglesville  road,  Johnson's 
skirmishers  following  as  speedily  as  possible.  It  had 
now  began  to  rain,  and  thick  fog  again  obscured  the 
country.  The  ground  was  also  very  heavy  and 
movement  was  seriously  retarded.  General  McCook 
therefore  determined  to  halt.  General  Johnson 
crossed  Wilson's  Creek  with  much  labor,  rebuilt  the 
bridge,  and  encamped  on  the  opposite  side.  Through 
out  the  day  the  men  had  displayed  the  steadiness  and 
pluck  of  veteran  soldiers,  and  notwithstanding  the 
stubborn  resistance  they  met,  they  did  not  lose  a  man, 
the  enemy  losing  several.  Sherridan's  division  also 
went  into  camp  near  the  village,  and  General  Davis 
took  position  at  the  junction  of  the  Bully  Jack  road 
with  the  Nolensville  pike.  Thus  far  all  was  well,  but 
the  designs  of  the  enemy  were  not  yet  divined. 

THE    LEFT    WING. 

The  troops  of  the  Left  Wing  had  been  ordered  to 
be  roused  an  hour  and  a  half  before  dawn  of  the 
27th,  to  breakfast  as  speedily  as  possible,  and  form 
under  arms  in  line  of  battle  before  daylight.  General 
Wood,  an  officer  who  enjoys  a  peculiar  reputation  in 
the  army  for  his  vigor  and  his  vigilance,  and  his  pre 
cision  in  regulating  guard  duty,  having  the  lead  upon 
this  da}7,  superintended  the  exact  execution  of  this 
order.  An  occasional  shell  from  the  opposing  hights 
shortly  after  morning  dawned,  showed  that  these  pre 
cautions  were  not  lost.*  The  Left  Wing  being  further 
advanced  than  the  Right,  the  former  did  not  move 
forward  until  eleven  o'clock,  when  Wood's  division, 
Brigadier  General  HascalPs  brigade  in  front,  took  the 


168  THE    ADVANCE    ON   SATURDAY. 

lead.  The  entire  cavalry  on  the  Left  Wing  had  been 
directed  to  report  to  General  Wood,  and  that  officer, 
satisfied  from  the  nature  of  the  country  that  its  posi 
tion  in  front  would  be  injudicious,  and  retard  rather 
than  aid  the  progress  of  the  infantry,  directed  it  to 
take  position  in  the  rear  of  the  flanks  of  the  leading 
brigade. 

General  Hascall  moved  forward  in  two  lines  with 
skirmishers  well  out  upon  the  front  and  flanks. 
.Marker's  and  Wagner's  brigades  advanced  on  either 
side  of  the  turnpike  road  prepared  to  sustain  the 
advance,  and  especially  to  protect  its  flanks.  General 
Wood  also  directed  the  supporting  brigades  to  pro 
tect  their  outward  flanks  by  flankers,  so  that  the 
advance  of  the  column  was  entirely  insured  against 
any  flanking  operation  the  enemy  might  project- 
Possession  of  Lavergne,  a  mile  from  our  front,  was 
the  first  object  to  be  attained.  The  approach  was 
through  open  fields  over  fallow  grounds.  The  enemy 
was  strongly  posted  in  the  houses  of  the  village,  and 
upon  the  wooded  bights  in  the  rear,  from  whence  he 
was  enabled  to  oppose  our  advance  by  a  direct  and 
cross-fire  of  musketry.  Ilascall's  brigade  advanced 
gallantly  across  the  field  under  a  galling  fire,  and 
with  a  line  of  steel  quickly  routed  the  enemy  from 
his  positions,  the  two  leading  regiments,  Twenty- 
Sixth  Ohio,  Major  Squires,  and  Fifty-Eighth  Indiana, 
Colonel  Buell,  losing  some  twenty  men,  all  of  whom 
were  wounded,  one  of  them  mortally. 

Ilascall's  brigade,  supported  by  Estep's  Eighth 
Indiana  .Battery  pressed  forward  vigorously,  encount 
ering  the  enemy  constantly  in  the  numerous  cedar 
brakes  which  afforded  them  cover,  but  the  enthusi- 


THE    ADVANCE    ON   SATURDAY.  169 

asm  of  our  troops  was  irresistible.  The  rebels  found 
but  little  time  to  rest  before  they  were  driven  in  con 
fusion  to  new  positions.  General  Wood,  constantly 
on  the  alert,  was  watching  every  movement  with 
jealous  eye,  permitting  nothing  to  escape  him,  and 
the  troops,  confident  in  their  able  leader,  pressed  on 
rapidly  under  a  drenching  storm  toward  Stewart's 
Creek.  It  was  a  matter  of  cardinal  importance  to 
save  the  bridge  at  the  crossing  of  the  Murfreesboro 
road,  and  General  Wood  strained  every  nerve  to 
accomplish  that  object.  The  creek  is  narrow  and 
deep,  flowing  between  rugged  and  precipitous  banks. 
The  destruction  of  the  bridge  would  retard  progress, 
and  involve  the  necessity  of  constructing  a  new  one. 
The  advance  pressed  so  hotly  upon  the  heels  of  the 
enemy  that  they  saw  them  cross  the  stream  at  double- 
quick,  the  artillery  horses  under  whip  and  spur.  It 
was  afterward  ascertained  that  this  rapid  maneuver 
was  executed  by  Brigadier  General  Maney's  brigade. 
The  enemy,  however,  took  time  to  kindle  a  fire  upon 
the  bridge,  expecting  from  the  opposite  side  to  repel 
any  effort  to  extinguish  it,  but  the  line  of  skirmishers 
and  Colonel  McKee's  Third  Kentucky  Infantry,  which 
had  now  been  sent  to  the  front,  dashed  gallantly  for 
ward  under  a  sharp  fire  of  musketry  and  extinguished 
the  flames.  While  the  skirmishers  were  performing 
this  brilliant  exploit,  HascalPs  left  flank  was  attacked 
by  cavalry.  The  line  immediately  changed  front  to 
the  left,  repulsed  the  attack  quickly,  and  a  company 
of  the  One  Hundredth  Illinois  Infantry  succeeded  in 
cutting  off  and  capturing  twenty-five  prisoners  with 
their  arms,  and  twelve  horses  with  their  accouter- 


15 


170  THE   ADVANCE    ON    SATURDAY. 

ments.  The  enemy  now  fell  back  some  distance 
from  the  creek,  leaving  strong  pickets  upon  the  crest 
of  the  hill  near  the  bridge.  General  A\rood  had 
pressed  them  so  sharply  that  they  left, tents  standing 
upon  the  southern  side  of  the  creek,  and  the  encamp 
ment  was  strewn  with  arms. 

A    STEEPLE    CHASE. 

Meantime,  after  passing  Lavergne,  the  Nineteenth 
Brigade,  Colonel  "W.  B.  Hazen  commanding,  was 
directed  to  proceed  via  the  Jefferson  pike  to  Stewart's 
Creek  to  save  the  bridge  at  that  crossing  if  possible. 
Ninety  cavalry  of  the  Fourth  Michigan,  under  com 
mand  of  Captain  Maxey,  reported  to  Colonel  Hazen, 
and  they  were  placed  under  charge  of  his  Acting 
Assistant  Inspector  General,  Captain  James  Mc- 
Cleery,  Forty-First  Ohio  Infantry,  with  directions  to 
clap  spurs  to  the  troop  as  soon  as  the  enemy  were 
started,  and  not  slack  rein  until  the  bridge  was 
crossed.  The  distance  did  not  exceed  five  miles. 
Flankers  were  thrown  out,  and  the  infantry  and  artil 
lery  were  urged  forward  at  a  speed  that  kept  them 
within  supporting  distance  of  the  cavalry.  The 
enemy  were  less  than  three  miles  from  the  bridge. 
McCleery  and  Maxey,  by  following  Hazen's  nervy 
directions  to  the  letter,  made  an  exciting  steeple 
chase  of  the  whole  affair.  The  rebels  outnumbered 
our  gallant  little  detachment  fully  five  to  one,  but 
they  went  over  the  bridge  at  a  slashing  pace,  Maxey's 
troopers  charging  at  their  heels.  After  crossing  they 
formed  upon  the  opposite  side  of  the  creek,  but  were 
soon  dispersed  by  our  artillery.  In  this  brilliant  affair 


THE   ADVANCE    ON   SATURDAY.  171 

we  lost  one  trooper  killed  and  two  were  captured. 
We  captured  ten  prisoners,  killed  one  commissioned 
officer  and  several  men. 

Colonel  Kennett  had  been  slashing  at  the  rebel 
cavalry  all  day,  and  by  a  gallant  dash  succeeded  in 
cutting  off  and  capturing  a  detachment  of  thirty-six 
men  of  Colonel  John  T.  Morgan's  Alabama  regi 
ment.  The  field  was  now  clear  to  the  line  of  Stew 
art's  Creek  on  the  left.  ISTegley's  division  closed  up 
on  General  Crittenden's  right,  and  General  McCook 
was  quietly  encamped  in  the  mud  at  Triune.  The 
General  Commanding  remained  at  his  quarters  until 
noon  receiving  reports,  and  in  the  evening  rode  to 
the  left  front  to  inspect  the  position.  lie  expressed 
great  satisfaction  with  the  results  of  the  day's  oper 
ations,  especially  commending  the  vigor  and  skill 
exhibited  by  General  Wood  and  Colonel  Hazen. 


172  THE   ENEMY   IN   LINE    OF   BATTLE. 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

OPERATIONS  on  Sunday  and  Monday — General  Rosecrans  at  the 
Front — Picket  Skirmishing — Prospects  for  Monday — Headquarters 
atLavergne — Rousseau  joins  the  Center — McCook's  Reconnoissnnce — 
Willich's  Brigade  Captures  Prisoners — Operations  on  Monday — 
Hardee  Retires  to  Murfreesboro — Battle  Indicated — The  Left  Wing 
in  front  of  Murfreesboro— Crittenden  Ordered  to  Occupy  the  Town — 
Exploit  of  Barker's  Brigade — Monday  Night. 

GENERAL  ROSECRANS  had  frequently  expressed  his 
opposition  to  military  operations  upon  the  Sabbath, 
unless  they  were  indispensible.  It  was,  therefore, 
a  foregone  conclusion  that  Sunday,  December  28th, 
would  be  a  day  of  comparative  rest.  There  was  both 
principle  and  policy  in  halting.  The  troops  needed 
rest,  Rousseau's  division  was  still  at  Nolensville,  and 
it  was  desirable  that  he  should  join  the  Center;  it  was 
essential,  also,  to  ascertain  the  object  of  Hardee's  move 
ments.  If  he  had  retired  to  Shelbyville,  it  indicated 
a  withdrawal  of  Bragg's  army  from  Murfreesboro.  If 
he  had  merely  fallen  back  to  Murfreesboro,  it  justified 
conclusion  that  the  enemy  had  determined  to  meet  us 
in  a  general  engagement  in  that  vicinity. 

The  General  Commanding  rose  early,  as  usual,  on 
Sunday  morning,  and  devoted  an  hour  to  religious 
exercises,  Rev.  Father  Trecy  officiating  at  Mass. 
Garesche*,  and  a  few  soldiers  of  the  Tenth  Ohio  Vol 
unteers,  knelt  at  the  same  altar.  Providence  smiled 
that  morning,  too,  for  the  mist  was  swept  away  by  a 
strong  western  breeze,  and  the  sun  broke  through  the 


THE  ENEMY  IN  LINE  OF  BATTLE.        173 

clouds,  shining  with  genial  luster.  About  noon,  Gen 
eral  Rosecrans,  attended  by  his  entire  staff,  cantered 
clown  the  Murfreesboro  pike  to  the  extreme  front,  and 
observed  the  enemy  from  the  north  bank  of  Stewart's 
creek.  A  battery,  supported  by  a  considerable  force 
of  mounted  rebels,  was  distinctly  visible  upon  a  com 
manding  elevation  of  the  road  a  mile  south  of  the 
stream.  The  woods  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  creek 
were  swarming  with  pickets  of  the  enemy,  and  noisy 
firing,  at  long  musket  range,  was  going  on  at  various 
points  above  and  below  the  road,  but  without  casual 
ties  of  serious  consequence  on  either  side — a  very 
interesting  but  an  unprofitable  exercise.  There  was 
a  general  concurrence  among  the  numerous  officers 
upon  the  ground  that  the  opposite  side  of  the  stream 
was  so  admirably  adapted  for  defense  that  the  enemy 
would  be  apt  to  resist  our  crossing  in  force.  Many 
supposed  that  they  were  then  contemplating  the  great 
battle-ground  which  was  to  decide  the  fate  of  Middle 
Tennessee.  Appropriate  dispositions  were  made  to 
meet  the  anticipated  engagement.  After  a  brief  visit 
to  General  Crittenden's  quarters,  in  the  forest  on  the 
right  of  the  road,  a  mile  from  the  creek,  General 
Rosecrans  returned  to  headquarters,  which  had  been 
advanced  to  Lavergne. 

Meantime  Rousseau's  division  was  laboriously  wind 
ing  through  the  rude  defiles  from  Nolensville  toward 
the  Murfreesboro  pike  to  take  its  proper  position  in 
column.  Js"ight  had  fallen  before  his  jaded  men,  and 
weary  teams  finished  their  severe  march. 

The  Right  Wing,  excepting  Brigadier  General 
August  Willich's  brigade,  which  had  been  sent  in 
pursuit  of  Hardee's  column,  remained  over  Sunday  in 


174  THE    ENEMY   IN   LINE    OF   BATTLE. 

the  position  in  which  it  halted  Saturday  night.  Gen 
eral  Willich  followed  the  enemy  to  Bigg's  cross-roads, 
about  seven  miles  below  Triune,  capturing  forty-one 
rebels  of  his  rear  guard,  and  ascertaining  that  Hardee 
had  withdrawn  his  corps  to  Murfreesboro.  It  was 
therefore  certain  that  Bragg  intended  to  accept  battle. 
The  troops  sunk  to  rest  that  night,  anticipating  a  san 
guinary  conflict  on  the  morrow. 

THE   RIGHT   WING   ON   MONDAY. 

It  was  expected  that  sunrise  of  Monday,  the  29th, 
would  be  saluted  by  roar  of  artillery.  The  troops 
were  under  arms  before  daybreak,  and  as  soon  as  it 
was  light,  the  columns  marched  toward  Murfreesboro — 
seven  miles  from  Stewartsboro.  General  McCook 
detached  Baldwin's  brigade,  of  Johnson's  division, 
to  remain  as  a  corps  of  observation  at  Triune,  and 
moved  toward  Murfreesboro  on  the  Bully  Jack  road, 
Gen.  Davis'  division  in  advance,  Woodruff's  brigade 
in  front,  supported  by  Sherridan's  division,  the  Sec 
ond  Division,  General  Johnson,  in  reserve,  Stanley's 
cavalry  in  the  front.  In  consequence  of  the  mud  and 
the  ruggedness  of  the  road,  marching  was  extremely 
difficult.  Upon  arriving  at  Stewart's  Creek,  it  was 
reported  that  the  enemy  had  shown  in  strong  force  on 
the  opposite  side,  but  General  Stanley  soon  contra 
dicted  it,  reporting  the  road  clear;  and  the  column 
moved  with  but  little  obstruction  to  the  Wilkinson 
pike,  on  Overall's  Creek,  within  three  and  a  half  miles 
of  Murfreesboro,  at  which  point  the  advance  division 
went  into  bivouac  in  line  of  battle,  the  left  brigade 
resting  on  the  Wilkinson  pike. 


THE  ENEMY  IN  LINE  OF  BATTLE.        175 
THE  CENTER. 

General  Negley's  division  of  the  Center  crossed 
Stewart's  Creek  two  miles  south-west  and  above  the 
bridge  on  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  supporting  the  head 
and  right  flank  of  Crittenden's  corps,  i*Iiich  moved 
on  the  turnpike.  The  cavalry  rear  guard  of  the 
enemy  contested  the  advance  obstinately,  but  with 
only  trifling  casualties  on  either  side.  Rousseau 
remained  in  camp  at  Stewartsboro,  detaching  Stark 
weather's  brigade,  with  a  section  of  artillery,  to  the 
Jefferson  pike  crossing  of  Stone  River  to  observe  the 
movements  of  the  enemy  in  that  direction.  Walker's 
brigade  moved  over  from  the  JSTolensville  pike,  and 
encamped  at  Stewartsboro  about  dark. 

THE    LEFT   WING. 

Grose's  brigade,  of  Palmer's  division,  with  a  regi 
ment  of  skirmishers  in  front,  took  the  advance  of  the 
Left  Wing,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Murfreesboro  pike, 
Parson's  Fourth  United  States  Artillery  shelling  the 
forests  in  front ;  Wagner's  brigade,  of  Wood's  division, 
in  front  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  pike,  with  Harker's 
brigade  covering  his  left,  Graft's  and  HascalPs  brigades 
in  reserve,  in  column,  Van  Cleve's  division  in  the 
rear.  Hazen's  brigade  was  marching  to  the  front  from 
the  bridge  over  Stewart's  Creek,  at  the  Jefferson  pike 
crossing.  The  leading  brigades  moved  at  ten  o'clock 
across  Stewart's  Creek,  and  advanced  in  line  of  battle, 
skirmishing  with  the  enemy,  who  fell  back  rapidly, 
but  resisting.  The  Left  Wing  continued  to  advance 
steadily  in  this  manner,  driving  the  enemy  from  cover 
constantly,  until  at  about  three  o'clock  in  the  after- 


176  THE   ENEMY  IN   LINE    OF   BATTLE. 

noon,  it  reached  Stone  River.  The  enemy  were  now 
discovered  in  great  force  in  front  of  Murfreesboro,  in 
line  of  battle,  and  it  was  evident  that  they  were  pre 
pared  to  resist  further  progress  in  general  engagement. 

THE   ENEMY   IN   FRONT. 

General  Roseerans  meantime  had  moved  forward  to 
Stewartsboro,  and  established  field  quarters  at  Bridge's 
house,  where  he  was  joined  by  Major  General  Thomas, 
who  remained  with  him  nearly  all  day.  Generals 
Wood  and  Palmer  had  halted  for  orders,  in  conse 
quence  of  the  formidable  front  of  the  enemy,  the  sup 
porting  columns  being  too  far  in  the  rear  to  justify  a 
continuous  advance.  General  Crittendeu  approved 
the  halt,  and  reported  to  General  Rosecrans. 

Wood's  division  on  the  left  and  Palmer's  on  the 
right  were  immediately  disposed  in  order  of  battle  in 
two  lines,  the  front  securely  guarded  by  a  continuous 
line  of  skirmishers  well  out  in  advance  of  their 
reserves.  Wagner's  brigade  rested  on  the  pike  occu 
pying  a  piece  of  wooded  ground  with  an  open  field 
in  front.  Harker's  brigade  in  the  center  occupied 
the  same  woods  and  extended  toward  the  left  into  an 
open  field,  covered  in  front  by  a  wave  in  the  surface, 
and  Hascall's  brigade  was  posted  on  the  extreme  left, 
its  left  resting  upon  Stone  River — the  latter  running 
obliquely  in  front  of  the  position,  leaving  a  triangular 
field  some  hundreds  of  yards  in  breadth  in  front  of 
the  right,  and  narrowing  almost  to  a  point  in  front 
of  the  left.  Palmer's  brigade  was  formed  in  a  sim 
ilar  manner,  Craft's  left  connecting  with  Wagner's 
right,  with  a  fallow  field  in  front;  Grose  on  the 
extreme  right,  E~egley  and  Van  Cleve  moving  up  in 


THE   ENEMY  IN   LINE   OP   BATTLE.  177 

support  some  distance  in  the  rear,  their  movements 
having  been  retarded  by  serious  natural  obstructions. 

MARCH    ON   MURFREESBORO. 

A  signal  message  about  three  o'clock  in  the  after 
noon  from  the  front  from  General  Palmer,  said  that 
he  was  in  sight  of  Murfreesboro,  and  the  enemy  were 
running.  "Whereon  an  order  was  sent  by  General 
Rosecrans  to  General  Crittenden  directing  him  to  send 
a  division  to  occupy  Murfreesboro.  General  Wood, 
and  subsequently  General  Palmer,  deemed  such  a 
movement  injudicious  under  the  circumstances,  but 
prepared  with  alacrity  to  obey,  though  representing 
its  hazards.  Barker's  brigade  took  the  advance, 
throwing  out  a  strong  line  of  skirmishers  in  front, 
and  directing  the  Fifty-First  and  Seventy-Third  Indi 
ana,  and  Thirteenth  Michigan  regiments  to  cross  the 
river  simultaneously,  press  forward,  and  seize  the 
commanding  bights  beyond ;  the  Sixty-Fourth  and 
Sixty-Fifth  Ohio  Infantry  and  Bradley's  Battery  to 
follow  in  support;  HascalPs  brigade  to  follow  on  the 
left.  The  troops  gallantly  dashed  forward,  and  as 
the  line  of  skirmishers  debouched  from  the  stream 
on  the  opposite  side,  they  were  met  by  a  crash  of 
musketry  from  a  regiment  in  front  covered  by  thick 
ets  and  a  fence.  Our  lads  held  their  fire  until  within 
short  range,  then  let  drive,  and  charged  enthusi 
astically.  The  rebels  fell  back  in  confusion  upon 
their  main  body  about  five  hundred  yards  distant, 
which  was  subsequently  ascertained  to  be  Breckin- 
ridge's  division.  The  movement  of  the  entire,  bri 
gade  was  handsomely  executed,  and  Harker  gained 
his  position.  But  the  enemy,  though  evidently  dis- 


178  THE   ENEMY   IN   LINE    OF   BATTLE. 

concerted  by  the  boldness  and  spirit  of  the  att  u;k, 
were  obviously  too  strong  for  the  little  force  in  front. 
Harker,  therefore,  reported  for  orders. 

In  the  meantime,  General  Crittenden  consenting  to 
suspend  further  movement  in  consequence  of  the 
obvious  strength  of  the  enemy  until  he  could  report 
to  the  General  Commanding,  Colonel  Harker  was 
recalled  in  pursuance  of  orders  received  by  General 
Crittenden  countermanding  the  movement.  To  obey 
the  order  to  fall  back  was  almost  as  hazardous  as 
to  advance,  but  it  was  skillfully  executed,  Colonel 
Harker  losing  but  two  men  killed  and  three  wounded 
in  the  whole  affair.  The  order  for  the  occupation  of 
Murfreesboro  having  been  based  upon  erroneous 
information,  the  General  Commanding  approved  the 
course  of  General  Crittenden  in  suspending  its  execu 
tion.  The  Left  "Wing  with  Negley's  division  biv 
ouacked  in  order  of  battle  without  fires,  seven  hundred 
yards  distant  from  the  enemy's  entrenchments,  our 
left  extending  some  five  hundred  yards  down  the 
river. 

CAVALRY   OPERATIONS. 

Before  dark  General  McCook  had  also  reported 
that  his  advance  was  in  si^ht  of  Murfreesboro.  The 

O 

enemy  were  in  his  front  drawn  up  in  line  of  battle, 
and  reinforcements  were  coming  up  from  Shelbyville 
by  railroad.  In  this  day's  operations  the  cavalry 
were  signally  conspicuous  on  the  right  flank.  Col 
onel  Zahn,  with  part  of  his  brigade,  consisting  of  the 
First  Ohio  Cavalry,  commanded  by  Colonel  Minor 
Millikin,  and  part  of  the  Fourth  Ohio  Cavalry,  Lieu 
tenant  Colonel  Pugh,  marched  upon  Murfreesboro  by 
the  Franklin  road,  but  coming  upon  the  enemy's 


THE   ENEMY   IN   LINE    OF   BATTLE.  179 

artillery  they  thought  it  advisable  to  retire,  after  a 
sharp  encounter,  in  which  they  captured  six  prison 
ers.  General  Stanley  moving  on  the  Bully  Jack  road 
with  tho  reserve  cavalry,  encountered  the  enemy  at 
Wilkinson's  cross-roads,  and  after  a  series  of  charges 
and  running  fights  drove  them  across  Overall's  Creek, 
and  to  a  point  within  a  half  mile  of  the  enemy's  line 
of  battle.  The  conduct  of  the  Anderson  Cavalry 
this  day  elicited  the  generous  approval  of  their  com 
mander,  who  reported  officially  that  they  "  behaved 
most  gallantly,  pushing  at  full  charge  upon  the  enemy 
for  six  miles.  Unfortunately  their  advance  fronted 
too  recklessly ;  having  dispersed  their  cavalry,  the 
troops  fell  upon  two  regiments  of  rebel  infantry  in 
ambush,  and  after  a  gallant  struggle  were  compelled 
to  retire,  with  the  loss  of  Major  Rosengarten  and  six 
men  killed,  and  the  brave  Major  Ward  and  five  men 
desperately  wounded."  Unhappily  the  loss  of  their 
two  gallant  Majors  demoralized  them,  and  a  spirit  of 
jealousy  and  strife,  which  was  subsequently  engen 
dered  in  the  regiment,  destroyed  its  usefulness. 

On  the  left  flank,  Colonel  Minty  was  skirmishing 
lightly  with  the  enemy  all  day.  The  Seventh  Penn 
sylvania,  Major  Wynkoop,  on  the  extreme  left,  the 
Third  Kentucky,  Colonel  Murray,  on  the  right,  the 
Fourth  Michigan,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Dickinson,  in 
reserve,  the  Second  Indiana  Cavalry  on  courier  duty. 

THE    GENERAL    COMMANDING    AT    THE    FRONT. 

The  General  Commanding  remained  at  Bridge's 
house  during  the  entire  day  receiving  reports  and 
giving  orders.  His  mind  was  absorbed  in  his  busi 
ness  to  the  exclusion  of  all  other  themes.  He  seemed 


180  THE   ENEMY   IN   LINE    OF    BATTLE. 

more  anxious  about  the  situation  on  the  risrht.  and 

O          ' 

was  much  gratified  when  General  McCook's  success 
ful  progress  was  reported.  The  mutually  confirm 
atory  reports  from  the  commanders  of  the  Eight  and 
Left  Wings,  removed  all  shadow  of  doubt  concerning 
the  disposition  of  the  enemy.  Orders  were  sent  to 
the  former  to  form  two  of  his  divisions  in  two  lines, 
with  one  division  in  reserve,  sending  a  reconnoitcring 
force  down  toward  Salem  on  his  right.  Negley  would 
form  in  two  lines  in  front  in  the  center,  Rousseau 
supporting  him.  Critten den's  corps  was  to  form  like 
McCook's.  Stanley  and  Kennett  were  again  enjoined 
to  guard  well  the  flanks  with  their  cavalry. 

Some  time  after  dark,  headquarters  were  established 
on  the  south  bank  of  Stewart's  Creek.  After  sup 
per,  the  General  Commanding,  attended  by  Lieuten 
ant  Colonel  Garesche*,  Lieutenant  Kirby,  Lieutenant 
Bond,  Colonel  Barnet,  Major  Skinner,  and  Father 
Trecy,  who  never  deserted  him,  proceeded  to  the 
front,  and  after  observing  the  situation,  he  took  quar 
ters  in  a  little  wood  hard  by  the  Murfreesboro  pike. 
General  Crittenden  and  the  respective  staffs  of  the 
two  Generals,  enveloped  in  blankets,  squeezed  them 
selves  into  a  little  ricket}^  log-cabin  and  lay  down 
to  sleep.  The  Pioneer  Brigade,  under  Captain  St. 
Clair  Morton,  had  arrived  at  Stewart's  Creek  that 
afternoon,  and  by  four  o'clock  next  morning,  when 
they  were  ordered  to  the  front,  had  constructed  two 
bridges  across  the  stream.  The  clangor  of  their  axes 
was  heard  all  night  echoing  in  the  dreary  forests. 
The  darkness  seemed  to  bear  upon  its  wings  strange, 
ominous  sounds.  Thousands  thought  it  the  night 
before  battle,  and  put  up  their  prayers  to  God. 


FIGHTING  FOR  POSITION.  181 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

TUESDAY,  December  30— The  First  Shot  at  the  General  Commanding — 
An  Orderly  Decapitated — Skirmishing  on  the  Left — Field  Quar 
ters  Established — Military  Groupings — A  Growl  on  the  Right — 
Music — Garesche'  and  his  Missal — An  Old  Woman's  Dream — Stone 
River — The  Rebel  Position — Orders  to  General  McCook — Reports — 
Obstinate  Resistance  of  the  Enemy  —  Ominous  Sounds  on  the 
Left — Starkweather's  Combat — Rebel  Cavalry  in  the  Rear — The 
Tenth  Ohio  Distinguishing  Itself — Rosecrans  Orders  McCook  to 
Prepare  for  Battle — Better  Prospects — Operations  of  the  Day. 

TUESDAY,  the  30th  of  December,  dawned  drearily. 
It  had  rained  heavily  during  the  night.  The  surface 
of  the  earth  was  a  heavy  muck — such  a  soil  as  caused 
Napoleon  to  delay  attack  from  six  o'clock  until  eleven. 
The  sun  was  shut  out  by  heavy  masses  of  clouds,  and 
thick  mist  was  floating  in  the  atmosphere,  obscuring 
vision  and  oppressing  the  senses.  The  soldiers,  who 
had  lain  all  night  in  the  mud  without  fires,  stood  to 
their  arms  shivering  in  saturated  garments  long  before 
daylight.  They  had  plenty  to  eat,  but  that  was  their 
only  comfort.  But  as  they  fared,  so  fared  their  offi 
cers,  save  when  they  slept  their  officers  were  vigilant. 

The  Leader  was  among  the  earliest  to  start  from 
his  blankets — as  he  had  been  among  the  last  who  had 
slept  at  all  to  seek  rest.  At  half-past  three  o'clock 
that  morning,  Major  General  McCook  reported  to  him 
in  person,  and  was  instructed  to  rest  the  left  of  his 
line  upon  the  right  of  General  Negley's  line,  and  to 


182  FIGHTING   FOR   POSITION. 

throw  his  right  forward  until  it  was  parallel,  or  nearly 
so,  with  Stone  Elver,  the  extreme  right  to  rest  on  or 
near  the  Franklin  road — General  McCook  describing 

f  O 

the  field  which  furnished  the  base  for  this  order.  The 
order  of  the  Center  and  Left  Wins:  were  to  remain  as 

^s 

already  described — Negley's  two  brigades  in  the  cen 
ter,  Palmer  on  his  left,  Wood  on  the  extreme  left, 
Van  Cleve  on  the  left  in  reserve. 

HEADQUARTERS   IN   THE   FIELD. 

About  seven  o'clock,  Crittenden's  lines  moved  up 
a  little,  and  the  enemy  opened  a  brisk  but  ineffective 
fire.  Negley  pushed  laboriously  forward  through 
the  heavy  cedar  thickets,  the  pioneers  cutting  roads 
through  the  timber  for  the  passage  of  his  trains. 
The  General  Commanding,  not  yet  mounted,  stood  in 
front  of  his  quarters  watching  the  progress  of  affairs 
when  the  fire  opened  upon  Crittenden.  Presently  an 
officer  who  had  been  wounded  was  borne  to  the  rear 
on  a  stretcher.  Directly  the  enemy  trained  a  gun  at 
headquarters.  The  first  compliment  whizzed  over  a 
little  crest  and  ricochetted  in  the  road.  The  next 
cannon  ball  was  in  better  range,  striking  nearer  the 
General.  The  third  whizzed  almost  in  a  line  with 
him,  and  carried  away  the  head  of  McDonald,  of  the 
Fourth  Regular  Cavalry,  one  of  the  orderlies.  It 
was  deemed  prudent  to  remove,  and  the  General  and 
staff  rode  up  the  slope  to  a  less  exposed  position, 
halting  at  a  solitary  panel  of  fence  under  three  vigor 
ous  young  trees,  perhaps  a  hundred  yards  from  the 
pike  on  the  left — a  point  from  whence  movements 
were  observed  during  the  day.  It  had  begun  to  rain 
again,  and  the  prospect  was  dismal. 


FIGHTING  FOR  POSITION.  183 

A  canopy  of  rails,  supported  by  a  rider  upon 
crotchets,  was  constructed,  and  several  gutta-percha 
blankets  spread  over  them,  enabled  the  staff  to  write 
orders  under  shelter.  Every  member  of  the  staff 
proper  was  now  with  the  Chief.  General  Crittenden 
and  his  staff  swelled  the  group.  Colonel  John 
Kennett  and  his  Adjutant,  Chamberlain,  had  reported 
in  obedience  to  orders.  Otis  was  there  superintend 
ing  the  transmission  of  orders  by  couriers.  The 
escorts  of  Rosecrans  and  Crittenden,  with  orderlies, 
were  drawn  up  in  the  rear  holding  horses.  The 
Fourth  Regular  Cavalry  were  in  line  behind  a  crest, 
perhaps  two  or  three  hundred  yards  in  the  rear. 
After  a  while  a  petulant  bicker  of  musketry  in  Neg- 
ley's  front,  occasionally  a  growl  of  cannon  away  over 
on  the  right,  indicated  that  the  enemy  were  finding 
cause  of  quarrel.  Thousands  of  troops,  forming  the 
second  line,  were  visible  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach, 
stalking  about  the  mucky  fallow  grounds  near  their 
posts,  or  lounging  upon  their  blankets,  their  bayonets 
fixed  and  sunk  into  the  soil,  with  butts  of  muskets 
uppermost,  as  if  this  was  a  field  of  fire-arms  ripening 
for  a  harvest.  As  the  muttering  in  the  distance  grew 
more  ominous,  the  superb  band  of  the  Fourth  Cavalry 
soothed  the  growing  discord  with  noble  harmony; 
and  as  the  "Star  Spangled  Banner"  swelled  and 
rolled  in  spirit-stirring  volume  over  the  somber 
plains,  stout-hearted  fellowTs  greeted  the  welcome 
music  with  joyful  clamor. 

A  fire  had  been  kindled  in  front  of  field  quarters, 
and  a  fence  was  constructed  around  it  for  seats. 
Officers,  enveloped  in  uncouth  rubber  ponchos,  with 
gutta-percha  covers  on  their  heads,  reminders  of  chiv- 


184  FIGHTING  FOR  POSITION. 

alrous  knights  armed  cap-a-pie,  clustered  around  the 
roaring  flames,  and  while  battle  waged  in  the  forest 
they  eked  comfort  from  the  blaze  and  waxed  jolly. 
Why  not?  Doubtless  they  had  made  their  peace 
with  God.  Perhaps  to-day  or  to-morrow  they  may 
die.  Men  learn  to  toy  with  the  grim  majesty  of 
death.  There  is  often  a  gay  insousiance  in  the  midst 
of  horrors  that  thrills  you  when  reflection  seizes  you 
in  solitude.  "Who  of  us  will  go  up  to-morrow?" 
quoth  one.  "Not  I,"  "Nor  I,"  say  each.  When  all 
enter  the  iminent  deadly  breach,  who  may  survive? 
Yet  who  thinks  it  will  be  himself? 

THE   FOLLOWING   OF   CHRIST. 

There  was  one  in  that  assemblage  who  felt  not  thus. 
He  was  sitting  alone,  aside,  at  the  foot  of  one  of  the 

O  7 

trees,  leaning  against  it.  In  his  hands,  partially  con 
cealed  by  the  flowing  folds  of  his  overcoat,  there  was 
a  little  book  —  a  Missal  —  "  De  Imitations  Christi." 
He  carried  it  in  his  pocket  habitually.  A  few  had 
observed  his  custom.  Yet  he  was  as  stealthy  as  a 
woman  with  a  sweet  missive  from  a  lover.  Had  he 
dreamed  that  he  appeared  in  the  least  ostentatious,  he 
would  have  blushed  to  his  temples.  He  bowed  meekly 
over  his  book;  his  lips  muttered  inaudibly;  the  index 
finger  of  his  right  hand  described  the  imaginary  cross 
with  which  men  of  his  religion  symbolize  their  faith. 
He  was  no  more  conscious  that  he  was  observed  by 
mortal  man  than  a  little  child  is  capable  of  crime. 
He  communed  upon  the  battle-field  with  God.  The 
witness  shuddered  with  indescribable  emotion.  Gar- 
esche'  felt  that  he  was  a  doomed  man.  On  the  morrow 
the  comrade  who  shuddered,  shuddered  the  more 


FIGHTING  FOR   POSITION.  185 

when  the  scene  premonished  under  that  tree  became 
a  horrible  reality.  It  was  very  curious.  An  old 
woman  at  St.  Louis — a  poor  distraught  creature,  who 
fancied  she  had  inspirations  superior  to  mortal  gifts — 
dreamed  that  Garesch^  would  be  killed  in  his  first 
battle.  She  warned  him,  and  he  smiled  with  amiable1* 
contempt.  He  was  at  Washington — she  on  the  Mis 
sissippi.  A  year  later,  and  he  was  in  front  of  Mur- 
freesboro.  But  a  presentiment  had  possessed  his 
mind.  He  left  Washington  to  join  Kosecrans,  fixed 
in  the  somber  belief  that  he  would  fall  in  his  first 
battle.  This  was  confided  to  a  near  relative.  He 
never  spoke  of  it  to  others.  We  shall  see  how  cheer 
fully  he  devoted  himself. 

GROUPINGS    IN   THE   FIELD. 

There  were  various  groupings  that  may  yet  elicit  the 
skill  of  a  graceful  limner.  The  Chief.  Garesch^,  God- 
dard,  Thompson,  Thorns,  Bond,  in  the  center — pen 
cil  and  paper,  orders — couriers  flying  away,  couriers 
swiftly  approaching,  aids  galloping  over  the  iield>  offi 
cers  reporting;  the  Chief  grave,  anxious,  absorbed. 
Crittenden  and  his  staff  waiting  orders.  Officers  with 
glasses  scanning  the  line,  which  to-morrow  will  be  a 
line  of  blood.  A  troop,  a  squadron,  a  regiment  of 
horse  skirring  over  the  plain;  columns  moving 
through  the  forest;  great  trains  lumbering  in  the 
highway;  cannon  rumbling  on  the  stony  road.  Cold 
winds  blew  from  the  north-west  about  noon  and  swept 
the  mist  and  the  smoke  from  camp-fires  in  the  thick 
ets  over  the  enemy,  and  the  cheerful  sun  gleamed  out 
strongly  bat  fitful  through  clefts  between  clouds, 
which  looked  like  gaps  separating  mountains.  The 
16 


186  FIGHTING    FOR   POSITION. 

enemy  were  visible  in  front,  anxious,  and  observant 
in  groups  with  glasses,  as  we  were. 

FIGHTING   FOR   POSITION. 

According  to  descriptions  of  the  geography  of  the 
* rebel  position  and  of  the  topography  of  the  country 
in  their  front,  furnished  by  General  McCook,  orders 
had  been  given  him  which  consumed  the  day  in  exe 
cution.  His  extreme  right  refused  to  the  enemy  was 
to  rest  on  or  near  the  Franklin  pike,  tracing  a  wooded 
ridge  along  the  front  of  the  enemy  until  his  left  con 
nected  with  the  Center.  Early  in  the  morning,  !N"eg- 
ley  had  obliqued  to  the  right  in  order  to  bring  his  line 
into  position,  Stanley's  brigade  on  the  right,  Miller's 
on  the  left,  joining  Cruft's  brigade  of  Palmer's  divi 
sion,  left  wing.  Rousseau's  three  brigades  had  been 
ordered  forward  early,  and  they-got  into  position  in 
reserve  about  four  o'clock — Starkweather's  being  on 
the  Jefferson  pike. 

The  reports  which  reached  the  General  Command 
ing,  were  not  reassuring.  The  energies  of  the  Center 
and  Eight  Wing  were  engaged  in  fighting  for  posi 
tion.  Negley,  under  Thomas,  was  meeting  resistance 
which  amounted  almost  to  battle.  Thunder  of  can 
non  and  rattle  of  musketry  swelling  upon  the  right 
was  still  more  ominous.  McCook  was  instructed  to 
feel  his  way  cautiously  but  firmly.  Before  noon  artil 
lery  was  heard  away  off  on  our  left.  It  was  unex 
pected,  and  therefore  menacing.  Colonel  Kennett  was 
directed  to  inquire  into  it,  and  the  facts  were  subse 
quently  reported.  A  train  of  sixty  wagons,  proceed 
ing  toward  the  bridge  on  the  Jefferson  pike,  was 
attacked  while  the  head  of  the  train  was  going  into 


FIGHTING   FOR   POSITION.  187 

park  at  Starkweather's  camp,  near  the  bridge.  His 
brigade,  numbering  seventeen  hundred  men,  was 
quickly  deployed,  the  Twenty-First  Wisconsin,  Col 
onel  Hobart,  dividing  to  the  front  and  rear  of  the 
train,  the  First  Wisconsin,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Bing- 
ham,  on  the  flanks  as  skirmishers,  the  Twenty-Fourth 
Illinois,  Colonel  Mihalotzy,  at  the  bridge  crossing 
with  a  section  of  Stone's  First  Kentucky  Battery,  the 
Seventy-Ninth  Pennsylvania,  Colonel  Hambright, 
and  two  sections  of  Stone's  Battery,  going  to  the  front 
under  Colonel  Starkweather.  A  detachment  of  fifty 
of  the  Second  Kentucky  Cavalry,  Captain  Craddock, 
was  sent  to  the  front  to  feel  the  enemy  and  were  at 
once  engaged.  The  enemy,  three  thousand  five  hund 
red  strong,  under  Brigadier  General  Wheeler,  and 
Colonel  Allen,  advanced  on  foot  supported  by  two 
howitzers.  A  sharp  combat  lasting  two  hours  and  a 
half  ensued.  Starkweather's  gallant  brigade,  how 
ever,  finally  repulsed  the  enemy  with  severe  loss,  hia 
own  casualties  being  one  killed,  eight  wounded,  one 
hundred  and  four  missing,  and  nine  captured.  Eighty- 
three  of  the  enemy,  including  a  Lieutenant  Colonel, 
were  killed  outright,  and  eight  were  captured — two 
of  whom  were  mortally  wounded.  Their  wound 
ed  were  numerous,  but  the  enemy  removed  them. 
Wheeler,  however,  succeeded  in  destroying  twenty 
wagons  in  the  rear  of  the  train.  The  troops  of  the 
brigade  behaved  gallantly. 

EXCITING   REPORTS. 

At  noon,  General  McCook  reported  that  Colonel 
Zahn  had  discovered  a  brigade  of  rebel  cavalry  with 
three  pieces  of  artillery  on  the  Franklin  pike,  evi- 


188  FIGHTING   FOR   POSITION. 

dently  menacing  our  communications.  Later  in  the 
day  they  made  a  clash  on  the  Murfreesboro  pike, 
directly  in  our  rear,  cutting  off  a  train  of  wagons. 
Rousseau's  division  having  moved  to  the  front.  Col 
onel  J.  W.  Burke's  Tenth  Ohio  Infantry,  which  had 
been  left  to  guard  Headquarters'  camp,  at  Stewarts- 
bore,  immediately  moved  in  pursuit  under  that  gal 
lant  officer  and  recaptured  the  train.  Harrassing 
reports  were  constantly  arriving,  indicating  a  general 
effort  on  the  part  of  the  enemy  to  cut  off'  our  trains 
in  the  rear,  and  sever  communications  with  Nashville, 
causing  anxiety  to  the  General  Commanding.  Gen 
eral  McCook  reported  strong  resistance,  with  Hardee 
in  his  front.  At  a  quarter  before  four  o'clcok,  Cap 
tain  H.  !N".  Fisher,  Volunteer  Aid  to  General  McCook, 
reported  to  the  General  Commanding  that  Kirby 
Smith's  corps  and  Breckinridge's  division  had  con 
centrated  in  front  of  the  Left  Wing.  "  Tell  General 
McCook,"  said  the  Chief,  that  "if  he  is  assured  that 
such  is  the  fact  he  may  drive  Hardee  sharply  if  he  is 
ready.  At  all  events  tell  him  to  prepare  for  battle 
to-morrow  morning.  Tell  him  to  fight  as  if  the  fate 
of  a  great  battle  depended  upon  him.  While  he 
holds  Hardee,  the  Left,  under  Crittenden,  will  swing 
round  and  take  Murfreesboro.  Let  Hardee  attack  if 
he  wants  to.  It  will  suit  us  exactly."  "  It  is  looking 
better,"  said  the  Chief,  moving  around  to  the  fire. 

Soon  after  it  was  reported  that  the  enemy  had  cap 
tured  Lavergne,  with  thirty  troops  and  the  telegraph 
operator,  besides  interrupting  the  line  of  couriers. 
^Tot  much  later  General  Thomas  reported  successful 
progress  in  front  of  the  Center,  and  was  directed  to 
press  the  enemy  at  his  discretion.  General  McCook 


FIGHTING   FOR   POSITION.  189 

reported  Sherridan's  division  moving  steadily  into  the 
position  assigned  him ;  Davis  on  his  right,  fighting 
vigorously  but  gaining  ground.  "  Things  look  bright, 
gentlemen — brighter  than  they  did  this  morning," 
said  the  Chief  cheerfully,  and  for  the  first  time  during 
the  day  he  indulged  in  pleasantry.  All  this  time 
there  was  an  angry  chatter  of  musketry  in  the  cen 
ter  and  on  the  right,  while  great  guns  roared  inces 
santly — very  much  resembling  battle.  It  is  now  time 
to  follow  the  respective  movements  of  the  columns. 

THE   LEFT   WING 

Was  already  in  position  in  order  of  battle  in  two 
lines,  Cruft's,  Grose's,  Wagner's,  and  Harker's  bri 
gades  in  front,  with  Hazen's  and  Hascall's  brigades, 
and  Yan  Cleve's  division,  in  reserve.  The  rebel 
sharpshooters  kept  up  a  harrassing  fire  all  day,  and 
at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  General  Palmer  was 
ordered  to  advance  and  make  a  demonstration  with 
all  his  artillery.  The  enemy  retaliated,  and  there  was 
a  grand  fusilade,  but  nothing  serious  grew  out  of  it. 

THE    CENTER. 

Negley  had  obliqued  to  the  right,  and  with  the  Sev 
enty-Eighth  Pennsylvania  and  Nineteenth  Illinois  in 
front  skirmishing,  he  fought  his  way  into  position 
over  rugged  ground,  beset  with  cedar-brakes,  and 
against  obstinate  resistance.  He  was  also  formed  in 
two  lines,  with  Rousseau's  division  in  reserve. 

THE    RIGHT   WING. 

At  half  past  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  General 
McCook  moved  his  column  down  the  "Wilkinson  pike 


190  FIGHTING   FOR   POSITION. 

toward  Murfreesboro.  Sherridan's  division  had  the 
lead,  Roberts'  brigade  in  advance,  with  a  regiment  of 
cavalry  in  front.  Not  long  after  crossing  Overall's 
Creek,  the  infantry  pickets  of  the  rebels  were  encoun 
tered.  Sherridan  had  thrown  a  regiment  of  skirm 
ishers  to  the  front,  but  when  they  reached  a  point 
within  two  miles  and  three-quarters  of  Murfreesboro, 
the  enemy  showed  so  strongly  in  front  that  two 
regiments — the  Twenty-Second  and  Forty-Second 
Illinois — were  required  to  drive  them.  They  resisted 
obstinately,  bringing  batteries  into  play  occasionally. 
Complying  with  orders  from  General  McCook, 
General  Sherridan  now  formed  in  line  of  battle  and 
placed  his  artillery  in  position — on  the  right  of  and 
obliquely  to  the  pike — four  regiments  to  the  front, 
four  in  close  support,  and  Shaeffer's  brigade  in  re 
serve  in  columns  of  regiments  in  rear  of  the  center. 
General  Davis  formed  upon  his  right  in  similar  man 
ner,  with  Carlin's  brigade  on  the  right  to  direct  the 
movements  of  the  division.  In  consequence  of  a 
demonstration  of  the  enemy  toward  Davis'  right, 
Kirk's  brigade,  of  Johnson's  division,  was  formed 
still  further  to  the  right,  with  his  own  right  refused 
to  protect  that  flank.  Edgarton's  Battery  took  posi 
tion  upon  an  elevation  on  the  right  flank  and  opened 
his  full  battery  with  splendid  effect,  driving  the  ene 
my  back  in  confusion,  disabling  pieces,  killing  horses 
and  men.  A  second  battery  in  Post's  front  was  also 
silenced  in  a  few  moments. 

The  enemy,  covered  by  a  heavy  belt  of  timber  in 
Sherridan's  and  Davis'  front,  had  succeeded  in  re 
tarding  their  progress,  but  Davis'  division  and  Sher 
ridan's  right  brigade  were  now  ordered  to  swing  by 


FIGHTING   FOR   POSITION.  191 

the  right,  so  as  to  face  nearly  east,  but  in  effecting  this 
movement  Davis  met  with  severe  loss.  Carlin  found 
his  right  within  one  hundred  and  eighty  yards  of  a 
rebel  battery  at  Smith's  house.  He  had  intended  to 
halt  here  for  Post's  and  Woodruff's  brigades  to  come 
up,  but  Colonel  Alexander,  commanding  the  Twenty- 
First  Illinois,  acting  upon  his  own  responsibility, 
charged  gallantly  at  the  battery,  and  upon  attaining 
a  point  within  eighty  yards  of  it.  the  enemy  aban 
doned  their  guns.  The  regiment  continued  its  career, 
but  directly  it  recoiled  before  a  furious  fire  opened 
suddenly  by  infantry  concealed  behind  fences  and  out 
houses.  The  battery  which  Edgarton  silenced  soon 
after  was  also  harrassing  them,  and  Colonel  Alexan 
der,  seeing  no  alternative,  was  constrained  to  retire. 
The  conduct  of  his  regiment,  however,  was  admirable. 
The  two  divisions,  with  one  of  Johnson's  brigades, 
had  nowbeen  quite  sharply  engaged,  losing  about  two 
hundred  men,  and  it  was  verging  upon  sunset.  The 
maneuver  which  had  been  directed  was  successfully 
executed,  and  McCook  soon  saw  his  command  in  the 
position  for  which  it  had  struggled  so  inflexibly. 
Sherridan's  left,  resting  upon  the  Wilkinson  pike,  con 
nected  with  2s"egley's  right,  his  right  resting  in  the 
timber,  his  reserve  brigade  in  the  rear  of  his  center. 
Davis'  left  was  closed  in  upon  Sherridan's  right,  with 
his  own  right  deflected  so  that  it  formed  nearly  a  right 
angle  with  Sherridan's.  Subsequently  Brigadier  Gen 
eral  Kirk's  left  joined  Davis'  right ;  and  General  Wil- 
lich's  brigade,  with  his  right  at  the  Franklin  road, 
refused  so  as  to  protect  the  flank,  was  posted  upon  the 
extreme  right  of  the  entire  line  of  battle.  Meantime, 
Baldwin's  brigade,  which  had  been  ordered  forward 


192  FIGHTING   FOR   POSITION. 

from  Triune,  had  joined  General  Johnson  early  in 
the  afternoon  (of  the  30th),  and  went  into  camp  in 
reserve,  about  eight  hundred  yards  in  the  rear. 

The  entire  cavalry  force  of  the  army,  excepting 
details  for  courier  and  escort  duty,  were  engaged 
protecting  the  flanks  that  day,  skirmishing  a  little. 
General  Stanley,  with  a  small  force,  went  back  to 
Lavergne,  to  watch  the  rebel  operations  in  the  rear. 


PLAN   OF   THE   BATTLE.  193 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

THE  Line  of  Battle— Right,  Left,  and  Center— The  Field— Picket 
Guards — Vigilance  of  Commanders — Position  of  the  Enemy — Head 
quarters  of  the  General  Commanding  the  Night  before  Battle — 
McCook's  Information  from  the  Enemy — Instructions  to  McCook — 
The  Plan  of  Battle — Explanations — The  Order  of  Battle  by  Bri 
gades — Address  to  the  Army — The  Army  on  the  Eve  of  Battle. 

THERE  was  now  a  continuous  line  of  battle  in  two 
lines,  with  reserves,  in  position,  describing  an  irreg 
ular  figure  about  three  miles  in  length,  and  tracing  in 
a  general  direction  north-east  and  south-west.  It  was 
nearly  parallel  with  that  of  the  enemy.  The  left 
rested  on  Stone  River,  the  right  stretching  rather 
south-westerly,  and  resting  on  high  wooded  ground, 
south  of  and  near  the  Franklin  pike.  The  right  bri 
gade  (Williclr s)  flanked  in  a  line  nearly  perpendicular 
to  the  main  line,  forming  a  crotchet  to  the  rear  to 
guard  against  a  flank  movement.  The  Hight  Wing 
generally  occupied  a  wooded  ridge,  with  open  ground 
in  front.  A  valley,  narrowing  from  right  to  left,  say 
from  four  hundred  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards, 
separated  it  from  the  enemy,  who  were  covered  by 
dense  cedar  thickets,  oak  forests,  and,  as  was  subse 
quently  discovered,  rude  breastworks  of  loose  stones, 
rails,  and  brush. 

The  Center  was  posted  on  a  rolling  slope  in  advance, 
but  joining  Crittenden's  right  and  McCook's  left.  In 
front,  a  heavy  growth  of  oak  timber  extended  toward 
17 


194  PLAN    OF    THE   BATTLE. 

the  river,  which  was  about  a  mile  distant.  A  narrow 
thicket  diagonally  crossed  Negley's  left,  and  skirted 
the  base  of  a  cultivated  slope,  expanding  to  the  width 
of  a  mile  as  it  approached  the  Murfreesboro  pike. 
The  enemy  were  posted  on  the  crest  of  this  slope, 
behind  intrenchmerits,  which  extended  with  inter 
vals  from  the  oak  timber  in  JSTegley's  front  to  Stone 
River,  on  our  left,  obliquing  to  our  left  front,  with  a 
battery  of  six  guns  in  position  near  the  woods,  about 
eight  hundred  yards  from  Negley's  front.  The  ene 
my's  columns  were  massed  behind  this  timber  on  the 
river  bank. 

The  right  brigade  of  the  Left  Wing  rested  upon  a 
wood,  the  next  stretched  across  an  open  cotton  field 
into  a  thin  grove,  and  the  left  brigades  were  also  par 
tially  covered  by  timber,  with  open  ground  in  front. 
The  enemy  occupied  a  commanding  crest  in  the  open 
field,  perhaps  eight  hundred  yards  distant  from  our 
line.  The  railroad  on  high  ground,  to  the  left  of  the 
pike,  the  turnpike  on  low  ground,  intersected  the  Left 
Wing  on  Palmer's  left,  and  crossed  each  other  near 
the  rebel  line  in  a  depression,  forming  a  sharp  tri 
angle,  the  base  of  which,  a  half  mile  in  the  rear,  was 
about  five  hundred  yards  wide.  About  half  way 
between  the  two  lines  were  the  scarified  walls  of  a 
brick  dwelling,  now  famous  as  "Cowan's  Burnt 
House,"  occupying  a  knoll,  with  a  peach  orchard  on 
the  north  side.  The  great  struggle  for  mastery  finally 
took  place  in  this  front,  behind  the  apex  of  the  tri 
angle. 

In  rear  of  our  line  the  country  was  undulating  and 
rough,  excepting  on  the  left.  Behind  the  Right  Wing 
and  Center,  there  were  alternate  fallow  fields,  fences, 


PLAN   OF   THE   BATTLE.  195 

and  dense  cedar  thickets  and  ridges.  The  left  moved 
into  line  over  an  undulating  cornfield,  which  had  one 
distinct  trace  ranging  south-westerly  from  Stone  River 
until  it  gradually  fell  off  into  a  shallow  bluff*  on  the 
right  of  the  pike  on  the  west,  and  sloped  southerly 
from  a  crest  which  fronted  the  enemy.  On  the  rump 
of  this  trace  there  was  a  small  grove  of  saplings. 
Behind  it  a  hundred  yards  distant,  perhaps,  and  near 
the  railroad,  a  family  cemetery,  shaded  by  a  clump  of 
stunted  cedars.  This  graveyard  is  now  populous  with 
dead  patriots. 

On  the  right  of  the  pike,  going  south,  there  was 
an  irregular  triangular  cottonfield  swelling  to  a 
crest,  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards  on  the  right  of  the 
pike,  when  it  fell  oft'  into  thicket-skirted  swamps  at 
the  northern  angle,  and  sloped  almost  imperceptibly 
in  a  southerly  direction  into  an  open  marsh,  skirted 
on  its  opposite  side  behind  Cruft's  brigade,  by  dense 
cedar-brakes.  Its  southern  base  opened  clearly  in 
front  of  the  enemy's  right  center.  Behind  this  field, 
on  the  north  side,  was  an  oak  forest,  with  cedar  under- 
skirting,  verging  upon  the  highway,  the  ground  swell 
ing  with  a  rocky  surface  in  a  north-westerly  direction. 
All  this  is  historical  ground,  sacred  to  the  memory  of 
thousands  of  gallant  soldiers  who  fought  over  it  and 
lavished  their  blood  upon  it — a  frank  offering  to  their 
country.  Their  moldering  bones  are  monuments  of 
their  sacrifice. 

PRECAUTIONS. 

A  strong  continuous  line  of  pickets  stretched  from 
the  extreme  right  to  the  extreme  left  in  front  of  the 
entire  line  of  battle,  and  cavalry  was  posted  on  either 
flank.  General  "Willich,  ever  vigilant  and  careful, 


196  PLAN   OF   THE   BATTLE. 

posted  his  pickets  seven  hundred  yards  in  his  front, 
and  patroled  six  hundred  yards  beyond.  In  conse 
quence  of  the  propinquity  of  his  line  to  the  rebel 
front,  General  Kirk  was  not  able  to  post  his  picket 
line  so  far  in  advance,  but  he  pushed  it  to  the  utmost 
limit ;  and  he  complained  that  he  was  obliged  to 
extend  his  line  unduly  to  cover  a  gap  between  his  left 
and  the  right  of  General  Davis.  The  necessary  pre 
cautions  were  taken  by  all  the  other  commanders. 
General  Wood,  however,  exercising  his  characteristic 
caution  and  care,  had  also  caused  three  days'  subsist 
ence,  and  twenty  rounds  of  cartridges  additional  to  be 
issued  to  his  men.  His  artillery  horses  were  kept 
attached  to  their  pieces,  and  extraordinary  vigilance 
was  enjoined  upon  his  commanders  and  troops,  in 
order  to  be  prepared  for  all  emergencies.  In  these 
respects,  as  in  the  field,  the  soldierly  qualities  of  Gen 
eral  Wood  shone  conspicuously.  His  vigor  and  skill 
in  pushing  the  enemy  from  Lavergne  to  Stewart's 
Creek  and  Stone  River  had  before  elicited  the  earnest 
approval  of  the  General  Commanding. 

POSITION    OF    THE   ENEMY. 

Stone  River,  a  summer  stream — a  ribbon  in  dog- 
days,  but  a  wild,  torrent  in  spring-time,  sweeping 
bridges  and  the  debris  of  forests  before  its  volume — 
is  a  cleft  between  high  bluffy  banks,  tracing  in  a  gen 
eral  direction  from  south  to  north,  with  many  sinu 
osities.  It  curves  abruptly  toward  Murfreesboro  on 
the  western  side  of  the  town,  and  the  enemy  availed 
themselves  of  the  horse-shoe.  Their  right  intersected 
Stone  River,  nearly  parallel  with  our  left  front,  and 
rested  upon  bights  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  their 


PLAN   OF   THE   BATTLE.  197 

extreme  right  obliqued  ixTborrespond  with  the  course 
of  the  river,  toward  our  left.  The  left  of  their  Right 
Wing  and  their  Center  were  posted  behind  intrench- 
ments  on  the  crest  of  a  cottonfield,  which  sloped 
gradually  toward  our  front,  rather  abruptly  in  their 
rear.  Their  left  was  prolonged  upon  the  trace  of  a 
bluffy,  rocky  ridge,  south  of  the  Franklin  road,  and 
covered  the  roads  going  southward  toward  Shelby- 
ville.  Their  Center  was  an  obtuse  angle,  trending 
north-westerly,  their  right  and  left  somewhat  retired. 
The  slopes  toward  the  river  covered  their  columns. 
At  this  period  the  river  was  at  its  lowest  ebb,  fordable 
at  any  point  where  roads  could  be  cut  to  it,  so  that  the 
enemy  could  retire  across  it  without  obstruction,  if 
necessary,  while  it  formed  a  natural  fosse  against  us, 
difficult  to  cross  in  the  face  of  opposition. 

HEADQUARTERS  THE  NIGHT  BEFORE  BATTLE. 

At  sunset  the  marquee  of  the  General  Commanding, 
and  a  few  tents  for  his  staff,  were  pitched  on  the  knoll 
hard  by  the  little  graveyard,  in  the  most  exposed 
position  on  the  field.  The  railroad  was  the  toss  of  a 
penny  in  the  rear.  He  remained  until  dark  at  his 
field  quarters  under  the  three  trees,  when  he  repaired 
to  camp.  General  Crittenden's  quarters  were  a  stone's 
throw  to  the  north;  those  of  General  Thomas  and 
General  Rousseau  in  a  rickety  cabin  further  in  the 
rear;  and  General  McCook's  near  Mr.  Harding's  house, 
in  the  rear  of  the  center  of  his  own  line. 

Meantime,  McCook  had  sent  a  captured  citizen, 
under  guard  to  General  Rosecrarrs,  with  the  informa 
tion  that  the  enemy  were  massing  their  forces  upon 


198  PLAN   OF   THE   BATTLE. 

his  right.  The  citizen  said  to  McCook,  "  I  was  up  to 
the  enemy's  line  of  battle  twice  yesterday,  and  once 
this  morning,  to  get  some  stock  taken  from  me.  The 
enemy's  troops  are  posted  in  the  following  manner  : 
The  right  of  Cheatham's  division  rests  on  the  Wil 
kinson  pike.  Withers  is  on  Cheatham's  left,  with  his 
left  resting  on  the  'Franklin  road.  Hardee's  corps  is 
entirely  beyond  that  road,  his  right  resting  on  that 
road,  and  his  left  extending  toward  the  Salem  pike." 
General  McCook  also  reported  that  his  right  rested 
directly  in  front  of  the  rebel  Center,  which  gave  him 
some  anxiety.  He  therefore  posted  Kirk's  and  Wil- 
lich's  brigades  on  the  right  of  Davis,  extending  his 
line  south  of  the  Franklin  road.  Upon  receiving  this 
information,  General  Ilosecrans  directed  McCook  to 
build  large  and  extensive  camp  fires  beyond  his  right, 
to  induce  the  enemy  to  believe  he  was  massing  troops 
there,  and  the  order  was  executed  by  Major  Nodine, 
of  McCook' s  staff.  When  General  McCook  informed 
the  General  Commanding  that  his  corps  was  facing 
strongly  toward  the  east,  the  latter  told  him  that 
"such  a  direction  to  his  line  did  not  appear  to  him  a 
proper  one,  but  that  it  ought,  with  the  exception  of 
his  left,  to  face  much  more  nearly  south,  with  John 
son's  division  in  reserve;  but  that  this  matter  must 
be  confided  to  him,  who  knew  the  ground  over  which 
he  had  fought." 

INSTRUCTIONS    TO   M'COOK. 

At  about  six  o'clock  in  the  evening,  General  Ros- 
ecrans  dictated  the  following  instructions  to  General 
McCook  for  the  following  day.  They  were  written 


PLAN    OF    THE    BATTLE.  199 

by  Captain  R.  S.  Thorns,  Volunteer  Aiddecamp,  and 
by  him  the}7  were  forwarded  to  McCook,  to  wit: 

"  Take  strong  position.  If  the  enemy  attack  you,  fall  back 
slowly,  refusing  your  right,  contesting  the  ground  inch  by 
inch.  If  the  enemy  does  not  attack  you,  you  will  attack 
them,  not  vigorously,  but  warmly.  The  time  of  attack  by  you 
to  be  designated  by  the  General  Commanding." 

At  nine  o'clock  the  corps  commanders  met  at  head 
quarters,  and  the  following  plan  of  battle  for  the 
morrow  was  presented  and  explained : 

PLAN    OP    TIIE    BATTLE. 

McCook  was  to  occupy  the  most  advantageous 
position,  refusing  his  right  as  much  as  practicable 
and  necessary  to  secure  it ;  to  receive  the  attack  of 
the  enemy,  or,  if  that  did  not  come,  to  attack  him 
self,  sufficient  to  hold  all  the  force  on  his  front. 

Thomas  and  Palmer  to  open  with  skirmishing,  and 
gain  the  enemy's  center  and  left  as  far  as  the  river. 

Crittenden  to  cross  Van  Clove's  division  at  the 
lower  ford,  covered  and  supported  by  the  Sappers  and 
Miners,  and  to  advance  on  Breckin ridge. 

Wood's  division  to  follow  by  brigades,  crossing  at 
the  upper  ford,  and  moving  on  Van  Cleve's  right,  to 
carry  everything  before  them  into  Murfreesboro. 

"  This,"  said  General  Rosecrans  subsequently  in  his 
official  reports,  "  would  have  given  us  two  divisions 
against  one,  and  as  soon  as  Breckinridge  had  been 
dislodged  from  his  position,  the  batteries  of  Wood's 
division,  taking  position  on  the  bights  east  of  Stone 
River,  in  advance,  would  see  the  enemy's  works 
in  reverse,  would  dislodge  them,  and  enable  Pal- 


200  PLAN    OF    THE   BATTLE. 

mer's  division  to  press  them  back  and  drive  them 
westward  across  the  river,  or  through  the  woods, 
while  Thomas,  sustaining  the  movement  on  the 
center,  would  advance  on  the  right  of  Palmer,  crush 
ing  their  right;  and  Crittenden's  corps,  advancing, 
would  take  Murfreesboro,  and  then  moving  westward, 
on  the  Franklin  road,  get  on  their  flanks  and  rear,  and 
drive  them  into  the  country,  toward  Salem,  with  the 
prospect  of  cutting  off  their  retreat,  and  probably 
destroying  their  army. 

"  It  was  explained  to  them  that  this  combination, 
ensuring  us  a  vast  superiority  on  our  left,  required  for 
its  success  that  General  McCook  should  be  able  to 
hold  his  position  for  three  hours;  that  if  necessary 
to  recede  at  all,  he  should  recede  as  he  had  advanced 
on  the  preceding  day,  slowly,  as  steadily,  refusing  his 
right,  thereby  rendering  our  success  certain." 

Having  thus  explained  the  plan,  the  General  Com 
manding  addressed  General  McCook  as  follows : 

"  To-morrow  there  will  be  battle.  You  know  the 
ground;  you  have  fought  over  it ;  you  know  its  diffi 
culties.  Can  you  hold  your  present  position  for  three 
hours?" 

To  which  General  McCook  responded :  "  Yes,  I 
think  I  can." 

The  General  Commanding  then  said :  "  I  don't  like 
the  facing  so  much  to  the  east,  but  must  confide  that  to 
you,  who  know  the  ground.  If  you  don't  think  your 
present  the  best  position,  change  it ;  it  is  only  neces 
sary  for  you  to  make  things  sure ; "  and  the  officers 
then  returned  to  their  commands. 

THE    ORDER    OF    BATTLE   IN   BRIGADE    FRONTS. 

The  order  of  battle  by  divisions,  as  already  described, 
remained  unchanged,  but  several  of  the  front  brigades 


PLAN   OF   THE   BATTLE.  201 

were  relieved,  and  fell  back  in  reserve.  (To  designate 
the  transposition  of  regiments  is  impossible.)  The 
final  order  of  battle,  by  brigades  from  right  to  left, 
was  as  follows : 

On  the  extreme  right,  Second  Division  (Eight 
Wing),  Willich's  brigade,  and  Kirk's  in  front,  Col 
onel  Baldwin's  in  reserve.  First  Division — First 
Brigade,  Colonel  P.  Sydney  Post;  Second  Brigade, 
Colonel  W.  P.  Carlin ;  Third  Brigade,  Colonel  W.  E. 
Woodruff.  Third  Division — First  Brigade,  Brigadier 
General  Sill;  Second  Brigade,  Colonel  F.  Shaefer; 
Third  Brigade,  Colonel  G.  W.  Roberts. 

Center. — Second  Division — Second  Brigade,  Col 
onel  T.  R,  Stanley;  Third  Brigade,  Colonel  J.  F. 
Miller. 

Left  Wing. — Second  Division — First  Brigade,  Brig 
adier  General  Cruft;  Second  Brigade,  Colonel  W.  B. 
Ilazen ;  Third  Brigade,  Colonel  W.  Grose  (in  reserve). 
First  Division — Second  Brigade.  Colonel  George  D. 
Wagner;  Third  Brigade,  Colonel  Charles  G.  Jlarker; 
Fourth  Brigade,  Brigadier  General  Miles  S.  Hascall. 
The  First  Division,  General  Van  Cleve,  in  reserve. 
The  artillery,  generally,  was  posted  upon  the  brigade 
flanks,  with  a  strong  reserve  in  the  Center.  Rous 
seau's  division  was  in  reserve;  Walker's  brigade 
was  posted  at  Stewartsboro  to  protect  communica 
tions,  and  Starkweather's  brigade  remained  on  the 
Jefferson  pike.  The  cavalry  were  posted  on  cither 
flunk  of  the  army,  with  a  reserve  in  the  rear  of  the 
Center.  The  Pioneer  Brigade  was  preparing  fords  in 
Stone  River  on  the  left. 


202  PLAN    OF   THE   BATTLE. 


ADDRESS    TO    THE    ARMY. 

Before  seeking  repose  to  prepare  him  for  the  great 
duties  of  the  morrow,  General  Rosecrans  directed  the 
following  address  to  the  soldiers  of  the  Army  of  the 
Cumberland : 

HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  CUMBERLAND,  1 
In  Front  of  Murfreesboro,  December  31,  1862.      j 

ORDERS. 

The  General  Commanding  desires  to  say  to  the  soldiers  of 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  that  he  was  well  pleased  with 
their  conduct  yesterday.  It  was  all  that  he  could  have  wished 
for.  He  neither  saw  nor  heard  of  any  skulking.  They 
behaved  with  the  coolness  and  gallantry  of  veterans.  He 
now  feels  perfectly  confident,  with  God's  grace  and  their  help, 
of  striking  this  day  a  blow  for  the  country  the  most  crushing, 
perhaps,  which  the  rebellion  has  yet  sustained.  Soldiers  !  the 
eyes  of  the  whole  nation  are  upon  you ;  the  very  fate  of  the 
nation  may  be  said  to  hang  on  the  issues  of  this  day's  battle. 
Be  true,  then,  to  yourselves,  true  to  your  own  manly  charac 
ter  and  soldierly  reputation  ;  true  to  the  love  of  your  dear 
ones  at  home,  whose  prayers  ascend  this  day  to  God  for  your 
success.  Be  cool.  I  need  not  ask  you  to  be  brave.  Keep 
ranks.  Do  not  throw  away  your  fire.  Fire  slowly,  deliber 
ately — above  all,  fire  low,  and  be  always  sure  of  your  aim. 
Close  readily  in  upon  the  enemy,  and  when  you  get  within 
charging  distance,  rush  upon  him  with  the  bayonet,  Do  this, 
and  victory  will  certainly  be  your's.  Eecollect  that  there  are 
hardly  any  troops  in  the  world  that  will  stand  a  bayonet 
charge,  and  that  those  who  make  it,  therefore,  are  sure  to 
win.  By  command  of 

MAJOR  GENERAL  ROSECRANS. 

J.  P.  GARESCHE,  A  A.  G.  and  Chief  of  Staf. 


PLAN   OP    THE    BATTLE.  203 

But  few  brigades  of  that  splendid  host  had  oppor 
tunity  to  hear  it.  The  shock  of  battle  was  felt  before 
the  ink  with  which  it  was  penned  was  fairly  dry. 

THE    EVE    OF   BATTLE. 

The  eve  of  battle  was  dreary.  It  had  rained  nearly 
all  day,  and  the  atmosphere  was  humid.  A  blustering 
wind  swept  coldly  from  the  North,  whistling  dismally 
through  the  forests.  Our  brave  soldiers,  saturated  to 
the  skin,  lay  upon  the  bleak  wet  soil  enveloped  in 
damp  blankets,  unprotected  by  canopy  save  the  mot 
tled  sky.  They  were  weary  with  marching,  and 
fighting,  and  standing  at  arms,  and  notwithstanding 
their  comfortless  couches,  the  multitudes  who  were 
not  on  guard  fell  easily  to  sleep.  But  few  bivouac 
fires  blazed  through  the  darkness,  and  only  a  solitary 
bugle  broke  night's  stillness  at  tattoo.  Alas,  too 
many  slept  that  night  who  slumber  no  more  in  life. 
The  sad  soil  upon  which  they  reposed  was  made 
sadder  before  the  morrow  night  by  the  warm  blood 
which  gushed  from  their  bounding  hearts.  Battle 
would  thunder  upon  that  field  at  sunrise  of  the  last 
day  of  the  departing  year. 

The  General  and  staff  were  crowded  into  less  than 
one-third  the  usual  allowance  of  tents.  All  super 
fluous  bedding  and  baggage  had  been  left  behind. 
Most  of  the  staff  had  blankets,  and  those  not  on  duty 
rolled  up  in  them  early,  and  sought  repose.  Garesche* 
Goddard,  Thompson,  Thorns,  and  Bond  remained 
faithfully  with  the  General  most  of  the  night.  Gar- 
esche*  was  always  at  his  elbow,  faithful  as  a  shadow, 
until  death  chose  him  for  his  own.  The  General's 
mind — active,  vigorous,  and  restless — inquired  into 


204  PLAN  OF   THE   BATTLE. 

every  detail.  In  the  absence  of  exact  information 
from  any  quarter,  couriers  were  instantly  dispatched 
to  satisfy  inquiry.  Each  General  in  command  was 
required  to  observe  closely,  and  report  explicitly,  the 
most  minute  information.  The  deportment  of  the 
General  Commanding,  all  that  day  and  that  night, 
was  an  absorbing  study. 


THE  BATTLE   OF   STONE  KIVER.  205 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

THE  31st  of  December,  18G2— Prayer  before  Battle— The  Left  Ordered 
to  Swing — "  It  is,  it  is  the  Cannon's  Opening  Roar !  " — Din  of  Bat 
tle  on  the  Right — Evil  Tidings — Panic — Anxiety  at  Headquarters — 
Incredible  Reports — Firmness  of  General  Rosecrans — The  Plan  of 
Battle  Defeated — The  General  Mounts  and  Gallops  to  the  Front — 
Batteries  Open  upon  Him — They  are  Silenced  by  Barnet — The 
Field — Sherridan  Debouches  from  the  Forest — The  Day  going 
against  us — New  Line  Formed — Batteries  Massed  in  the  Center — 
The  General  Commanding  leads  a  Charge — The  Enemy  Repulsed — • 
The  Tide  of  Battle  turns — St.  Clair  Morton  and  the  Pioneer  Bri 
gade — Night. 

MORNING  of  the  last  day  of  the  old  year  dawned 
brightly.  A  thin  mist  floated  along  the  channel  of 
Stone  River,  hut  otherwise  the  horizon  was  clear. 
When  the  outlines  of  a  familiar  face  were  but  barely 
recognizable  in  the  uncertain  haze  of  early  morning, 
the  General  Commanding,  cheerful  and  refreshed, 
appeared  at  the  eye  of  each  tent  and  roused  the  still 
slumbering  members  of  the  staff.  But  long  before, 
the  soldiers  stood  at  arms  and  waited  the  opening  of 
battle.  Every  charger  was  equipped  for  mounting. 
Minutes  .rolled  away  and  there  was  yet  no  uproar. 

PRAYER   BEFORE   BATTLE. 

A  little  later  the  dauntless  leader  of  that  army 
knelt  at  the  altar  and  prayed  to  the  God  of  battles. 
High  Mass  was  celebrated  in  a  little  tent  opposite  his 
marquee.  Rev.  Father  Cooney,  the  zealous  Chaplain 


206  THE  BATTLE   OF   STONE   RIVER. 

of  the  Thirty-Fifth  regiment  of  Indiana  Volunteers, 
officiated,  assisted  by  Rev.  Father  Trecy,  the  constant 
spiritual  companion  of  the  General,  and  whose  fidel 
ity  to  his  Chief  was  second  only  to  his  devotion  to 
the  faith  he  preached.  General  Rosecrans  knelt 
humbly  in  the  corner  of  his  tent,  Garesche",  no  less 
devout,  by  his  side ;  a  trio  of  humble  soldiers  meekly 
knelt  in  front  of  the  tent;  groups  of  officers,  booted 
and  spurred  for  battle,  with  heads  reverentially 
uncovered,  stood  outside  and  mutely  muttered  their 
prayers.  What  grave  anxieties,  what  exquisite  emo 
tions,  what  deep  thoughts  moved  the  hearts  and 
minds  of  those  pious  soldiers,  into  whose  keeping 
God  and  their  country  had  delivered,  not  merely  the 
lives  of  thousands  of  men  who  must  die  at  last,  but 
the  vitality  of  a  principle — the  cause  of  self-govern 
ment  and  of  human  liberty  ! 

THE  LEFT  ORDERED  TO  SWING. 

Breakfast  was  hurried.  General  Crittendeu  re 
ported  in  person.  The  General  Commanding  walked 
with  him  to  his  quarters  where  General  Wood,  suffer 
ing  from  indisposition,  was  resting  briefly  before  bat 
tle.  Wood  was  really  unfit  for  duty,  but  refused  to 
quit  the  field.  General  Van  Cl eve's  division,  in  pur 
suance  of  the  plan  of  battle,  was  already  moving  to 
cross  Stone  River  to  sweep  into  Murfreesboro,  while 
McCook  held  the  enemy  on  the  left.  Part  of  it  had 
already  crossed.  General  Rosecrans  directed  Wood 
to  cross  Stone  River  in  front  of  his  position  by  bri 
gades.  Harker  was  to  move  in  front,  Hascall  to  fol 
low,  Wagner's  brigade  last.  Wood  himself  rode  to 
the  front  to  examine  the  ground.  Before  him,  on 


THE    BATTLE    OF    STONE   RIVER.  207 

the  southern  and  eastern  side,  there  was  a  long  tim 
bered  ridge  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  stream, 
and  the  enemy  seemed  posted  there  in  force.  Some 
firing  had  then  been  heard  on  the  right,  but  not 
cnoiiffli  to  indicate  battle. 

O 

"  IT  is,  IT  is  THE  CANNON'S  OPENING  ROAR."       ^ 

Officers  of  the  staff  were  grouped  about  little  fires 
in  the  avenue  between  the  tents.  They  were  clad  in 
overcoats,  for  it  was  chill.  The  General  Command 
ing,  Garesche*,  and  General  Crittenden  stood  near  the 
marquee  conversing  eagerly.  It  was  nearly  seven 
o'clock.  Suddenly  all  hearts  were  thrilled  by  a  sound 
sweeping  from  the  right  like  a  strong  wind  soughing 
through  a  forest.  Now  a  deep  reverberation  like 
thunder  rolling  in  a  distant  cloud.  Directly  a  pro 
longed,  fierce,  crepitating  noise,  like  a  cane-brake  on 
fire.  Ears  that  once  hear  that  appalling  sound  never 
forget  it.-  Days  afterward  the  rattle  and  rumble  of  a 
wagon  will  startle  and  thrill  you. 

PANIC. 

The  din  of  battle  swelled  rapidly.  Its  volume 
increased,  and  it  seemed  sweeping  "  nearer,  clearer, 
deadlier  than  before."  It  could  not  be  !  This  must 
be  hallucination  !  It  can  not  be  disaster!  £To  tidings 
yet!  Wiles  and  a  comrade  were  sent  to  the  right  to 
observe  and  report.  They  galloped  across  the  field 
and  plunged  into  the  forests.  Directly  a  tide  of  fugi 
tives  poured  out  of  the  thickets — negroes,  teamsters, 
and  some  soldiers.  You  have  seen  cinders  from 
burning  buildings  flying  when  the  conflagration 
was  invisible.  You  could  hear  the  roaring  flames 


208  THE   BATTLE    OF    STONE   RIVER. 

and  crackling  beams.  Seeing  the  cinders  you  would 
say,  "there  is  a  fire."  You  have  observed  broken 
twigs  and  leaves  whirling  in  the  air  when  there  was  a 
roar  of  mighty  winds  in  the  forests.  You  had  not 
yet  felt  the  blast,  but  its  avant  couriers  were  unmis 
takable.  You  said,  "  a  tornado  is  coming."  There 
was  a  conflagration,  a  tornado,  now  rushing  through 
the  forests  in  front,  raging  forward  with  vengeful 
fury.  These  teamsters,  negroes,  soldiers,  flying  before 
it  were  cinders,  twigs,  leaves,  fugitives  from  the  flames 
and  tornado  of  battle. 

"What  is  the  matter?  Why  do  you  run?"  Many 
push  on  heedless  of  stern  questioning.  A  cocked 
pistol  brings  a  squad  to  a  halt.  "We  are  beaten! 
The  Right  Wing  is  broken !  The  rebel  cavalry  is 
charging  the  rear!  The  enemy  is  sweeping  every 
thing  before  them!  General  Sill  is  killed!  Edgar- 
ton's  Battery  and  part  of  Goodspeed's  are  captured!" 
Incredible!  But  few  soldiers,  thank  God!  in  that 
panic-stricken  mob,  and  most  of  them  cling  to  their 
muskets.  The  negroes,  poor  souls,  had  cause  for 
fright.  The  enemy  murdered  them  as  if  they  were 
beasts  of  prey.  Wiles  gallops  back  to  report.  His 
comrade  moves  on  further,  and  meets  straggling  mul 
titudes.  The  awful  uproar  increases  and  stretches 
swiftly  now  to  the  left.  Bullets  are  clipping  the 
twigs  overhead  and  chipping  the  bark  from  trees. 
Heavy  drops  which  precede  a  thunder  storm  seem  to 
be  falling  on  the  dead  leaves. 

ANXIETY   AT   HEADQUARTERS. 

At  headquarters  the  groups  have  gathered  into  a 
cluster.  They  are  talking  in  low,  eager  tones ;  their 


THE   BATTLE  OF   STONE   RIVER.  209 

eves  searchingly  peering  into  the  mysteries  of  the 
dreadful  forest.  The  Chief  stalks  through  the  ave 
nue,  disturbed,  obviously.  It  does  not  seem  to  him 
nor  to  any  that  McCook  is  contesting  that  ground 
"inch  by  inch."  But  sound  is  elusive.  Minutes  that 
seemed  hours  rolled  away.  Suspense  was  horrible. 
As  yet  only  reports  that  the  woods  are  swarming  with 
fugitives.  Who  will  credit  stragglers  against  the 
reliance  men  have  in  good  soldiers?  McCook  is  an 
approved  good  soldier.  The  army  has  no  better  Gen 
erals  than  his — Johnson,  Davis,  Sherridan,  Willich, 
Kirk,  Carlin,  Sill,  Shaeffer,  Roberts.  The  soldiers  of 
the  Eight  Wing  are  veterans  of  Shiloh  and  Chaplin 
Hills;  some  had  met  the  enemy  in  Western  Virginia, 
some  at  bloody  Pea  Ridge,  and  had  never  turned  their 
faces  from  foe. 

Garesche'  had  sent  Otis  to  the  right  to  watch  rebel 
cavalry,  concerning  which  there  had  been  rumors. 
Lieutenant  Baker  gallops  back  from  Otis  with  tidings. 
"The  Right  Wing  is  broken,  and  the  enemy  is  driving 
it  back."  Incredible!  McCook  is  surely  falling  back 
with  an  object.  "All  right — never  mind — we  will 
rectify  it,"  said  the  General  cheerfully.  Stragglers 
were  overflowing  the  plain  and  the  Murfreesboro 
pike  like  a  freshet,  within  an  hour — oh,  horrible 
hour — from  the  opening  of  battle.  A  staff  officer 
from  McCook  confirms  evil  rumors.  McCook  needs 
assistance.  "Tell  General  McCook,"  said  the  Qliief 
vehemently,  "to  contest  every  inch  of  ground.  If 
he  holds  them  we  will  swing  into  Murfreesboro  with 
our  left,  and  cut  them  off."  Then  to  his  staff,  "It  is 
working  right."  Alas,  it  was  not  "  working  right." 
"  Every  inch  of  ground  "  was  not  contested.  He  was 
18 


210  THE   BATTLE    OF    STONE   RIVER. 

not  yet  advised  of  the  rout  of  Willich's  and  Kirk's 
brigades,  nor  of  the  rapid  withdrawal  of  Davis'  divi 
sion,  necessitated  thereby.  "Moreover,"  he  said, 
"  having  supposed  McCook's  Wing  posted  more  com 
pactly  and  his  right  more  refused  than  it  really  was, 
the  direction  of  the  noise  of  battle  did  not  indicate  to 
me  the  true  state  of  affairs." 

The  reported  death  of  Sill  was  confirmed.  "We 
can  not  help  it ;  brave  men  must  be  killed  in  battle," 
said  the  General  impatiently.  "  General  Kirk  is 
wounded  and  disabled ;  Willich  killed  or  captured." 
"Never  mind,"  persisted  the  inflexible  leader,  "we 
must  win  this  battle." 

Battle  was  flowing  along  the  line,  communicating 
first  with  the  Center,  then  the  Left.  The  frightful 
delusion  was  dissipated.  The  enemy  were  pressing 
McCook  swiftly  and  in  disorder  clean  back  upon  the 
Center.  Negley  was  already  engaged.  An  aid  from 
McCook  advises  that  Rousseau  had  better  be  held  in 
hand.  What!  Reserves  so  soon!  "Tell  General 
McCook  I  will  help  him,"  was  the  instant  reply,  and 
Rousseau  marched  at  double-quick  into  the  cedar- 
brakes  on  Negley's  right,  to  brace  up  Sherridan,  and 
stand  as  a  break-water  before  the  torrent  that  was 
engulfing  the  army.  It  was  full  time. 

The  plan  of  battle  is  crippled.  The  Right  Wing 
fails  to  hold  Hardee  "  three  hours  " — nay,  an  hour,  on 
its  right.  Therefore  the  Left  Wing  can  not  swing 
into  Murfreesboro  and  cut  them  off.  A  third  of  the 
Left  Wing  is  absolute!}'  necessary  to  save  the  Right 
from  annihilation.  Van  Cleve  is  already  crossing  the 
river  to  swing  the  left  into  Murfreesboro.  Harker  is 
moving  in  the  same  direction ;  Hascall  and  Wagner 


THE   BATTLE    OF    STONE   RIVER.  211 

ready  to  follow.  Wood  bears  an  order  to  halt.  Said 
Ilascall,  "  the  most  terrible  state  of  suspense  pervaded 
the  entire  Left  as  it  became  more  and  more  evident 
that  the  Right  Wing  was  being  driven  rapidly  back 
upon  us."  Wagner  is  on  the  extreme  left  of  the 
army.  Ilarker  finds  cover  on  a  little  crest  behind 
some  shocks  of  corn  in  the  open  field.  Ilascall  waits 
developments.  Wood  directs  Wagner  to  "hold  his 
position  to  the  last."  Everything  depends  upon  it. 
Wagner  is  reliable.  isTo  danger  there.  An  order 
goes  to  Van  Cleve  to  double-quick  a  brigade  to  the 
right.  Rich  Mountain  Beatty  thunders  across  the 
field  and  forms  west  of  the  turnpike.  Fyffe  follows 
rapidly  to  form  on  his  right.  It  is  not  yet  eight 
o'clock.  The  battle  is  all  against  us. 

GENERAL   ROSECRANS    TO    THE   FIELD. 

The  General  Commanding  comprehended  the  dire 
extent  of  the  calamity.  He  gathered  about  him  all  his 
faculties,  and  threw  his  own  weighty  sword  into  the 
scale  of  battle.  Henceforth  he  consulted  no  one, 
asked  no  man's  opinion,  trusted  in  God,  and  relied 
upon*  himself.  It  was  now  a  series  of  commands  too 
often  delivered  in  person  to  superior  or  subaltern,  it 
mattered  not,  while  his  staff  galloped  at  his  heels  in 
mute  anxiety  lest  he  should  fall.  Dispatching  an 
order  to  McCook,  he  moved  suddenly  to  horse,  and 
curtly  commanded,  "Mount,  gentlemen!" 

A  battery  had  already  opened  in  range  with  head 
quarters  at  one  of  Mendenhall's  Batteries,  which  was 
in  position  in  front  of  the  grove  on  the  cemetery 
knoll.  The  ordnance  train  endangered  was  rumbling 
from  right  to  left,  balking  upon  the  railroad.  Has- 


212  THE   BATTLE    OF   STONE    RIVER. 

tening  its  movement,  the  General  pressed  through  the 
obstruction  and  leaped  across  the  railroad,  halting* 
briefly  for  observation.  The  enemy's  shells  were 
crashing  among  our  own  batteries  a  few  feet  to  the 
right,  and  they  were  thundering  in  reply.  Wood  was 
discovered  on  the  left  of  the  railroad  near  a  clump  of 
trees  waiting  orders.  Harker  was  descried  down  in 
the  cornfield. 

Just  now  a  flight  of  bullets  pict-pict-pict-pict 
slipped  through  the  staff  and  escort.  A  poor  orderly 
toppled  gently  from  his  saddle,  reeled  over  the  side, 
and  plunged  headlong  to  the  earth.  One  convulsive 
shudder  and  he  was  dead.  The  General  might  have 
reached  the  dead  soldier  with  his  sword.  The  fatal 
missile  made  no  premonitory  sign.  You  simply  heard 
"thud,"  and  saw  a  soldier  die.  The  dead  man's  bri 
dle  fingers  still  clung  to  the  rein.  A  comrade  dis 
mounted  and  loosed  his  grasp  rudely  with  his  foot. 
His  faithful  grey  stood  quietly  waiting  for  the  corpse 
to  mount.  Another  bullet  stung  Benton's  beautiful 
chestnut.  The  spirited  colt,  smarting  with  agony, 
struck  violently  with  his  .feet  at  his  invisible  tor 
mentor.  Ben  ton  dismounted  to  see  him  die,  but  soon 
remounted  and  galloped  his  gay  chestnut  all  through 
that  fiery  day.  Hubbard's  horse  was  struck  in  the 
neck,  and  several  others  of  the  escort  wounded.  A 
blue  haze  of  smoke  had  now  spread  all  over  the  field. 
The  valleys  were  enveloped  in  battle  clouds,  and  the 
woods  seemed  consuming  with  invisible  fire.  Indeed, 

"There's  a  cloud  in  the  sky, 

A  cloud  in  the  glen, 
But  one  is  of  nature, 
The  other's  of  men." 


THE   BATTLE   OF   STONE   EIVER.  213 

A  shell  struck  near  and  spattered  the  mud  in  a 
shower  over  a  dozen  horsemen.  The  Chief  dashed 
toward  Wood,  who  rode  out  eagerly  and  saluted.  He 
was  to  send  Harker  across  the  pike  to  Beatty's  right. 
Seeing  Hascall  soon,  he  ordered  him  to  the  right  of 
Harker  to  readjust  the  line  of  battle.  Then  he  thun 
dered  down  across  Barker's  left,  and  wheeled  to  the 
right,  to  ride  up  the  front  line  of  battle.  He  gave 
Harker  orders  in  person.  Harker  was  already  moving 
in  column  by  the  right  flank  at  double-quick.  There 
was  serious  business  in  hand,  but  the  gallant  fellow 
really  seemed  desirous  to  show  the  Chief  how  com 
pactly  he  could  move  his  noble  brigade  under  fire. 
Every  member  of  the  General  Staff,  a  troop  of  horse, 
and  a  dozen  orderlies,  followed  the  Chief — a  conspicu 
ous  target  on  such  a  field.  Taylor,  Simmons,  Skinner, 
Wiles,  Father  Trecy  — Chief  Quartermaster,  Chief 
Commissary,  Judge  Advocate,  Provost  Marshal  Gen 
eral,  and  Priest  respectively — what  should  they  do 
there,  galloping  madly  through  the  wild  revels  of  a 
battle-field?  Did  they  not  seem  out  of  place?  But  it 
was  so  all  day  long.  Kniifin,  Chief  Commissaiy  to 
Crittenden,  also  made  a  risky  dash  with  them  before  he 
joined  his  own  Chief.  As  they  galloped  across  Hark- 
er's  late  front,  a  terrific  tempest  of  solid  shot  and  shell 
danced  around  their  heels,  whizzed  over  their  heads, 
bounded  under  their  horses,  flushed  in  front  of  them, 
and  a  few  wicked  missiles  sped  through  the  midst  of 
them.  Every  man,  save  the  leader,  ducked  his  head 
clean  to  the  saddle  bow.  One  shot  gutted  a  gap 
through  Harker's  column.  The  hideous  rent  was 
visible  an  instant ;  then  it  was  healed;  but  the  column 
was  shorn  of  four  men.  It  was  not  even  shaken.  A 


214  THE    BATTLE    OF    STONE    RIVER. 

frantic  horse  galloped  riderless  over  the  field,  leaving 
his  master  mangled.  In  the  rage  of  conflict  the  human 
heart  expresses  little  sympathy  for  human  woe.  Your 
best  friend  is  lifted  from  his  saddle  by  the  fatal  shaft, 
and  plunges  wildly  .to  the  earth — a  corpse.  One  con 
vulsive  leap  of  your  heart,  you  dash  onward  over  the 
stormy  field,  and  the  dead  is  forgotten  until  the  furious 
frenzy  of  battle  is  spent.  After  battle!  0,  reader! 
the  mind  furnishes  no  language  befitting  the  anguish 
of  the  soul  when  we  drag  from  the  bloody  mass  the 
mutilated  and  disfigured  forms  of  those  we  love. 
Battle  is  then  frightful  delirium — a  superlative  horror ! 
But  the  tumult  raged  fiercely.  "Baruet,"  shouted 
the  General  to  his  Chief  of  Artillery,  "  silence  that 
battery."  "Yes,  sir."  Barnet,  cool  and  imperturbable, 
brought  up  the  first  battery  he  found.  The  commander 
of  the  pieces  was  wheeling  into  an  unfavorable  posi 
tion.  "  On  the  crest !  on  the  crest ! "  shouted  the 
General,  pointing  to  the  best  position  in  view,  and  on 
the  crest  went  the  guns.  Then  the  General  dashed 
along  the  front  of  the  left  under  the  fire  of  musketry 
and  artillery,  until  he  halted  on  the  turnpike  within 
full  view  of  the  "Burnt  House."  A  storm  of  musket 
balls  and  shells  spattered  and  whizzed  about  the  col 
umn,  butmarvelously,  not  a  man  was  hit.  The  flocks 
of  shells  sounded  like  the  flutter  of  quails'  wings.  A 
round  shot  flew  over  the  staff,  struck  a  horse  a  hund 
red  yards  beyond,  and  tore  him  to  pieces.  It  must 
have  knocked  him  a  rod.  Strange  to  say,  his  rider 
escaped.  He  gathered  himself  out  of  the  mud  and 
limped  to  cover.  A  little  further  onward,  a  shell 
struck  a  soldier  and  splashed  him  out  of  battle.  The 
rattle  of  musketry  and  thunder  of  cannon  was  deafen- 


THE    BATTLE    OP    STONE    1UVER.  215 

ing.  But  the  General  charged  through  the  deathly 
storm  as  if  it  had  been  no  more  than  hail.  It  was 
wonderful  that  he  escaped. 

Pursuing  his  swTift  career  toward  the  right,  and 
directly  behind  the  line  of  battle,  while  bullets  ana 
artillery  charges  hurtled  in  the  atmosphere,  his  eye 
gathered  the  features  of  the  field  rapidly,  and  his 
mind  directed  dispositions  to  stop  the  torrent  which 
was  well  nigh  overwhelming.  ~No  complaint  escaped 
him.  That  was  no  moment  for  reproach.  But  it  was 
obvious  that  he  was  profoundly  moved.  His  florid 
face  had  paled  and  lost  its  ruddy  luster,  but  his  eyes 
blazed  with  sullen  fire.  His  lips  were  firmly  com 
pressed,  and  his  stern  manner  disclosed  that  his  heart 
was  undaunted.  One  moment's  hesitation  or  vascilla- 
tioa  no\v,  and  all  were  lost.  Human  tongue  nor  pen 
can  describe  the  yearning  anxiety  of  those  who  rode 
with  him  in  that  mad  maelstrom  of  death.  Thank 
God,  he  was  firm  as  iron  and  fixed  as  fate.  Clearly, 
he  did  not  deem  the  battle  lost.  Now  he  was  on  the 
verge  of  the  forest  filled  with  friends  and  foes — friends 
nnavailingly  fighting,  foes  rushing  onward  with  fierce 
yells  of  triumph.  Gallant  and  quiet  Sherridan 
debouched  from  the  tangled  forest  at  the  head  of  his 
compact  column-,  out  of  ammunition,  but  unbroken. 
Negley  was  in  the  thick  darkness  with  the  noble 
Eighth  Division,  beating  back  the  relentless  tide. 
Johnson  appeared,  too,  with  the  remnant  of  his  crum 
bled  command.  Rousseau  was  sent  into  the  fiery 
cauldron  to  extricate  his  struggling  division  comrade. 
The  Regulars — trusty  and  heroic,  were  contending 
stoutly,  but  receding  slowly  before  the  infernal  tor 
rent,  until  they  could  brace  themselves  upon  Guen- 


216  THE   BATTLE   OF   STONE   RIVER. 

thcr's  and  Loorais'  guns.  Pointing  to  his  solid  col 
umn  sadly,  but  with  true  soldier's  pride,  said  faithful 
Shcrridan,  "  Here  is  all  that  are  left,  General."  The 
General  Commanding,  himself  directed  Sherridan 
where  to  find  ammunition.  The  Second  and  Fifteenth 
Missouri  had  already  replenished  their  cartridge-boxes, 
and  now  they  plunged  to  the  front  again  under  brave 
Shaeffer,  and  fought  the  enemy  with  unflinching 
firmness. 

The  day  was  going  against  us.  The  enemy  were 
streaming  through  the  woods  a  few  hundred  yards  on 
the  right  front.  They  were  swarming  in  savage  mul 
titudes  at  every  point.  Our  batteries  were  thunder 
ing  across  the  plains  with  frightful  vehemence, 
bounding  into  position  and  firing  at  the  populous 
forests  with  terrific  rapidity.  The  enemy  poured  shot 
and  shell  into  our  receding  columns  with  remorseless 
vigor,  and  there  appeared  to  be  clusters  of  sharp 
shooters  in  almost  every  tree.  Racing  swiftly  back 
now,  the  General  and  staff  again  became  a  conspic 
uous  target.  A  flight  of  Minie  balls  slitted  through 
the  troop.  One  of  them  struck  Gareschd's  gay 
black  in  the  nose.  The  spirited  filly  flung  her  head 
scornfully  at  the  sting,  scattering  blood  upon  her 
rider.  "Ah,  hit!  Garesche*?"  quoth  the  General— 
his  mind  for  the  first  instant,  and  only  that  instant, 
relieved  from  its  painful  tension.  "My  horse," 
was  the  laconic  response,  and  the  gallant  rider, 
whose  proud  deportment  had  excited  the  admiration 
of  the  arm}-,  spurred  onward  at  the  side  of  his  Chief. 
A  drop  of  blood,  fiercely  flung  away  by  the  wounded 
horse,  crimsoned  the  cheek  of  the  General,  and  an 
hour  later  it  gave  rise  to  exquisite  apprehensions. 


THE    BATTLE    OF    STONE    RIVER.  217 

Some  who  saw  it,  fancied  it  was  his  own  blood,  and 
spread  the  report  that  he  was  wounded.  The  rumor 
reached  officers  of  the  staff  who  were  away  executing 
orders.  They  ransacked  the  field  and  the  hospitals  to 
find  him.  After  an  hour's  torment,  they  discovered 
him,  unscathed  and  inflexible,  in  the  forefront  of  bat 
tle.  Expostulation  with  him  was  vain.  He  sternly 
replied,  "  This  battle  must  be  won.'5 

The  Right  Wing  was  broken  and  driven  back.  It 
was  almost  doubled  backward  upon  the  left.  John 
son's  line  had  crumbled,  but  his  soldiers  had  fought 

/  O 

desperately.  Davis  had  withdrawn,  bearing  back  his 
banners.  Sherridan  had  swung  back,  contesting  his 
ground  "  inch  by  inch,"  until  relieved  by  Rousseau, 
and  until  his  ammunition  was  exhausted,  then 
marched  out  in  close  column,  with  colors  flying. 
Eleven  guns  of  the  Second  Division  of  the  right — 
all  of  Edgarton's,  three  of  Goodspeed's,  and  two  of 
Simonson's — after  the  horses  were  killed,  had  been 
captured,  with  Hough  tali  Dg' 6  six  from  the  Third 
Division — eighty  horses  of  which  were  killed.  Hund 
reds  of  men  were  slain  or  wounded,  and  nearly  two 
thousand  were  captured.  !N"egley,  unprotected  on  his 
right,  was  fighting  an  overwhelming  enemy  on  three 
sides  of  him,  and  he  was  holding  them  stubbornly. 
Rousseau  was  receding;  and  still  the  great  Chieftain 
of  that  battle,  with  sublime  defiance  of  disaster,  said : 
"  We  shall  beat  them  yet." 

THE   BATTERIES   ARE   MASSED   IN   THE   CENTER. 

Now  galloping  to  the  crest  of  the  hill  (for  there 
was  but  one  elevation  like  a  hill  on  the  left),  the  Gen 
eral  Commanding,  still  in  the  flame  of  conflict  (for 
19 


218  THE    BATTLE    OF    STONE    EIVEE. 

on  that  field  there  was  no  security  "but  in  God's  prov 
idence),  massed  his  batteries  on  its  crown,  ar:.d  swept 
the  forests  with  an  awful  volume  of  shell  and  can- 
nister.  Soldiers  of  the  Eight  Wing  were  streaming 
back  through  the  forests  in  disorder.  The  gleaming 
steel  of  the  hotly  pursuing  foe  flashed  in  the  glowing 
sunlight  through  vistas  of  the  woods.  Through  a 
gap  of  timber  opening  into  a  cornfield  beyond,  masses 
of  somber-looking  foes  moving  down  hill,  long  lines 
of  heads  and  glittering  musket  tubes,  rising  one 
above  another  in  terraces,  were  rolling  onward  in 
seemingly  resistless  force.  But  a  new  line  had  been 
formed  to  meet  them.  The  right  had  faced  east- 
wardly.  Part  of  the  left  had  been  hurled  across  the 
plain  from  Stone  Elver.  Van  Cleve's  division  and 
Harker's  brigade,  with  Eousseau's  reserves,  had 
formed  the  new  line,  which  faced  westward.  It  was 
almost  "  about  face"  from  the  original  position. 


The  new  change  in  the  order  of  battle  was  executed 
by  the  General  Commanding  at  incessant  personal 
hazard.  There  was  not  a  private  soldier  in  the  army 
so  much  exposed.  There  was  hardly  a  point  in  the 
front  of  battle  which  he  had  not  inspected — Wood's 
line,  perhaps,  excepted.  Some  five  or  six  batteries, 
posted  upon  the  bluff  under  his  personal  direction, 
now  thundered  in  direful  accord.  Solid  shot,  shell, 
grape,  cannister,  were  crashing  through  the  brittle 
timber  in  destructive  tumult.  A  thick  canopy  of 
smoke  hovered  over  the  field.  Clouds  of  smoke 
enveloped  the  gunners.  They  seemed  like  demons 
reveling  in  infernal  orgies.  With  his  staff  gathered 


THE   BATTLE   OF   STONE   RIVER.  219 

about  him,  the  Chief  halted  briefly  upon  the  cemetery 
knoll,  watching  the  play  of  the  batteries  and  the  hot 
fury  of  Sam  Beatty's  infantry.  !Nbw,  without  a  word, 
he  plunged  headlong  into  the  tempest,  his  staff  and 
orderlies  following  with  wild  enthusiasm.  The  enemy 
had  tipped  over  the  crest  of  the  last  ridge  in  front,  and 
were  bearing  down  fiercely.  Spurring  up  to  the  very 
heels  of  Beatty's  men,  until  his  steed  almost  tram 
pled  them,  he  shouted  cheerily,  "Now  let  the  whole 
line  charge!  Shoot  low!  Be  sure!  Then  charge 
home!"  Bitterly  whistled  the  leaden  hail.  The 
chips  and  twigs  flew  from  the  trees  as  if  thousands 
were  hacking  them.  A  soldier  falls,  with  a  shudder, 
.under  the  feet  of  the  General's  horse.  The  staff  and 
orderlies  fling  themselves  along  the  line,  hats  in  hand 
and  swords  drawn,  cheering  the  men,  who  respond 
with  a  shrill  clamor  that  leaps  like  lightning  from 
rank  to  rank,  and  thrills  along  the  lines  until  lost  in 
distance.  0 !  it  was  a  wild,  passionate  moment. 
The  troops  .spring  to  their  feet  and  push  up  the  slope; 
the  forests  are  riven  with  the  tempest;  bayonets 
gleam  ;  lurid  flames  spout  from  the  long  line  of  mus 
kets.  Yon  savage  line  of  gray  and  steel,  which  but  a 
moment  since  plunged  so  madly  over  the  hill,  halts  ! 
It  wavers !  Another  tempest  from  the  blue  line  in 
front — they  reel,  they  stagger — "There  they  go!" 
shouted  the  gallant  leader;  "there  they  go!  £Tow 
drive  them  home ! "  Away  they  fly  over  the  hill, 
shattered,  disordered,  broken,  struggling  to  escape. 
Great  God,  what  tumult  in  the  brain!  Sense  reels 
with  the  intoxicating  frenzy.  Shot  and  shell  pursue 
the  frightened  fugitives,  shrieking  through  the  forests, 
crashing  the  flimsy  branches,  scattering  death  and 


220  THE  BATTLE   OF   STONE   RIVER. 

dismay  wherever  they  strike.  There  was  a  line  of 
dead  blue-coats  where  that  charge  was  so  gallantly 
made,  but  the  forms  of  mangled  foes  were  thickly 
strewn  upon  that  bloody  slope. 

THE    SPECTACLE. 

The  glory  of  the  shoot  that  now  went  up,  is  a 
recollection  to  be  treasured  forever.  Hearts  that 
thrilled  with  its  rapture,  will  ever  throb  tumultuously 
when  memory  recalls  it.  And  such  a  spectacle ! 
That  gallant  leader,  dauntless,  and  upright  in  saddle, 
with  countenance  inspired — such  light  of  battle  in  his 
features  as  fairly  blazed — unmoved  by  the  death  terror 
around  him,  pursuing,  with  calm  determination,  the 
one  thought  of  success.  The  ardor  of  that  gallant 
line  which  so  splendidly  turned  the  sweeping  tide  of 
battle ;  the  lurid,  malicious  blaze  and  furious  stream 
of  sparkling  fire  viciously  emitting  from  thousands 
of  trusty  muskets  ;  the  blue  haze  of  smoke  eddying  in 
circling  currents,  and  spreading  an  aznre  shade  among 
the  thick  branches  of  those  funereal  cedars ;  the 
fierce  rattle  of  rifle  volleys ;  the  deafening  uproar  of 
more  than  fifty  cannons  working,  with  awful  destruct- 
iveness,  in  a  canopy  of  smoke  which  obscured  the 
batteries  and  magnified  the  gunners  into  great  shad 
ows — 0  !  who  that  was  in  it  can  ever  forget  ? 

When  the  pale  faces  which  came  out  of  that  furious 
storm  flushed  again,  and  when  hearts  had  ceased  their 
wild  flutter,  it  almost  seemed  as  if  men  had  been  born 
again.  "Oh,  wasn't  that  glorious,  old  fellow?"  quoth 
gallant  Skinner,  laying  his  palm  affectionately  upon 
the  shoulder  of  his  equally  youthful  friend  Kirby — as 
brave  and  staunch  a  soldier  as  ever  carried  bullet  and 


THE    BATTLE    OF    STONE    RIVER.  221 

shattered  arm  from  a  battle-field.  Reader,  no  human 
language  can  describe  the  convulsing  charms  of  a 
charge  in  battle.  It  is  a  frightful  ecstaey. 

The  fiery  valor  of  Gareschd,  in  that  dread  carnival, 
would  have  inspired  a  coward  with  courage.  Gay  as 
LI  youth  of  twenty,  with  hat  jauntily  cocked  on  his 
line  head,  he  seemed,  upon  his  lithe  and  spirited  black 
mare,  a  perfect  transformation.  Usually  grave  and 
saturnine,  with  an  habitual  calmness  almost  provoking, 
lie  looked  in  the  fury  of  the  fray  as  if  his  soul  had 
broken  into  a  new  stream  of  existence.  When  he 
dashed  into  the  charge,  his  sword  flew  from  the  scab 
bard  and  glittered  in  the  sunlight.  When  the  enemy 
fled  over  the  hill,  he  glanced  at  them  with  a  smile  of 
triumph,  and  rammed  his  blade  back  into  its  scabbard 
with  a  force  that  made  the  steel  ring  again.  Yester 
day  some  had  felt  a  thrill  of  anxiety  for  him.  He 
deported  himself  like  one  who  had  premonition  of 
sudden  death.  Always  deeply  pious,  conscientious 
in  attention  to  religious  duties,  prayerful,  there  was 
something  peculiarly  striking  in  the  absorbing  atten 
tion  with  which  he  poured  himself  into  his  little 
prayer-book,  as  he  sat  in  "a  quiet  fence  corner  on 
Tuesday,  awaiting  the  culmination  of  martial  events. 
All  this  day  of  battle,  through  a  hundred  death  cur 
rents,  he  had  swept  gaily  over  the  field.  But  his 
General's  charge  was  his  climax.  Alas,  an  hour  or 
two  more  of  life,  and  he  was  a  victim  for  the  little 
graveyard  upon  which  he  had  slept  but  the  night 
before.  Always  by  his  General's  side  in  life,  death 
struck  him  there  at  last. 

Further  upon  the  right,  too,  there  was  a  struggle. 
The  shock  of  collision  thrilled  along  the  whole  line. 


222  THE   BATTLE    OF    STONE   RIVER. 

Fyffe,  then  Harker,  were  standing  up  stoutly — now 
receding,  now  charging  the  foe;  but  at  last,  when  the 
"  General  Commanding  led  a  charge  in  person,  and 
drove  the  foe  pell-mell  into  the  forest,"  Fyffe  and 
Harker,  with  mighty  effort,  rolled  back  the  avalanche 
from  their  front,  and  joined  in  the  psean  of  victory. 

ST.  GLAIR  MORTON'S  PIONEERS. 

But  the  foe  was  not  yet  gone.  He  was  advancing 
from  the  Right  to  the  junction  of  the  Left  and  Center. 
He  was  yet  driven  only  from  the  extreme  right.  There 
was  a  valley  to  the  left  of  Beatty's  line,  partly  open, 
through  which  one  of  our  broken  columns  was  retir 
ing  disordered  before  the  enemy.  The  new  Eight 
was  advancing  steadily.  The  batteries  were  ordered 
forward.  Stokes'  Chicago  Board  of  Trade  Battery 
was  on  a  knoll  nearest  the  critical  point  of  danger. 
At  a  gesture  from  the  General,  it  thundered  down  the 
slope  and  struggled  manfully  across  a  heavy  field  to 
another  little  crest,  from  whence  another  battery  had 
been  driven.  Three  mangled  horses  struggled  there 
under  a  shattered  caisson — tangled  in  harness,  with 
broken  limbs,  bleeding,  and  one  of  them  moaning 
with  agony  piteous  as  that  of  a  human  being.  Bul 
lets  were  whistling  fiercely,  but  the  spirit  of  that 
battle  was  pulsating  for  victory.  General  Rosecrans 
again  plunged  into  the  breach,  urging  the  battery  to 
follow,  and  by  his  own  dauntless  example  checked 
the  disorder  of  the  retiring  brigade.  Garesche  and 
St.  Glair  Morton  were  by  his  side.  Morton  com 
manded  a  picked  battalion  of  pioneers.  It  was  nec 
essary  to  bring  even  them  into  the  fight,  as  every 
soldier  on  that  field  was  carried  in  that  desperate  day. 


THE    BATTLE    OF    STONE    RIVER.  223 

"Support  the  batteiy,  Morton."  "Aye,  aye,  sir;" 
and  the  pioneers  deployed  right  and  left,  and  opened 
a  vicious  fire.  Morton's  fine  face  glowed  with  excite 
ment.  The  battery  got  into  position,  and  opened 
with  telling  effect,  but  the  pioneers  had  already  sent 
the  rebels  howling  back  up  the  valley  and  into  the 
woods.  Morton  looked  as  if  he  was  delighted  all 
over.  "We're  doing  it  about  right  now,  General, 
ain't  we?  Can't  I  do  something  more,  General?" 
said  he,  with  a  charming  simplicity.  It  was  a  mys 
tery  that  all  were  not  torn  to  pieces. 

During  this  furious  encounter,  Colonel  Garesche', 
accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Byron  Kirby,  Aid  to 
General  Rosecrans,  galloped  through  a  withering 
fire  to  carry  an  order  to  General  Van  Cleve,  who, 
though  wounded,  was  resisting  a  renewed  attack. 
While  riding  across  the  field,  there  occurred  one  of 
those  chivalric  episodes  which  are  sometimes  cele 
brated  in  romance.  A  ball  disabled  Garesch^'s  horse. 
Kirby  dismounted,  and  insisted  that  Gareschd  should 
mount  his  horse.  Mutually  forgetful  of  the  storm 
of  battle,  they  disputed  a  point  of  courtesy.  Kirby 
finally  prevailed  on  the  score  of  duty,  and  walked 
back  over  the  field  until  he  found  the  staff.  Not 
much  later  a  Minie  ball  struck  the  brave  soldier's 
left  arm,  and  shot  him  clean  out  of  his  saddle.  The 
bone  was  shattered,  and  he  was  compelled  to  quit  the 
field.  iSTo  bolder  or  more  modest  soldier  ever  drew 
bright  blade.  He  nobly  earned  promotion.  But 
Kirby  belongs  to  the  Regular  Army — that  step-child 
of  the  nation,  which,  though  smarting  at  the  injustice 
that  pursues  it,  says,  with  splendid  eloquence,  "If 
we  can't  win  honors,  we'll  do  more — we'll  deserve 


224  THE    BATTLE    OF    STONE   RIVER. 

them ;  "  and  Kirby  remembers  that  the  country  some 
times  forgets  its  step-children. 

Rousseau's  division  had  also  moved  into  the  woods 
on  the  left  and  struggled  out.  Negley,  after  Sherri- 
dan  had  withdrawn,  subjected  to  murderous  cross-fire 
of  artillery  and  musketry,  had  also  fallen  back,  and 
was  replenishing  his  ammunition.  Grose  was  fighting 
vehemently  to  protect  the  rear  of  Palmer  from  masses 
swarming  around  his  right,  while  troops  in  his  other 
brigades  were  falling  by  hundreds  in  front.  Wagner 
had  repelled  an  assault  upon  his  position,  and  Hascall 
went  to  the  assistance  of  devoted  Hazen.  Crittendeu 
was  in  front,  watching  his  steady  Left.  Thomas 
calmly  directed  the  Center,  and  their  omnipresent 
Chief,  now  directing  the  Right,  then  glancing  at  the 
Left,  was  gathering  together  his  legions  for  the  trial 
which  would  determine  victory. 

Perhaps  it  was  now  eleven  o'clock — a  little  earlier,  a 
little  later,  no  matter — when  the  first  act  of  the  san 
guinary  drama  was  concluded.  There  was  a  lull  in 
the  storm.  Where  would  it  break  next?  Certainly 
the  enemy  were  preparing  for  a  new  assault.  Rose- 
crans  could  not  now  take  the  initiative.  The  Right 
had  not  yet  recovered  from  its  shock.  The  enemy 
were  feinting  away  off  on  the  Right.  General  Rose- 
crans  divined  that  the  onset  would  fall  upon  the 
Left,  and  he  was  preparing  for  it. 

The  reader  will  now  return  to  the  opening  of  tho 
battle,  and  follow  the  disaster  through  its  unbroken 
series,  until  the  rainbow  of  hope  was  clearly  visible 


BATTLE    OF   THE   RIGHT   WING.  225 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

PRAGUE  upon  Austerlitz — The  Onset  of  the  Rebels — The  columns  of 
Attack — Gallant  Kirk  Overpowered — Edgarton's  Battery  Swal 
lowed  up — Willich  Unhorsed  and  Captured — His  Brigade  Pulver 
ized — Noble  Struggle  of  General  Davis'  Division — Woodruff  Retires, 
then  Post,  and  then  Carlin — Splendid  Resistance  of  Sherridan — 
Death  of  General  Sill — Reported  Repulse  of  the  Enemy — Roberts 
Charges  and  Falls — The  Missourians  at  Bay  with  Empty  Muskets 
— The  Right  Wing  Reaches  Support. 

IT  was  never  said  by  him,  but  Kosecrans'  plan  of 
battle  was  the  plan  of  Austerlitz.  Bragg  hurled 
Prague  upon  Austerlitz  and  defeated  it.  Rosecrans 
fell  upon  Prague  with  his  own  trusty  sword  and  was 
victorious.  But  Austerlitz  was  simple,  and  should 
have  been  crushingly  successful.  Could  not  fifteen 
thousand  veterans  resist  double  their  number  "three 
hours  ?"  How  was  it  ? 

"At  six  o'clock  and  twenty-two  minutes  on  the 
morning  of » the  31st,"  said  General  Johnson,  "the 
outposts  in  front  of  my  division  were  driven  in  by  an 
overwhelming  force  of  infantry/'  "The  enemy," 
said  General  Rosecrans,  "  advanced  in  heavy  columns, 
regimental  front,  his  left  attacking  "Willich's  and 
Kirk's  brigades,  of  Johnson's  division,  which,  being 
disposed — thin  and  light,  without  support — were, 
after  a  sharp  but  fruitless  contest,  crumbled  to  pieces 
and  driven  back,  leaving  Edgarton's  and  part  of 
Goodspeed's  battery  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 


226  BATTLE  OF  THE  RIGHT  WING. 

"  The  enemy  following  up,  attacked  Davis7  division, 
and  speedily  dislodged  Post's  brigade.  Carlin's  bri 
gade  was  compelled  to  follow,  as  Woodruff's  brigade, 
from  the  weight  of  testimony,  had  previously  left  its 
position  on  his  left.  Johnson's  brigade,  in  retiring, 
inclined  too  far  to  the  west,  and  were  too  much  scat 
tered  to  make  a  combined  resistance,  though  they 
fought  bravely  at  one  or  two  points  before  reaching 
Wilkinson's  pike.  The  reserve  brigade  of  Johnson's 
division,  advancing  from  its  bivouac  near  Wilkinson's 
pike  toward  the  right,  took  a  good  position  and  made 
a  gallant  but  ineffectual  stand,  as  the  whole  rebel  Left 
was  moving  up  on  the  ground  abandoned  by  our 
troops. 

"  Within  an  hour  from  the  time  of  the  opening  of 
the  battle,  a  staff  officer  from  General  McCook  ar 
rived,  announcing1  to  me  that  the  Riffht  Winsr  was 

O  O  O 

heavily  pressed,  and  needed  assistance;  but  I  was  not 
advised  of  the  rout  of  Willich's  and  Kirk's  brigades, 
nor  of  the  rapid  withdrawal  of  Davis7  division,  neces 
sitated  thereby." 

The  Eight  Wing  was  flung  back  upon  the  Left 
with  a  violence  which  shattered  it  into  fragments. 
Part  of  it  withdrew  into  the  open  ground  near  the 
Murfreesboro  pike  behind  the  Center;  part  escaped 
to  the  pike  a  half  mile  further  in  the  rear;  another 
fraction  had  flared  away  off'  to  the  right,  and  made  a 
wide  detour  to  get  back  into  line. 

KIRK    AND    WILLICII. 

Kirk  first  felt  the  shock.  Willich's  brigade  recoiled 
under  it  almost  immediately,  and  Baldwin  in  reserve 
came  up  under  Johnson's  own  eye  to  brace  the  stag- 


BATTLE    OF    THE    RIGHT    WING.  227 

goring-  front.  Willich  was  on  the  extreme  right, 
ivfiiscd  to  protect  the  flank,  and  forming  a  crotchet. 
Kirk's  brigade  joined  Willich's  on  the  left,  fronting 
the  enemy's  line  of  battle,  and  facing  east.  .Bald 
win's  reserve  brigade  was  eight  hundred  yards  in 
the  rear,  near  the  headquarters  of  McCook  and  John 
son.  Edgarton's  Battery  was  posted  near  the  angle 
formed  by  the  junction  of  Kirk's  right  and.  Willieb's 
left,  with  a  narrow  cleared  field  in  front. 

Kirk's  line  covered  the  Franklin  road,  which  runs 
due  east  and  west,  and  there  was  a  lane  behind  him 
tracing  north  and  south,  intersecting  the  road.  The 
ground  behind  him  was  undulating,  open,  and  ob 
structed  by  fences.  The  enemy's  left  overlapped  the 
right  division,  and  was  almost  oblique  to  it.  Their 
flank  was  covered  by  a  powerful  force  of  cavalry. 
Willich's  brigade  had  rolling,  partially  open  ground, 
and  fences  in  its  rear. 

At  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  by  order  of  Gen 
eral  Willich,  Colonel  Jones,  of  the  Thirty-Ninth  Indi 
ana,  patroled  six  hundred  yards  in  front  of  the  picket 
line,  and  reported  that  there  were  no  indications  of 
movement  in  front,  General  Kirk  inspected  his  own 
picket  lines  at  the  same  hour,  and  found  all  quiet  in 
front.  General  Sill,  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
reported  to  General  Sherridan  that  there  was  great 
activity  immediately  in  his  front.  This  was  the  nar 
rowest  part  of  the  valley,  and  General  Sherridan, 
fearing  an  attack  at  that  point,  posted  two  regiments 
of  the  reserve  within  short  supporting  distance  of 
Sill.  But  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  whole 
Right  Wing  was  under  arms,  and  were  prepared  for 
the  enemy.  They  stood  there  over  an  hour  and  dis- 


228  BATTLE   OF   THE   EIGHT   WING. 

covered  no  signs  of  movement  in  front.  Captain 
Edgarton,  however,  imprudently  permitted  some  of 
his  battery  horses  to  go  to  water.  At  dawn  the  right 
brigade  received  orders  to  build  fires  and  make  coffee. 
General  Willicli  soon  afterward  turned  over  the  com 
mand  temporarily  to  Colonel  "W.  II.  Gibson,  of  the 
Forty-Ninth  Ohio  Volunteers,  while  he  repaired  to 
General  Johnson's  headquarters,  giving  directions 
respecting  the  troops  in  case  of  an  attack  during  his 
temporary  absence.  He  had  been  gone  but  a  few 
moments  when  firing  was  heard  in  front  of  Kirk's 
right,  at  the  angle  of  the  crotchet.  Willich's  brigade 
seized  their  arms  instantly.  The  enemy  appeared  in 
enormous  masses.  Colonel  Gibson  sent  for  Willich, 
who  galloped  back  to  his  command.  His  horse  was 
killed,  and  he  was  a  captive  before  he  gave  an  order! 
The  calamity  was  swift. 

THE    ATTACK   UPON   KIRK. 

The  enemy  were  descried  in  the  fields  by  General 
Kirk  a  half  mile  from  his  front.  They  advanced  in 
four  columns,  regimental  front,  with  powerful  reserves 
in  mass.  "They  moved  up  steadily,"  said  Kirk,  "in 
good  order,  without  music  or  noise  of  any  kind. 
They  had  no  artillery  in  sight."  They  poured  across 
the  valley  in  mighty  force,  swept  away  the  strong 
lines  of  skirmishers  as  if  they  had  been  cobwebs,  and 
fell  upon  Kirk's  lines  like  wild  beasts.  The  Thirty- 
Fourth  Illinois,  which  had  been  sent  forward  to  check 
them,  closed  with  a  crash  in  almost  hand  to  hand 
conflict  with  them,  fighting  with  magnificent  fury. 

"Alas,  in  vain,  ye  gallant  few, 
From  rank  to  rank  your  vollicd  thunder  flew." 


BATTLE   OF   THE    RIGHT   WING.  229 

The  contest  was  hopeless ;  the  gallant  regiment 
sternly  resisting,  fell  away,  and  the  storm  struck  the 
line  and  shook  it  from  center  to  its  flanks.  The  rehels 
recoiled  under  the  first  terrific  volley,  but  gathering 
head,  they  rolled  onward  again  with  resistless  momen 
tum.  Edgarton's  Battery  was  swallowed  up ;  he  down 
under  his  guns  wounded,  his  men  fighting  with  their 
swabs  until  they  were  bayoneted  or  captured.  Brave 
Edgarton  had  fired  but  three  rounds,  says  one  report; 
eight  guns  says  another. 

It  matters  not  which  brigade  first  gave  way.  Both 
were  soon  broken.  Lightning  struck  the  crotchet 
they  formed,  ran  along  both  fronts,  and  involved  them 
in  common  ruin.  Kirk  was  soon  flanked.  His  four 
brave  regiments  were  well  nigh  cut  to  pieces.  He 
had  sent  to  Willich  for  support.  "Willich  was  gone. 
His  brigade  was  struggling  for  self-preservation.  The 
rebel  cavalry  was  careering  and  surging  upon  their 
right.  Servants  and  teamsters  were  flying  over  the 
field.  Colonel  Baldwin  had  quickly  taken  arms,  and 
General  Johnson  threw  the  regiments  into  line  of 
battle  supporting  the  struggling  front.  Tbe  First 
Ohio,  commanded  by  Major  Stafford,  Sixth  Indiana, 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Tripp,  Thirtieth  Indiana,  Colonel 
Dodge  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  Hurd,  and  the  Louis 
ville  Legion,  Colonel  Berry,  made  a  good,  strong, 
bracing  front.  The  Ninety-Third  Ohio,  Colonel 
Charles  Anderson,  was  retained  in  reserve  in  a  wood. 
As  Kirk  and  Willich  were  driven  back  they  flared  off 
to  the  right,  and  left  Davis'  right  exposed.  Baldwin's 
reserve  felt  the  shock  speedily.  Goodspeed's  remain 
ing  four  guns — for  two  had  been  taken — under  Lieu 
tenant  Belding,  and  Simonson's  Battery,  fired  sharply 


230  BATTLE   OF   THE   RIGHT   WING. 

and  quickly  into  the  advancing  masses.  Baldwin 
opened  a  biting  tire  which  eat  deeply  into  the  front 
rank  of  the  undaunted  rebels.  But  they  spread  over 
the  field  like  a  freshet,  and  gathered  in  clouds  on  the 
front  and  flanks.  A  minute  more  and  Baldwin's 
command  will  be  captives.  They,  too,  withdraw, 
catching  their  heels  a  moment  on  a  crest,  turn  to 
resist.  The  pursuit  is  too  vigorous,  and  they  again 
recede  until  they  brace  upon  Rousseau,  where  they 
make  another  stand — all  that  remains  of  them. 

McCook  is  cool  but  distressed.  There  is  no  hope 
for  him  now  but  to  save  all  he  can.  0  !  that  his  line 
had  been  shorter  and  heavier.  With  Davis  and  Sher- 
ridan  in  front,  and  Johnson's  heroes  of  Shiloh  to  sup 
port  them,  he  could  have  "  whipped  my  friend 
Hardee."  Davis  is  now  enveloped,  but  Kirk,  wounded 
almost  at  the  first  fire,  and  dismounted  twice,  is  yet  in 
the  field.  He  forms  a  new  line  in  a  skirt  of  woods  at 
right  angles  with  his  original  position.  Gallant  Reed 
races  up  from  the  wagon  train  with  his  Seventy-2s"inth 
Illinois,  and  adds  new  vigor  to  Kirk's  now  almost 
nerveless  arm.  Kirk  sinks  at  last,  and  is  borne  from 
the  field.  Colonel  Dodge  assumes  command.  Then 
Reed  nobly  falls,  cheering  his  heroes.  Houssam,  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Seventy-Seventh,  charges  splendidly, 
recaptured  Edgarton's  guns,  then,  alas  !  he  goes  clown, 
too,  mortally  hurt,  and  the  enemy  recovers  the  battery, 
and  keep  it.  Van  Tassel,  Major  of  the  splendid  Illi 
nois  Thirty-Fourth,  is  sorely  wounded.  Captain  Rose — • 
there  is  no  field  officer  remaining  now — fights  the 
Pennsylvania  Seventy-Seventh  most  gallantly,  but  in 
vain.  Soldiers  and  officers  fighting  desperately,  fall 
by  scores.  A  colonel  commands  a  regiment  at  one 


BATTLE   OF  THE   RIGHT   WING.  231 

instant,  now  a  captain,  at  last  an  adjutant.  Sergeants 
and  corporals  lead  companies,  until  companies  melt 
away  with  passing  bullets.  The  brigadier  is  gone ; 
two  colonels  are  dead  ;  other  field  officers  are  bleeding 
and  exhausted;  Dodge  remains  to  command.  Ten 
guns  are  gone  now,  another  soon  follows.  The  right 
division  is  routed.  Melancholy  satisfaction  to  know 
that  the  rebel  General  Rains  was  killed,  and  that  more 
than  man  for  man  had  fallen  on  the  other  side.  Kirk 
was  disabled,  "Willich  a  prisoner;  that  proud  division 
is  "  scattered  and  peeled."  The  sting  of  defeat  was 
more  terrible  than  wounds  and  death.  "When  Dodge 
retired  the  remnant  to  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  he  had 
"  in  all,"  he  said,  "  about  five  hundred  men."  But  the 
right  brigade ! 

Gibson,  twice  dismounted,  sees  disorder  on  all  sides ; 
gathers  the  battalions  of  captured  Willich ;  flings 
them  in  pieces  at  the  foe;  falls  back;  careers  again 
with  all  the  fury  of  desperate  courage,  wards  off  the 
blow  of  circling  cavalry  striving  to  swoop  upon  him 
at  every  instant;  gains  brief  respite;  retires,  and, 
Parthian-like,  fights  as  he  flies.  Drake,  Lieutenant 
Colonel  commanding,  and  Porter,  Major  of  the  thrice 
approved  Forty-Ninth  Ohio,  are  prone  on  the  field. 
The  live  regiments  are  almost  orphaned — scarcely 
officers  enough  left  to  carry  them  to  the  rear — the 
regiments  indeed  are  all  fighting  and  flying  together, 
with  hardly  a  nominal  distinction.  Bel  ding,  by  efforts 
of  almost  sublime  energy,  drags  his  four  guns  into 
position,  with  wounded  and  limping  horses — his  own 
gallant  gunners  placing  their  shoulders  to  the  wheels. 
There  is  heroism  worthy  of  history  even  in  the  midst 


232  BATTLE    OF  THE    RIGHT   WING. 

of  that  dreadful  carnival  of  carnage  and  defeat.  At 
last  Gibson  and  his  little  host  reach  a  little  creek  in 
the  rear,  and  make  a  final  stand.  The  rebel  infantry 
are  beaten  back,  but  Wheeler's  cavalry  sweep  around 
their  flanks.  Barely  three  hundred  are  left.  Destruc 
tion  stares  them  in  the  face.  The  enemy,  horse  and 
foot,  are  in  their  midst.  Gibson's  sword  is  fiercely 
demanded.  His  rank  is  not  apparent.  His  uniform 
is  war-worn  and  tattered.  But  lo !  a  shout  on  the 
flank.  With  the  shout  there  is  a  shock — with  the 
shock,  rescue.  Gallant  Otis  and  his  cavalry  has  saved 
them. 

THE   RESCUE. 

Early  in  the  morning  there  were  reports  of  cavalry 
demonstrations  on  our  right.  Garesche*  had  said, 
"  Otis,  there  is  cavalry  on  our  flank — go  and  look  after 
them."  Otis  needed  no  second  order.  He  was  pant 
ing  to  show  the  mettle  of  his  superb  fellows — the 
Fourth  Regulars.  Gathering  six  companies  in  hand, 
he  was  soon  thundering  through  the  forest,  and 
debouched  upon  a  field.  From  the  start  he  had  been 
running  across  the  track  of  straggling  fugitives,  and 
at  length  sent  Lieutenant  Baker  to  headquarters  with 
the  first  confirmation  of  evil  rumors  from  the  Right. 
Forming  his  command  in  column  by  fours,  led  by 
their  company  commanders,  the  companies  on  parallel 
lines,  company  distance  apart,  himself  leading  the 
center,  Otis  looked  about  like  a  pugnacious  Irishman 
for  a  head  to  hit.  Directly,  discovering  a  cloud  of 
mounted  gray-backs  in  the  distance,  he  quickly 
directed  his  command  to  charge,  pistol  in  hand.  But 
said  Otis,  "  Don't  you  fire  a  shot  until  you  take  each 
your  man  by  the  scalp.  Forward — trot!"  Away 


BATTLE    OF    THE    1UQIIT    WING.  233 

they  go  gallantly,  the  ground  trembling  beneath  them. 
There  is  a  heavy  column  of  gray  before  them,  but. 
no  cheek  blanches.  Each  rider  gathers  his  reins 
firmly.  Their  eyes  flash  lightning.  The  trot  bears 
them  swiftly;  Otis  rises  in  his  saddle  and  thunders, 
"  Charge  !"  Now  they  gallop — away  they  fly  !  It  is 
an  avalanche.  The  rebels  vainly  strive  to  disperse  it 
by  shot  and  shell.  A  storm  of  grape  is  scattered 
among  those  wild  riders,  but  in  vain.  Their  shock 
fed  Is  upon  the  enemy  with  terrific  momentum.  "  Horse, 
rider,  and  all,  in  one  red  burial  blent,"  go  down 
together.  Our  gallant  Long  and  some  of  his  fellows 
went  down  in  the  tumult,  but  the  glory  of  the  charge 
made  the  noble  fellows  forget  their  pain.  It  was  a 
thunderbolt,  which  rove  the  enemy  from  center  to 
flank.  A  hundred  threw  up  their  arms  in  submission. 
Many  had  been  killed.  Gibson  and  his  three  hundred 
moved  swiftly  to  the  rear  to  fight  another  day.  The 
gallant  Fourth  Regulars  prepared  to  charge  the  bat 
tery  which  had  fired  upon  them,  but  an  order  from 
superior  authority  called  them  to  another  field. 

It  requires  hours  to  describe  battle  spasms  of  a 
minute's  duration.  A  scattering  clatter  of  musketry, 
a  crash,  the  thunder  of  artillery,  and  it  is  done.  The 
assault  upon  and  pulverization  of  the  Second  Division 
was  a  paroxysm.  It  shocked  the  army  and  paralyzed 
the  plan  of  battle.  The  tremor  thrilled  through  the 
whole  system,  but  thank  God,  it  did  not  paralyze  its 
heart.  Return  now  to 

GENERAL    DAVIS. 

The  conflagration  ran  along  Kirk's  front,  commu 
nicated  with  that  of  Davis,  streamed  along  Sherridan's, 
20 


234  BATTLE    OF    THE   EIGHT   WING. 

enveloped  Negley's,  blazed  in  the  face  of  Rousseau, 
rolled  against  Craft  and  Hazen,  and  one  of  its  forked 
tongues  swooped  around  Cruft,  and  blistered  the 
broad  breast  of  stubborn  Grose.  The  enemy  advanced 
with  four  charging  columns  in  echelon,  in  close  sup 
porting  distance,  Cleburne  and  McCown  falling  first 
upon  Johnson,  and  then  enveloping  Davis'  flank, 
while  Cheatham  and  Withers  made  the  onset  in 
front,  precipitating  their  powerful  divisions  headlong 
upon  the  light  commands  of  Davis,  Sherridan,  and 
Negley,  Hardee  simultaneously  turning  their  flanks 
successively,  the  right  of  Withers  furiously  engaging 
Palmer.  Their  columns  moving  over  the  field  to 
attack,  appeared  like  the  diagonal  squares  of  a  chess 
board,  each  in  succession  shouldering  upon  the 
advance  column.  It  was  a  martial  spectacle  of  terri 
ble  grandeur. 

The  enemy  pushed  forward  utterly  contemptu 
ous  of  Davis'  skirmishers,  paying  no  more  attention 
to  them  than  an  elephant  would  to  a  swarm  of  hor 
nets.  But  his  line  of  battle  was  a  different  thing. 
Davis,  fully  expecting  an  attack,  waited  in  confidence, 
and  was  sanguine  that  he  would  hold  his  ground  until 
he  saw  Kirk  give  way.  This  exposed  his  flank  imme 
diately.  The  enemy  had  been  severely  punished  in 
front,  and  had  recoiled;  but  with  victorious  hosts  on 
his  right  flank,  Davis  had  no  alternative.  The  enemy 
saw  their  advantage,  and  rushed  upon  the  obstinate 
iii vision  with  savage  ferocity.  The  men  stood  until 
the  battle  had  almost  become  a  tumult  of  personal 
encounters.  Pinney,  Hotchkiss,  and  Carpenter 
worked  their  guns  with  telling  effect,  but  the  enemy 
refused  to  be  balked.  Post's  right,  now  in  jeopardy, 


BATTLE    OF    THE    RIGHT    WING.  235 

was  withdrawn  by  Davis.  Carlin,  by  a  splendid 
burst,  drove  the  enemy  from  his  front,  but  they  were 
surging  back  again.  Both  Pinney  and  Carpenter  fall, 
the  latter  dead.  Half  the  artillery  horses  are  killed. 
The  whole  line  retires,  part  of  the  guns  being  dragged 
back  by  the  men.  Several  are  abandoned.  It  is  im 
possible  to  move  all  of  them  through  the  timber. 
The  loss  of  the  division  is  distressing.  Stem  and 
Wooster,  Colonel  and  Lieutenant  Colonel  of  the  One 
Hundred  and  First  Ohio,  are  weltering  in  their  life- 
blood.  Alexander,  of  the  Twenty-First  Illinois,  still 
commands,  with  a  boot  full  of  blood;  Lieutenant 
Colonel  McKee,  of  the  Fifteenth  "Wisconsin,  is  dead; 
Tanner,  of  the  Twenty-Second  Indiana,  is  a  bleeding 
captive;  Litson,  of  the  same  regiment,  fighting  hero 
ically,  is  hurt,  and  falls  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 
Companies  are  without  officers;  regiments  hold  to 
gether  by  force  of  discipline.  Davis  watches  with 
jealous  eye  to  keep  them  together.  Carlin Js  color 
guards  are  nearly  all  dead  or  dying,  but  when  his 
noble  remnant  retires  from  the  struggle,  his  banners 
are  still  flying.  Heroic  Williams,  Colonel  of  the 
Twenty-Fifth  Illinois,  heart-sick  at  impending  disas 
ter,  seizes  the  standard  of  the  regiment  from  the 
nerveless  grasp  of  its  dying  guardian,  and  shouting, 
"  We  will  plant  it  here,  boys,  and  rally  the  old  Twen 
ty-Fifth  around  it,  and  here  we  will  die,"  the  brave 
martyr  falls  under  the  flag.  It  was  a  hard  struggle, 
but  Davis  finally  worked  through  the  woods,  and 
gathered  up  his  remnants  to  fight  another  battle. 
Carlin  had  seven  hundred  men  left. 


236  BATTLE    OF    THE    RIGHT    WING. 


When  Davis  was  fully  engaged,  the  enemy  moved 
through  an  open  cottonfield  down  across  the  valley, 
and  spread  up  the  face  of  the  slope  in  front  of  Sill 
like  a  conflagration.  Bush's  Battery  had  a  direct 
fire,  and  Hescock  and  Houghtaling  thundered  an 
oblique  fire  upon  them,  tearing  fearful  gaps  in  their 
front  and  flanks,  and  shaking  the  mass  to  the  center, 
but  the  disciplined  legions  of  Bragg  with  mighty 
effort  shook  off  the  shock,  and  struggled  forward 
with  admirable  daring. 

Sill,  firm  and  patient,  waits  the  onslaught.  His 
men  are  covered.  The  enemy  move  toward  them  like 
a  great  gray  cloud.  Their  muskets  gleam  like  tubes 
of  silver.  They  appear  almost  even  with  the  crest. 
~Now  is  the  moment.  Sill's  trusty  line  seems  to  spring 
out  of  the  ground.  A  long  line  of  fire  blazes  in  his 
front.  It  strikes  full  in  the  face  of  the  foe.  There  are 
great  gaps  in  his  ranks.  For  an  instant,  they  make 
manful  efforts  to  close  their  ragged  front.  Sill's  mus 
ketry  is  remorseless.  Flesh  and  blood  can  not  endure 
it.  They  stagger,  recoil,  catch  a  momentary  foothold, 
slip  backward,  and  at  last  plunge  headlong  into  flight. 
Quick  as  thought,  Sill  orders  a  charge,  leads  it  him 
self,  and  his  gallant  men  shout  with  triumph.  Alas  ! 
brave,  noble  Sill !  That  glorious  charge  was  his  last. 
The  brightest  and  purest  spirit  among  all  the  youth 
of  that  splendid  army,  beloved  for  his  gentle  manli 
ness,  admired  for  his  lofty  intellect,  for  his  skill  and 
dashing  courage,  thus  to  be  cut  clown  in  victorious 
career,  was  most  cruel  sacrifice.  A  bullet  struck  him 
fairly  in  his  handsome  face,  and  he  fell  lifeless  and 


BATTLE    OF    THE    RIGHT    WING.  237 

disfigured  upon  the  field.  It  was  hideous  that  barba 
rians  should  have  abused  his  remains.  His  body  was 
plundered  by  the  foe. 

The  enemy  rallied  again,  and  renewed  the  attack 
with  increased  vehemence.  Unhappily,  the  brigade 
on  the  right  gave  way.  The  enemy  discovered  it, 
and  dashed  forward  impetuously  to  seize  their  advan 
tage.  One  of  the  supporting  regiments  had  also 
fallen  back  in  disorder.  It  was  soon  rallied,  but  Sher- 
ridan's  vigilant  eye  saw  the  mishap,  and  substituted  a 
reserve  regiment.  But  the  retreat  of  the  brigade  on 
the  flank  was  incorrigible.  Hosts  from  the  rebel 
divisions  on  the  right,  pressing  in  pursuit  of  the  two 
retiring  divisions  of  the  Right  Wing,  flowed  upon 
the  right  of  Sill's  brigade,  and  was  about  to  envelop 
it.  Sherridan  instantly  ordered  Colonel  Greusel,  who 
succeeded  Sill,  to  withdraw  it.  To  relieve  it  of  press 
ure,  Eoberts,  on  the  left,  fixed  bayonets.  Taking  the 
Forty-Second  and  Fifty-First  Illinois,  the  Twenty- 
Second  supporting,  he  plunged  into  the  woods.  The 
enemy  gave  way  before  his  glittering  steel,  and  fled 
rapidly  to  the  rear,  abandoning  one  gun,  which  in 
turn  was  abandoned  by  Roberts. 

This  effective  charge  relieves  the  right  until  they 
are  reformed  in  rear  of  the  batteries  upon  a  good 
position.  Roberts  retires  from  the  woods  and  forms 
on  the  left.  Sherridan  vainty  strives  to  rally  retiring 
troops  on  his  right,  when,  upon  order  from  General 
McCook,  he  advances  again  and  forms  upon  Hegley's 
right,  Roberts'  brigade  at  right  angles  with  !N"egley's 
right,  and  facing  south,  Shaefl'er's  and  Greusel's  bri 
gades  in  the  rear  at  right  angles  with  Roberts,  facing 
west,  covering  ISTegley's  rear.  Houghtaling's  Battery, 


238  BATTLE    OP    THE    RIGHT    WING. 

with  a  section  of  Hescock's  under  Lieutenant  Tallia- 
i'erro,  and  a  section  of  Bush's  Battery  take  position 
at  the  angle  of  these  lines,  the  remainder  of  Hescock's 
and  Bush's  Batteries  going  to  the  angle  formed  by 
Negley's  and  Roberts'  lines. 

This  maneuver — for  it  was  a  complete  change  of 
front  under  fire — is  hardly  perfected  when  the  enemy 
strikes  again  with  redoubled  fury.  None  of  Sherri- 
dan's  regiments  had  broken,  save  one,  and  it  had 
rallied  under  fire,  and  was  now  emulating  its  com 
panions.  Cheatham,  enraged,  seemed  to  have  con 
centrated  all  his  energies  in  the  new  attack.  He 
appeared  infuriated  at  his  successive  repulses.  Sill 
had  driven  him  back  with  cruel  slaughter.  Shaeffer, 
and  his  Missourians  and  Illinoisans,  had  caused  his 
battalions  to  recoil  under  their  galling  fire,  and  gal 
lant  Roberts  had  repulsed  him  with  steel.  A  rebel 
writer,  whose  history  of  the  battle  was  published  all 
over  the  South,  said  that  "Cheatham  stormed  about 
the  field  gnashing  his  teeth  at  the  slaughter  of  his 
braves."  He  was  now  reinforced  by  victorious  hordes, 
flush  in  pursuit  of  the  other  broken  brigades,  and 
who  gathered  in  clouds  about  Sherridan. 

It  was  a  final,  but  a  gallant  resistance.  The  enemy 
were  coming  at  two  hundred  yards  distant.  Not  a 
sign  of  faltering.  The  foe  seemed  concentrating 
a  whole  division  on  Roberts,  but  his  men  stood 
firmly  as  a  mountain,  and  the  rebels  again  recoiled. 
Again  they  advanced,  and  three  times  in  succession 
they  were  compelled  to  give  way  under  Sherridan's 
terrific  infantry  and  artillery.  But  gallant  Roberts 
was  killed,  and  Harrington  fell  desperately  wounded. 
It  was  a  noble  struggle,  but  the  heroic  fellows  were 


BATTLE    OF    THE    RIGHT    WING.  239 

compelled  to  retire.  Shaeffer's  ammunition  was  all 
expended.  Already  lie  liad  ilrcd  sixty  rounds  per 
man.  He  only  remained  of  Sherridan's  original  com 
manders  of  brigade.  The  cartridge-boxes  of  Roberts' 
brigade  were  nearly  empty,  and  Sill's  staunch  fellows 
were  clamoring  loudly  for  ammunition.  Houghtal- 
ing  had  exhausted  all  of  his,  and  there  was  no  more 
accessible.  The  enemy  had  cut  off  the  train  !  At 
Sherridan's  command,  Shaeffer's  men  grimly  fixed 
bayonets,  and  waited  their  fate,  holding  the  enemy  in 
check  with  empty  guns,  while  their  comrades  fell 
back.  Roberts'  brigade,  now  commanded  by  Colonel 
Bradley,  and  Greusel's,  retired  fighting.  Hough  tal- 
ing's  Battery  horses  were  nearly  all  dead.  He  strove 
manfully  to  drag  away  his  pieces  by  hand,  but  the 
thickets  were  insurmoiintable,  and  the  brave  fellow 
reluctantly  left  them.  Poor  Taliiaferro  fell  at  his 
guns,  and  they  were  brought  off  by  his  sergeant. 
Two  of  Bush's  guns  were  also  left  in  consequence  of 
the  loss  of  horses,  and  the  impossibility  of  dragging 
them  by  hand  through  the  cedar-brakes. 

The  last  division  of  the  Right  Wing,  armed  with 
empty  muskets,  fought  at  bay.  They  still  preserved 
their  compact  order,  with  banners  flying.  The 
enemy,  in  awe  of  them,  followed  at  a  more  respect 
ful  distance,  but  still  galling  them  with  heavy  lire. 
Going  through  the  woods,  Shaeffer's  Missourians — 
Germans  —  found  a  wagon  with  ammunition,  and 
quickly  swarming  around  it,  gobbled  up  the  precious 
cartridges  and  fell  into  line,  manifesting  bitter  satis 
faction.  Sherridan  instantly  sent  them  to  the  front 
to  beat  back  the  enemy.  At  length  Rousseau's  divi 
sion,  having  opportunely  formed  in  his  rear,  in  support 


240  BATTLE    OF    THE    RIGHT    WING. 

of  the  struggling  heroes,  gallant  Sherridan  and  the 
remnant  of  his  command  debouched  from  the  thicket 
into  the  open  field  near  the  Murfreeshoro  pike. 

But  there  was  more  work  for  Shaeffer  and  his 
sturdy  Germans.  Under  the  direction  of  General 
Koseerans,  Sherridan  led  them  immediately  to  the 
front,  on  the  right  of  Palmer's  division,  where  they 
at  once  engaged,  drove  the  enemy  from  the  cedars 
and  beyond,  four  of  Hescock's  guns  going  into  action 
at  the  same  time.  These  momentous  conflicts,  which 
require  so  much  space  for  cold  description,  were  the 
paroxysms  of  hardly  three  hours  of  horrific  battle. 
The*  battle  was  not  ended  then,  nor  that  day,  nor  the 
next,  nor  the  next,  but  Sherridan's  division,  though 
losing  elsewhere,  did  not  afterward  meet  with  seri 
ous  loss.  After  the  battle  was  over — "  My  loss,  Gen 
eral,"  said  Sherridan  to  his  commander,  "is  seventeen 
hundred  and  ninety-six" — my  three  brigade  com 
manders  killed,  and  sixty-nine  other  officers;  in  all, 
seventy-two  officers  killed  and  wounded."  "Was  it 
not  Illiad  of  battle?  —  seventeen  hundred  and  ninety- 
six  brave  soldiers  out  of  an  effective  force  of  six 
thousand  four  hundred  and  ninety-five.  Hearts  of 
rock  would  melt  in  the  presence  of  such  touching 
tragedy.  But  these  heroes  repeat,  with  glow  of  hon 
est  pride,  "  We  came  out  of  the  battle  with  compact 
ranks  and  empty  cartridge-boxes!"  That  immortal 
boast  should  be  inscribed  on  all  their  banners. 

REMARKS. 

For  days  after  the  battle,  there  was  a  wide-spread 
impression  that  the  Eight  Wing  was  surprised. 
Such  was  the  tenor  of  information  which  was  con- 


BATTLE    OF    THE    RIGHT   WING.  241 

stantly  reported  on  the  field.  The  swift  capture  of 
Edgarton's  Battery,  the  sudden  overwhelming  of  the 
Right  Wing,  the  vehemence  with  which  it  was  driven 
back  to  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  where  it,  together 
with  the  whole  army,  was  saved  by  the  skill  of  the 
General  Commanding,  directing  the  valor  of  his  trusty 
troops  from  the  Left  Wing  and  Center,  seemed  to 
confirm  the  erroneous  statement.  Such  was  the 
belief  of  the  General  Commanding,  who,  in  his  offi 
cial  report  by  telegraph  to  the  General  in  Chief, 
denominated  the  misfortune  a  "surprise." 

Subsequently  upon  sifting  all  the  testimony,  he 
decided  that  injustice  had  been  done.  It  was  adjudged 
that  General  Willich's  picket  lines  were  properly 
adjusted  and  diligently  patrolled;  that  Kirk's  were  in 
front  as  far  as  they  could  be  posted,  and  were  inspected 
by  the  ever-vigilant  Kirk  himself,  and  that  every 
regiment  was  under  arms  in  line  of  battle  before  day 
light.  General  Johnson,  therefore,  stands  vindicated. 
The  only  point,  it  seems,  in  which  there  was  remis 
sion  of  vigilance,  was  significantly  reproached  by 
Major  General  McCook,  who,  in  his  official  report  of 
the  battle,  said  that  u  Captain  Edgarton,  commanding 
battery  of  Kirk's  brigade,  certainly  was  guilty  of  a 
great  error,  in  taking  even  a  part  of  his  horses  to 
water  at  such  an  hour."  Edgarton  was  imprudent, 
but  he  desired  that  his  horses  should  be  well  prepared 
for  action. 

The  extent  of  the  line,  and  its  consequent  thin 
ness  and  lightness,  together  with  the  fact  that  it 
was  attacked  by  superior  numbers,  was  the  chief 
cause  of  disaster.  There  is,  of  course,  some  contro- 
rersy  whether  the  General  Commanding  or  Major 
21 


242  BATTLE    OF    THE   BIGHT   WING. 

General  McCook  was  responsible.  The  respective 
official  reports  afford  data  for  a  clear  decision.  The 
official  report  of  General  Kirk,  by  omission,  seems  to 
imply  that  General  Johnson  was  not  on  the  field.  It 
is  not  likely  that  General  Kirk  intended  to  insinuate 
that  idea.  General  Johnson  was  there  constantly, 
and  exposed  himself  fearlessly — debouching  from  the 
forest  with  the  remains  of  his  reserve  brigade,  after 
his  other  brigades  had  been  scattered.  It  has  been 
said,  likewise,  that  Willich's  brigade  was  unprepared. 
The  various  commanders  of  the  brigade  dispute  it 
staunchly,  and  the  character  of  Willich,  who  is  one 
of  the  most  restlessly  vigilant  officers  in  the  service, 
would  go  far  to  establish  the  claims  of  his  subor 
dinates. 

The  troops  certainly  fought  with  great  obstinacy, 
but  they  were  carried  off  their  feet  by  simple  mo 
mentum,  and  were  kept  rolling  so  rapidly  by  the 
swift-fighting  enemy,  that  there  was  no  opportunity 
for  them  to  recover  their  equilibrium.  "  They  were 
not  whipped,"  said  General  Rosecrans ;  "they  were 
routed."  That  they  were  not  beaten,  is  attested  by 
the  fact  that  two-thirds  of  the  survivors  rallied,  and 
subsequently  redeemed  themselves  to  the  extent  of 
the  opportunities  afforded.  Had  the  line  of  battle  on 
the  Right  been  rolled  up  to  half  its  length,  McCook 
would  have  held  Hardee  "three  hours."  The  firm 
ness  and  steadiness  of  the  men  proves  that  conclu 
sively.  IsTo  troops  ever  displayed  greater  firmness 
and  valor,  and  no  officers  ever  devoted  themselves 
more  thoroughly.  The  conduct  of  General  McCook 
was  that  of  a  cool,  brave  soldier.  He  exposed  his 
person  incessantly,  and  his  horse  was  killed  under 


BATTLE    OF   THE   RIGHT   WING.  243 

him.  His  staff,  in  every  way,  showed  themselves 
brave,  faithful  officers.  But  with  his  command  shat 
tered  to  pieces  almost  hy  the  first  shock,  no  opportu 
nity  to  do  otherwise  than  save  all  he  could  was  afforded. 
It  is  not  the  purpose  of  this  volume  to  criticise 
or  to  censure  any  officer.  The  official  reports  may 
furnish  sufficient  data  to  critics.  Yet  it  may  be  said 
of  them,  as  of  all  official  reports,  that  it  is  often  diffi 
cult  to  sift  true  testimony  from  the  abundance  in 
official  reports  of  that  which  is  calculated  to  mislead. 
Ko  officer  will  censure  himself.  All  strive  to  tell  the 
truth,  but  very  few  can  avoid  self-praise.  And  so 
many  are  apt  to  disparage  or  blame  other  officers,  that 
it  often  requires  information  which  the  official  reports 
do  not  embody,  to  adjust  the  truth  of  history.  There 
is  one  point  which  no  soldier  can  dispute.  The  Gen 
eral  Commanding  retrieved  the  fortunes  of  that  day 
by  his  own  skill  and  conduct,  as  he  did  the  opening 
misfortune  upon  a  subsequent  day ;  and,  in  short, 
with  his  valiant  soldiers,  won  the  victory.  It  is  now 
time  to  glance  at  the  morning  operations  of 

THE    CAVALRY. 

The  rebel  cavalry  was  swarming  on  the  Right,  on 
the  Left,  and  in  the  rear.  On  the  Left  they  attacked 
a  train  and  slaughtered  -some  stragglers.  On  the 
Eight  they  charged  upon  McCook's  ordnance  train, 
but  it  was  twice  rescued  through  the  gallantry  and 
address  of  his  Ordnance  Officer,  Captain  Gates  P. 
Thruston,  who  subsequently,  for  his  good  conduct  in 
that  sanguinary  battle,  was  promoted  to  the  conspicu 
ous  position  of  Chief  of  Staff  of  the  Twentieth  Army 
Corps,  with  the  rank  of  Lieutenant  Colonel.  Directly 


244  BATTLE    OF   THE    RIGHT   WING. 

in  the  rear,  within  two  miles  of  the  left  front  of  bat 
tle,  Wheeler  and  Wharton  charged  upon  the  General 
Hospital,  and  captured  a  large  amount  of  stores, 
besides  prisoners.  Still  further  in  the  rear,  they  cut  oft' 
and  destroyed  several  subsistence  trains.  Once  they 
impudently  charged  a  battery  in  the  pike,  which, 
however,  was  unsupported,  but  they  were  quickly 
driven  from  their  trophy  by  Colonel  Kennett.  The 
latter  officer  had  been  detained  at  headquarters  by 
General  Rosccrans,  but  when  the  flood-gates  of  evil 
opened  that  morning,  he  was  directed  to  collect  all 
the  cavalry  at  his  command,  rally  the  Eight  Wing, 
and  drive  the  rebel  cavalry  away.  He  found  Colonel 
Murray,  of  the  Third  Kentucky  Cavalry,  with  eighty 
men.  Directing  them  to  move  to  Wilkinson's  cross 
roads,  be  proceeded  to  collect  more  of  his  com 
mand.  The  woods  were  filled  with  stragglers.  Mur 
ray  soon  found  the  enemy  in  possession  of  one  of  our 
trains,  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  federal  prisoners. 
He  sounded  the  "charge."  In  a  moment  the  gallant 
little  squadron  were  riding  the  rebels  down  in  every 
direction.  The  prisoners  were  rescued  and  the  train 
recaptured,  together  with  portions  of  two  batteries. 
The  enemy  also  had  possession  of  General  Palmer's 
.Division  Hospital.  Charging  them  with  forty  men, 
the  rebel  force  fled,  but  Murray  captured  so  many 
prisoners  that  almost  his  whole  command  was 
engaged  guarding  them.  Twice  more  his  little 
squadron  overturned  the  enemy,  and  once  dispersed 
Wharton's  brigade.  Altogether,  they  captured  about 
sixty  prisoners,  rescued  about  eight  hundred  of  our 
own  men  who  had  been  captured,  and  saved  a  large 
part  of  the  army  train. 


BATTLE    OF   THE    RIGHT   WING.  245 

The  Third  Ohio,  Lieutenant  Colonel  D.  II.  Murray, 
when  the  Eight  broke,  also  made  a  handsome  dash, 
and  drove  the  enemy  from  MeCook's  ammunition 
train.  Subsequently  they  charged,  saved  the  train  of 
the  Center,  drove  off  the  rebels,  recaptured  a  hospital, 
and  captured  many  prisoners  under  Colonel  Kennett's 
eye.  Two  companies  of  this  regiment  were  rallied 
by  Colonel  Kennett,  who  carried  them  into  action, 
driving  the  enemy  from  the  pike,  recapturing  a  gun 
by  a  dashing  charge,  saving  a  train,  and  rescuing 
many  of  our  men.  Lieutenant  Murray  distinguished 
himself  in  this  affair.  Colonel  Kennett  himself  had 
a  hand  to  hand  encounter  with  a  rebel  horseman. 
The  result  was  doubtful.  The  rebel  had  poised  his 
carbine,  the  Colonel  had  his  pistol  leveled,  and  both 
were  about  to  fire,  when  Farrish,  an  orderly  of  Ken 
nett,  threw  his  revolving  rifle  into  the  scale.  The 
rebel  delivered  his  arms  and  himself.  In  the  charge 
of  the  Third  Ohio,  Farrish  killed  two  rebels,  and 
Jaggcrs,  another  orderly,  rode  down  two  gray- 
jackets,  and  released  two  of  the  Fourth  Ohio  Cav 
alry  who  had  surrendered. 

Colonel  Zahn,  of  the  Third  Ohio  Cavalry,  com 
manding  brigade,  had  been  fighting  incessantly  from 
the  beginning  of  the  disaster  up  to  this  period.  lie 
was  compelled  to  retire  before  the  rebel  infantry,  but 
a  charge  of  rebel  cavalry  was  handsomely  repulsed 
by  the  First  Ohio  Cavalry,  Colonel  Minor  Millikin, 
and  the  Third  Ohio  Cavalry.  Major  A.  B.  Moore,  of 
the  former  regiment,  fell  mortally  wounded  in  this 
charge.  The  enemy  charged  Zahn  twice  in  succes 
sion,  and  were  again  and  again  repelled.  Zahn  now 
went  to  the  rescue  of  MeCook's  ammunition  train, 


246  BATTLE    OF    THE    RIGHT    WING-. 

which  was  again  in  jeopardy.  The  enemy  appeared 
in  heavy  force.  After  a  gallant  stand  "by  the  First, 
Third,  and  Fourth  Ohio  Cavalry,  Zahn  was  compelled 
to  retire,  the  dashing  Colonel  Millikin  and  his  Adju 
tant,  Lieutenant  Condit,  heing  fatally  hurt.  Millikin 
had  been  surrounded,  but  by  his  courage  and  his 
prowess  with  his  saber,  he  cut  his  way  through,  and 
was  escaping,  when  a  rebel  sharpshooter  brought 
him  down.  There  was  no  more  gallant  rider  in  that 
field.  His  sorrowing  soldiers  bore  him  to  the  rear, 
where  he  soon  breathed  his  last,  lamented  by  hosts 
of  friends. 

Later  in  the  clay,  General  Stanley  moved  up  from 
Lavergne  with  the  First  Middle  Tennessee,  and  a  de 
tachment  of  the  Fifteenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  and 
assembled  the  rest  of  his  available  command  to  resist 
a  movement  of  a  strong  force  of  rebel  cavalry,  under 
Brigadier  Generals  Wheeler,  "Wharton,  and  Buford, 
on  the  extreme  right,  north  of  Overall's  Creek. 
Colonel  Minty's  brigade  of  nine  hundred  and  fifty 
men,  constituted  by  far  the  larger  part  of  Stanley's 
command.  After  forming,  a  line  of  dismounted  cav 
alry  was  thrown  forward  to  skirmish.  The  enemy 
outnumbering  our  little  force  nearly  three  to  one,  of 
mounted  and  dismounted  men  and  artillery,  advanced 
rapidly,  drove  in  the  skirmishers  and  attacked  the 
Seventh  Pennsylvania.  The  Fifteenth  Pennsylvania 
gave  way  and  retreated  rapidly,  leaving  the  dis 
mounted  skirmishers  and  the  Seventh  Pennsylvania 
unsupported.  They  made  a  gallant  resistance,  but 
were  forced  to  retire.  Minty  retreated  across  two 
fields,  and  formed  again  under  cover  of  the  enemy's 
artillery.  The  enemy  followed  sharply  and  con- 


BATTLE    OF    THE    RIGHT    WING.  247 

fronted  our  line  with  three  lines,  one  opposite  the  left 
flank,  with  skirmishers  threatening-  the  right.  Gen- 
oral  Stanley  ordered  a  charge,  and  in  person  at  the 
head  of  two  companies  of  the  Fourth  Michigan,  and 
fifty  men  of  the  Fifteenth  Pennsylvania,  supported 
by  the  Seventh  Pennsylvania,  he  dashed  headlong 
into  the  rebels,  scattered  the  line  threatening  his 
flank,  and  captured  one  stand  of  colors,  which  a  ser 
geant  of  the  Fifteenth  Pennsylvania  wrenched  from 
the  hands  of  its  color- bearer.  At  the  same  time, 
Minty  charged  the  first  line  in  front  with  the  remain 
ing  companies  of  the  Fourth  Michigan  and  the  First 
Middle  Tennessee,  and  drove  the  enemy  from  the 
field.  The  third  line  was  formed  on  the  opposite  side 
of  a  lane  with,  a  partially-destroyed  fence  on  each 
side.  Minty  now  charged  upon  it,  and  put  it  to  rout. 
The  enemy  disappeared  from  that  vicinity.  This 
affair  concluded  operations  on  the  Right.  The  reader 
will  now  be  carried  back  to  the  Center. 


248  BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

NEGLEY'S  Division  in  the  Cedar-brakes — Gallant  Struggle  of  the 
"Old  Eighth  "—Staunch  Fighting  of  Miller  and  Stanley— The 
"Twenty-Onesters  " — "  Father  "  Moody — Turchin's  Regiment — The 
Pennsylvanians — Cutting  their  way  out — Van  Cleve,  Beatty,  Fyffe, 
Harker— The  Charge— "They  fly !  They  fly  !  "—Rousseau's  Divi 
sion — The  Regulars. 

IT  was  hardly  ten  o'clock  when  the  Right  Wing 
had  been  flung  with  such  startling  violence  from  a 
right  line  into  an  acute  angle  with  the  left,  and  in  its 
rear.  Exactness  in  the  record  of  time  in  the  tumult 
of  conflict  is  impossible.  In  the  midst  of  a  hurricane 
when  the  good  ship  has  sprung  a  leak,  and  the  waves 
are  breaking  over  her  bulwarks,  when  all  hands  are 
piped  to  the  pumps  to  save  the  sinking  vessel,  drown 
ing  men  are  not  apt  to  be  critical  in  marking  minutes 
as  the  dial  records  them.  All  that  has  been  described 
and  much  more,  occurred  in  marvellous  swiftness  of 
succession — before  eleven  o'clock.  The  blood  of 
thousands  of  men  had  saturated  the  field  of  Stone 
River. 

General  Rosecrans  had  hurled  part  of  the  Left 
across  the  field  to  save  the  Right;  the  lines  had  been 
readjusted,  Rousseau  had  formed  on  Negley's  right  in 
his  r&ir;  St.  Clair  Morton's  Pioneer  Brigade  had  been 
flung  into  the  gap  between  Rousseau's  right  and  Vun 
Cleve's  left,  Harker  had  fought  victoriously  on  the 
extreme  Right  of  the  new  line,  Sherridan,^cgley,  and 
Rousseau  had  been  driven  out  of  the  forest,  Cruft, 
Hazen,  and  Grose  had  been  fighting  tremendously, 


BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER.  249 

"Wagner  had  repelled  an  assault,  MendenhalPs  and 
Loomis'  various  Latteries  had  been  distributed  over 
the  field,  massed  in  the  center,  distributed  again; 
Van  Cleve,  Harker,  and  the  Pioneers  had  repulsed  the 
enemy  from  the  Right  by  eleven  o'clock  at  latest.  By 
that  hour  the  enemy  were  rolling  back  again  upon  the 
new  line  of  the  Right.  It  seemed  late.  It  was  a  day 
of  almost  endless  extension.  Some  hours  have  a  dura 
tion  of  years.  They  seem  to  embody  the  aggregate 
of  a  life-time  of  mortal  agony.  Every  moment  was 
a  death-struggle.  Every  second  was  a  period  to  a 
brave  man's  existence.  The  battle  raged  ten  hours — 
thirty-six  thousand  seconds.  Did  not  fresh  blood  flow 
every  second?  But  to  resume. 

THE    SECOND    DIVISION   OF    THE    CENTER. 

While  Sherridan  was  working  out  to  the  Murfrees- 
boro  pike,  face  to  face,  the  storm  of  battle  rushed 
across  the  front  of  JSTegley's  division — the  Second  Di 
vision  of  the  Center,  but  immortal  as  "the  Eighth." 
When  Sherridan  carried  his  butchered  column  with 
his  empty  cartridge-boxes  to  the  rear,  it  left  ]STegloy 
exposed  to  the  swarms  on  his  right.  Sherridan 
held  the  key  to  the  Center  until  he  had  nothing  to 
hold  it  with  but  cold  steel. 

K~egley  was  deep  in  the  forest  with  two  valiant  bri 
gades,  almost  surrounded  by  foes — stern  old  Stan 
ley's  and  inflexible  John  F.  Miller's.  The  one  was 
proud  to  command  Turchin's  unconquerable  $"iiic- 
teenth  Illinois,  now  gallant  Scott's,  Given's  Eigh 
teenth  Ohio,  Stoughton's  Eleventh  Michigan,  and  the 
Sixty-ISTinth  Ohio  ;  the  other  to  lead  Sirwell's  Seven 
ty-Eighth  Pennsylvania,  Granville  Moody's  Seventy- 


250  BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER. 

Fourth  Ohio.  Neibling's  Twenty-First  Ohio  ("  Twen- 
ty-Onesters"),  and  Hull's  Thirty-Seventh  Indiana— 
with  Shultz's,  Ellsworth's,  and  Marshall's  batteries. 
Rough- handed  Spear,  with  his  East  Tennesseeans, 
was  then  chafing  in  the  rear,  guarding  trains. 

JSTegley's  troops,  like  all  the  rest,  had  shivered 
through  the  gloomy  night  without  fires,  cheerfully 
awaiting  battle.  With  the  onslaught  upon  the  Eight 
Wing,  the  enemy  began  to  feint  upon  the  Center  and 
Left  Wing.  But  the  wave  of  battle  soon  flowed  upon 
them.  Again  the  rebels  advanced,  in  strong,  deep 
lines.  This  was  the  fourth  thunderbolt  which  had 
been  hurled.  The  batteries  open  upon  them  when 
they  fall  in  range.  They  waver  a  little,  but  beat  back 
the  resistance.  Stanley's  and  Miller's  men  are  under 
cover  waiting.  Caustic  Neibling's  "  Twenty-One- 
sters"  (Twenty-First  Ohio)  had  cuddled  under  a 
friendly  fence.  "Keep  cool,  boys!  steady  now  !  wait! 
When  you  fight,  fight  all  over.  Here  they  come ! 
!N"ow,  '  Twenty-Onesters,'  give  'em  hell  by  the  acre  !  " 
So,  too,  "  Father  "  Moody,  who  wields  "  the  sword  of 
the  Lord  and  of  Gideon,"  glancing  along  his  trusty 
Seventy-Fourth  Ohio,  shouted,  in  voice  of  thunder, 
"  Now,  my  boys,  fight  for  your  country  and  your 
God — aim  low!"  So  Hull,  and  Sirwell,  and  Scott, 
and  Stoughton,  and  Given,  each  with  stern  encour 
agement,  poised  their  regiments,  and  drove  the  yelling 
foe  clean  back  to  their  cover.  Moody,  as  enthusiastic 
as  a  lad,  sets  his  line  to  shouting.  They  roar  lustily 
for  the  Union.  The  old  hero  is  wounded,  and  his 
clothes  riddled  with  balls,  but  he  will  not  leave  his 
"boys."  A  drafted  soldier  in  ISTeibling's  regiment 
raised  a  whole  battalion  in  laughter  by  shouting  to  a 


BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER.  251 

few  drafted  comrades,  "Let's  give  'em  hell,  boys — 
we  've  only  nine  months  to  serve  anyhow  !" 

The  enemy  gather  again.  A  furious  conflict  en 
sues.  Negley  keeps  them  at  hay.  They  arc  loth  to 
charge  again.  Cannon  and  musketry  is  doing  the 
work  at  square  stand-up  lighting.  The  rebels  do  not 
like  this.  The  Yankees  will  stand  longer  under  it 
than  they  can.  Rebels  excel  in  onslaught.  Sherridan 
now  uncovers  the  right  of  the  Center.  The  enemy 
flowr  upon  it.  A  cruel  cross-fire  of  musketry  and 
artillery  tears  Negley's  ranks  to  pieces.  An  aid 
reports  that  the  enemy  are  in  his  rear.  Veteran 
Thomas,  who  vigilantly  watches  and  orders  the  battle 
in  the  Center,  looks  up  surprised.  Negley  is  alarmed, 
and  cruelly  disappointed.  His  soldierly  pride  revolts 
at  a  retrograde  movement.  There  is  no  help  for  it. 
Thomas  bitterly  says,  "  Cut  your  way  out."  Negley 
desperately  directs — "Men,  we  must  cut  our  way 
out!"  The  men  clutch  their  weapons  with  fatal 
determination.  John  Miller  is  wounded  painfully, 
but  he  w^ill  cut  his  brigade  through  the  foe.  Stern 
Stanley  gathers  his  stalwart  battalions  and  prepares 
for  desperate  work.  The  enemy  is  advancing  again 
in  front.  They  are  howling  on  the  right  and  in  the 
rear.  Staunch  Stoughton  and  young  Scott  clash  out 
with  the  bayonets  of  the  Eleventh  Michigan  and 
Nineteenth  Illinois.  The  enemy  fly  from  steel.  The 
division  is  moving  out  of  the  woods.  The  foe  roll 
back  swiftly  again.  The  "  Twenty-Onesters "  fix 
bayonets,  the  Nineteenth  Illinois  joins  them  on  the 
right,  and  together  they  again  clear  the  rear. 

This  relieved  the  whole  division  of  serious  embar 
rassment.  It  forced  its  way  out  steadily,  and  carried 


252  BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER. 

its  batteries,  save  five  guns,  safely  from  the  front. 
Moody's  clothing  had  been  riddled  by  balls,  and  his 
right  leg  and  breast  were  bleeding  with  wounds. 
Colonel  Miller  received  a  shot  in  the  neck,  but,  bleed 
ing  and  smarting  as  he  was,  he  remained  at  his  post. 
Hull  was  badly  hurt.  Stanley  (T.  R.),  though  in  the 
thickest  of  the  fight  from  the  opening  until  the  close, 
was  unhurt.  The  division  lost  heavily.  The  regi 
ments  composing  it  robed  themselves  with  honor. 
"When  £s"egley  came  out  the  enemy  followed  him 
fiercely,  but  he  turned  at  bay,  and-,  together  with 
Rousseau,  gave  them  a  bitter  repulse.  This  was  one 
of  the  most  tremendous  conflicts  of  the  day,  although 
where  the  whole  field  wras  so  stubbornly  and  desper 
ately  contested,  it  is  hard  to  determine  which  was  the 
most  appalling  struggle.  When  the  glorious  Eighth 
retired  from  the  forest,  its  ammunition  was  expended, 
a  third  of  its  original  force  were  hors  du  combat,  and 
most  of  the  artillery  horses  were  killed.  Every  inch 
of  ground  over  which  it  retreated  was  strewn  with 
the  dead  and  mangled.  Like  Sherridan's,  this  divi 
sion  waded  through  the  fire  without  breaking,  and 
marched  proudly  among  their  companions-in-arn  s  to 
take  new  position.  "  My  men,"  said  brave  MJler, 
"  did  not  run,  but  marched  to  the  pike,  carrying  nuany 
of  our  wounded." 

VAN    CLEVE — BEATTY — FYFFE — IIARKER. 

When  llarker  went  across  from  the  left  to  the  right 
and  formed  west  of  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  and  when 
staunch  Van  Cleve  double-quicked  with  Sam.  Beat~y's 
and  Fyffe's  brigades  to  succor  McCook,  Price's  bri£  acle 
remained  on  the  extreme  left  guarding  the  ford  t  of 


BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER.  253 

Stone  River,  and  was  not  fairly  engaged  that  day. 
Rousseau,  almost  simultaneously,  was  sent  into  the 
forest  under  the  eye  of  Thomas,  on  the  right  of  Keg- 
ley.  Leaving  Harker  on  the  crest  of  a  hill,  Wood, 
now  guarding  the  left  flank  with  his  vigilant  eye,  held 
Ilascall  in  hand  to  support  Wagner,  who,  in  the  grove 
on  the  left,  withstood  a  vigorous  battering  from  the 
hisrhts  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  river. 

«T> 

Beatty,  with  Fyffe  and  Harker  on  his  right,  was 
hardly  in  position,  when  the  masses  of  the  enemy  in 
their  gray  surtouts,  resembling  a  fog-bank  in  the  dis 
tance,  appeared,rolling  across  the  fields  and  through  the 
timber  in  front — a  throng  of  fugitives  from  the  Right 
Wing  flying  before  them.  The  lines  opened  for  the 
passage  of  the  retiring  troops,  and  upon  closing,  a 
withering  fire  was  opened  upon  the  enemy,  whose 
advance  was  suddenly  checked.  The  latter  availed 
themselves  of  the  trees  and  ridges  for  cover,  and 
during  some  twenty  minutes  a  murderous  fire  was 
sustained.  During  this  conflict,  the  General  Com 
manding,  having  returned  from  the  front,  massed  his 
batteries  in  the  Center  upon  the  cemetery  knoll. 
While  watching  the  cataract  of  shells  and  shot  that 
was  hurled  into  the  forest,  his  eagle  eye  descried  the 
mass  of  gray  tipping  over  the  hill  in  front  of  Beatty. 
"It  was  at  this  juncture,"  said  brave  Van  Cleve,  then 
suffering  from  his  wound,  "that  the  Commanding 
General  led  a  charge  in  person,  which  drove  the 
enemy  pell-mell  to  their  rear." 

The  terrific  fire  of  the  rebels  had  been  sustained  by 
the  Xinth  Kentucky  and  Nineteenth  Ohio  until  their 
ammunition  was  almost  expended.  Beatty,  unmoved 
by  the  tumult,  effected  a  passage  of  lines,  the  Sev- 


254  BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER. 

enty-lSrinth  Indiana  and  Eleventh  Kentucky  going  to 
the  front,  the  former  regiments  retiring  and  forming 
the  second  line,  in  support.  It  was  they  who,  under 
the  eye,  and  at  the  command  of  the  Chief,  had  the 
honor  to  make  that  glorious  charge.  It  was  along 
their  lines  that  Gareschd  flamed  like  a  meteor.  It  was 
here  that  Oilman,  with  drawn  sword,  Michler  in  top- 
hoots,  Taylor  on  his  superb  hay,  Skinner,  and  truly 
brave  Thorns,  the  first  time  in  battle,  devoted  and  gal 
lant  Father  Trecy,  Goddard,  Simmons,  Wiles,  Kirby, 
Bond,  Thompson,  young  Willie  Porter,  and  Reynolds, 
Hubbard,  Curtis,  cool  Barnet,  and  the  brave  orderlies 
of  headquarters,  first  saw  the  backs  of  the  enemy  on 
that  woeful  morning. 

As  the  gray-backs  went  over  the  hill,  a  streaming 
line  of  steel,  reaching  from  Beatty's  left  to  Fyffe  and 
Ilarker,  gleamed  in  swift  pursuit,  and  dead  men 
marked  the  progress  of  slaughter.  The  chase  ended 
only  when  the  fugitive  rebels  reached  reinforcements, 
a  mile  in  their  rear. 

While  Beatty  was  holding  the  rebels  in  check  on 
the  left,  FyfFe  had  taken  position  on  his  right  on  a 
ridge,  and  was  making  a  vigorous  fight  against  the 
obstinate  efforts  of  the  enemy  to  turn  his  own  right. 
Ilarker  already  had  his  hands  full,  and  his  gallant 
fellows  were  almost  staggering  under  the  swift  blows 
of  the  enemy.  Fyffe  looked  anxiously  for  Harker's 
Sixty-Fifth  Ohio  to  help  him  on  his  right,  but  Harker 
had  enough  work  cut  out  for  them.  Fyffe's  Fifty- 
Ninth  Ohio  and  Forty-Fourth  Indiana,  meantime, 
were  struggling  against  heavy  odds  with  batteries  in 
position  playing  upon  them  effectively,  and  there  was 
no  opening  for  a  charge.  There  was  no  alternative 


BATTLE  OP  THE  CENTER.  255 

but  to  stand  and  take  the  destructive  storm.  The 
enemy  finally  succeeded  in  getting  upon  Fyffe's  flank, 
and  he  withdrew  a  short  distance,  under  cover  of 
Swallow's  Battery.  The  Thirteenth  Ohio,  meantime, 
had  been  subjected  to  a  fearful  raking  of  musketry 
and  artillery.  Its  gallant  leader,  Colonel  Hawkins, 
had  fallen,  and  it  was  now  only  a  remnant,  but  was 
still  fighting  bitterly  under  Major  Jarvis.  At  an  order 
from  Fyife  to  move  forward  they  responded  with  rous 
ing  cheers,  and  charged  in  glorious  style,  driving  the 
enemy  pell-mell  through  the  woods.  The  noble  fel 
lows  had  first  smelled  powder  at  Oarnifex  Ferry. 
Their  early  training  under  "  Old  Rosy  "  was  not  now 
dishonored.  They  pressed  the  enemy  home,  almost 
side  by  side  with  their  gallant  Western  Virginia  com 
rades  of  old  Sam.  Beatty's  Nineteenth  Ohio.  Fyffe's 
entire  line  dashed  gallantly  forward  with  shouts  which 
soared  above  the  uproar  of  battle.  The  enemy  fled 
up  the  ridge,  down  the  slope,  across  the  fields,  and 
halted  only  when  secure  behind  their  heavy  reserves. 
Colonel  Fyffe,  in  his  official  report  commending  the 
gallantry  of  the  soldiers,  said:  "  One  of  the  skirmish 
ers,  William  Brown,  of  Company  B,  Fifty-Ninth  Ohio 
Infantry,  met  me  on  the  crest  of  the  ridge,  marching 
back  through  the  line  at  the  head  of  twenty-eight 
prisoners,  besides  two  lieutenants,  he  had  captured." 
This  responsibility-taking  fellow,  like  Paddy,  had 
"  surrounded  "  the  knaves. 

Harker.  like  Fyffe  and  other  gallant  Brigadiers  on 
that  terrible  morning,  sometimes  feared  he  was 
neglected.  The  Fifty-First  Indiana,  under  Colonel 
Streight ;  the  Sixty-Fourth  Ohio,  Barker's  own 
admirable  regiment,  under  Lieutenant  Colonel  Mcll- 


256  BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER. 

vaine ;  then  the  Thirteenth  Michigan,  under  brave 
Shoemaker;  and  Hathaway's  Seventy-Third  Indiana 
regiment,  in  sharp  succession,  with  Bradley's  Battery 
covering  all  of  them,  withstood  the  shattering  shock 
with  the  firmness  of  veterans.  Each  in  turn  was  at 
front,  but  just  before  Beatty's  charge  they  were  con 
strained  to  fall  back  with  the  line  on  the  left  to  cover 
their  flank.  Bradley's  Battery  had  now  lost  so  many 
horses  that  he  was  compelled  to  leave  two  of  his  guns 
in  possession  of  the  enemy.  But  Shoemaker,  seeing 
the  rebels  waver  under  the  hot  musketry  of  the  line, 
charged  at  the  head  of  his  Michiganders,  and  brought 
back  fifty-eight  prisoners  and  the  guns  in  triumph. 
Meantime,  Beatty  and  Fyffe  had  pursued  the  enemy 
too  far.  The  latter  rallied  on  their  reserves  behind 
some  hastily-constructed  breastworks,  and  rolled  back 
again  with  increased  numbers,  but  they  had  been  so 
thoroughly  whipped  that  they  halted  presently,  and 
contented  themselves  by  taking  up  position  on  a 
ridge,  a  half  mile  or  more  from  the  Murfreesboro 
pike. 

ROUSSEAU   AND    THE    REGULARS. 

Rousseau's  division  had  formed  in  the  cedar-thick 
ets  as  soon  as  the  extent  of  the  disaster  to  the  Eight 
Wing  was  ascertained.  He  was  needed  on  E"egley's 
right  to  protect  that  officer's  flank,  and  to  relieve  the 
retiring  divisions  of  the  Right.  The  Regular  Brigade, 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Shepherd,  at  the  head  of  the  col 
umn,  moved  steadily  into  the  thickets,  and  formed 
with  Colonel  John  Beatty's  brigade  on  the  left,  Scrib- 
ner's  in  close  support.  Directly  a  dropping  fire,  like 
the  big  drops  which  precede  a  storm,  indicated  the 
proximity  of  the  euenry.  Fugitives  had  embarrassed 


BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER.  257 

the  formation  of  the  line,  and  the  throng  increased. 
Johnson's  reserve  brigade,  and  the  debris  of  several 
regiments,  drifted  back  against  his  front,  and  Johnson 
forming  in  line,  fought  until  his  ammunition  was 
expended.  Sherridan,  too,  was  relieved  from  imme 
diate  pressure.  But  the  enemy  pushed  hard.  The 
gallant  Regulars  resisted  with  the  staunchness  of  their 
professional  esprit,  and  refused  to  yield  an  inch. 
Rousseau  had  vainly  attempted  to  get  his  artillery 
into  position.  Loomis  and  Griienther,  after  vehement 
effort,  found  it  impossible  to  plant  a  battery  where  it 
would  be  serviceable.  The  enemy  were  falling  upon 
him  in  swift  tumult.  The  hordes  who  were  flooding 
the  forests  in  front  of  St.  Glair  Morton  awd  Van 
Cleve,  also  swarmed  around  his  right  flank.  The 
Regulars  were  suffering  frightfully.  Captain  Bell,  of 
the  Fifteenth  United  States  Infantry,  as  noble  a  sol 
dier  as  ever  wielded  blade,  was  killed;  Captain  York 
and  Lieutenant  Occleston,  of  the  same  regiment,  fell 
severely  wounded  while  fighting  bravely  with  their 
commands,  and  scores  of  brave  privates  were  sinking 
at  every  volley. 

Rousseau,  discovering  the  unprofitableness  of  wast 
ing  life  in  the  thickets,  at  once  gave  orders  to  fail 
back  to  the  open  ground  where  the  batteries  could 
operate.  The  movement  was  hazardous,  but  neces 
sary.  The  conflict  was  raging  upon  all  sides.  ISTeg- 
ley  was  falling  back.  The  enemy  had  flowed  in 
behind  Palmer,  and  Grose's  superb  brigade  was  beat 
ing  them  back,  preventing  them  from  crossing  a 
swamp,  which,  from  the  sanguinary  combats  that 
were  fought  over  it,  gave  it  the  title  of  "  Hell's  Half- 
acre."  The  Sixth  and  Twenty-Foiuth  Ohio,  under 
22 


258  BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER. 

young  Anderson  and  Jones,  here  appeared  fighting 
heroically.  The  enemy  were  plunging  through  the 
timber,  evidently  to  break  off  the  Center  and  repeat 
the  battle  of  Prague,  which  they  had  so  well  begun. 
Rousseau  himself,  sword  and  hat  in  hand,  blazed  like 
a  meteor  along  the  lines,  inspiring  his  men.  Loomis 
and  Guenther,  with  young  Ludlovv,  who  for  his  hero 
ism  was  kissed  in  the  heat  of  battle  by  gallant 
Charles  Anderson,  had  rushed  their  splendid  batteries 
to  a  crest  on  the  open  ground  commanding  "Hell's 
Half-Acre,"  and  retained  their  souls  impatiently  until 
the  infantiy  escaped  from  the  murderous  cedar-brakes. 
But  the  Regulars,  followed  swiftly  by  the  eager  and 
ferocious  enemy,  who  filled  the  forests  with  their 
infernal  slogan,  were  compelled  to  fall  back,  loading 
while  retiring,  and  turning  to  fire  at  their  remorseless 
pursuers. 

There  was  scarcely  time  to  seek  an  available  posi 
tion  for  the  entire  division,  but  the  Second  Ohio,  Col 
onel  Kell,  and  the  Thirty-Third  Ohio,  commanded  by 
Captain  Ellis,  having  been  in  the  rear  in  support,  had 
taken  position  in  support  of  the  batteries,  and  afforded 
good  cover  for  the  retiring  troops.  Thomas  and 
Rousseau,  by  the  exercise  of  skill,  and  through  the 
steadiness  of  the  men,  finally  posted  them  in  a  depres 
sion  which  commanded  the  debouch  from  the  forest, 
and  from  which,  after  ferocious  fighting,  they  were 
finally  enabled  to  drive  back  the  enemy  with  a  loss 
which  exceeded  even  their  own  horrible  casualties. 
"In  the  execution  of  this  last  movement,"  said  Gen 
eral  Thomas,  "  the  Regular  Brigade,  under  Lieuten 
ant  Colonel  Shepherd,  came  under  a  most  murderous 
fire,  losing  twenty-two  officers  and  five  hundred  and 


BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER.  259 

eight  men  in  killed  and  wounded,  but  with  the  co-op 
eration  of  Scribner's  and  John  Beatty's  brigades,  and 
Guenther's  and  Loomis'  batteries,  gallantly  held  its 
ground  against  overwhelming  odds."  It  was  here 
that  chivalrous  Rousseau  sent  word  to  Rosecrans  that 
he  had  taken  his  stand.  "  Tell  him,"  he  said,  "  that 
I  will  stay  right  here.  I  won't  budge  an  inch  !" 

The  rebels  had  spread  through  the  forest  and  down 
the  slight  slope  toward  the  depression  in  which  Rous 
seau  was  formed,  shouting  like  devils,  and  dashed 
forward  as  if  the  key  of  the  position  was  at  last  in 
their  grasp.  But  the  batteries  of  Loomis  and  Guen- 
ther,  vomiting  double-shotted  cannister  into  their 
masses  with  frightful  rapidity,  and  the  infantry  aim 
ing  low  and  deliberately,  literally  consumed  their  bat 
talions.  The  file  firing  of  the  Regulars  at  this  point 
was  fearfully  destructive.  The  enemy  fte\v  back  to 
the  woods  in  haste.  But  new  legions  collected,  and 
directly  the  enemy  shot  a  column  clean  out  into  the 
open  space  in  front.  At  this  instant  the  battle  was 
raging  along  the  whole  line.  The  rebels  were  yelling 
hideously  in  the  thickets,  our  musketry  was  rolling  in 
front  in  terrific  volume,  and  the  roar  of  artillery  vied 
with  the  majesty  of  tropical  thunder.  It  seemed  as  if 
the  very  elements  were  convulsed.  Now  the  splendid 
charge,  led  by  Rosecrans  in  person,  was  made.  Our 
fellows  raised  a  shrill  clamor,  which  leaped  from  rank 
to  rank,  and  thrilled  along  the  lines  in  spirit-stirring 
harmony.  Word  was  carried  to  Rousseau  that  the 
enemy  were  flying,  and  soliciting  permission  to 
charge,  he,  too,  took  the  head  of  his  valiant  column, 
and  led  it,  roaring  with  victorious  rage,  straight  at 
the  front  of  the  enemy,  drivng  them  wildly  to  the 


260  BATTLE  OP  THE  CENTER. 

fastnesses  of  the  cedars.  His  own  gallant  staff  and 
orderlies  captured  seventeen  prisoners,  with  a  captain 
and  lieutenant  at  their  head,  the  remnant  of  the  Thir 
tieth  Arkansas  Infantry,  which  had  been  blown  to 
pieces  by  Loomis,  Van  Pelt,  Guenther,  and  Ludlow. 
The  desperadoes  were  taken  within  one  hundred  and 
thirty  yards  of  the  batteries.  Loomis  here  lost  twelve 
men  killed  and  wounded,  and  thirteen  horses.  Here, 
too,  the  gallant  Major  Carpenter,  of  the  Nineteenth 
Regulars,  with  six  mortal  wounds  in  his  body,  fell 
dead  on  the  field;  Major  John  H.  King,  of  the  Fif 
teenth,  and  Slemmer,  of  the  Sixteenth,  were  disabled. 
Captain  Dennison,  of  the  Eighteenth,  and  George  F. 
White,  a  heroic  sergeant  of  the  Third  Battalion,  lost 
their  lives.  Gallant  Kell,  Lieutenant  Colonel  com 
manding  the  Second  Ohio,  was  also  killed.  The 
staunch  Second  Ohio,  which  at  Chaplin  Hills  had 
won  honorable  fame,  here  had  the  good  fortune  to 
capture  the  colors  of  the  regiment  which  the  batteries 
tore  to  pieces.  Among  the  heroic  efforts  of  that  san 
guinary  day  none  surpassed  in  grandeur  the  valorous 
deeds  which  immortalized  the  splendid  regiments  of 
the  Center.  They  came  up  out  of  that  awful  struggle 
wrenched  and  shattered,  but  even  the  tattered  remains 
were  an  unconquerable  host. 

THE    LEFT    WING. 

From  the  moment  of  the  order  from  the  General 
Commanding  to  suspend  the  execution  of  the  plan  of 
battle,  when  General  Crittenden  under  his  direction, 
sent  Van  Cleve  to  the  Eight,  General  Crittenden  had 
been  constantly  in  the  field,  vigilantly  watching  the 
progress  of  battle  on  his  own  front.  He  exhibited 


BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER.       ^     261 

perfect  sang  froid,  and  displayed  just  soldierly  pride 
in  the  gallantry  of  his  splendid  corps.  There  had 
been  a  constant  play  of  batteries  on  his  wing",  and 
Palmer's  division  was  soon  heavily  engaged,  Wag 
ner  and  Hascall,  of  "Wood's  division,  being  assailed  in 
rapid  succession.  The  havoc  among  men  and  horses 
from  small  arms  and  artillery,  and  among  officers 
from  the  murderous  fire  of  sharp-shooters,  was  har 
rowing. 

PALMER'S  DIVISION. 

Palmer's  division  had  retained  its  original  forma 
tion — Graft's  brigade  on  the  right,  joining  the  left  of 
Negley,  braced  and  covered  by  a  piece  of  timbered 
land,  his  left  stretching  to  the  eastward,  toward  the 
Murfreesboro  pike.  His  front  line  was  composed  of 
the  Second  Kentucky  and  the  Thirty-First  Indiana 
Infantry,  under  Colonel  Thomas  D.  Sedgwick,  sup 
ported  by  the  First  Kentucky  and  the  Ninetieth  Ohio, 
under  Colonel  David  A.  Enyart,  with  Standart's  Ohio 
Battery  in  half  battery  on  either  flank. 

Colonel  W.  B.  Ilazeu,  commanding  Palmer's  Sec 
ond  Brigade,  with  the  Sixth  Kentucky  Infantry  and 
Forty-First  Ohio  in  front,  and  on  the  right  and  left 
of  the  road  respectively,  joined  Cruft  on  the  left,  the 
Ninth  Indiana  and  One  Hundred  and  Tenth  Illinois 
Infantry  in  the  second  line,  on  the  right  and  left  of 
the  road  respectively.  Hazen  occupied  a  cottonfield 
in  front  of  Cowan's  "Burnt  House" — the  Stone  lliver 
Hngomout — a  point  6f  most  furious  conflict  in  the 
successive  struggles  of  the  day.  His  right  rested 
against  a  skirt  of  woods,  the  left  lying  behind  the 
crest  of  a  wave  in  the  surface,  which  offered  very 
doubtful  cover,  though  the  best  the  plain  afforded. 


262      ^       BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER. 

The  enemy  fought  for  the  triangle  which  he  defended, 
and  which  he  was  conscious  should  be  held  at  all 
hazards. 

Colonel  Grose's  brigade  was  in  reserve  in  rear  of 
the  interval  between  Cruft  and  Hazen ;  the  Sixth 
Ohio  and  Thirty-Sixth  Indiana  in  front,  the  Eighty- 
Fourth  Illinois,  Twenty-Third  Kentucky  and  Twenty- 
Fourth  Ohio  forming  the  second  line,  with  Parsons' 
Battery  of  the  Fourth  United  States  Artillery,  and 
Cockerell's  Battery,  in  support  of  the  lines  near  the 
Center. 

CRUFT HAZEN  —  GROSE. 

Soon  after  eight  o'clock  General  Palmer,  receiving 
information  that^egley  was  about  to  advance,  ordered 
Cruft  to  move  up,  and  Hazen  to  seize  some  command 
ing  positions  in  his  front,  together  with  the  "Burnt 
House."  Before  the  order  was  executed  the  enemy 
had  moved  upon  ISTegley,  after  driving  back  the 
Right  Wing,  and  compelled  him  to  retire  his  right, 
so  that  it  was  now  oblique  to  Crnft's  front.  The 
panic  on  the  Right  had  also  cropped  out  in  the  tim 
ber  skirting  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  so  that  the  order 
for  Palmer  to  advance  was  quickly  countermanded. 
Hazen  had  not  advanced  over  twenty  yards,  when, 
in  'obedience  to  orders,  he  fell  back.  The  enemy 
having  appeared  in  the  rear  of  the  Left,  the  necessity 
for  a  retrogade  movement  was  apparent.  Hazeii 
had  barely  got  his  two  right  regiments  into  position 
in  the  wood,  when  he  begun  £o  engage  the  enemy, 
who  had  broken  cover  over  the  crest  in  front  in  two 
lines,  and  dashed  swiftly  down  to  the  "Burnt  House." 
The  two  left  regiments  were  retired  about  fifty  yards, 
to  a  thinly-timbered  elevation  near  the  railroad.  Tho 


BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER.  263 

enemy  evinced  great  desperation  in  their  efforts  to 
cross  the  cottonfield  and  break  Hazen's  front,  but 
the  splendid  firmness  of  his  regiments  repeatedly 
foiled  them.  The  fighting  was  sharp  and  decisive, 
Haze u  firmly  holding  his  post  of  honor. 

General  Crufthad  hardly  advanced  a  hundred  yards 
when  he  was  halted,  and  Palmer,  riding  toward  the 
pike,  discovered  a  mass  of  rebels  swarming  in  the 
rear  of  his  right.  Grose  skillfully  changed  front  to 
rear,  and  was  instantly  engaged  with  the  enemy  in 
a  bitter  contest,  and,  after  great  mutual  slaughter, 
drove  them  back. 

Meanwhile  Cruft's  skirmishers  spread  out,  engaged 
the  rebel  skirmishers  with  fine  spirit,  and  drove  them, 
while  his  line  gained  a  fence  in  his  front.  Directly  a 
massive  charging  column  of  the  enemy  bore  down 
upon  him,  and  a  tremendous  combat  ensued.  The 
rebels  charged  with  desperate  abandon,  but  were  con 
stantly  hurled  backward.  The  infantry  fire  of  cm- 
line  was  awful,  while  the  battery  play  of  Standart 
seemed  to  swallow  up  whole  ranks  of  the  foe.  Flesh 
and  blood  could  not  endure  it.  The  enemy  fell  back 
rapidly  to  cover.  Before  Cruft's  line  was  fairly 
readjusted  for  an  advance,  he  discovered  indications 
of  another  onset.  Ordering  his  men  to  hold  their 
fire,  he  waited  until  the  enemy  moved  up  within 
point  blank  range,  and  poured  a  terrific  volley  into 
their  masses.  The  blow  was  staggering,  but  the  fero 
cious  rebels  were  determined  to  carry  their  point. 
Our  own  battalions  had  been  hurled  into  other  weak 
points  with  such  masterly  skill  that  they  saw  no  hope 
of  victory,  unless  they  could  break  each  line  success 
ively.  At  this  hour  they  were  flushed  with  success 


264  BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER. 

on  the  Right,  and  were  driving  in  the  Center.  Bragg, 
sanguine  of  victory,  had  recalled  some  of  his  victo 
rious  legions  from  his  extreme  left,  and  was  pre 
cipitating  them,  together  with  Breckinridge's  large 
division,  and  portions  of  reserve  commands,  upon 
our  Left. 

After  a  terrible  engagement  of  nearly  a  half  hour, 
the  enemy  were  again  rolled  back  upon  their  own 
position.  The  two  gallant  regiments  in  front,  after 
a  second  display  of  almost  unparalleled  heroism,  were 
relieved.  General  Cruft  took  advantage  of  a  brief 
respite  to  effect  a  passage  of  his  lines — the  First 
Kentucky,  Colonel  Enyart,  and  Ninetieth  Ohio,  Col 
onel  Ross,  going  to  the  front.  These  two  gallant 
regiments,  under  Enyart,  advanced  to  charge,  but 
the  Ninetieth  Ohio,  was  recalled,  and  the  First  Ken 
tucky  charged  alone,  routing  the  enemy,  and  pursu 
ing  them  clean  beyond  the  "Burnt  House,"  and  to  a 
point  within  fifty  yards  of  their  line  of  intrench- 
ments.  It  was  the  most  daring  charge  of  the  day, 
and  but  for  the  general  conflict  which  raged  all  over 
that  sanguinary  h'eld,  would  have  been  conspicuously 
distinguished.  Enyart  gathered  up  his  little  com 
mand,  and  began  to  fall  back  to  his  position.  But 
the  enemy,  reinforcing  from  his  reserves  in  the 
woods,  burst  upon  the  regiment  and  beat  it  back, 
with  severe  loss,  to  its  position  in  line.  The  remain 
der  of  the  line,  with  Standards,  Parsons',  and  Cock 
erel  1's  admirably- worked  batteries,  and  the  heavy 
infantry  fire  from  the  line,  checked  the  enemy  in  their 
career. 

But  the  capricious  changes  of  battle  had  left  Craft's 
right  flank  exposed  to  a  cross-fire  from  the  enemy  in 


BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER.  265 

the  woods.  To  retire  was  obviously  a  necessity.  Re 
treat  was  impeded  by  confusion,  caused  by  repulsion  of 
brigades  from  other  lines  back  upon  his  line  of  reced- 
ence,  and  artillery  carriages  retiring  from  his  right 
obstructed  the  Held.  Standards  ammunition  was 
decreased  to  an  alarmingly  short  supply,  and  he  was 
compelled  to  shift  position  to  tight  off  the  enemy. 
The  men  also  had  almost  expended  their  ammunition. 
They  had  fired  an  average  of  fifty  rounds  each,  or 
more.  Cruft  needed  reinforcements,  but  did  not 
receive  them.  They  could  not  then  be  spared  from 
other  points.  The  enemy's  fire  seemed  to  envelop  his 
whole  line.  Still  he  fought  stubbornly,  and  held  his 
ground  long  against  fearful  odds,  but  finally  withdrew 
fighting.  The  Second  Kentucky  brought  off  three 
pieces,  and  the  Thirty-First  Indiana,  one  piece  of 
artillery,  of  another  division,  by  hand,  which  the 
gunners  had  been  compelled  to  abandon,  their  horses 
having  been  killed.  Miller's  infantry,  although  their 
ammunition  had  about  failed,  had  brought  off  two 
pieces  of  the  same  battery,  so  that  none  of  it  was  sac 
rificed  to  the  enemy.  Standart  saved  his  battery,  with 
a  loss  of  three  men  and  seven  horses,  coming  out  with 
only  sixteen  rounds  of  ammunition.  Cruft  fell  back 
to  the  pike,  which  he  reached  with  about  five  hund 
red  men,  the  First  Kentucky,  in  falling  back,  hav 
ing  been  ordered  to  take  a  position  on  the  left  of  the 
new  line  on  the  Right.  After  replenishing  his  cart 
ridge-boxes,  Cruft  took  a  position  in  support  of  a 
battery  on  the  left  of  the  pike. 

Meantime,  the  enemy  persisted   in   his   efforts   to 
advance  from  the  "  Burnt  House  "  across  the  cottonfield 
which  Hazen  had  vacated.     Wagner  had  shifted  so 
23 


266  BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER. 

far  over  to  the  left  to  guard  the  ford,  that  a  gap  was 
open  between  the  two  brigades,  and  Hazen,  until 
Hascall  filled  the  interval,  was  practically  on  the 
extreme  left  of  the  army.  The  lighting  here  had 
been  so  incessant  that  the  cartridge-boxes  of  the 
Forty-First  Ohio  had  been  emptied.  Hazen  dared 
not  withdraw  a  regiment  from  his  front,  and  had 
fruitlessly  endeavored  to  procure  ammunition.  He 
sent  for  relief.  The  One  Hundred  and  Tenth  Illinois 
fixed  bayonets,  and  the  Forty-First  Ohio  defiantly 
clubbed  their  muskets  in  desperate  determination  to 
hold  their  ground  at  all  hazards  until  reinforcements 
should  arrive.  The  Ninth  Indiana,  commanded  by 
gallant  W.  H.  Blake,  dashed  over  from  the  right  with 
a  shout,  to  relieve  the  Forty-First  Ohio.  •'  In  ad 
vancing  to  this  position,"  said  Colonel  Hazen,  "  under 
a  galling  fire,  a  cannon  shot  passed  through  the  ranks 
of  the  Ninth  Indiana,  carrying  death  with  it,  and  the 
ranks  were  closed  without  checking  a  step."  Again : 
"The  Forty-First  Ohio  now  retired  with  its  thinned 
ranks  in  as  perfect  order  as  on  parade,  cheering  for 
the  cause,  and  crying  for  ammunition."  A  few  well- 
directed  volleys  from  the  Ninth  Indiana  drove  the 
rebels  back  to  their  cover,  and  the  soldiers  had  a  brief 
respite. 

A  half  hour  later  the  enemy  renewed  their  attack 
with  increased  vigor  and  bitterness,  and  succeeded  in 
pushing  a  column  in  front  of  the  "  Burnt  House"  to 
the  right  in  front  of  Cruft,  whose  brigade  was  then 
withdrawn.  In  this  attack,  it  was  the  fortune  of  the 
Sixth  Kentucky  Union  regiment  to  meet  the  Sixth 
Kentucky  rebel  regiment,  and  demolish  them  in  the 
open  field.  Meantime,  when  Grose,  in  reserve,  had 


BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER.  267 

changed  front  to  rear  to  clear  Palmer's  right  flank, 
his  front  line  pushed  forward  about  two  hundred  and 
fifty  yards,  and  met  an  almost  overpowering  mass  of 
the  enemy.  Both  sides  had  opened  fire  upon  observ 
ing  each  other,  and  were  suffering  dreadfully.  Major 
Kinley,  commanding  Thirty-Sixth  Indiana,  soon  fell 
badly  wounded,  and  Captain  Shultz,  of  the  same  regi 
ment,  was  killed,  while  dozens  of  men  had  fallen 
around  them.  Captain  Woodbury  immediately  as 
sumed  command  of  the  regiment,  and  fought  it  skill 
fully  thereafter.  Colonel  i^ick  Anderson  received  a 
wound  in  his  thigh,  but  did  not  leave  his  regiment 
until  after  the  enemy  retreated  from  Murfrcesboro. 
His  Adjutant,  Lieutenant  Williams,  and  Lieutenant- 
Foster,  of  the  same  regiment,  were  soon  stricken  to 
rise  no  more,  and  it  seemed  that  none  of  the  brave 
Sixth  would  survive  to  bury  its  dead.  The  Thirty- 
Sixth  Indiana,  fighting  stubbornly  by  its  side,  was 
bleeding  at  every  pore.  After  a  resistance  of  the 
most  obstinate  character,  the  gallant  fellows  were 
compelled  to  recede  from  the  cedars.  Parsons,  Hunt- 
ingtoii,  and  Gushing,  with  their  big  battery  and  the 
supports,  now  took  a  leading  part  in  the  tragedy. 
After  a  terrible  contest,  they  broke  the  enemy's 
ranks,  and  drove  him,  in  confusion,  to  cover.  A  half 
or  three-quarters  of  an  hour  later  the  rebels  renewed 
their  assault,  but  were  driven  back  with  severe  pun 
ishment. 

The  fighting  at  this  point  was  frightful.  The 
enemy  were  more  numerous  than  the  trees  of  the 
dense  forest  which  covered  them,  and  it  did  not  seem 
possible  to  check  their  fierce  advance.  But  our  troops 
fought  firmly,  and  were  so  effectually  sustained  by 


268  BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER. 

Parsons'  Battery  that  the  masses  of  the  enemy, 
unable  to  stand  such  slaughter,  resentfully  gave 
way  and  retired  to  cover. 

The  withdrawal  of  Crnft  intensified  the  assault 
upon  Hazen,  and  in  compliance  with  General  Palmer's 
orders,  Grose's  brigade,  which  had  beaten  the  enemy 
in  their  own  front,  changed  front  to  rear  again,  and 
moved  over  to  assist  Hazen  near  the  railroad.  The 
Twenty-Fourth  Ohio,  Colonel  Fred.  Jones,  and  the 
Thirty-Sixth  Indiana,  Captain  Woodbury,  with  the 
Forty-First  Ohio,  were  posted  on  the  left  of  the  Ninth 
Indiana.  The  enemy  rushed  to  this  point  ferociously, 
and  a  sanguinary  conflict  ensued.  The  mettle  of 
Nelson's  "man-of-war"  division  never  shone  more 
conspicuously.  The  lines  refused  to  budge  an  inch. 
The  men  aimed  low  and  fired  deliberately.  Gallant 
Fred.  Jones  soon  fell,  cheering  his  men,  and  was 
borne  from  the  field  gasping  his  last  sigh.  A  little 
later  and  his  brave  successor,  Major  Terry,  received  a 
fatal  wound.  Captain  Enoch  "VVeller  assumed  com 
mand  of  the  Twenty -Fourth.  Parsons'  Battery  again 
settled  the  fray.  The  enemy  fell  back  to  cover  in  a 
wood,  but  kept  up  such  a  sharp  fire  that  Hazen  was 
compelled  to  swing  his  right  behind  the  railroad 
embankment.  From  this  time  onward  until  the  par 
tial  lull  near  noon,  this  staunch  brigade  was  con 
stantly  engaged,  the  enemy  fighting  from  the  wood 
in  which  they  had  taken  refuge. 

HASCALL   AND   WAGNER. 

General  Hascall's  brigade  was  ordered  from  the  Left 
to  the  Right  by  General  Rosecrans  in  person,  soon 
after  Harker  started,  but  owing  to  obstructions  caused 


BATTLE  OF  THE  CENTER.  269 

by  the  panic  on  the  Right,  which  overflowed  the  road 
and  the  camp  on  the  east  side  of  it,  he  was  compelled 
to  halt.  His  brigade  was  moved  from  point  to  point, 
to  render  assistance,  until  General  Palmer  appealed 
to  him  for  aid.  Responding  promptly,  he  sent  down 
the  Third  Kentucky  Infantry,  and  not  ten  minutes 
later,  its  gallant  commander,  Colonel  McKee,  was 
killed,  and  the  regiment  was  badly  cut  up.  They, 
however,  maintained  their  ground  unflinchingly. 
General  TIascall  moved  at  once,  and  took  position 
on  Hazeri's  left,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Murfreesboro 
pike.  Wagner  had  occupied  that  position  early  in 
the  morning,  but  when  the  Left  was  transferred  to 
the  Right,  General  Wood  caused  him  to  shift  to  the 
Left,  to  cover  a  ford  of  Stone  River.  Cox's  Tenth 
Indiana  Battery  was  posted  in  half  battery  on  either 
flank.  The  brigade  was  in  front  of  Breckinridge's 
main  position,  where  it  was  vigorously  assaulted,  but 
the  enemy  were  promptly  repulsed. 


270  THE  BATTLE  ON  THE  LEFT. 


CHAPTER   XXVII. 

PREPARATIONS  for  Decisive  Battle — Readjustment  of  the  Lines — The 
Grand  Battle  Scene — "Battle's  Magnificently  Stern  Array" — A 
Spectacle  of  Dreadful  Splendor — Destruction  of  Human  Life — Gar- 
esche's  Death — Hazen  in  the  Trial  Battle — Hascall  and  Wagner — 
The  Field  's  our  own. 

IN  the  middle  of  the  day  there  was  a  comparative 
cessation  of  firing.  The  batteries  ceased  their  thun 
der,  and  the  sharp  crepitating  thrill  of  musketry  was 
stilled,  excepting  the  harassing  bicker  of  the  rebel 
sharpshooters,  who,  posted  in  trees  with  their  long- 
range  rifles,  maintained  a  deadly  fire.  The  enemy 
made  a  strong  demonstration  upon  the  Eight,  but  it 
was  a  feint.  They  had  developed  numbers  superior 
to  our  own — "five  or  six  thousand,"  said  plain-spoken 
Thomas.  It  seemed,  from  the  latest  developments  of 
battle,  that  unless  they  exceeded  us  numerically  in  a 
much  greater  proportion,  their  next  attack  would  be 
directed  at  the  Left,  General  Rosecrans  adjusted  his 
forces  for  the  shock  which  was  to  determine  the  fate 
of  the  day.  We  again  retrace  our  steps  a  little  to 
discover  the  situation. 

Rousseau  and  Van  Cleve's  advance  having  relieved 
Sherridan's  division  from  the  pressure,  ^Tegley's  divi 
sion  and  Craft's  brigade  from  Palmer's  division,  with 
drew  from  their  original  position  in  front  of  the 
cedars,  and  crossed  the  open  field  to  the  east  of  the 
Murfreesboro  pike,  about  four  hundred  yards  in  rear 


THE  BATTLE  ON  THE  LEFT.  271 

of  our  front  line,  where  !N"ogley  was  ordered  to  replen 
ish  his  ammunition  and  form  in  close  column  in 
reserve. 

The  Eight  and  Center  of  our  line  now  extended 
from  Hazen  to  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  in  a  north 
westerly  direction,  Hascall  supporting  Hazen,  Rous 
seau  filling  the  interval  to  the  Pioneer  Brigade. 

^segley  in  reserve,  Van  Cleve  west  of  the  Pioneer 
Brigade;  McCook's  corps  refused  on  his  right,  and 
slightly  to  the  rear  on  the  Murfreeshoro  pike;  the 
cavalry  being  still  further  to  the  rear,  on  the  Mur 
freesboro  pike  and  beyond  Overall's  Creek. 

Walker's  brigade  of  the  Center,  consisting  of  the 
Seventeenth,  Thirty-First  and  Thirty-Eighth  Ohio, 
and  Eighty-Second  Indiana,  which  had  been  protect 
ing  the  rear  at  Stewartsboro  until  they  were  ordered 
to  the  front,  came  up  about  eleven  o'clock,  and  were 
temporarily  assigned  to  General  Sherridan,  who  posted 
them  on  the  left  of  McCook's  new  line,  in  the  forest 
which  had  been  occupied  by  Van  Cleve.  Rude  bar 
ricades  were  constructed  on  the  right.  Excepting 
sharp  skirmishing,  nothing  more  of  importance 
occurred  on  that  front,  although  batteries  of  the 
enemy  interfered  with  communication  on  the  pike 
south  of  Overall's  Creek.  The  enemy  also  contented 
himself,  during  the  afternoon,  in  making  his  Left 
secure  by  throwing  up  counter-defenses.  Kirk's 
brigade,  under  Colonel  Dodge,  was  moved  down  the 
river  during  the  afternoon,  to  check  an  attempt  of 
the  enemy's  cavalry  to  cut  up  our  trains. 

After  these  dispositions  were  made,  General  Ros- 
ecrans  was  fully  prepared  for  another  assault.  He 
waited  not  long.  Bragg  had  withdrawn  the  heaviest 


272  THE  BATTLE  ON  THE  LEFT. 

portion  of  his  Left  "Wing,  and,  together  with  his 
reserves,  now  rolled  them  with  mighty  momentum 
upon  the  staunch  Left  Wing  of  Crittenden. 

THE    GRAND   BATTLE    SCENE. 

Several  heavy  assaults  made  by  the  enemy  to  feel 
our  lines,  were  successively  repulsed;  but  about  the 
middle  of  the  afternoon  a  storm  of  appalling  fury 
burst  upon  the  Left.  The  majesty  of  great  battle 
was  in  it.  Disciplined  hosts  rolled  upon  disciplined 
hosts  with  hideous  momentum.  The  crash  was  like 
the  collision  of  two  planets — fire  and  smake  visible, 
and  crushing  systems  frightfully  audible — a  spectacle 
of  dreadful  splendor.  Each  feature  was  sharply 
traced  and  clearly  defined.  The  day  was  surpass 
ingly  beautiful.  Occasionally  a  shallow  cloud  soared 
away  softly  over  the  convulsion  below,  but  the  blazing- 
sun  glared  through  the  vapory  smoke  which  expanded 
over  the  shocking  field  like  a  thin  gauze,  wafting 
lazily  toward  the  South.  The  pomp  of  battalions 
in  "battle's  magnificently  stern  array,"  would  have 
compelled  the  severe  enthusiasm  of  J^apoleon.  Long, 
deep  lines  of  soldiers  in  blue  uniforms,  ranks  piled 
upon  ranks  in  dense  masses,  prostrate  upon  the  undu 
lating  field  and  in  the  woods,  intersected  and  divers 
ified  the  surface  in  martial  mosaic  of  matchless 
pageantry.  From  the  funereal  cedars  on  the  Right, 
to  the  swelling  brink  of  Stone  River,  it  seemed  as  if 
the  acres  had  been  ruled  out  in  long  blue  parallels. 
The  "banner  of  beauty  and  glory,"  marking  the 
place  of  regiments  far  as  vision  could  stretch,  waved 
proudly  and  defiantly  above  them,  not  a  star  dimmed 
or  a  stripe  erased.  Hardly  had  it  soared  so  grandly 


THE  BATTLE  OF  THE  LEFT.          273 

before,  and  every  great  patriot  heart  that  throbbed 
under  it  was  "  ever  mindful  what  it  cost."  At  inter 
vals  bold  figures  of  solitary  horsemen,  who  now  seemed 
magnified  to  heroic  proportions,  stood  grimly  and 
silent  at  tactical  distance  in  the  rear  of  their  com 
mands — faithful  guardians  of  the  soldiers — resisting 
the  shock  unmoved.  Shining  targets,  they,  for  the 
ruthless  marksmen  of  the  foe !  0 !  vain,  sad  sacrifice  ! 
It  thrills  the  soul  with  anguish  to  scan  the  record  of 
that  gory  day.  Garesche*,  and  Sill,  and  Roberts,  and 
Shaeffer,  Drake,  and  Williams,  Forman,  and  McKee, 
Harrington,  Hawkins,  Kell,  Stem,  Wooster,  Millikin, 
Cotton,  the  two  Carpenters,  gallant  Fred.  Jones, 
Terry,  Pinney,  brave  Richmond,  and  so  many  name 
less  heroes — where  are  they  all?  The  fallow  fields 
and  gloomy  thickets  of  Stone  River  swallowed  up 
their  lives. 

"  There  shall  weep  for  those  who  bled 

Many  a  loving  heart  and  dear; 
For  every  drop  of  blood  that's  shed, 
There  shall  fall  a  Nation's  tear!" 

Behind  this  magnificent  panoply,  our  batteries, 
grouped  in  mass  in  the  Center  upon  the  crest  of  the 
knoll,  or  distributed  over  the  field  in  unstudied  pic- 
turesqueness,  were  enveloped  in  wreaths  of  smoke 
and  spouting  flames.  Here  and  there  striking  clus 
ters  of  Generals  and  their  staffs  stood  steadily  under 
the  withering  battle  blast.  For  a  little  while,  Ros- 
ecrans  and  his  staff,  Thomas  and  his  staff,  McCook 
and  his  staff,  Crittenden  and  his  staff,  met  in  splendid 
grouping — the  four  commanders  together,  their  field 
escorts  radiating  in  semi-circle  behind  them — a  pre 
cious  target  for  the  enemy — upon  a  wave  in  the  field, 


274  THE  BATTLE  ON  THE  LEFT. 

in  easy  range  of  riflemen  and  shells.  McCook  discov 
ered  the  imprudence,  and  rather  sharply  ejaculated, 
"  This  is  a  nice  mark  for  shells.  They  will  come  in 
here  and  kill  half  of  us.  Can't  you  thin  out,  men  ?" 
Directly  a  flight  of  bullets,  and  a  whizzing  shell, 
chirruping  like  a  gigantic  cricket,  impressed  the 
admonition  upon  them  all.  Thomas  glanced  upon 
either  side,  and  then  turning  to  the  front,  solilo 
quized,  with  a  sort  of  fine  scorn,  "I  guess  it's  about 
as  safe  one  place  as  another."  Thomas  and  his  alter 
ec/Oj  phlegmatic  and  soldierly  Yon  Schroder,  Flint, 
Mackay,  Landrum,  and  others  of  his  staff;  Critten- 
den,  with  veteran  Lyne  Starling,  Buford,  Knox,  Case, 
Brown,  and  Kniffin,  took  post  on  the  flow  of  the 
ridge  to  the  right  of  the  pike,  obliquely  to  the  rear 
of  the  batteries  of  Guenther  and  Loomis.  McCook, 
with  Campbell,  Langdon,  iodine,  Bates,  Williams, 
Fisher,  and  Blake,  were  in  the  rear  of  the  left  flank 
of  the  Right  Wing,  behind  Thomas  and  Crittenden — 
Palmer  and  Wood  careering  over  the  field  in  the 
flame  of  conflict — the  latter  sick  and  wounded,  but 
sternly  at  his  post. 

The  hostile  array  in  front  imparted  awful  sublimity 
to  the  pageant.  But  for  its  tragedy,  that  gory  field 
would  have  been  wonderfully  magnificent.  It  was  a 
wild,  tumultuous  tournament — a  spectacle  of  martial 
art,  as  of  carnage,  whose  lineaments  were  marvel- 
ously  regular  and  perfect,  as  if  it  had  been  a  pageant 
prepared  for  the  eye  of  happy  beauty  and  chivalry. 
But  it  was  a  fierce  delirium,  which  swept  thousands 
of  human  souls  into  eternity. 

The  legions  of  the  enemy  poured  out  upon  the 
plain  in  countless  multitudes,  firm,  compact,  and  pow- 


THE  BATTLE  ON  THE  LEFT.  275 

erf  ill.  They  resembled  a  mass  of  dense  gray  clouds 
moving  along  the  surface,  as  you  may  see  great  banks 
of  mist  rolling  through  the  valleys,  or  upon  moun 
tain  declivities.  Their  polished  muskets  gleamed 
like  burnished  brass,  and  their  parti-colored  battle- 
flags  fluttered  haughtily  in  the  breeze.  Their  bat 
teries  wheeled  swiftly  into  position,  and  the  gunners 
plied  their  hellish  art.  It  seemed  as  if  a  wall  of  iron 
could  hardly  resist  those  somber  columns.  They 
marched  to  slaughter  with  magnificent  daring,  and 
met  a  wall  of  brave  hearts  that  iron,  and  lead,  and 
steel  could  not  move. 

A  hundred  cannon  now  belched  forth  their  thunder. 
The  atmosphere  was  tremulous  with  the  terrific 
vibration.  The  roar  of  artillery  and  the  treble  rattle 
of  musketry,  thrilling  along  the  lines  as  if  innumera 
ble  keys  of  some  harsh  instrument  trembled  under 
the  agency  of  terrible  power;  crash  of  solid  shot  and 
shell,  whirl  of  grape  and  cannister,  thick  volumes  of 
smoke  which  enveloped  the  combatants,  and  dispersed 
in  a  thin  canopy  of  bluish  vapor;  dying  men  and 
mangled  horses,  dismounted  cannon  and  shattered 
caissons,  disabled  in  shocking  diversity  over  the  field; 
the  frantic  career  of  riderless  steeds;  the  splendid 
sweep  of  Generals  and  their  staff  officers  over  the 
fearful  plain,  conspired  to  create  a  scene  of  indescriba 
ble  and  horrific  sublimity.  No  human  language  is 
fit  to  depict  it.  It  was  all  under  the  scope  of  vision — 
the  marching  hosts,  the  magnificent  tactical  display, 
the  dreadful  panoply,  the  appalling  destruction  of 
human  beings. 

The  rattle  of  musketry  tearing  along  the  lines 
sounded  like  the  noise  of  ripping  canvas,  when  the 


276  THE  BATTLE  ON  THE  LEFT. 

black  squall  suddenly  strikes  the  unprepared  ship. 
In  our  own  lines  there  was  no  voice  but  the  voice  of 
command.  Men  went  down  with  fearful  wounds,  but 
made  no  outcry — for  men  do  not  shriek  on  the  field 
of  battle.  Dumb  brutes  neighed  in  their  agony.  A 
horse  with  leg  torn  away  moaned  with  more  than 
human  pathos.  Solid  shot  crashed  through  the  bones 
of  men  and  horses,  and  it  seemed  as  if  glass  was 
being  shivered.  Steeds,  riderless,  frantic  with  anguish, 
wild  with  the  furious  tumult,  were  bounding  over  the 
field  with  desperate  energy,  seeking  to  fly  from  peril. 
Hundreds  were  torn  to  shreds.  A  single  shell  crushed 
through  three  noble  beasts,  and  piled  them  in  dread 
ful  confusion  under  a  shattered  limber.  A  solid  shot 
rebounded  from  a  gun  with  a  clang  like  a  brazen  bell, 
and  carried  away  the  head  of  a  charger.  Eighty 
horses  were  killed  at  a  single  battery. 

Excepting  in  the  front  line,  where  the  men  stood 
up  with  almost  superhuman  firmness,  the  troops  were 
hugging  the  soil,  prone  upon  their  bellies.  But  even 
here  the  round  shot  of  the  enemy  plowed  through  the 
ranks,  tearing  one  to  shreds  here,  another  there ; 
yonder  a  man  riven  and  scattered  by  six  pounds  of 
iron,  so  that  scarce  a  bone  was  left  to  testify  that 
there  had  been  a  man — some  blood,  some  gory  strips 
of  flesh,  a  few  patches  of  sky-blue  cloth  !  Twenty 
men  in  a  single  brigade  were  thus  annihilated.  But 
scarce  a  man  stirred  from  his  position.  Our  heroic 
soldiers,  steadfast  and  true,  clung  to  their  posts  with 
almost  unequalled  fortitude  and  devotion. 

The  slaughter  of  the  foe  was  still  more  frightful. 
Hideous  gaps  were  rent  in  their  massive  columns. 
You  could  track  the  course  of  a  shell  or  round  shot 


THE  BATTLE  ON  THE  LEFT.  277 

in  the  withering  ranks.  Still  they  careered  to  the 
front  with  a  determination  only  matched  by  our  own. 
A  line  of  lurid  flame  incessantly  leaped  from  their 
terrible  front,  and  carried  destruction  before  it.  On 
the  skirt  of  the  thicket  on  the  right  they  swarmed 
like  legions  of  fiends.  ~Now  a  column  shot  to  the 
edge  of  the  cedars  on  the  right.  Volumes  of  can- 
nister  and  musketry  were  poured  into  them.  Then 
plunging  back  into  cover,  they  rallied  and  surged 
again  like  great  billows,  vainly  striving  to  reach  our 
lines,  until  it  seemed  none  would  be  left  to  charge. 
It  was  as  if  they  were  meeting  the  consuming  flames 
of  hell.  In  the  cause  of  liberty  and  right,  the  daring 
courage  of  those  desperadoes  would  have  won  immor 
tal  fame.  The  brunt  of  this  horrible  assault  fell  upon 
Palmer  and  Wood.  Hazen  held  the  center  of  this 
front,  and  its  key.  Thorns,  Thompson,  and  Bond 
were  sent  down  repeatedly  by  the  General  to  encour 
age  those  heroic  soldiers  in  that  destroying  conflict. 

GARESCIIE'S  DEATH. 

In  the  midst  of  the  horrid  carnival,  the  General 
himself  galloped  to  the  left  of  the  railroad  to  rein 
force  a  struggling  line  by  the  moral  power  of  his  own 
splendid  example.  Garesche,  who  had  never  left  him 
since  they  had  mounted  in  the  morning,  save  to  exe 
cute  orders,  was  at  his  side.  They  were  galloping 
through  a  tumult  of  iron  missiles.  An  unexploded 
shell  whizzed  close  by  his  leader,  and  the  head  of 
Garesch£  vanished  with  it.  Sickening  gouts  of  his 
brains  were  spattered  upon  his  comrades,  who  turned 
in  horror  from  the  ghastly  spectacle.  The  mutilated 


278  THE  BATTLE  OX  THE  LEFT. 

form  of  the  hero  careened  gently  over  the  saddle,  and 
fell  upon  the  field.  The  little  prayer-book  was  in  his 
pocket.  Men  would  have  imagined  that  this,  at  least, 
would  have  touched  the  mind  of  the  Chief.  He  did 
not  seem  to  observe  it.  His  whole  mind  was  intensely 
absorbed  with  the  thought  of  conquering.  Almost 
simultaneously  another  shell  exploded  in  the  midst  of 
the  staff,  and  brave  Richmond,  sergeant  of  the  Fourth 
Regular  Cavalry,  fell.  Then  two  of  the  escort.  Then 
a  fragment  of  a  shell  ripped  across  the  side  of  youth 
ful  Willie  Porter.  The  General,  totally  unmoved  by 
danger,  still  careered  through  the  field.  Garesch£ 
had  been  blown  away  from  his  elbow ;  Kirby  had 
been  shot;  Benton's  horse  was  smarting  with  a 
wound ;  Hubbard's  snorted  \vith  the  sting  of  a  ball  in 
his  neck  ;  Taylor's  was  killed  ;  Porter's  horse  and  then 
himself  were  struck;  poor  Richmond  was  mortally 
hurt;  four  or  five  of  his  escort  and  orderlies  were 
stretched  upon  the  field.  Xo  wonder  Bond  said  to 
him,  "General,  do  you  think  it  right  to  expose  your 
self  so  much?'''  And  the  response!  A  regiment  was 
lying  down  upon  the  field  before  him  waiting  to  be 
called  into  action.  Shot  and  shell  were  whizzing  furi 
ously  over  them.  The  Chief  dashed  up  to  the  line  and 
addressed  them  :  "Men,  do  you  wish  to  know  how  to 
be  safe?  Shoot  low.  Give  them  a  blizzard  at  their 
shins!  But  do  you  wish  to  know  how  to  be  safest 
of  all  ?  Give  them  a  blizzard,  and  then  charge  with 
cold  steel !  Forward,  now,  and  show  what  you  are 
made  of!"  Bond  had  announced  Garesche*'s  death. 
It  seemed  to  occur  to  the  General  as  a  half- remem 
bered  dream.  "I  am  very  sorry,"  he  said;  "we  can 


THE  BATTLE  ON  THE  LEFT.  279 

not  help  it."  A  report  that  McCook  was  killed  was 
communicated  to  him.  He  said,  "We  can  not  help 
it — this  battle  must  be  won." 

Apparently  unconscious  of  personal  hazard  and 
the  shocking  havoc  around  him,  General  liosecrans 
moved  about  unscathed,  calm,  and  absorbed  by  the 
intensity  of  his  own  thought,  with  inflexible  fixed 
ness  of  purpose  deeply  graven  in  his  firm  lips  and 
brow.  The  field  of  battle  where  he  rode  that  day  is 
thickly  sprinkled  with  the  useless  and  exhausted 
implements  of  slaughter  which  vainly  cluttered 
around  him.  Men  can  not  look  upon  that  plain  to 
day  without  a  shudder  at  his  fearful  escapes. 

Lessons  in  the  art  of  battle  were  learned  by  vet 
erans  on  that  field.  The  troops  were  handled  with 
matchless  skill.  Lines  upon  lines  were  piled  upon 
each  other  so  compactly  that  even  the  awful  momen 
tum  and  the  ferocity  of  the  rebel  onslaughts  did  not 
shake  them.  Columns  were  hurled  in  solid  ranks 
from  one  side  of  the  field  to  the  other  extreme  as  if 
they  were  toys;  or  were  flung  into  the  face  of  the 
enemy  as  if  it  were  a  game  playing.  It  is  no  grasp 
at  rhetoric  to  describe  the  swift  and  steady  evolutions 
of  our  brigades  as  perfect  as  the  movements  of  a 
grand  review.  Thousands  acquired  an  idea  of  the 
art  of  "handling  masses,"  of  which  they  never  had 
dreamed  before.  It  was  a  masterpiece  of  mental 
manipulation. 

HAZEN   IN   THE    TRIAL    BATTLE. 

To  resume  the  thread  of  battle  narrative.  Hazen, 
Grose,  ShaeiFer,  Hascall,  and  Wagner's  brigades  con 
stituted  the  real  battle  front  in  the  afternoon.  Hazen 


280          THE  BATTLE  ON  THE  LEFT. 

had  the  key  of  the  position.  Shaeffer's  brigade,  by 
order  of  General  Rosecrans,  was  put  into  action  by 
General  Sherridan  on  the  right  of  General  Wood's 
and  left  of  Palmer's  divisions,  on  Hazen's  left.  The 
Second  and  Fifteenth  Missouri  in  the  front  line.  The 
One  Hundredth  Illinois,  Colonel  Bartleson,  had  been 
sent  to  Hazen  by  General  Rosecrans,  and  was  posted 
in  line  with  the  One  Hundred  and  Tenth  Illinois  and 
Ninth  Indiana  to  the  front,  with  the  right  resting  on 
the  railroad;  the  Second  Missouri  in  the  same  line, 
with  the  remainder  of  Shaeffer's  and  Hascall's  bri 
gades  immediately  on  the  left. 

"At  about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,"  said 
Hazen  with  graphic  eloquence,  "  the  enemy  again 
advanced  upon  my  front  in  two  lines.  The  battle 
had  hushed,  and  the  dreadful  splendor  of  this  advance 
can  only  be  conceived,  as  all  description  must  fall 
vastly  short.  His  right  was  even  with  my  left,  and 
his  left  was  lost  in  distance.  He  advanced  steadily, 
and  as  it  seemed,  to  certain  victory.  I  sent  back  all 
of  my  remaining  staff,  successively,  to  ask  for  sup 
port,  and  braced  up  my  own  lines  as  perfectly  as  pos 
sible.  The  Sixth  Kentucky  had  joined  me  from  the 
other  side  some  time  previously,  and  was  posted  just 
over  the  embankment  of  the  railroad.  They  were 
strengthened  by  such  fragments  of  troops  as  I  could 
pick  up,  until  a  good  line  was  formed  along  the  track. 
*  *  *  *  rp}ie  £re  of  £]ie  troops  was  held  until 
the  enemy's  right  flank  came  in  close  range,  when  a 
single  fire  from  my  men  was  sufficient  to  disperse  this 
portion  of  his  lines,  his  left  passing  far  around  to  our 
right."  At  the  termination  of  that  terrible  fight, 
Hazen's  brigade  "rested  where  it  had  fought — not  a 


THE  BATTLE  ON  THE  LEFT.  281 

stone's  throw  from  where  it  was  posted  in  the  morn 
ing-."  Gallant  brigade!  and  gallant  leader!  the 
"Old  Guard"  would  have  been  proud  to  hail  you 
comrades !  "  Such  heroic  service  rendered  their  coun 
try  this  day,"  said  eloquent  Hazen,  "such  heroic  and 
daring  valor,  justly  entitles  these  men  to  the  profound 
respect  of  the  people  and  of  the  country."  The  regi 
ments  of  that  proud  brigade,  let  it  be  not  forgotten, 
are  the  Indiana  Ninth,  the  Illinois  One  Hundred  and 
Tenth,  the  Kentucky  Sixth,  and  Ohio  Forty-First. 
And  side  by  side  with  them,  Grose's  unfaltering  regi 
ments — Nick  Anderson's  Sixth  Ohio,  gallant  Fred. 
Jones'  Ohio  Twenty-Fourth,  Kinley's  ^Thirty-Sixth 
Indiana,  Hamrick's  Twenty-Third  Kentucky,  Waters' 
Eighty-Fourth  Illinois — an  aggregate  of  one  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  eighty-eight  men  when  they 
marched  from 'Nashville — a  thousand  now.  The  rest 
bled  upon  the  field.  Over  on  the  left  the  gallant 
Missourians  fought  until  their  cartridge-boxes  were 
emptied  again.  Gallant  Shaefter  fell  at  their  head — • 
the  last  of  the  brilliant  trio  of  which  dauntless  Phil. 
Sherridan  that  frightful  morning  had  been  so  justly 
proud. 

HASCALL    AND    WAGNER. 

Wood,  with  the  solicitude  of  a  gallant  leader  who 
knows  his  troops,  had  watched  his  brigade  with  the 
keen  eye  of  a  soldier  from  morning's  dawn.  Suf 
fering  from  illness,  and  smarting  with  a  wound,  he 
yet  firmly  kept  his  saddle,  and  proudly  witnessed  the 
effects  of  his  own  sharp  discipline.  Harker  had  been 
posted  on  the  right,  but  that  gallant  and  skillful  offi 
cer  was  now  resting  in  comparative  security.  He  had 
assisted  in  repelling  the  enemy  repeatedly,  and  his 
24  " 


282  THE  BATTLE  ON  THE  LEFT. 

shattered  ranks  rested  while  they  watched  the  vigilant 
foe.  Wagner  had  held  his  position  "at  all  hazards," 
and  Cox,  with  his  battery,  supported  by  the  Fifty- 
Seventh  Indiana,  had  emptied  his  caissons,  and  was 
making  a  second  draft  upon  them.  Hascall  had 
moved  down  upon  his  right  after  he  had  repelled  the 
enemy  early  in  the  morning,  and  was  sustaining  an 
almost  overpowering  shock  when  Wagner  sent  Lane's 
oSTinety-Seventh  Ohio  to  his  assistance.  Breekin- 
ridge's  troops,  meantime,  had  crossed  the  river  and 
advanced  in  masses  upon  Wagner.  They  were  charg 
ing  in  full  career,  when  Wagner,  relying  upon  the 
pluck  of  his  noble  fellows,  sent  the  Fifteenth  Indiana, 
supported  by  the  Seventeenth  Indiana,  to  meet  them 
in  counter-charge.  Meantime  Cox's  Battery,  sup 
ported  by  the  Fortieth  Indiana,  opened  upon  them 
with  cannister.  The  steel  of  the  Hoosiers  and  the 
iron  hail  of  Cox  was  too  much  for  the  rebels.  They 
fell  back  in  confusion. 

After  Hascall  had  sent  the  Third  Kentucky  to 
Palmer's  assistance,  the  Twenty-Sixth  Ohio,  under 
Major  Squires,  was  also  sent  forward,  and  took  posi 
tion  on  the  right  in  support  of  the  former,  Estep's 
Eighth  Indiana  Battery  coming  up  soon  after.  The 
Third  Kentucky  had  already  lost  its  gallant  Colonel, 
and  the  Twenty-Sixth  Ohio  was  almost  instantly 
brought  into  violent  collision  with  the  enemy.  The 
Third  Kentucky  was  reduced  one-half,  and  its  brave 
Major,  D.  R.  Collier,  soon  received  two  severe  wounds, 
but  refused  to  quit  the  field.  Adjutant  Bullitt's  horse 
was  killed,  and  ten  out  of  fourteen  of  the  remaining 
officers  of  the  gallant  Third  Kentucky  were  wounded. 
The  Twenty-Sixth  Ohio,  fighting  stubbornly,  was  also 


THE  CATTLE  ON  THE  LEFT.  283 

losing  heavily.  The  enemy  disregarded  our  artillery, 
and  having  pushed  np  in  range  of  the  small  arms, 
their  superior  numbers  proved  destructive.  But  they 
were  unable  to  advance  further,  and  after  nearly  an 
hour  of  sanguinary  combat,  Hascall  had  the  satisfac 
tion  to  see  the  enemy  recoil,  and  almost  simultane 
ously  they  staggered  from  Wagner's  front.  Colonel 
Buell,  at  the  head  of  the  Fifty-Eighth  Indiana,  mean 
time,  had  been  sent  by  Wood  to  Palmer's  assistance, 
where  they  materially  aided  in  repelling  the  enemy, 
and  subsequently  relieved  the  Third  Kentucky.  lias- 
call  now  threw  forward  the  risrht  of  the  Sixth  Ohio 

O 

regiment,  which  was  on  the  right  of  the  Twenty- 
Sixth,  so  that  its  fire  would  sweep  the  front  of  the 
Twenty-Sixth  Ohio  and  Fifty-Eighth  Indiana,  and 
brought  up  Lane's  Ninety- Seventh  Ohio  to  strengthen 
the  right  still  more ;  Estep's  Battery  supporting  the 
Sixth  Ohio. 

Hascall  galloped  back  and  called  the  attention  of 
General  Rosecrans  to  the  importance  of  his  position, 
and  the  necessity  of  keeping  it  well  supported.  "He 
rode  to  the  front  with  me,"  said  Hascall,  "approved 
the  dispositions  I  had  made,  spoke  a  few  words  of 
encouragement  to  the  men,  cautioning  them  to  hold 
their  fire  until  the  enemy  got  well  up,  and  had  no 
sooner  retired  than  the  enemy  emerged  from  the 
woods  and  over  the  hill,  and  were  moving  upon  us  in 
splendid  style  and  immense  force.  As  soon  as  they 
came  in  sight  the  Sixth  and  Twenty-Sixth  Ohio,  and 
Estop's  Battery  opened  upon  them,  and  did  splendid 
execution,  but  on  they  came  until  within  one  hundred 
yards  of  our  line,  and  Colonel  Buell,  of  the  Fifty- 
Eighth  Indiana,  who  had  lost  three  men  but  had  not 


284  THE  BATTLE  ON  THE  LEFT. 

fired  a  shot,  ordered  his  men  to  fire.  The  effect  was 
indescribable.  The  enemy  fell  in  winrowa,  and  went 
staggering  back  from  the  effect  of  this  unexpected 
volley.  Soon,  however,  they  came  up  again,  and 
assaulted  furiously  for  about  an  hour  and  a  half,  but 
the  men  all  stood  their  ground  nobly,  and  at  the  end 
of  that  time  compelled  the  enemy  to  retire.  *  *  * 
The  regiments  all  behaved  splendidly  again,  and  the 
Fifty-Eighth  Indiana  won  immortal  honors.  *  *  * 
The  Sixth,  Twenty-Fourth,  and  Ninety-Seventh  Ohio 
did  noble  service.  *  *  *  The  One  Hundredth 
Illinois  fought  splendidly  in  all  the  actions  which  took 
place  on  the  left  of  the  railroad."  This  last  advance 
ended  the  third  assault  upon  Hascall,  and  left  him 
master  of  the  position.  "To  the  fearless  spirits  who 
hazarded  and  lost  their  lives  upon  this  consecrated 
spot,  the  country  owes  a  deep  debt  of  gratitude." 

While  the  third  assault  upon  Hascall  was  progress 
ing,  the  enenry's  skirmishers  were  discovered  slipping 
down  the  opposite  slope  of  Stone  River,  and  working 
their  way  down  stream  for  the  purpose  of  gaining 
Wood's  left  flank  and  rear.  Cox's  cannister  soon 
drove  them  back,  but  a  brigade  of  the  enemy  crossed 
the  river  under  cover  of  the  woods  three  hundred 
yards  from  Wagner's  front.  He  had  onl}^  the  Fif 
teenth  and  Fifty-Seventh  Indiana  with  which  to  resist 
them,  the  Fortieth  being  hotly  engaged  near  the  rail 
road — the  Nintey-Seventh  Ohio  supporting  Unseal!. 
Cox's  artillery  ammunition  was  nearly  exhausted,  and 
it  was  impossible  to  replenish.  The  enemy  had  cut 
up  the  trains  in  the  rear,  so  that  the  situation  was 
somewhat  alarming.  Wagner,  relying  on  his  infantry, 
determined  to  attack  the  enemv  first.  The  stalwart 


THE  BATTLE  ON  THE  LEFT.  285 

Fifteenth  Indiana  again  in  the  lead,  the  Fifty-Seventh 
supporting,  moved  boldly  onward  and  engaged  the 
enemy  in  a  hitter  contest.  Colonel  Hines  and  Lieu 
tenant  Colonel  Lennard,  of  the  Fifty-Seventh,  now 
went  down,  and  were  carried  from  the  field  severely 
wounded.  Lieutenant  Colonel  "Wood  fixed  bayonets, 
and  the  Fifteenth  rushed  forward  with  a  yell.  The 
enemy  broke,  but  the  brave -Hoosiers  killed  scores  of 
them,  drove  two  other  regiments  in  disorder  from  the 
field,  and  captured  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  men 
of  the  Twentieth  Louisiana  regiment.  Captain  Cox 
sent  the  last  shot  in  his  locker  into  the  routed  foe. 
After  the  disabling  of  their  field  oificers,  the  Fifty- 
Seventh  continued  to  fight  without  their  officers,  and 
participated  in  the  glory  of  the  brilliant  combat. 
The  Fifteenth  lost  thirty  men  killed  and  one  hundred 
wounded  in  this  single  conflict.  The  enemy,  dissatis 
fied  with  their  effort,  rallied  and  made  a  second  dash, 
but  Cox  had  found  ammunition  by  this  time.  "Wag 
ner's  line  fell  back  slowly,  fighting,  until  the  enemy 
had  advanced  within  cannister  range  of  the  battery, 
when  both  Cox  and  Estep  let  drive.  It  was  a  dose 
too  much.  The  enemy,  repeatedly  repulsed  on  all 
their  positions,  resentfully  retired,  leaving  Hazen, 
Hascall,  and  Wagner  in  possession  of  the  position  for 
which  they  had  so  heroically  fought.  Wagner,  in 
closing  the  record  of  the  day,  congratulates  himself 
proudly  that  he  found  his  command,  at  the  termina 
tion  of  the  battle,  "  as  far  to  the  front  as  they  were  in 
the  morning,  and  the  noble  dead  of  this  brigade  Iny 
nearer  the  enemy's  position  than  that  of  any  other." 
Had  Wagner  heard  of  the  charge  of  Enyart's  regi 
ment,  he  might  have  made  one  honorable  exception. 


286  THE  BATTLE  ON  THE  LEFT. 


THE  BATTLE  DIES  OUT. 

The  afternoon  was  now  far  advanced.  The  last 
bitter  assaults  obviously  had  shaken  the  confidence  of 
the  enemy.  Still  they  exhibited  a  sullen,  resentful 
aspect.  Heavy  masses  were  again  assembled  in  front 
of  the  center  with  a  view  to  renew  the  onslaught. 
But  our  artillery  played  upon  them  so  effectively  that 
only  a  small  force  pushed  to  the  range  of  our  musketry, 
and  they  were  speedily  hurled  back.  A  last  expiring 
effort  was  made  by  their  artillery,  which  opened  upon 
our  lines  terrifically,  but  at  sunset,  with  now  and  then 
a  roar  and  a  brazen  sigh  from  howitzers,  and  the 
vicious  crack  of  rebel  rifles,  the  sound  of  battle  died 
away  into  the  silence  of  evening. 

"The  day  closed,"  said  General  Rosecrans,  "leav 
ing  us  masters  of  the  original  ground  on  our  left, 
and  our  new  line  advantageously  posted,  with  open 
ground  in  front,  swept  at  all  points  by  our  artillery. 
We  had  lost  heavily  in  killed  and  wounded,  and  a 
considerable  number  in  stragglers  and  prisoners  ;  also, 
twenty-eight  pieces  of  artillery,  the  horses  having 
been  slain,  and  our  troops  being  unable  to  withdraw 
them,  by  hand,  over  the  rough  ground;  but  the  ene 
my  had  been  thoroughly  handled,  and  badly  damaged 
at  all  points,  having  had  no  success  where  we  had 
open  ground,  and  our  troops  were  properly  posted, 
none,  which  did  not  depend  on  the  original  crushing 
of  our  Right  and  the  superior  masses  which  were,  in 
consequence,  brought  to  bear  upon  the  narrow  front 
of  Sherridan's  and  JSTegley's  divisions,  and  a  part  of 
Palmer's,  coupled  with  the  scarcity  of  ammunition, 
caused  by  the  circuitous  road  which  the  train  had 


THE  BATTLE  ON  THE  LEFT.  287 

taken,  and   the   inconvenience  of  getting  it  from   a 
remote  distance  through  the  cedars." 

Excepting  the  tranposition  of  regiments  which  had 
fought  three  and  four  hours  each  in  the  front  line 
without  intermission,  there  was  little  change  in  the 
positions  of  the  troops  that  night.  The  noble  fellows 
were  too  weary  to  be  tortured  by  unnecessary  labor. 
The  battle  which  had  begun  at  "six  twenty-two 
o'clock  in  the  morning,"  was  suspended  at  about  five 
o'clock  in  the  evening. 

The  dauntless  deportment  of  the  troops  and  the 
fidelity  of  their  officers  was  beyond  all  praise.  The 
men  exhibited  unconquerable  spirit,  obeyed  orders 
with  alacrity  and  precision,  withstood  the  appalling 
assaults  of  heavy  masses  of  the  enemy,  and  the  fury 
of  their  destructive  artillery  with  unflinching  plucki- 
ness  and  determination.  When  ordered  to  charge, 
they  moved  to  obey  with  wild,  cheerful  clamor; 
when  forced  to  recede,  they  gave  ground  slowly,  and 
bitterly  contested  it  inch  by  inch.  But  for  the  mis 
fortune  that  befell  the  Right  Wing — which  was  in  no 
sense  the  fault  of  the  soldiers,  for  they  were  as  stub 
born,  as  firm,  and  as  thoroughly  disciplined  as  those 
of  the  Center  and  Left  Wing — Bragg's  army  would 
have  been  crushed  as  if  between  the  upper  and  the 
nether  mill-stones.  The  raw  troops  that  day  proved 
themselves  worthy  comrades  of  the  veterans.  They 
fought  with  a  vehemence  and  staunchness  that  aston 
ished  the  best  soldiers.  Illinois,  Missouri,  Ohio,  Wis 
consin,  Indiana,  Kentucky,  Michigan,  Minnesota, 
Pennsylvania,  and  the  Regulars,  vied  writh  each  other 
in  deeds  of  noblest  heroism.  The  fair  fame  of  no 
State,  no  division,  no  brigade,  no  regiment,  no  com- 


THE   BATTLE    ON   THE   LEFT. 

pany,    distinctively,  as    such,  was   tarnished   by  dis 
graceful  conduct. 

True,  there  were  cowards;  but  in  such  numbers  there 
must  be  some  who  lack  moral  firmness  to  endure, 
more  than  they  lack  physical  courage  to  fight.  Many 
straggled  to  the  rear  because  their  officers  were  killed. 
Others  in  the  rout  of  the  Eight  lost  sight  of  their 
regiments  and  officers,  and  after  being  thus  separated 
were  too  much  discouraged  to  seek  them  again.  Per 
haps  three  thousand  straggled  and  went  to  the  rear. 
Colonel  Burke,  with  the  noble  Tenth  Ohio,  stretched 
a  line  of  bayonets  across  the  country  at  Stewart's 
Creek  and  intercepted  the  retreat  of  hundreds.  But 
three  thousand  stragglers  from  a  volunteer  army  of 
forty-three  thousand  men,  one  third  of  which  were 
new  troops,  is  not  a  large  proportion.  But  when  men 
lose  sight  of 'their  officers  involuntarily,  straggling  is 
a  necessary  and  inevitable  consequence,  and  they  are 
hardly  culpable  for  going  to  the  rear. 


"WE   FIGHT   OR  DIE   HERE."  289 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

AFTER  the  Conflict — Headquarters — Consultation  of  Generals — A 
Gloomy  Night — Decision  of  the  Commander-in-Chief— Our  Losses — 
The  Personal  Influence  of  General  Rosecrans  in  Battle — Orders 
for  January  1st — The  Heroism  of  the  Soldiers — The  Medical  Staff. 

"  Come  one,  come  all,  this  rock  shall  fly 
From  its  firm  base  as  soon  as  I." 

WHILE  the  battle  was  raging,  the  General  Com 
manding,  constantly  followed  by  his  faithful  staff,  was 
galloping  to  every  part  of  the  field.  So  when  it  had 
subsided,  when  his  escort  were  almost  ready  to  drop 
from  their  saddles  with  fatigue,  he  again  rode  over 
the  ground  to  make  his  observations  for  future  dispo 
sitions.  There  were  no  indications  going  to  impress 
his  mind  that  Bragg  contemplated  withdrawal.  On 
the  contrary  the  partial  success  he  had  met  during  the 
day  confirmed  a  general  impression  that  the  enemy 
would  renew  their  efforts  on  the  morrow.  The 
advantage  was  with  them.  They  had  driven  the 
Right  and  Center,  and  part  of  the  Left  from  their 
positions,  captured  many  guns  and  prisoners,  and  as 
it  subsequently  appeared,  they  inferred  from  this  and 
from  the  equally  important  fact  that  they  had  cut  off 
our  trains  and  communication,  that  Rosecrans  would 
endeavor  to  fall  back  upon  Nashville.  How  little 
they  comprehended  the  man! 

Headquarters  were  finally  established  in  a  little 
25 


290 

cabin  on  the  right  of  the  road,  within  six-pounder 
range  of  the  rebel  front.  The  Generals  of  the  army 
assembled  at  night  to  confer  with  the  General  Com 
manding.  Many  of  them  were  despondent.  Some 
advised  a  withdrawal.  "  Communication  is  cut  off,'' 
they  said  ;  "  some  of  the  troops  have  no  subsistence." 
The  General  Commanding,  looking  up  sharply,  said 
caustically,  "We  may  all  have  to  eat  parched  corn 
before  we  get  out  of  this."  The  views  of  each  officer 
were  not  recorded.  General  Thomas  did  not  advise 
retreat.  General  Crittenden  pluckily  insisted  that 
"  we  can  whip  them,"  and  desired  to  go  on  with 
the  Left  Wing  movement  into  Murfreesboro.  After 
learning  the  opinions  of  his  Generals,  the  Chief 
mounted  and  rode  to  the  rear. 

After  diligent  examination  of  the  country  he  con 
cluded  that  if  forced  to  fall  back  he  could  make  a 
firm  stand  on  the  high  south  bank  of  Overall's  Creek. 
But  he  entertained  no  thought  of  retiring.  His  con 
stancy  was  unshaken.  He  was  immovably  firm.  He 
put  his  trust  in  God,  relied  upon  his  stubborn  bat 
talions  and  resolved  to  conquer.  Hiding  back  to 
headquarters, he  said,  with  startling  emphasis:  "Gen 
tlemen,  we  fight  or  die  right  here." 

To  appreciate  the  dramatic  effect  of  this  grave  con 
sultation  of  heroes,  the  reader  must  enter  deepty  into 
the  spirit  of  the  occasion.  No  pen  can  portray  the 
situation.  The  day  had  begun  in  dreadful  disaster,  and 
the  sun  declined  upon  a  spectacle  of  dreadful  splen 
dor.  Seven  thousand  gallant  men  had  fallen  during 
ten  hours.  Regiments  had  lost,  some  their  Colonels, 
some  all  their  field  officers,  and  half  or  more  of  their 
company  commanders.  Some  had  lost  three-fourths 


"  WE   FIGHT   OR  DIE   HERE."  291 

of  their  officers.  Johnson's  two  best  Brigadiers  were 
gone,  Sherridan's  three  were  dead.  Able  Wood  was 
disabled.  So  was  skillful  Van  Cleve.  Ten  Colonels, 
ten  Lieutenant  Colonels,  and  six  Majors  were  either 
dead,  captured,  or  wounded.  Sherridan  alone  had 
lost  seventy-two  officers.  The  Regular  Brigade,  four 
teen  hundred  strong  the  morning  of  that  frightful 
day,  had  lost  twenty-two  most  valuable  officers  and 
five  hundred  and  eight  disciplined,  valiant,  trusty 
soldiers.  Almost  two-thirds  of  the  battle-field,  almost 
one-fifth  of  our  artillery,  were  in  the  hands  of  the 
enemy.  Communication  was  in  a  measure  cut  off 
from  Nashville.  Some  of  the  subsistence  trains  had 
been  destroyed,  and  the  weary,  hungry  soldiers,  who 
marched  and  fought  on  Friday,  Saturday,  Monday, 
Tuesday,  bloody  Wednesday,  and  who  had  slept  or 
watched  shivering  in  the  bleak  November  atmos 
phere  Monday  and  Tuesday  nights  without  fires, 
were  now  without  food,  sleeping  again  without  fires. 
Artillery  ammunition  was  scant,  and  it  was  extremely 
doubtful  if  more  could  be  forced  through  the  clouds 
of  rebel  cavalry  that  hovered  upon  the  single  thread 
of  communication  with  the  base  of  supplies. 

No  wonder  the  hearts  of  men  sunk  under  the  op 
pressive  weight  of  adverse  fortune.  It  required  sub 
lime  trust  in  Providence  and  in  his  own  unconquera 
ble  will,  for  the  inflexible  Leader  of  that  shattered 
army  to  say,  with  the  self-reliant  eloquence  which 
only  they  who  realized  the  gloom  of  that  dreary  night 
can  appreciate,  "  we  found  that  we  had  ammunition 
enough  for  another  battle — the  only  question  being 
where  that  battle  was  to  be  fought."  There  was 
magnificence  in  the  response  which  flowed  from  his 


292  "  WE  FIGHT    OH   DIE    HERE." 

Generals.  "When  he  pronounced,  "  "We  fight  or  die 
right  here,"  "every  one  of  my  officers,"  said  he— and 
he  raised  upon  his  elhow  in  a  "bed  of  sickness,  his  eyes 
flashing  and  his  pointed  finger  tremulous  with  the 
enthusiasm  which  roused  his  soul,  "  I  will  say  this  of 
all  my  officers — that  however  advisable  some  of  them 
regarded  retreat — every  one  of  them  expressed  the 
greatest  alacrity  to  carry  out  my  purposes,  and  they 
obeyed  my  orders  cheerfully — not  a  man  of  them 
objected  or  hesitated."  "  General,"  said  one  of  them, 
alter  the  decision  had  been  pronounced,  "  I  did  not 
know  you  were  so  game  a  man."  The  soldiers  had 
discovered  it,  and  with  quick  instinct  put  their  trust 
in  him.  "We  saw  you,"  they  said;  "We'll  fight 
with  you!" 

It  seems  superfluous  to  record  the  judgment  here, 
but  the  point  may  be  justly  made.  The  great  indis 
putable  feature  of  this  day's  battle,  standing  out 
clearly  as  the  sun  in  the  heavens,  was  that  General 
Rosecrans,  by  his  masterly  skill,  by  his  dauntless  per 
sonal  courage,  by  his  perfect  self-possession  under  the 
most  trying  circumstances,  by  his  persistent  and  tena 
cious  efforts,  and  finally,  by  the  greatness  of  his  moral 
example,  saved  the  army  from  ruin,  and  converted 
disaster  into  final  triumph. 

The  history  of  this  memorable  day  is  a  historj7  of 
his  incessant  exertions,  personal  example,  and  self- 
reliance.  Men  can  not  forget  the  great  valor  of  the 
forty  odd  thousand  nameless  braves  who  stood  man 
fully,  with  more  than  manly  fortitude,  shoulder  to 
shoulder,  through  ten  dreadful  hours  of  havoc  and 
death,  but  they  can  not  be  identified.  But  to  him  to 
whom  defeat  would  have  been  endless  misfortune,  and 


293 

who  was  imminently  in  danger  of  being  victimized 
by  want  of  skill  in  others,  whom  he  was  compelled 
to  trust,  men  are  in  justice  bound  to  pay  fair  tribute. 
There  is  not  a  soldier  in  his  great  army  who  does  not 
bear  testimony  that  he  personally  retrieved  the  for 
tunes  of  that  disastrous  day.  Without  his  directing 
mind,  without  his  personal  example,  without  his 
inflexible  persistence  and  tenacity,  overwhelming 
catastrophe  was  inevitable.  The  lines  had  been 
broken  at  every  point  on  the  Right.  The  Center, 
under  ISTegley,  struggling  fiercely,  must  be  swallowed 
up,  the  Left  and  all  would  be  gone,  unless  the 
destroying  tide  could  be  stayed.  I^o  man  could  do 
it  save  he,  though  all  were  fighting  manfully.  His 
tory  will  indorse  this  record,  let  the  heroism  and  sol 
dierly  character  of  Thomas,  McCook,  Crittenden, 
Wood,  Sherridan,  Davis,  Keglcy,  Van  Gleve,  John 
son,  Rousseau,  Palmer,  Hazen,  Hascall,  and  the  dead 
Sill,  and  Sbaeffer,  Roberts,  and  other  brilliant  names, 
shine  with  such  glowing  luster  as  they  should,  let 
their  services  be  valued  as  highly  as  they  ought. 

This  tribute  of  justice  detracts  not  an  iota  from 
any  of  his  commanders.  Thomas  is  not  diminished, 
in  the  estimation  of  his  countrymen,  who  proudly 
revere  him  as  the  "true  and  prudent,  distinguished  in 
council,  and  on  many  battle-fields."  McCook  is  none 
the  loss  esteemed  because  Rosecrans  excels;  Critten- 
den's  fame  is  not  tarnished  because  that  of  the  Chief 
tain  of  the  army  is  more  conspicuous.  Wood,  and 
Sherridan,  and  Davis,  and  Johnson,  and  ^N"egley,  and 
Palmer,  and  Rousseau,  and  Van  Cleve,  are  none  the 
less  skillful,  not  less  admired,  because  the  soldiers  of 


294  "WE   FIGHT    OR   DIE   HERE." 

the  army,  who  decide   for  themselves,  adjudge  that 
Rosecrans  is  more  than  master  of  his  profession. 

ORDERS   FOR  JANUARY  FIRST. 

But  that  night's  consultation  resulted  in  arrange 
ments  for  the  morrow.  "Orders  were  given,"  said 
the  General,  "for  the  issue  of  all  the  spare  ammuni 
tion,  and  we  found  that  we  had  enough  for  another 
battle,  the  only  question  being  where  that  battle  was 
to  be  fought. 

"It  was  decided,  in  order  to  complete  our  present 
lines,  that  the  Left  should  be  retired  some  two  hund 
red  and  fifty  yards,  to  more  advantageous  ground,  the 
extreme  left  resting  on  Stone  River,  above  the  lower 
ford,  and  extending  to  Stokes'  Battery.  Stark 
weather's  brigade,  arriving  near  the  close  of  the 
evening,  bivouacked  in  close  column,  in  reserve,  in 
the  rear  of  Me  Cook's  left. 

"After  careful  examination,  and  free  consultation 
with  corps  commanders,  followed  by  a  personal  exam 
ination  of  the  ground  in  the  rear,  as  far  as  Overall's 
Creek,  it  was  determined  to  await  the  enemy's  attack 
in  that  position,  to  send  for  the  provision  train,  and 
order  up  fresh  supplies  of  ammunition,  on  the  arrival 
of  which,  should  the  enemy  not  attack,  offensive  oper 
ations  should  be  resumed." 

McCook's  corps  was  already  disposed — Davis  on 
the  right,  Sherridan  joining  him  on  the  left,  Johnson 
in  reserve;  Walker's  brigade  constituting  Sherridairs 
left,  and  ordered  to  relieve  Van  Cleve  in  the  morning. 
Thomas  was  to  remain  in  statu  quo.  Crittendeii 
reunited  his  command,  bringing  them  all  together  on 


295 

the  left  of  the  turnpike,  and  took  up  a  new  line  of 
battle,  about  five  hundred  yards  to  the  rear  of  the 
former  line;  Ilascall's  division  rested  their  right  on 
the  position  occupied  by  Stokes'  Battery,  and  his  left 
on  General  Palmer's  right;  General  Palmer  rested  his 
left  on  the  ford,  his  right  extending  toward  the  rail 
road,  and  perpendicular  to  it,  thus  bringing  the  line 
at  right  angles  to  the  railroad  and  turnpike,  and 
extending  from  Stokes'  Battery  to  the  ford. 

THE    SOLDIERS. 

The  jaded  troops  lay  down  upon  their  arms  that 
night,  many  of  them  where  they  had  fought.  It  was 
cold  and  dreary,  and  no  fires  were  permitted  in  front, 
but  there  was  no  murmur  of  discontent.  The  moral 
aspect  of  that  cheerless  bivouac  was  sublime.  "  When 
I  witnessed  the  uncomplaining  soldiers  in  their  dreary 
bivouac ;  when  I  saw  them  parch  corn  over  a  few 
little  coals  into  which  they  were  permitted  to  blow  a 
spark  of  life;  when  they  carved  steaks  from  the  loins 
of  a  horse  which  had  been  killed  in  battle,  and  ate, 
not  simply  without  murmuring,  but  made  merry  over 
their  distress,  tears,"  said  heroic  Rousseau,  "  involun 
tarily  rolled  from  my  eyes."  Subsequently  said  Rous 
seau,  "Day  and  night  in  the  cold,  wet,  and  mud,  iny 
men  suffered  severely  ;  but  during  the  whole  time  I  did 
not  hear  one  single  murmur  at  their  hardships,  but  all 
were  cheerful,  and  ever  ready  to  stand  by  their  arms 
and  fight.  Such  endurance  I  never  saw  elsewhere." 
This  eloquent  testimony  applied  to  the  whole  army. 
Some  of  the  divisions,  however,  were  fully  supplied; 
Wood's  certainly,  for  that  true  soldier  took  care  to 


296 

replenish  the  haversacks  of  the  men  on  the  eve  of 
battle. 

THE   MEDICAL    STAFF. 

The  battle-field  was  strewn  with  the  wounded. 
Doctor  Swift,  the  able  Medical  Director  of  the  army, 
most  efficiently  aided  by  Doctor  Beebe,  Doctor  Phelps, 
Doctor  McDermot,  and  Doctor  James,  his  Chiefs  of 
Corps,  together  with  the  noble  division,  brigade,  and 
regimental  Surgeons,  exerted  their  utmost  power  to 
remove  all  the  sufferers  as  quickly  as  possible  from 
the  field  to  the  hospitals.  Doctor  Swift  was  often 
in  the  flame  of  battle.  Doctor  James  was  in  the  very 
forefront  when  the  enemy  bore  down  upon  Stokes' 
Battery.  But  few  flinched  from  duty — three  in  the 
entire  staff  of  surgeons,  who  shall  be  nameless  now. 
Said  General  Rosecrans  officially  : 

"The  ability,  order,  and  method  exhibited  in  the 
management  of  the  wounded,  elicited  the  warmest 
commendation  from  all  our  general  officers,  in  which 
I  most  cordially  join.  Notwithstanding  the  numbers 
to  be  cared  for,  through  the  energy  of  Doctor  Swift, 
Medical  Director,  ably  assisted  by  Doctor  Weeds  and 
the  senior  Surgeons  of  the  various  commands,  there 
was  less  suffering  from  delay  than  I  have  ever  before 
witnessed." 

There  is  not  one  word  of  exaggeration  in  this,  and 
if  the  enemy  had  not  destroyed  the  General  Hospital, 
both  our  wounded  and  their's  who  fell  into  onr  hands, 
would  have  been  still  more  comfortably  provided. 
God  knows  there  was  great  suffering.  Let  this  suf 
fice.  "  It  is  not  needful  to  sound  the  stream  oi  blood 
in  all  its  horrid  depths." 


NEW  YEAR'S  DAT.  297 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

THE  First  Day  of  January,  1863 — Rain — Change  of  Division  and  Bri 
gade  Commanders — Position  of  Divisions — Van  Cleve's  Division 
Crosses  Stone  River — Demonstrations  by  the  Enemy — The  Regulars 
Doublc-Quick  to  Stewart's  Creek  and  back — The  Brilliant  Affair  of 
Colonel  Innis  and  his  Michiganders  at  Lavcrgne — Colonel  J.  W. 
Burke  and  the  "Bloody  Tenth"— A  Trying  New  Year's  Day— Effect 
of  Wednesday's  Reverse  at  Nashville — A  Rebel  Woman  on  the 
House-Top. 

AFTER  midnight  it  rained  upon  the  soldiers.  They 
were  thoroughly  saturated,  and  in  a  few  hours  the 
bivouacs  were  masses  of  mud.  Fortunately  the  army 
was  not  harassed  by  serious  alarms  on  the  picket 
lines.  Long  before  daylight  the  new  line  was  ad 
justed,  and  the  troops  stood  at  arms.  General  Rose- 
crans  waited  developments.  It  was  not  his  policy  to 
force  a  renewal  of  the  engagement  until  his  stores 
wore  replenished. 

Generals  Wood  and  Van  Cleve,  though  wounded 
early  in  the  battle  of  Wednesday,  remained  in  the 
field  until  its  close.  They  Avere  now  unfit  for  duty, 
and  repaired  to  Nashville.  Brigadier  General  Has- 
call  succeeded  the  former,  and  Colonel  Samuel  Beatty 
relieved  the  latter;  Colonel  George  P.  Buell  taking 
Hascall's  brigade,  Colonel  Ben.  C.  Grider,  of  the 
ISTinth  Kentucky,  assuming  command  of  Beatty's  bri 
gade.  Walker's  brigade  relieved  Van  Cleve's  division, 
Starkweather's  subsequently  taking  position  on  the 
left  of  the  latter.  General  Crittenden,  in  pursuance 


298 

of  orders,  sent  Beatty  across  Stone  River  at  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  to  hold  the  hill  overlooking 
the  river  at  the  upper  ford,  a  mile  below  the  railroad 
bridge  in  front  of  Murfreesboro ;  Colonel  Price,  com 
manding  the  Third  Brigade,  crossed  in  advance,  fol 
lowed  by  the  Second  Brigade,  Colonel  Fyfie  command 
ing.  The  brigades  formed  in  two  lines,  the  right 
resting  on  high  ground  near  the  river,  east  of  the 
ford,  the  left  thrown  forward.  Grider's  brigade  was 
formed  near  the  hospitals,  to  protect  the  left  flank. 
Lieutenant  Livingston's  Third  Wisconsin  Battery 
crossed  the  river  and  took  up  position  on  the  rising 
ground  in  front  of  Fyffe.  The  infantry  were  con 
cealed  by  lying  down.  The  enemy's  skirmishers 
appeared  in  front,  but  Livingston  dispersed  them  by 
flinging  a  few  shells  at  them.  Grose's  brigade,  how 
ever,  crossed  to  support  Beatty,  but  subsequently, 
with  Livingston's  Battery,  was  withdrawn. 

Wood's  division  was  withdrawn  by  Hascall  to  a  line 
about  five  hundred  yards  in  rear  of  the  position  occu 
pied  the  previous  clay.  The  line  was  now  nearly  at 
right  angles  with  the  railroad,  Buell's  brigade  on  the 
right,  Harker  in  the  center,  Wagner  on  the  left. 
Excepting  some  sharp  skirmishing  on  Harker's  and 
Wagner's  fronts,  which  was  finally  ended  by  Bradley 
and  Cox  freely  using  shell  and  spherical  case  shot, 
Hascall's  division  was  comparatively  quiet  during  the 
day.  Palmer's  division  also  rested  in  battle-order, 
excepting  Grose's  brigade,  which  was  sent  across  the 
river  to  support  Beatty's  division.  Repeated  attempts 
were  made  by  the  enemy  to  advance  upon  the  Center, 
but  the3r  were  foiled  by  Guenther's  and  Yan  Pelt's 
Batteries.  Morton's  Pioneer  Brigade  once  repulsed 


NEW  YEAR'S  DAY.  299 

them  severely.  The  Regular  Brigade  was  ordered  up 
to  meet  an  attack  on  McCook's  front,  and  subse 
quently  was  sent  to  Stewart's  Creek.  When  nearly 
there  it  was  ordered  back  at  double-quick  time,  but 
upon  its  return  it  went  into  bivouac  near  headquar 
ters.  Scribner's  brigade  was  withdrawn  to  the  rear 
early  in  the  morning  to  prepare  their  rations.  Before 
the  famishing  fellows  got  ready,  an  alarm  caused  a 
stampede  among  some  teamsters  near  their  camp,  and 
a  skirmishing  flurry  on  Stone  River  compelled  them  to 
take  arms.  A  little  later  the  disappointed  troops  were 
marched  up  to  the  front  again  to  meet  a  threatened 
attack.  £s"egley's  division  was  hurried  off  to  McCook's 
right  in  the  afternoon  to  meet  a  strong  demonstration 
on  that  front.  His  troops  bivouacked  there  that  night. 
Bradley's  brigade  made  a  dash  and  captured  eighty- 
five  prisoners.  Walker's  brigade  was  constantly  har 
assed  by  pickets,  and  the  enemy  incessantly  menaced 
his  front.  Church's  Battery  signalized  itself  by  its 
effective  gunnery,  but  the  gallant  veteran  brigade, 
which  had  been  at  many  combats  and  several  battles, 
did  not  have  the  fortune  which  it  craved,  of  showing 
•its  mettle  in  a  grand  battle.  At  eight  o'clock  that 
evening  they  made  a  successful  reconnoissance,  exhib 
iting  great  gallantry.  At  about  two  o'clock  a  strong 
demonstration  was  made  by  the  enemy  at  the  extrem 
ity  of  a  field,  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  Murfreesboro 
pike,  but  the  presence  of  Gibson's  brigade  with  a  bat 
tery,  occupying  the  woods  near  Overall's  Creek,  and 
Xegley's  division,  and  a  portion  of  Rousseau's,  pre 
vented  a  serious  collision.  The  harassments  of  the 
day  ended  with  a  demonstration  upon  Walker's  front. 
The  casualties  this  day  were  not  numerous. 


300  NEW  YE  All's    DAY. 


BRILLIANT    AFFAIR   AT    LAVERGNE. 

The  Michigan  Regiment  of  Mechanics  and  Engi 
neers,  Colonel  Innis  commanding  —  three  hundred 
and  ninety-one  officers  and  men — had  been  posted  at 
Lavergne,  midway  between  Nashville  and  Murfrees- 
boro,  to  protect  communication.  Colonel  Innis  took 
position  on  the  hights  in  rear  of  the  hamlet,  and  con 
structed  a  flimsy  barricade  of  cedar  brush  for  the 
protection  of  his  little  garrison.  "Wheelers  rebel 
cavalry,  after  destroying  several  trains  upon  the  road, 
appeared  in  front  of  Innis  at  two  o'clock  with  a  force 
of  three  thousand  men  and  two  pieces  of  artillery. 
A  iiag  of  truce  was  sent  in,  demanding  a  surrender. 
Innis  replied  with  more  vehemence  than  piety,  "Tell 
General  Yvrheeler  I'll  see  him  d — d  first.  We  don't 
surrender  much  !  Let  him  take  us."  W7hereon  the 
rebels  essayed.  A  daring  officer,  galloping  at  full 
speed  in  front  of  the  first  column  of  attack,  called 
upon  the  garrison  to  surrender.  A  bullet  pierced  his 
breast.  His  command  charged  gallantly.  Wheeler 
opened  his  artillery.  The  little  garrison  defended 
themselves  manfully.  The  rebel  horsemen  dashed 
against  the  flimsy  barricades  with  admirable  spirit. 
The  trusty  rifles  of  the  Michiganders  destroyed  them. 
The  column  recoiled  into  the  adjacent  thickets.  Their 
commander  sent  another  flag  of  truce,  demanding 
surrender.  a  See  him  d — d  first,"  said  Innis,  curtly. 
The  desperadoes  rolled  up  again  with  thundering 
force.  The  steady  Michiganders  hurled  them  back 
again.  A  third  assault  was  foiled;  then  a  fourth; 
then  a  fifth.  The  rebel  General  sent  another  flag  of 
truce,  explaining  that  his  numbers  were  overwhelm- 


NEW  YEAR'S  DAY.  301 

ing,  and  demanding  surrender  to  spare  useless  effusion 
of  blood.  Innis  lost  liis  temper,  told  the  flag  officer 
to  "go  to  the  d — 1,"  and  requested  him  to  warn  Gen 
eral  Wheeler  to  send  no  more  flags.  He  "would  fire 
upon  them  if  he  did."  The  enemy  charged  more 
vehemently  than  before,  and  were  again  beaten  off". 
They  organized  a  seventh  attack  in  heavy  force,  and 
thundered  up  the  hill  in  a  fury  of  passion.  The  gallant 
little  garrison  sent  them  reeling  back  again.  Wheeler 
withdrew  out  of  musket  range,  and  sent  in  his  flag 
asking  permission  to  collect  his  dead  and  wounded. 
"Tell  General  Wheeler,"  said  Innis,  "that  he  is  wel 
come  to  everything  he  can  take  beyond  the  range  of 
my  muskets.  We'll  take  care  of  the  wounded  and 
dead  who  are  under  our  guns." 

THE    "  BLOODY    TENTH." 

Meantime,  Innis  had  sent  a  swift  messenger  to 
Colonel  Burke  at  Stewartsboro,  five  miles  south,  to 
come  and  help  him.  Gallant  Burke  gathered  part  of 
his  sturdy  Irishmen — the  "bloody  Tenth" — and  raced 
up  the  road  with  all  the  speed  of  eager  soldiers.  The 
fighting  fellows  whose  wild  clamor  had  startled  the 
echoes  of  the  Gauley  Mountains  at  Caruifex,  and 
whose  comrades  were  thickly  strewn  over  the  green 
hills  of  Perry ville,  stretched  out  their  brawny  legs,  and 
stalked  along  the  pike  with  eager  energy.  They  had 
held  their  own  post  defiantly,  rescued  captured  trains, 
drove  the  enemy  from  their  front,  but  could  get  no 
fight.  They  were  after  one  now,  swiftly  and  hotly. 
"I  never,"  said  the  gallant  Burke,  "saw  fellows  so 
disappointed.  When  we  got  to  Lavergne,  Innis  had 
whipped  the  enemy,  and  we  had  no  fight ! "  The 


302 

General  Commanding  did  not  forget  their  spirit. 
Subsequently  in  his  official  report,  he  said :  "  The 
Tenth  Regiment  of  Ohio  Volunteers,  at  Stewart's 
Creek,  Lieutenant  Colonel  J.  W.  Burke  commanding, 
deserves  especial  praise  for  the  ability  and  spirit  with 
which  they  held  their  post,  defended  our  trains, 
secured  the  rear,  chased  away  Wheeler's  rebel  cav 
alry,  saving  a  large  wagon  train,  and  arrested  and 
retained  in  service  some  two  thousand  stragglers  from 
the  battle-field."  So  of  the  valiant  Michiganders  he 
said:  a  The  First  Regiment  of  Michigan  Engineers 
and  Mechanics,  at  Lavergne,  under  command  of  Col 
onel  Innis,  fighting  behind  a  slight  protection  of 
wagons  and  brush,  gallantly  repulsed  a  charge  from 
more  than  ten  times  their  number,  of  Wheeler's 
Cavalry.'7  Not  the  least  pleasing  feature  of  these 
developments  of  soldierly  spirit,  was  the  generous 
enthusiasm  with  which  Innis  expressed  his  admiring 
obligations  to  Burke  and  the  "Bloody  Tenth." 


The  rebels,  however,  succeeded  in  harassing  our 
rear  to  an  embarrassing  extent,  destroying  trains, 
capturing  squads  of  troops  whom  they  paroled  and 
released,  being  unable  to  escort  them  to  their  own 
lines.  Several  wounded  officers  who  were  retiring  to 
Nashville  for  surgical  attention,  were  disgracefully 
maltreated.  Major  Slemmer,  of  the  Sixteenth  United 
States  Infantry,  was  ejected  from  his  ambulance,  and 
other  officers  were  compelled  to  give  their  parole,  and 
halt  by  the  highway  until  they  were  relieved  by  pass 
ing  trains. 

New  Year's  Day  was  trying  upon  the  army,  but  its 


303 

constancy  was  unshaken.  The  troops  went  into  biv 
ouac  as  they  had  the  previous  nights,  sleeping  upon 
their  arms  without  fires,  and  somewhat  annoyed  by 
picket  flurries  along  the  lines.  The  General  Com 
manding  was  constantly  in  the  field  waiting  develop 
ments,  and  making  dispositions  for  future  operations. 
The  quiet  of  the  enemy  assured  him  that  they  had 
been  worried  by  Wednesday's  battle,  and  it  gave  him 
time  to  replenish  his  ammunition  and  subsistence 
stores.  His  headquarters  that  night  and  thereafter 
were  in  a  little  dilapidated  log-cabin,  within  shell  range 
of  the  enemy  on  either  front,  on  the  right  of  the 
Murfreesboro  pike.  He  slept  an  hour  or  two  in  his 
tent  at  the  gable  end  of  the  cabin,  and  his  staff 
squeezed  together  as  thick  as  figs  in  a  drum  on  the 
dirty  floor  of  the  tenement.  All  misgivings  had  been 
dismissed  from  the  minds  of  officers  and  soldiers. 
All  men  felt  with  the  General — "we  shall  beat  them!" 

WOMEN   ON   THE    HOUSE-TOPS. 

But  there  was  another  feature  of  "  Happy  New 
Year  "  worthy  of  observation.  Tidings  of  Wednes 
day's  reverse  had  been  carried  to  Nashville  on  the 
swift  wings  of  cowardice.  The  few  patriot  residents 
of  the  city  and  the  garrison  were  profoundly  afflicted. 
They  apprehended  that  a  dreadful  calamity  was  about 
to  fall  upon  them.  Stragglers,  officers,  private  sol 
diers,  camp  followers,  poured  up  the  Murfreesboro 
pike  toward  the  city  in  streams.  The  wife  of  a  rebel 
officer  clambered  to  the  roof  of  her  mansion,  and  look 
ing  southward,  beheld  the  shameless  messengers  of 
evil.  Cushi  was  running  with  evil  tidings.  There 
was  no  prudent  Ahimaaz  to  run  by  the  way  of  the 


304  NEW  YEAR'S  DAY. 

plain  to  circumvent  him.  The  woman  clapped  her 
hands  with  sudden  joy,  shouting  triumphantly, 
"  they  are  beaten  back."  Her  friends  of  either  sex 
.took  no  care  to  repress  their  exultation.  Some  were 
overbearing  and  impudent.  Officers  and  soldiers 
silenced  them  savagely.  Yet  they  poured  forth  into 
the  streets  in  numbers,  and  with  a  gayety  that  had 
not  been  witnessed  since  the  Union  armies  had  occu 
pied  the  city. 

The  stragglers  were  roughly  handled  by  General 
Mitchell.  He  denounced  them  vigorously  as  infa 
mous  cowards,  swore  their  stories  of  disaster  were 
lies,  directed  Lieutenant  Colonel  Calrill  to  organize 
them  and  form  them  in  front  of  the  city.  He 
laughed  to  scorn  the  notion  that  "  Rosecrans  was 
whipped,"  and  then  with  menacing  vehemence  swore 
that  "if  Rosecrans  should  be  driven  back,  not  one 
stone  of  Nashville  should  be  left  upon  another.  I  '11 
blow  the  d — d  town  to  fragments,"  said  he,  "  if  I  am 
compelled  to  leave  it."  All  this  rebel  joy,  and  all 
this  patriot  gloom  grew  out  of  the  exaggerations  of 
cowardly  officers,  fugitive  soldiers,  and  teamsters  who 
fled  from  battle.  A  mal  adroit  incident  happened  to 
confirm  the  untoward  rumors.  The  extreme  front 
was  an  improper  place  for  the  important  official 
papers  of  the  department.  The  numerical  superi 
ority  of  the  rebel  cavalry  rendered  it  dangerous  to 
keep  them  with  headquarters'  camp  at  an  intermediate 
point,  and  they  were  accordingly  sent  back  to  Nash 
ville.  The  malcontents  of  the  Rock  City  accepted 
the  incident  as  confirmation  of  disaster  to  the  fed 
erals.  Later  in  the  evening  they  became  restive  and 
somber.  It  was  impossible  to  explain  it,  but  the 


NEW  YEAR'S  DAY.  305 

mystery  no  doubt  was  revealed  in  the  back  parlors  of 
Nashville.  But  it  was  vciy  clear  that  there  was  "a 
plague  on  all  your  houses."  General  Rains  was  killed, 
and  Moody' s  men  had  destroyed  the  "  Rock  City 
Guards."  And  the  women  who  ascended  to  the 
house-tops  were  much  moved,  and  went  up  to  their 
chambers  and  wept.  New  Year's  Day  of  1863  was 
not  a  "  Happy  New  Year." 


26 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

FRIDAY,  January  2  —  Heavy  Artillery  Battle  —  Movements  of  the 
Troops — Van  Cleve's  Division  Across  Stone  River — Grose  Supports 
Him — Onslaught  upon  Van  Cleve's  Division — It  is  Broken — The 
Batteries  Massed— The  Center  and  Right  Wing  Assisting  the  Left— 
Negley,  Davis  and  Morton  to  the  Rescue — A  Banner  and  a  Battery 
Captured— Awful  Effect  of  Our  Artillery— The  Rebels  Routed— 
Brigadier  General  Hanson  Killed. 

FRIDAY  morning  was  raw  and  chilly,  but  the  clouds 
soon  dispersed,  and  the  sun  glowed  pleasantly.  The 
troops  were  cheerful.  Some  subsistence  and  ammuni 
tion  had  arrived  during  the  night.  At  dawn  the 
sharpshooters  of  the  enemy  introduced  the  exercises 
of  the  morning  with  the  sharp  firing  of  their  rifles. 
Commanders  were  at  their  posts,  expecting  an  attack 
from  the  enemy.  The  "eyes  of  the  army"  were  on 
its  flanks,  and  skirting  the  Mtirfreesboro  pike,  gallop 
ing  over  the  hills  after  rebel  marauders.  McCook 
and  Thomas  remained  in  static  quo,  part  of  their 
respective  forces  in  reserve. 

Somewhere  about  eight  o'clock,  while  Morton's 
Pioneer  Brigade  were  making  crossings  at  the  rail 
road,  the  enemy  opened  a  furious  cannonade  from 
four  batteries  on  the  east  side  of  Stone  River.  They 
ranged  chiefly  upon  Harkers  position.  His  men  were 
subject  to  sore  trial,  but  they  hugged  the  ground 
closely,  and  escaped  with  one  man  killed  and  eleven 
wounded.  Estep's  battery,  upon  which  the  enemy 


SLAUGHTER   OP   BRECKINRIDGE's    DIVISION.  307 

had  exact  range,  was  forced  to  yield  its  position. 
Bradley  worked  his  guns  with  visible  effect,  until  one 
of  our  own  batteries  undertook  to  throw  grape  over 
his  head.  Whereon  he  was  reluctantly  compelled  to 
withdraw  to  a  safer  position.  Stokes',  Loomis',  Guen- 
ther's,  and  several  other  batteries,  took  part  in  the 
duello,  and  in  a  short  time  silenced  the  enemy.  "While 
this  was  going  on,  an  infantry  demonstration  was 
made  upon  Wagner's  skirmishers,  but  the  enemy 
were  easily  driven  back.  The  rebels  also  gave  Walk 
er's  brigade  a  salute,  but  Church  soon  satisfied  them. 

DISPOSITIONS    ON   THE   LEFT. 

General  Rosecrans  still  persisted  in  his  scheme  of 
wheeling  into  Murfreesboro  with  his  Left,  and  with 
that  view,  directed  his  attention  chiefly  to  the  posi 
tion  occupied  by  Van  Cleve.  Livingston's  Battery 
recrossed  the  river,  and  took  up  its  position  on  the 
left,  leaving  Lieutenant  Hubbard,  with  a  section  of 
the  battery,  on  the  eminence  at  the  right  of  Price's 
brigade.  Price  was  on  the  right  of  the  line,  with  the 
Fifty-First  Ohio,  Eighth  Kentucky,  and  Thirty-Fifth 
Indiana  Regiments  in  front,  the  Twenty-First  Ken 
tucky  and  Ninety-i^inth  Ohio  Regiments  forming 
the  second  line  in  reserve.  Fyffe's  brigade  was  on 
the  left,  and  the  Seventy-Eighth  Indiana  was  posted 
in  the  front  line  to  fill  a  gap. 

A  sharp  clatter  of  musketry  in  front,  early  in  the 
morning,  increased  at  eleven  o'clock  to  the  propor 
tions  of  a  severe  fight.  The  enemy  seemed  to  be 
creeping  up.  Crittenden,  therefore,  sent  Grose's 
brigade  across  the  river  to  strengthen  Beatty's  left. 
About  eight  hundred  yards  below  the  right  of 


308  SLAUGHTER    OF    BRECKINRIDGE's    DIVISION. 

Beatty's  division  line,  the  river  makes  a  detour  of 
perhaps  a  half  mile  to  the  rear,  and  courses  nearly 
parallel  with  the  line  taken  up  by  Beatty.  Grose 
formed  his  regiments  in  echelon  in  support  of  the 
left  of  Beatty;  the  Twenty-Third  Kentucky  about 
two  hundred  yards  to  the  left  and  rear  of  Beatty's 
left,  the  Twenty-Fourth  Ohio,  Thirty-Sixth  Indiana, 
Eighty-Fourth  Illinois,  and  Sixth  Ohio  Eegiments, 
forming  respectively,  from  right  to  left,  the  right  of 
the  Eighty-Fourth  Illinois  resting  upon  a  bluff  at  the 
river,  with  the  Third  Wisconsin  Battery  near  its  left. 
The  brigade  immediately  collected  logs,  brush,  rails, 
and  stones,  making  a  good  barricade,  and  waited 
developments.  Cruft  was  posted  on  the  west  side 
of  the  river,  supporting  a  battery. 

SYMPTOMS. 

Meantime,  Beatty's  skirmishers  reported  the  move 
ment  of  artillery  toward  his  left,  and  that  sixteen 
regiments  of  infantry  had  appeared  in  his  front.  At 
about  noon  the  enemy  flung  a  few  shells  at  Hubbard's 
guns.  Directly  a  battery  opens  upon  him.  The 
angry  rattle  of  musketry  increases  in  front.  Rebel 
skirmishers  gradually  approach,  until  it  becomes  too 
hot  for  Livingston's  gunners,  and  they  retire  to  a 
more  secure  position.  Shells,  now  and  then  a  solid 
shot,  knock  the  dirt  over  Beatty's  men,  but  they  lie 
flat  on  their  bellies.  The  enemy  shoots  blindly. 
Soon  our  skirmishers  are  so  strongly  pressed  that 
two  companies  are  sent  to  strengthen  them.  Men 
are  hurt  on  either  side. 

At  half-past  two  o'clock  four  more  rebel  guns  are 
discovered  moving  to  the  left.  At  three  o'clock 


309 

rebel  skirmishers  are  seen  throwing  down  the  fences 
in  their  front.  Battle  menacing,  certainly!  All  these 
conditions  are  noted.  "When  the  fences  go  down, 
Beatty  orders  Price  to  retire  his  brigade  behind  the 
crest  of  the  hill.  The  enemy  are  seen  moving  up  in 
the  distance.  They  advance  in  powerful  masses — 
battalion  front,  three  ranks,  or  six  men  deep,  in 
mass,  in  the  attacking  column — a  column  of  equal 
strength  in  support,  and  another  mass,  not  at  all  infe 
rior,  in  reserve.  Splendid  display  of  martial  pageant 
ry.  Their  banners  are  flying  haughtily;  their  steel 
is  dazzling.  They  march  with  superb  solidity.  Those 
three  powerful  columns  seem  to  be  three  monstrous 
machines.  Breckinridge  is  launching  them  at  three 
little  brigades,  and  one  Wisconsin  battery.  Perhaps  ! 

THE  ONSET. 

The  head  of  that  frowning  mass  suddenly  shoots 
clean  out  from  the  timber  into  the  front.  Fearfully 
splendid.  Their  batteries  have  opened  in  stunning 
accord.  Shot  and  shell,  whizzing,  whirring,  shriek 
ing,  as  if  they  were  winged  fiends.  The  firm  sod 
flies  into  clouds  of  dust ;  trunks  of  trees  are  shivered 
into  atoms ;  splintered  boughs  rain  upon  the  hills,  as 
if  awkward  and  careless  woodsmen  were  topping  the 
forests;  the  flesh  and  bones  of  horses  crush  as  if  they 
were  brittle  ice ;  a  man  is  suddenly  tripped  up — his 
leg  flies  from  its  base ;  a  soldier's  head  vanishes — and 
you  do  not  even  sigh,  until  you  bury  what  remains. 

The  machine  called  a  column  of  attack  in  mass — a 
thousand  men  in  front,  six  men  deep,  with  two  other 
machines  just  like  it,  pushing  behind  to  sustain  its 
momentum,  emits  a  blaze  and  a  fume  with  a  crashing 


310  SLAUGHTER   OP   BRECKINBIDGE's   DIVISION. 

and  thr-r-r-r-upping  sound — as  if  Titans  were  tearing 
strong  canvas.  Then  a  counter-crash,  quickly — per 
haps  two  or  three,  from  as  many  lines.  Volley  for 
volley — then  symmetry  of  sound  is  lost.  File  firing 
ensues — that  is,  every  man  loads  and  fires  for  himself 
with  all  his  might,  mostly  shooting  high,  so  that  the 
lead  flies  overhead,  and  twigs  flutter — many  shooting 
so  low  that  the  dirt  is  chipped  up  at  the  toes  of  men. 
If  the  heaviest  battalion  is  disciplined,  and  well 
handled,  it  shoots  most  bullets  and  weight  of  lead 
decides,  unless  cold  steel  is  thrust  into  the  scale. 
Then  lead  loses  momentum.  Price  did  not  fire  until 
the  enemy  were  within  a  hundred  yards  of  him. 
His  volley  shatters  the  head  of  the  mass.  Why 
didn't  he  "  give  them  a  blizzard,  and  then  at  'em 
with  the  steel?"  His  little  brigade  fights  hard, 
struggle  to  keep  their  feet.  Good  soldiers!  —  they 
had  proved  it  before.  Too  many  bullets  for  them. 
A  gray  cloud  suddenly  sweeps  toward  their  flank. 
They  brace  up  an  instant,  but  are  doomed  to  break. 
Pity  !  On  the  10th  of  December  they  won  honest 
fame.  Fyfte  flings  in  a  flank  fire,  which  stings,  but 
does  not  destroy.  Price  goes  back,  breaks,  confuses 
the  second  line,  so  that  it  can  not  recover  to  resist  the 
overpowering  billow.  Fyffe  is  forced  to  fall  oft'  to 
the  rear. 

The  veteran  Nineteenth  Ohio,  which  settled  the 
Rich  Mountain  affair  under  "Old(?)  Rosey,"  and 
the  Ninth  and  Eleventh  Kentucky,  march  up.  They 
advance  eagerly,  and  meet  the  machine,  whose  head 
is  tattered  and  torn,  and  it  falls  away  to  let  the  other 
machine,  that  pushed  it  forward,  roll  upon  the  three 
regiments.  Six  regiments  to  three  are  heavy.  Mean- 


311 

time  "  Old  Rosey"  had  appeared  on  the  field.  Fifty- 
eight  iron  and  brazen  battering  rams  had  been 
gathered  in  a  mass  on  the  nether  side  of  the  river. 
He  was  holding  them  in  hand  like  a  cocked  pistol. 
Mendenhall  had  gathered  them,  and  was  directing 
them  truly.  The  immortal  Eighth  Division,  under 
soldierly  Negley,  was  moving  up.  Gallant  Davis, 
eager  to  make  a  new  exhibit  of  the  mettle  of  his 
salamanders,  solicits  the  favor  to  advance  his  division, 
and  it  is  rushing  across  from  Right  to  Left  to  get  in 
first.  Johnson  sends  over  Gibson,  with  the  thirteen 
hundred  soldiers  who  remained  of  two  thousand  four 
hundred  and  fifty-eight,  who  had  begun  the  slaughter 
of  Wednesday.  Pioneer  Morton,  who  wants  to  be 
"doing  it  about  right/'  whenever  and  wherever  he 
can,  rushes  up  in  that  "Excelsior"  way  of  his,  with 
his  "general  utility"  men — who  diversify  soldiers' 
life  by  building  bridges  or  fighting,  and  do  either 
admirably.  Remember,  they  represent  forty  regi 
ments —  Michigan,  Missouri,  Indiana,  Kentucky, 
Ohio,  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  Ireland,  Germany  —  the 
Union. 

REVERSE. 

Pity  the  noble  Left  Wing  should  meet  with  reverse 
at  all — it  resisted  so  victoriously  Wednesday ;  but  it 
can  afford  it.  Nothing  but  fair  that  the  Right  should 
enjoy  reciprocation  of  favors.  The  Left  assisted  the 
Right;  the  Right  can  now  help  the  Left — only  the 
Center  is  most  lucky  and  crowds  in  first.  The  Nine 
teenth  Buckeyes,  and  the  gallant  Ninth  and  Eleventh 
Kentucky  fight  staunchly,  and  the  Indiana  Thirty- 
Fifth,  on  the  left,  talk  of  the  bayonet,  but  it  won't  do 
now.  That  gray  bank,  with  a  steel  crest,  lifting  upon 


312  SLAUGHTER   OP   BRECKINRLDGE'S   DIVISION. 

the  right  flank,  is  too  much  hone  and  metal.  The 
regiments  go  back,  slowly  at  first,  and  at  length  they 
take  Avater,  as  the  first  and  the  second  line  did.  The 
billow  behind  them  rolls  on  fast,  and  a  crest  breaks 
oil'  into  the  river. 

VICTORY. 

~Now  the  power  of  cannon  is  cast  into  the  balance. 
The  shock  of  fifty-eight  brazen  and  iron  monsters 
shake  the  earth,  and  a  tempest  tears  through  the 
forest.  Legions  of  devils  seem  riving  the  timber 
where  the  Left's  Third  Division  was  fighting.  The 
Eighth  leaps  into  the  stream.  The  Second  Division 
of  the  Right  is  coming — "  Carlin, "  said  the  Captain 
of  the  host,  "  take  your  brigade  to  the  left;  form  it  in 
two  lines,  and  should  you  find  our  forces  repulsed, 
allow  them  to  pass  through  your  lines,  and  on  the 
approach  of  the  enemy,  give  a  whoop  and  a  yell  and 
go  at  'em!  "  Carlin's  brigade  was  dreadfully  reduced. 
lie  felt  some  apprehensions  lest  they  should  not 
respond  properly.  "Tell  them,"  said  the  General 
Commanding,  "  tell  them  they  must  do  it  for  us,  and 
the  country  !  "  Gallant  Carlin  announced  the  appeal 
of  their  Chieftain.  They  yell  like  Stcntors  and 
plunge  into  the  stream.  Gibson's  thirteen  hundred 
charge,  shouting  like  the  clangor  of  trumpets. 

Strange  that  }TOU  forget  the  noise  of  cannon  in  bat 
tle  frenzy.  The  ear  is  deaf  to  its  uproar.  You  hear 
shells  flutter  and  you  dodge.  You  hear  bullets  pict, 
pict,  pict,  pict,  pict,  and  a  sheet  of  them  thr-r-r-up; 
but  unless  you  deliberately  look  upon  battle  as  a  spec 
tacle  to  enchant  vision,  and  listen  to  thunderous 
artillery  to  admire  the  majesty  of  wonderful  arti 
ficial  sound,  the  eye  is  unaffected  by  pageantiy,  and 


313 

the  ear  waxes  insensible  to  brazen  detonation.  Heart 
and  mind  in  unison,  say,  "we  shall  beat  them!" 
That  absorbs  sights  and  sound.  Lo !  the  mystery  of 
war's  callousness.  Thus,  you -see  your  best  friend 
vanish  from  your  elbow  with  scarce  an  emotion.  The 
first  gun  booms,  as  if  it  were  a  doom.  The  first  crash 
of  musketry  thrills  to  the  very  marrow  of  your  bones. 
Then  the  mighty  effort!  Then  blood  in  your  veins 
becomes  lightning.  Then  you  mutely  cry,  "  we  shall 
beat  them ! " 

There  were  fifty-eight  guns  en  masse  in  the  Center, 
others  on  the  river  bank,  and  Livingston's  across  the 
stream.  MendenhalPs,  and  Loomis',  of  which  were 
Parson's,  and  Swallow's,  and  Bradley's,  and  Shultz's, 
and  Estep's,  and  Yan  Pelt's,  Standart's,  Stevens', 
Nell's,  Marshall's,  Cox's  and  Stokes'  Batteries — hurl 
ing  solid  shot,  shell,  grape,  spherical  case  and  cannis- 
ter;  and  the  forests  seemed  bursting  with  agony. 
All  hell  had  broken  loose.  Then  the  machines  which 
are  called  columns,  in  mass,  three  lines  deep,  without 
intervals,  six  men  thick,  wrere  torn  to  fragments. 
Grose  was  on  the  left  of  them.  The  Ohio  Sixth  and 
Twenty-Fourth,  the  Indiana  Thirty-Sixth,  the  Ken 
tucky  Twenty-Third,  and  the  Illinois  Eighty-Fourth, 
raise  with  crazy  clamor  and  rip  into  them.  Scott's 
Illinois  Nineteenth,  S  tough  ton's  Michigan  Eleventh, 
Given  with  the  Eighteenth,  and  Elliott  and  Bingham 
with  the  Sixty-Ninth  Ohio;  Sirwell  with  the  Penn 
sylvania  Seventy-Eighth,  Moody  with  his  "  boys,"  of 
the  trusty  Ohio  Seventy-Fourth,  Neibling's  "Twenty- 
Onesters,"  the  Thirty-Seventh  Hoosiers,  under  "Ward 
and  Ivimball,  stalk  across  the  stream  and  pour  in  vol 
leys  from  the  right  and  left.  Hazen  is  rushing  in 
27 


314          SLAUGHTER   OF  BRECKINRIDGE's   DIVISION. 

with  his  veterans ;  Davis,  Carlin,  and  Morton  follow 
swiftly,  eager  for  laurels.  The  "  Twenty-Onesters  " 
are  sent  off  to  the  left.  The  Seventy-Eighth  Penn- 
sylvanians,  the  Nineteenth  Illinoisans,  the  Seventy- 
Fourth  Ohioans  rushed  upon  a  hattery,  and  the 
"  Twenty-Onesters ,"  on  the  left,  swoop  upon  it.  A 
rebel  color-bearer,  probed  with  a  bayonet,  sinks  in  a 
pool  of  blood.  A  Seventy-Eighth  Pennsylvanian 
seizes  the  banner  of  the  rebel  Tennessee  Twenty- 
Sixth  ;  the  Nineteenth,  the  Twenty-First,  the  Seven 
ty-Fourth,  the  Seventy-Eighth — no  matter  which 
State — swallow  up  the  guns,  four  of  them  for  tro 
phies,  and  a  mass  of  prisoners — gallant  Scott  is  down, 
yet  he  shouts.  Davis  thunders  in  pursuit  of  the  fugi 
tives,  while  the  Eighth  Division  gathers  again.  The 
fifty-eight  pieces  of  iron  and  bronze,  in  mass,  roar 
with  frightful  concussion,  and  sweep  the  forests  in 
flank,  in  front,  in  reverse.  Hazen  sharply  follows  the 
fugitives ;  Davis  is  onward ;  Hascall  is  coming ;  the 
enemy,  torn  to  pieces,  are  flying  in  wild  dismay  over 
the  riven  forests,  and  through  the  cotton  fields. 
Horsemen,  frantic  with  delight,  race  far  over  the 
field,  trailing  the  captured  banner  along  the  regi 
ments.  Now  the  cannon  and  the  infantry  are  all 
plunging  forward.  Twilight,  and  the  thin  blue  pow 
der  fumes  dispersing  in  haze,  intermingle.  Joyful 
shouts  swell  in  shrill  harmony  on  the  far  bank  of  the 
river — leap  across  the  stream,  roll  along  the  front, 
spring  from  rank  to  rank,  stretch  from  left  to  right, 
until  their  magnificently  triumphant  volume  dies 
away  in  pleasant  echoes  among  the  distant  hills. 
Such  overwhelming  ecstacy  of  victory ! 

"  We  shall  beat  them ! "     The  figure  of  the  Com- 


SLAUGHTER  OF    BRECKINRIDGE?S  DIVISION.  315 

mander-in-Chief  was  again  conspicuous,  when  the 
might  of  his  own  good  sword  was  needed.  He  hurled 
his  batteries  and  his  battalions  together,  at  the  mon 
strous  machines  of  Breckinridge,  and  destroyed  them 
in  forty  minutes.  Two  thousand  men  or  more,  who 
had  marched  upon  that  field  in  haughty  defiance,  at 
three  o'clock  and  fifty  minutes,  were  dead  or  man 
gled  at  four  o'clock  and  thirty  minutes.  Breckin 
ridge  was  a  fugitive;  General  Hanson  mortally  hurt; 
General  Adams  crippled;  Colonel  Pres.  Cunningham 
killed ;  Colonel  McGeggor  fatally  struck ;  and  scores 
more  of  the  master  class,  who  fell  in  parricidal  con 
flict.  It  was  an  appalling  calamity  to  rebel  arms. 
Our  loss  was  about  one  hundred  killed;  perhaps  four 
hundred  wounded — five  hundred  in  all. 

Beatty  was  in  it  with  his  own  brigade  under  Col 
onel  Grider,  Fyffe's  brigade,  and  the  brigade  of  Stan 
ley  Matthews,  then  commanded  by  Colonel  Samuel 
"VV.  Price.  The  latter  bore  the  brunt  of  the  disaster, 
losing  seventy-eight  men  killed,  three  hundred  and 
eleven  wounded.  The  colors  of  the  Eighth  Ken 
tucky  Regiment  were  torn  into  fragments  by  a  shell. 
Fyffe,  on  the  left,  was  not  violently  assaulted,  and 
was  compelled  to  retire  when  Price  gave  way.  Fyffe 
himself  was  hurt  by  a  fall  from  his  horse.  Grider 
received  the  same  shock,  and  it  was  too  severe  for 
him.  There  was  much  confusion,  and  a  few  eager 
rebels  pursued  our  fugitives  into  the  stream.  On  the 
other  side  some  of  the  broken  regiments  rallied 
quickly.  The  Nineteenth  Ohio,  Ninth  Kentucky, 
and  Fifty-First  Ohio,  were  among  the  first  to  cross  in 
pursuit  of  the  flying  foe. 

The  enemy  hardly  expected  a  flank  fire  from  Grose. 


316 

It  was  very  bitter.  The  wild  scream  of  his  valiant 
regiments  was  as  effective  as  their  musketry.  The 
Twenty-Fourth  Ohio  was  again  robbed  of  a  jewel. 
Colonel  Fred.  Jones  and  Major  Terry  had  fallen  on 
Wednesday.  Captain  Enoch  Weller,  commanding 
the  regiment  after  Terry's  death,  was  killed  this  day. 
Among  its  many  dauntless  officers,  Adjutant  Henry 
Y.  Graham  shone  conspicuously.  Gibson's  brigade 
was  called  upon  to  assist  General  Palmer  in  driving  a 
strong  force  of  the  rebels  out  of  the  woods  on  the 
flanks.  The  Thirty-Second  Indiana— Willich's  Ger 
mans — charged  and  drove  two  rebel  regiments  clean 
across  the  river. 

]STegley's  division  and  the  Pioneer  Brigade  had 
been  ordered  up  to  meet  the  onset,  while  Crittenden 
directed  Mendenhall  to  dispose  the  batteries  on  the 
hill  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  Hazen's  brigade 
also  crossed,  and  the  Forty-First  Ohio  Eegiment  was 
among  the  advanced  pursuers  of  the  rebels.  General 
Davis  crossed  the  river  at  a  ford  below  to  attack  the 
left  flank  of  the  enemy,  but  they  retreated  too  rap 
idly.  Darkness  put  an  end  to  pursuit.  Davis,  with 
Hascall's  division  on  his  left,  Palmer  in  support, 
begun  at  once  .to  throw  up  breastworks  upon  the  Hue 
conquered  from  the  enemy.  The  battle  on  Friday 
evening  was  an  awful  paroxysm.  General  Rosecrans 
most  graphically  said :  "  The  firing  was  terrific,  and 
the  havoc  terrible.  The  enemy  retreated  more  rap 
idly  than  they  had  advanced.  In  forty  minutes  they 
lost  two  thousand  men." 

While  this  conflict  was  raging,  Walker  advanced 
in  his  front  with  his  brigade — the  Seventeenth  Ohio, 
Colonel  J.  W.  Connel^and  Thirty-first  Ohio,  Lieu- 


SLAUGHTER   OF   BRECKINRIDGE'S    DIVISION.  317 

tenant  Colonel  Lister,  in  front,  supported  by  the 
Thirty-Eighth  Ohio,  Colonel  Phelps,  and  the  Eighty- 
Second  Indiana,  Colonel  Hunter.  The  enemy  opened 
upon  them  sharply,  hut  the  brigade  advanced  firmly 
to  a  point  within  eighty  yards  of  them.  The  front 
line  then  delivered  a  volley  deliberately,  and  dropped 
upon  their  bellies  to  reload,  the  second  line  following 
suit.  Bayonets  were  fixed,  but  the  rebels  fled  to  their 
in  trench  ments. 

Several  howitzers,  in  front  and  center  of  the  line, 
continued  to  howl  until  after  night  fell,  echoing 

O  O 

most  dismally ;  and  at  nearly  eight  o'clock,  Lieuten 
ant  Colonel  Choate,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Davis,  of  the 
Eighty-Second  Indiana,  and  Captain  J.  W.  Stinch- 
comb,  of  Colonel  Walker's  brigade,  with  a  detach 
ment  of  that  command,  made  a  successful  reconnois- 
sancc  in  front  of  the  Ixight  Wing,  driving  in  the 
enemy's  outposts.  The  firing,  during  a  few  moments, 
was  as  passionate  as  opening  battle.  Bullets  flew 
about  headquarters  thickly,  but  the  flurry  was  soon 
over.  Somewhat  later,  Colonel  Dodge,  with  eight 
companies  of  the  Second  and  Third  Brigades,  John 
son's  division,  made  a  reconnoissance  on  the  extreme 
right,  and  disturbed  a  large  force  of  the  enemy. 

Somewhat  later,  General  Rosecrans,  deeming  it 
possible  that  the  enemy  might  again  attack  our 
Iviifht  and  Center,  "made  a  demonstration  on  our 
Juight  by  a  heavy  division  of  camp  fires,  and  by  lay 
ing  out  a  line  of  battle  with  torches,  which  answered 
the  purpose."  Lieutenant  Colonel  Bassett  Langdon, 
and  Captain  Fisher,  of  McCook's  Staff,  and  Captain 
Charles  II.  Thompson,  Aid  to  the  General  Command 
ing,  were  selected,  on  account  of  their  superior  vocal 


318  SLAUGHTER   OF    BRECKINRIDGE'S    DIVISION. 

powers,  to  marshal  the  division.  A  troop  of  order 
lies  escorted  them,  and  constructed  blazing  fires  along 
the  extreme  Ilight,  while  the  commanders  of  the 
Light  Division  moved  their  forces  by  the  right  and 
left  flanks  with  sonorous  clamor.  JSTot  long  after 
ward,  the  General  Commanding  supervised  the  new 
line  of  battle  laid  out  with  flambeaux,  and  left  it  for 
the  serious  contemplation  of  the  enemy. 

It  was  raining  at  dark,  but  the  gallant  soldiers 
were  jocund.  Their  bivouac  fires  blazed  like  bon 
fires.  Cedars  were  piled  upon  cedars,  until  the  black 
clouds  above  seemed  canopies  of  lambent  flame. 
The  warriors,  inspired  with  the  enthusiasm  of  vic 
tory,  shouted  in  their  wild  joy  till  sleep  overcame 
them.  The  future  was  opening  into  a  glowing  vista. 
No  more  talk  now  of  retreat.  But  hundreds  labored 
through  the  dreary  night,  intrenching  the  front  of 
the  army.  General  Ivosecrans,  standing  near  his 
"cabined,  crib'd,  confined"  quarters,  in  mud  half  way 
to  his  boot-tops,  rubbed  his  hands  complacently,  and 
repeated,  "We  shall  beat  them!" 


SATURDAY'S  OPERATIONS.  319 


CHAPTER   XXXI. 

SATURDAY'S  Operations  —  Too  Much  Raiii — The  Front  Harassed  — 
Rousseau  Annoyed — He  Seeks  Revenge — John  Beatty  and  Rough- 
Handed  Spears  —  East  Tennesseeans  Charge  with  a  Slogan  —  The 
Last  Hostile  Guns  in  Battle — The  Wounded — Rebel  Prisoners  Eat 
ing  Parched  Corn — A  General  Surprised — The  Rebels  Retreat — Sun 
day — Mass — Official  Summary  of  the  Battle. 

SATURDAY  morning  dawned  inauspiciously.  The 
rain  fell  in  torrents.  The  field  of  battle  was  a  morass. 
The  camps  were  wretched  muck  of  water  and  slop. 
Military  operations  upon  an  important  scale  were 
impracticable.  Quite  early  in  the  morning  a  brigade 
of  the  enemy,  under  cover  of  the  woods,  suddenly 
pounced  upon  the  Indiana  Forty-Second,  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Shanklin  commanding.  After  a  sharp  fight, 
the  brave  Hoosiers  were  cut  up  severely,  and  many 
captured,  including  their  commander.  The  plowed 
fields  being  impassable  by  artillery,  no  advance  could 
be  made  profitably ;  besides,  the  ammunition  train  did 
not  arrive  until  ten  o'clock.  Batteries  were  put  in 
position  on  the  left,  by  which  the  ground  could  be 
swept,  and  even  Murfreesboro  reached  by  the  Parrott 
guns. 

The  enemy  harassed  the  front  on  the  Right  and 
Center,  extending  to  the  Left.  It  finally  became  so 
annoying  that  General  Rosecrans  ordered  the  corps 
commanders  to  clear  their  fronts,  which  was  done 
speedily.  The  sharpshooters  in  the  woods  on  the  left 
of  the  Murfreesboro  pike  and  the  "Burnt  House," 


320 

however,  annoyed  Rousseau's  front  all  day,  killing 
and  wounding  some  men.  General  Thomas  and  he 
obtained  permission  to  dislodge  them  and  their  sup 
ports  which  covered  a  ford.  Four  batteries,  including 
Guenther's  and  Van  Pelt's,  were  opened,  under  the 
direction  of  Colonel  Loomis,  and  the  "Burnt  House" 
and  adjacent  woods  were  soon  battered  to  fragments. 

EAST   TENNESSEEANS. 

At  dark  Rousseau  sent  Colonel  John  Beatty,  with 
the  Third  Ohio,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Lawson  com 
manding,  and  the  Eighty-Eighth  Indiana,  under  Col 
onel  Humphreys,  to  drive  the  enemy  from  his  cover. 
Brigadier  General  Spears,  who  had  arrived  from 
Nashville  that  day  with  a  subsistence  train,  solicited 
and  obtained  permission  to  participate  in  the  affair. 
Beatty  advanced  on  the  right  with  the  Eirst  East 
Tennessee  Volunteers,  Colonel  Byrd,  the  Second  East 
Tennessee,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Melton,  three  hund 
red  of  the  Fourteenth  Michigan,  commanded  by 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Phillips,  of  the  Eirst  East  Ten 
nessee  Infantry,  and  three  hundred  of  the  Eighty- 
Fifth  Illinois,  winch  were  held  in  reserve. 

The  line  advanced  gallantly,  the  skirmishers  meet 
ing  with  heavy  resistance  at  the  start.  A  column  in 
support  appeared  on  the  left  of  the  enemy,  upon 
which  Loomis  opened  his  batteries,  and  they  disap 
peared.  Our  troops  forced  their  way  steadily  under  a 
heavy  fire,  until  within  charging  distance.  Then  the 
Tennesseeans  raised  a  wild  slogai^  and  the  whole  line 
dashed  upon  the  enemy  with  the  bayonet.  The  effect 
was  magical.  The  rebels  fled  in  dismay.  Many  were 
killed.  The  onslaught  upon  their  intrenchments  was 


SATURDAY'S  OPERATIONS.  321 

so  swift  and  sudden  that  thirty  of  them  were  cap 
tured.  The  Colonel  of  the  famous  First  Louisiana 
regiment  was  killed,  and  his  command  was  almost 
destroyed.  Colonel  Humphreys,  of  the  Eighty- 
Eighth  Indiana,  was  wounded  in  the  hand  by  a  bay 
onet  thrust,  and  Captain  Bell,  of  the  Third  Ohio,  was 
severely  hurt  by  a  musket  ball.  This  brilliant  affair 
reflected  great  credit  on  the  officers  and  troops 
engaged.  The  East  Tennesseeans  were  especially 
gratified.  They  had  proved  themselves  trusty  sol 
diers.  General  Rousseau  reported  the  results  in  per 
son  to  General  Rosecrans,  who  congratulated  him, 
but  said,  "  Don't  you  let  them  drive  you  out."  "  I  'm 
— blessed  if  I  do,"  wTas  Rousseau's  emphatic  response. 
Rousseau's  and  Spears'  troops  fired  the  last  shots  that 
were  directed  at  the  enemy  in  the  memorable  Battle 
of  Stone  River. 

THE    WOUNDED. 

The  inclemency  of  this  miserable  clay  afflicted  the 
wounded  intolerably.  Scores  were  shivering  in  the 
rain  and  mud.  The  rebel  cavalry  had  destroyed  so 
many  hospital  tents  that  it  was  impossible  to  shelter 
all  the  sufferers.  Every  possible  effort  that  ingenuity 
and  generous  sympathy  could  devise  was  exerted  to 
mitigate  their  condition.  Our  own  gallant  soldiers 
submitted  uncomplainingly,  regretting  their  wounds 
because  they  could  not  continue  in  the  ranks.  The 
rebel  wounded  sometimes  growled  savagely  at  Yan 
kee  inhumanity.  To  silence  them  it  was  necessary  to 
point  to  patient  victims  of  their  murderous  malice — 
our  own  mutilated  men — spread  all  over  the  areas 
outside  of  the  hospitals,  chattering  with  cold  in  satu 
rated  garments  and  suffering  torment,  and  to  reproach 


322 

them  with  the  destruction  of  our  hospitals  by  their 
own  companions.  The  zeal  and  devoted  efforts  of 
our  Surgeons  to  discharge  their  entire  duty,  was 
beyond  all  praise. 

Near  General  Crittenden's  hospital,  Captain  Wiles, 
Provost  Marshal  General,  assembled  about  a  thousand 
prisoners,  and  organized  them  into  companies  for 
their  own  benefit.  Some  of  them  were  jovial,  but 
many  were  depressed  and  discouraged.  By  Saturday 
morning  they  were  half  famished,  having  fasted 
nearly  forty-eight  hours.  Our  trains  having  been  cut 
off  by  rebel  cavalry,  there  was  no  subsistence  for 
them.  Wiles  sent  them  a  load  of  corn,  which  they 
ate  voraciously,  jocosely  denouncing  "our  fellers" — 
Wheeler's  Cavalry — for  "  cutting  off  their  rations." 
At  this  time  some  of  Rousseau's  men  were  eating 
porter  house  steaks  carved  from  the  loins  of  Colonel 
Starkweather's  horse,  which  had  been  shot  in  the 
battle — together  with  parched  corn  for  dessert.  Every 
State  engaged  in  the  rebellion  was  represented  in  that 
motley  collection  of  gray-backs. 

SATURDAY   NIGHT. 

Saturday  night  was  equally  cheerless.  It  rained 
incessantly.  The  General  Commanding,  apprehend 
ing  a  freshet  in  Stone  River,  ordered  the  withdrawal 
of  the  troops  from  the  east  bank  of  Stone  River. 
Notwithstanding  the  wretched  discomfort  of  a  biv 
ouac  in  the  mud,  the  troops  were  even  hilarious.  A 
cheerful  tone  prevailed  at  headquarters,  which  was 
increased  by  the  arrival  of  Colonel  Dan  MeCook  with 
a  large  supply  train,  after  having  repulsed  a  sharp 
attack  of  the  enemy  below  Stewartsboro. 


SATURDAY'S  OPERATIONS.  323 

That  evening  while  General  Rosecrans  was  dicta 
ting-  his  official  telegraphic  report  of  the  battle,  to  be 
forwarded  to  General  Halleck,  General  Crittenden 
called  at  his  marquee  and  casually  remarked  that  he 
supposed  there  would  be  no  offensive  operations  on 
Sunday.  He  "  did  not  believe  Old  Master  would 
smile  upon  any  unnecessary  violation  of  his  laws." 
General  Rosecrans  replied,  "I  am  just  telegraphing' 
to  General  Halleck  that  we  shall  probably  be  quiet  on 
Sunday."  It  was  not  then  known  that  the  battle  was 
ended.  Conversation  ran  back  to  the  advance  from 
JsTashville.  General  Crittenden,  with  his  customary 
frankness,  now  disapproved  of  it  in  strong  language. 
He  thought  it  had  been  extremely  imprudent  to  ad 
vance  when  so  inadequately  supplied.  "  How  many 
rations  do  you  suppose  there  are  at  Nashville?"  said 
Rosecrans.  "Well,"  said  Crittenden,  "  I  suppose  you 
had  seven  or  eight  days  ahead."  General  Rosecrans' 
eyes  twinkled  sharply.  He  then  said,  "  I  supposed  I 
had  informed  you.  I  had  Thomas,  and  probably 
McCook.  I  have  rations  at  Nashville  to  last  until 
the  25th  of  January,  and  they  can  be  made  to  last  to 
the  1st  of  February."  General  Crittenden  was  sur 
prised.  He  regretted  that  all  the  Generals  had  not 
known  it,  because  it  would  have  relieved  their  minds 
of  many  misgivings.  General  Rosecrans  is  apt  to  be 
reticent  in  matters  of  vital  moment. 

SUNDAY. 

At  about  midnight  there  were  indications  of  a 
freshet  in  Stone  River.  Before  daylight  the  Left 
"Wing  was  withdrawn  to  the  east  side  of  Stone  Ri^er. 
Sunday  morning  the  sun  rose  clearly.  A  little  later 


324  SATURDAY'S  OPERATIONS. 

tidings  were  received  that  the  enemy  had  fled.  The 
General  Commanding  devoted  himself  an  hour  to 
High  Mass  that  morning,  his  faithful  and  brave  com 
panion.  Father  Trecy,  officiating.  Who  shall  say 
that  God  did  not  hear  his  prayer:  "  Non  nobis ! 
Dominie  non  nobis  !  Sednominetiti  da  Gloriam!" 

Burial  parties  were  sent  out  to  inter  the  dead,  and 
General  Stanley  followed  the  enemy  to  reconnoiter. 
Headquarters  were  removed  to  the  east  side  of  the 
pike,  and  for  the  first  time  since  the  2  Jtli  of  Decem 
ber — nine  full  days — the  General  Commanding  and 
his  staff,  and  the  noble  soldiers  of  the  Fourteenth 
Army  Corps,  enjoyed  respite  from  fatigue,  hunger, 
exposure,  and  battle.  An  officer  said  to  General 
Ilosecrans,  "  The  army  is  enthusiastic  in  its  approval 
of  your  tenacity."  His  eyes  sparkled  an  instant,  then 
he  said  sharply,  a  I  suppose  they  have  learned  that 
Bragg  is  a  good  dog,  but  Holdfast  is  better." 

The  enemy  left  several  thousand  of  their  own 
wounded  in  the  town,  and  four  hundred  and  four  of 
our  wounded  soldiers,  but  we  found  no  hospital  stores 
there  for  the  use  of  the  rebel  wounded. 

OFFICIAL    SUMMARY. 

"  Of  the  operations  and  results  of  the  series  of 
skirmishes,  closing  with  the  battle  of  Stone  River 
and  the  occupation  of  Murfreesboro,"  said  General 
Rosecrans,  "  we  moved  on  the  enemy  with  the  follow 
ing  forces  : 

Infantry .41,421 

Cavalry , 8.206 

Artillery 


Total...,  46,940 


SATURDAY'S  OPERATIONS.  325 

We  fought  the  battle  with  the  following  forces  : 

Infantry 37,977 

Cavalry 3,200 

Artillery 2,223 

Total 43,400 

We  lost  in  killed  : 

Officers 92 

Enlisted  men 1,441 


Total ._ 1,533 

We  lost  in  wounded  : 

Officers 384 

Enlisted  men 6,861 

Total 7,245 

Total  killed  and  wounded 8,778 

Being  20.03  per  cent,  of  the  entire  force  in  action. 

"If  there  are  any  more  bloody  battles  on  record, 
considering  the  newness  and  inexperience  of  the 
troops,  both  officers  and  men;  or  if  there  have  been 
better  fighting  qualities  displayed  by  any  people,  I 
should  be  pleased  to  know  it. 

"As  to  the  condition  of  the  fight,  we  may  say  that 
we  operated  over  an  unknown  country,  against  a  posi 
tion  which  was  fifteen  per  cent,  better  than  our  own, 
every  foot  of  ground  and  approaches  being  well 
known  to  the  enemy,  and  that  these  disadvantages 
were  fatally  exhumed  by  the  faulty  position  of  our 
Eight  Wing. 

"  The  force  we  fought  is  estimated  as  follows  :  We 
have  prisoners  from  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  regi 
ments  of  infantry  (consolidations  counted  as  one), 


326  SATURDAY'S  OPERATIONS. 

averaging  from  those  in  General  Bush  rod  Johnson's 
division,  four  hundred  and  eleven  each — say,  for  cer 
tain,  three  hundred  and  fifty  men  each,  will  give, 

No.  men, 

132  Regiments  infantry,  say  350  men  each 40,200 

12  Battalions  sharpshooters,  say  100  men  each 1,200 

23  Battalions  of  artillery,  say  80  men  each 1,840 

29  Regiments  cavalry,  men  each 400  ~) 

And  24  organizations  of  cavalry,  men  each 70  j        '"* 

220  02,520 

"  Their  average  loss,  taken  from  the  statistics  of 
Cleborne,  Breekin ridge,  and  Withers'  divisions,  was 
about  two  thousand  and  eighty  each.  This,  for  six 
divisions  of  infantry  and  one  of  cavalry,  will  amount 
to  fourteen  thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty  men  :  or 
to  ours  nearly  as  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  to  one 
hundred. 

"  Of  fourteen  thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty  reb 
els  struck  by  our  missiles,  it  is  estimated  that  twenty 
thousand  rounds  of  artillery  hit  seven  hundred  and 
twenty-eight  men;  two  million  rounds  of  musketry 
hit  thirteen  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-two 
men ;  averaging  twenty-seven  cannon  shots  to  hit 
one  man;  one  hundred  and  forty-five  musket  shots  to 
hit  one  man. 

"  Our  relative  loss  was  as  follows  : 

Per  cent. 

Right  Wing , 15,933.     Musketry  and  artillery  loss  20.72 

Center 10,800.  "  "    *      "     18.4 

Left  Wing 13,288.  "  "          "    24.0 

"  On  the  whole,  it  is  evident  that  we  fought  supe 
rior  numbers  on  unknown  ground,  inflicting  much 


327 

more  injury  than  we  suffered.  We  were  always 
superior  on  equal  grounds  with  equal  numbers,  and 
only  failed  of  a  most  crushing  victory  on  Wednesday 
by  the  extension  and  direction  of  our  Right  Wing." 

Early  on  Monday  morning,  General  Thomas  ad 
vanced  into  Murfreesboro,  ITegley's  division  in  front, 
driving  the  enemy's  rear  guard  of  cavalry  before 
them.  Spears'  brigade  of  East  Tennesseeans  and 
General  Stanley  with  the  Fourth  Regular  Cavalry, 
Captain  Otis,  and  other  cavalry  regiments,  came  up 
with  the  rear  guard  of  the  enemy  at  Lytle's  Creek, 
on  the  Manchester  pike,  three  miles  and  a  half  from 
Murfreesboro,  and  after  sharp  fighting  in  the  cedar- 
brakes,  drove  them  at  sunset  from  their  last  position. 
Zahn's  brigade  of  cavalry  reconnoitered  six  miles  on 
the  Shelbyville  pike,  but  found  no  opposition. 

McCook's  and  Crittenden's  corps,  following  Thomas, 
took  position  in  front  of  the  town,  occupying  Mur 
freesboro.  It  was  ascertained  that  the  enemy's  in 
fantry  had  reached  Shelbyville  by  12  M.  on  Sunday, 
but  owing  to  the  impracticability  of  bringing  up  sup 
plies,  and  the  loss  of  five  hundred  and  fifty-seven 
artillery  horses,  further  pursuit  was  deemed  inad 
visable. 


328  MORAL   POWER   IN   BATTLE. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

REVIEW  of  the  Field — The  Self-R.eliance  of  the  General  Commanding — • 
His  Influence  in  the  Battle— Moral  Power — The  Staff— Field  Officers 
— Special  Mention  for  Important  Services  —  Addenda  —  Enlisted 
Men  Distinguished — Consolidated  Report  of  Casualties — Uragg's 
Army  and  his  Grand  Tactics. 

PROSTRATION  always  follows  the  fatigue  and  exhaus 
tive  passion  of  battle.  Our  gallant  troops  sorely 
needed  rest;  their  officers  needed  it  still  more.  The 
subsequent  irritability  of  those  in  command,  and  of 
all  in  executive  office,  sufficiently  indicated  that  nature 
had  been  outraged.  The  patient  endurance  and  lofty 
spirit  of  the  troops  had  been  wonderful  and  most 
admirable.  isTo  suffering  or  privation  had  evoked 
complaint.  They  were  ever  ready  to  spring  to  arms 
and  fight.  This  was  attributable  in  very  large 
measure  to  the  moral  influence  and  example  of  the 
General  Commanding,  and  the  spirited  officers  of  his 
command.  He  was  incessantly  employed.  At  night 
he  was  riding  over  the  field  preparing  for  the  morrow. 
In  battle  he  was  everywhere.  The  troops  saw  him 
and  had  confidence  in  him.  They  would  stand  as 
long  as  he  stood. 

An  old  soldier,  remarking  upon  the  battle  of  Wed 
nesday,  said  that  he  could  not  doubt  that  "  everybody 
but  Rosecrans  was  whipped  that  day."  Just  where 
others  would  have  begun  to  retreat  he  begun  to  fight. 


MORAL    POWER   IN    BATTLE.  329 

Instead  of  looking  around  for  gunboats  or  intrench- 
ments  behind  which  to  shelter  what  remained  of  his 
army,  he  commenced  at  once  to  make  new  disposi 
tions  for  the  reception  of  the  triumphant,  advancing 
host.  He  had  but  a  few  minutes  at  his  disposal ;  but 
he  improved  them  to  the  utmost.  "With  calm,  cheer 
ful,  confident,  assuring  presence,  he  rode  through  his 
anxious,  troubled,  apprehensive  ranks,  the  light  of 
battle  in  his  eye  rekindling  valor  in  their  souls,  post 
ing  his  remaining  cannon  so  as  to  sweep  with  deadly 
aim  the  field  over  which  the  exulting  rebels  were  so 
soon  to  advance,  placing  his  infantry  so  as  to  support 
the  artillery  with  the  least  exposure  possible;  and 
making  every  one  feel  that  retreat  was  not  to  be 
thought  of — that  there  was  no  choice  but  to  conquer 
or  die.  Hardly  were  the  most  necessary  dispositions 
completed  when  the  rebel  columns  came  rushing  on, 
with  shouts  that  shook  the  earth,  undoubting  that 
they  would  repeat  in  a  few  minutes  the  lesson  they 
had  just  given  McCook's  routed  command.  But  a 
sheet  of  flame  leaped  to  meet  them,  a  roar  of  cannon 
and  rattle  of  musketry  drowned  their  frantic  }7ells,  a 
pall  of  smoke  shrouded  the  field  of  conflict  from  view, 
and  there  was  no  cessation  until  silence  on  the  other 
side  suggested  the  inutility  of  further  firing  on  ours. 
Soon  the  cloud  lifted;  the  sun  shone  out  bright  and 
warm ;  our  grim  battalions  stood  to  their  arms  in 
readiness  for  the  word  of  command ;  but  there  was 
no  foe  within  sight — nothing  but  a  plain  heaped  with 
the  writhing  and  the  dead.  Such  was  the  first  taste 
of  his  quality  given  to  Bragg's  bullies  by  Rosecrans; 
and,  though  often  thereafter  impelled  to  repeat  the 
dash  of  Wednesday  morning,  they  never  did  it  so 
28 


330  MORAL    POWER   IN    BATTLE. 

recklessly,  nor  with  anything  like  the  success  of  their 
first  attempt.  Battles  had  been  well  fought  before ; 
some  in  which  the  General  Commanding  did  his  work 
fairly;  many  in  which  our  soldiers  behaved  nobly; 
but  the  Stone  Elver  fight  was  saved,  and  Tennessee, 
Kentucky,  Ohio,  and  Indiana  with  it.  by  William  S. 
Rosecrans.  That  he  exposed  himself  recklessly,  con 
stantly,  and  influenced  his  officers  to  do  likewise, 
was  no  idle  bravado,  but  a  stern  necessity.  After 
McCook's  discomfiture,  the  fight  was  lost  but  for  this. 
Rarely  pushing  an  advantage  too  far — giving  his 
routed  men  time  to  recover  from  their  first  panic 
before  sending  them  into  action  again — cool,  patient, 
steady,  yet  resolute,  sanguine  and  watchful — General 
Rosecrans  proved  himself  more  than  fortunate,  and 
won  a  high  place  in  the  confidence  and  the  affections 
of  his  countrymen.  He  will  not  be  forgotten. 

Men  who  knew  General  Rosecrans  at  home,  socially, 
before  he  became  a  warrior,  had  inferred  from  his 
temperament  some  proneness  to  hasty  judgment,  defi 
ciency  in  executive  skill,  and  lack  of  coolness  and 
deliberation.  No  doubt  his  military  mind  has  devel 
oped  with  experience,  but  it  is  plain  the  original  esti 
mate  of  his  character  was  incorrect.  There  can  be 
no  mistake  that  in  coolness,  readiness,  fertility  of 
resource,  celerity  of  thought,  rapid  decision,  and  com 
prehensive  grasp  of  mind  in  the  midst  of  the  most 
trying  situations  of  peril,  personal  and  military,  he 
proved  himself  perfectly  equal  to  the  tremendous 
responsibility  which  devolved  upon  him.  Practical 
skill,  profound  strategy,  and  executive  faculty  with  a 
mind  which  grasps  general  principles,  and  eagerly 
inquires  into,  and  handles  minute  details,  are  rarely 


MORAL    POWER   IN    BATTLE.  331 

embodied  in  one  character,  and  yet  General  Rosecrans 
demonstrated  that  he  combines  all. 

When  his  Right  Wing  was  so  astounding!  y  flung 
back  into  his  face  with  frightful  rapidity  and  violence, 
it  was  enough  to  have  shaken  any  ordinary  mind.  It 
must  have  touched  him  exquisitely.  His  plans  were 
so  thoroughly  prepared  and  digested,  and  so  well 
approved  by  his  best  Generals — he  relied  so  earnestly 
upon  the  staunchness  of  the  trust}7  Right  Wing,  that 
the  pang  of  disappointment,  when  it  gave  way,  must 
have  been  almost  crushing  for  the  instant.  A  little 
color,  perhaps,  faded  from  his  face,  but  he  dashed 
away  emotion  with  a  gesture  of  impatience,  and  vehe 
mently  said,  "Nevermind — never  mind — we  will  rec 
tify  it — we  will  make  it  all  right ! "  From  that  instant 
•  no  man  discerned  a  glimmer  of  despondency,  uncer 
tainty,  or  vacillation  in  his  deportment,  but  he  bent 
the  whole  force  of  his  will,  and  directed  all  the  powers 
of  his  mind  into  that  field,  with  an  obvious  determ 
ination  to  make  it  his  own.  These  were  the  observ 
ations  of  many  who  watched  him  all  day  long,  with 
the  keenest  and  most  painful  solicitude.  The  faintest 
relaxation  of  his  constancy  would  have  unmanned  all 
his  army. 

THE    STAFF. 

The  gallantry  and  unflinching  fidelity  of  the  Staff 
was  worthy  of /highest  admiration.  They  were  in 
the  midst  of  the  conflict  constantly  and  discharged 
their  duties  with  unsparing  zeal.  It  was  not  surpris 
ing  that  there  should  have  been  so  many  casualties  in 
the  Staff  and  escort,  but  it  was  marvellous  that  most 
of  them  were  not  killed.  The  conduct  of  the  Aids, 
Captain  Thompson,  Captain  Thorns,  Lieutenant  Byron 


332  MORAL    POWER   IN   BATTLE. 

Kirby,  and  Lieutenant  Bond,  who  were  incessantly 
carrying  orders  to  all  parts  of  the  field,  was  conspicu 
ously  brilliant.  But  Barnet,  Goddard,  Wiles,  Skinner, 
Curtis,  Oilman,  Mickler,  Hub  bard,  Merrill,  Xewbeny, 
Quartermaster  Taylor,  Commissary  Simmons,  Royse, 
youthful  Porter,  and  Reynolds,  and  gallant  Father 
Trecy  exhibited  constancy,  coolness,  and  courage  in 
the  highest  soldierly  degree.  The  General  Command 
ing  has  publicly  expressed  his  and  the  country's  obli 
gations  to  them. 

HONORABLE    MENTION. 

Without  an  exception,  the  Commanders  of  Corps, 
Divisions  and  Brigades,  behaved  with  distinguished 
bravery.  Each  officer  was  constantly  in  his  place. 
General  Thomas  did  not  seem  to  be  any  more  dis 
turbed  by  the  tempest  of  battle  than  if  it  had  been 
a  summer  shower — always  calm,  cool,  imperturbable, 
but  vigilant  and  watchful  of  his  command.  Rousseau 
was  fiery  and  enthusiastic.  "Battle's  magnificently 
stern  array,"  had  a  splendid  effect  upon  him.  He 
rode  through  the  storm  erect,  with  radiant  counte 
nance  and  flashing  eyes,  seeming  to  enjoy  the  infer 
nal  carnival.  Loomis,  of  the  famous  Michigan  Bat- 
teiT,  is  not  unlike  him  in  battle.  A  more  superb 
couple  of  heroes  never  fought  together  on  any  field. 
l^egley  was  eager,  clear,  vigilant,  and  self-possessed. 
McCook  was  as  brave  as  any  soldier  need  be,  and 
was  with  his  troops  in  their  deepest  trouble.  Braver 
men,  and  cooler  than  Davis  and  Johnson,  do  not  live. 
Sherridan,  fighting  on  the  left  of  the  Right  Wing, 
proved  himself  a  soldier  of  a  high  order  of  courage  and 
skill. 


MORAL    POWER   IN    BATTLE.  333 

Crittenden  was  perfectly  calm,  but  an  vnmsnal 
statcliness  in  his  deportment  seemed  to  indicate  that 
he  was  gravely  conscious  of  the  glories  and  horrors 
of  a  great  battle.  He  displayed,  conspicuously,  one 
of  the  distinguishing  qualities  of  a  true  soldier — a 
will  to  obey  orders  implicitly.  He  was  fortunate  in 
having  such  Generals  as  Wood,  Van  Cleve,  Hazen, 
Ilascall,  Harker,  Cruft,  Grose,  "Wagner,  Beatty  and 
Fyffe.  The  general  estimate  of  the  army,  touching 
division  commanders,  placed  General  Wood  in  the 
very  front  rank — and  his  dispositions  on  the  day  of  his 
advance  from  Lavergne  and  until  his  wound  com 
pelled  him  to  relinquish  his  command,  justified  that 
verdict.  His  official  report  is  a  model  of  soldierly 
composition — technical,  severe  in  style  and  yet  elo 
quently  descriptive,  while  it  breathes  the  spirit  of  a 
thorough  soldier  throughout.  General  Palmer,  by 
his  constancy,  fidelity,  and  unflinching  courage,  won 
the  applause  of  the  army.  It  is  doing  no  injustice  to 
the  remainder  of  the  army  to  describe  the  battle  of 
Wednesday  afternoon,  fought  by  Hazen  and  Grose, 
of  the  Second  Division  of  the  Left  Wing,  with  lias- 
call,  Shaefer  and  Wagner  on  his  left,  as  one  of  the 
most  splendid  efforts  in  martial  history.  True  the 
Left  was  grandly  supported  by  the  Center,  but  the 
dreadful  fighting  of  that  frightful  afternoon  was 
chiefly  done  by  the  brigades  which  have  been  desig 
nated.  The  skill  and  firmness  of  Hazen,  when  the 
tide  was  turning  on  the  Eight,  holding  the  key  of  his 
position  sternly;  the  desperate  heroism  of  his  two  im 
mortal  regiments — the  One  Hundredth  Illinois  fixing 
bayonets,  and  the  Forty-First  Ohio  without  bayonets, 
grimly  clubbing  their  muskets  to  hold  their  position 


334  MORAL    POWER   IN   BATTLE. 

until  relief  should  arrive  to  enable  them  to  retire  for 
ammunition,  and  shouting  with  wild  vehemence;  the 
splendid  spirit  of  the  glorious  Ninth  Indiana,  march 
ing  across  that  horrid  front,  swept  as  it  was  by  can 
non  and  awful  volleys  of  musketry,  cheering  with 
grand  defiance  of  death,  was  one  of  the  most  sublime 
examples  of  tragic  devotion  in  the  annals  of  warfare. 
No  wonder  the  General  Commanding  said  that 
"Hazen  ought  to  be  a  Major  General."  Bnt  it  was 
the  dramatic  situation  of  Hazen's  noble  regiments 
which  made  them  stand  out  in  such  comparative  con- 
spicuity.  Where  every  regiment  on  the  field  dis 
played  the  devotion  and  courage  of  veterans,  it  seems 
almost  invidious  to  individualize  any.  Who  are  the 
cowards  and  traitors  who  can  despair  of  the  country 
while  the  God  of  Battles  gives  us  such  soldiers  to 
fight  in  defense  of  the  Republic? 

Let  the  Republic  rejoice  that  few  field  officers  in  all 
that  great  army  were  recreants.  The  Fourteenth 
Army  Corps  was  a  host  of  heroes  led  by  heroes. 
Each  took  his  life  in  his  sword-hand  and  flung  it  with 
magnificent  devotion  upon  the  altar  of  his  country. 
The  soul  swells  with  lofty  pride  in  contemplating  the 
great  deeds  of  our  countrymen  upon  that  dreadful 
field — and  it  thrills  with  anguish  when  it  bends  over 
the  graves  of  the  noble  dead — oh  !  such  multitudes 
of  the  brightest  spirits  in  all  this  wide  land  !  It 
seemed  as  if  the  demon  of  destruction  reveled  with 
infernal  joy  among  our  most  gallant  officers.  Death 
singled  out  too  many  shining  marks,  and  made  them  all 
his  own.  The  nation  "mourns  for  her  children  and 
will  not  be  comforted,  because  they  are  not."  Was 
that  noble  sacrifice  in  vain  ?  "  Words  of  m}7  own," 


MORAL    POWER   IN   BATTLE.  335 

said  General  Rosecrans,  with  eloquent  and  touching 
pathos,  "  can  not  add  to  the  renown  of  our  brave  and 
patriotic  officers  and  soldiers  who  fell  on  the  Held  of 
honor,  nor  increase  respect  for  their  memory  in  the 
hearts  of  our  countrymen.  The  names  of  such  men  as 
Lieutenant  Colonel  J.  P.  Garesche*,  the  pure  and  nohle 
Christian  gentleman  and  chivalric  officer,  who  gave 
his  life  an  early  offering  on  the  altar  of  his  country's 
freedom  ;  the  gentle,  true  and  accomplished  General 
Sill  ;  the  brave,  ingenious,  and  able  Colonels  Roberts, 
MiHikin,  Shaeffer,  McKee,  Reed,  Forman,  Fred. 
Jones,  Hawkins,  Kell,  Harrington,  Williams,  Stem, 
and  the  gallant  and  faithful  Major  Carpenter,  of  the 
Nineteenth  Regulars,  and  many  other  field  officers, 
will  live  in  our  country's  history,  as  well  as  those  of 
many  others  of  inferior  rank,  whose  soldierly  deeds 
on  this  memorable  battle-field  won  for  them  the  ad 
miration  of  their  companions,  and  will  dwell  in  our 
memories  in  long  future  years  after  God,  in  his 
mercy,  shall  have  given  us  peace  and  restored  us  to 
the  bosom  of  our  homes  and  families." 

Of  the  surviving  brigade  commanders,  no  word 
was  heard  on  the  field  or  after  battle  but  of  praise. 
Each  seemed  to  have  established  himself  so  thor 
oughly  in  the  confidence  of  his  special  command  that 
the  troops  of  the  respective  brigades  proudly  boasted 
that  their  own  was  the  truest  and  best  commander  in 
the  army.  Hazen,  Carliu,  James  St.  Clair  Morton, 
Miller,  Samuel  Beatty,  and  John  Beatty,  Gibson, 
Grose,  Barker,  Wagner,  Starkweather,  and  Stanley, 
are  officers,  said  the  General  Commanding,  in  whom 
the  "  Government  may  well  confide.  They  are  the 
men  from  whom  our  troops  should  be  at  once  sup- 


336  MORAL    POWER   IN    BATTLE. 

plied  with  Brigadier  Generals;  and  justice  to  the 
brave  men  and  officers  of  the  regiments,  equally 
demands  their  promotion,  to  give  them  and  their  reg 
iments  their  proper  leaders.  And  then,"  said  Gen 
eral  Rosecrans,  with  the  cnthusiam  of  a  Chieftian, 
who  appreciates  and  loves  the  good  soldiers  who 
have  fought  so  well,  "  many  captains  and  subalterns 
also  showed  great  gallantry,  and  capacity  for  supe 
rior  commands.  But  above  all,  the  steady  rank  and 
file  showed  invincible  fighting  courage  and  stamina 
worthy  of  a  great  and  free  nation,  requiring  only 
good  officers,  discipline  and  instruction,  to  make  them 
equal  if  not  superior  to  any  troops  in  ancient  or  mod 
ern  times." 

St.  Clair  Morton,  Hazen,  Carlin,  and  Miller — the 
latter,  at  the  especial  request  of  General  Thomas, 
were  at  once  recommended  for  promotion  to  Briga 
dier  Generals.  Hazen  exhibited  consummate  skill, 
demonstrating  his  fitness  for  a  large  command.  There 
was  a  spirit  and  gallantry  about  young  ITarkcr  in  the 
midst  of  action  that  excited  the  liveliest  admiration. 
Beatty  (Samuel)  was  as  cool  and  pleasant  as  an  Octo 
ber  morning.  He  deported  himself  as  if  he  had 
taken  a  responsibility  which  he  must  execute  under 
all  circumstances,  and  he  proceeded  in  a  methodical 
business  sort  of  way  that  suggested  anything  but  bul 
lets  and  blood.  Rousseau,  Wood,  St.  Clair  Morton, 
Colonel  Loomis,  were  the  splendid  figures  of  the  bat 
tle-field.  They  were  no  braver  nor  more  devoted 
than  others,  but  there  was  a  sort  of  gloriousness  in 
their  deportment  on  the  field  that  excited  enthusiasm 
in  all  who  saw  them.  "Quiet  Phil.  Sherridan  "  pre 
served  his  sobriquet  under  all  conditions,  but  the 


MORAL    POWER  IN   BATTLE.  337 

nervy  curtness  of  bis  orders  showed  that  his  spirit 
\vas  moved.  The  President  did  a  wise  thing  when  he 
made  Sherridan  a  Major  General.  He  did  not  do  so 
wisely  when  he  overlooked  Wood.  But  it  is  proba 
ble  that  his  honesty  and  desire  to  do  right  are  com 
pelled  to  play  the  coquette  in  endeavoring  to  strike 
an  even  balance,  numerically,  between  candidates 
from  the  volunteer  and  regular  armies  respectively. 
Perhaps  it  is  well  to  maintain  the  principle  of  com 
pensation  by  appointing  two  Major  Generals  who 
have  not  proved  that  they  know  their  business,  to 
adjust  a  mistake  made  in  appointing  two  others  who 
understand  it  thoroughly.  But  soldiers  who  have 
fought  do  not  appreciate  it. 

The  tribute  paid  by  General  Rosecrans  to  General 
Stanley  (since  promoted),  was  warmly  approved  by 
the  army.  Brigadier  General  Stanley,  he  said,  "al 
ready  distinguished  for  four  successful  battles,  Island 
iN~o.  10,  May  27,  before  Corinth,  luka,  and  the  battle 
of  Corinth,  at  this  time  in  command  of  our  ten  regi 
ments  of  cavalry,  fought  the  enemy's  forty  regiments 
of  cavalry,  and  held  them  at  bay,  and  beat  them 
wherever  he  could  meet  them.  He  ought  to  be  made 
a  Major  General  for  his  services,  and  also  for  the 
good  of  the  service." 

The  gallantry  and  the  fidelity  of  the  staff  officers 
of  all  the  commanders  was  never  surpassed.  Among 
those  of  subordinate  rank,  Captain  Gates  P.  Thrus- 
ton,  of  McCook's  Staff,  attracted  most  attention,  being 
complimented  in  the  official  reports  of  six  General 
officers  including  that  of  General  McCook,  and  finally 
by  General  Rosecrans.  The  official  lists  of  "  special 
mentions,"  which  include  some  of  those  who  were 
29 


338  SPECIAL    MENTION. 

conspicuously  distinguished  for  gallantry  and  good 
conduct,  embrace  the  following  names,  viz. : 

NAMES   SPECIALLY  MENTIONED   OFFICIALLY  FOR  IMPORTANT 
SERVICES  IN  THE  BATTLE  OF  STONE  RIVER. 

By  Major  General  Me  Cook. — Brigadier  Generals  R.W.Johnson,  P.  H. 
Sherridan,  and  Jeff.  C.  Davis,  commanding  divisions  in  the  Right  Wing; 
for  gallant  conduct  during  the  battles,  and  for  prompt  and  conscien 
tious  attention  to  duty  during  their  service  with  the  Right  Wing. 

Brigadier  General  D.  S.  Stanley,  Chief  of  Cavalry,  commanded 
advance  of  Right  Wing  during  its  advance  from  Nolensville;  is  espe 
cially  mentioned  for  energy  and  skill. 

Division  Commander  Wood — Brigadier  General  M.  T.  Hascall,  com 
manding  First  Brigade  ;  deserves  commendation  and  gratitude  of  his 
country. 

Division  Commander  Palmer. —  Brigadier  General  C.  Cruft,  First 
Brigade ;  for  holding  an  important  position,  and  for  extricating  his 
command  from  the  mass  of  confusion  around  him,  caused  by  repulse 
of  Right  Wing. 

Division  Commander  D.  S.  Stanley. — Colonel  Minty,  Fourth  Michigan 
Cavalry,  deserves  credit  for  the  management  of  his  command  on  the 
march  and  in  several  engagements. 

Colonel  Murray,  Third  Kentucky  Cavalry ;  rendered  important  and 
distinguished  service,  gallantly  charging  and  dispersing  the  enemy's 
cavalry  in  their  attack  on  our  train,  Wednesday,  December  31st. 

Colonel  Zahn,  Third  Ohio  Cavalry ;  contributed  greatly,  by  his  per 
sonal  example,  to  the  restoration  of  order  and  confidence  in  that  por 
tion  of  the  Second  Brigade  stampeded  by  the  enemy's  attack  on 
Wednesday,  31st. 

Division  Commander  Johnson. — Colonel  W.  H.  Gibson,  Forty-Ninth 
Ohio  ;  commanded  Willich's  brigade  after  the  capture  of  Willich  ;  has 
been  several  times  heretofore  recommended  for  promotion,  and  is 
again  earnestly  recommended  by  Major  General  McCook,  and  by  Gen 
eral  Johnson,  for  meritorious  conduct. 

Colonel  Charles  Anderson,  Ninety-Third  Ohio ;  honorable  mention 
by  Major  General  Rousseau,  for  gallant  conduct. 

Colonel  Wallace,  Fifteenth  Ohio  ;  Colonel  Dodge,  Thirtieth  Indiana  ; 
Colonel  P.  C.  Baldwin ;  recommended  for  promotion  for  coolness  and 
courage  on  the  field  of  battle. 

Division  Commander  Wood. — Colonel  George  D.  Wagner,  Fifteenth 
Indiana,  commanding  brigade ;  has  commanded  brigade  for  a  year  ;  is 


SPECIAL   MENTION.  339 

recommended  for  promotion,  for  brave  and  skillful  conduct  during  the 
late  battles. 

Colonel  C.  G.  Harker,  Sixty-Fifth  Ohio  ;  has  commanded  brigade  for 
a  year  ;  is  recommended  for  promotion,  for  brave  and  skillful  conduct. 
He  is  also  specially  mentioned  by  Major  General  Me  Cook,  for  valuable 
services  on  the  Right  Wing. 

Division  Commander  Palmer. — Colonel  W.  B.  Hazen,  Forty-First  Ohio, 
commanding  brigade;  commanded  brigade,  and  is  especially  men 
tioned  for  courage  and  skill  in  handling  his  troops,  and  for  maintain 
ing  an  imro-tant  position. 

Colonel  W.  Grose,  Thirty-Sixth  Indiana,  commanding  brigade  ;  com 
manded  brigade,  and  is  recommended  for  coolness  and  bravery,  in 
fighting  his  troops  against  a  superior  force. 

Division  Commander  Palmer. — Colonel  Sedgwick,  Second  Kentucky; 
Colonel  D.  A.  Enyart,  First  Kentucky  ;  Colonel  Ross,  Ninety-Fourth 
Ohio ;  Colonel  Osborne,  Thirty-First  Indiana  ;  displaj'cd  marked  gal 
lantry  on  the  field,  and  handled  their  respective  commands  with 
skill  and  judgment. 

Division  Commander  Van  Clcve. — Colonel  Samuel  Beatty,  Ninteenth 
Ohio,  commanding  brigade  ;  commanding  brigade,  for  coolness,  intre 
pidity  and  skill. 

Colonel  J.  P.  FyflTe,  Fifty-Ninth  Ohio,  commanding  brigade;  is 
recommended  for  coolness,  intrepidity  and  skill.  Is  also  especially 
mentioned  by  Major  General  McCook,  for  valuable  services  with  the 
Right  Wing. 

Colonel  Grider,  Ninth  Kentucky ;  commanded  brigade,  and  is 
especially  mentioned  for  gallantry  and  coolness  under  trying  circum 
stances. 

Division  Commander  Rousseau. —  Colonel  0.  A  Loomis,  First  Michigan 
Artillery  ;  rendered  most  important  services  throughout  the  battle. 

Colonel  John  Starkweather,  First  Wisconsin,  commanding  brigade; 
especially  mentioned  for  coolness,  skill  and  courage. 

Division  Commander  Neylcif. —  Colonel  William  Sirwell,  Seventy- 
Eighth  Pennsylvania  ;  Colonel  Granville  Moody,  Seventy-Fourth  Ohio ; 
Colonel  Hull,  Thirty-Seventh  Indiana ;  for  the  skill  and  ability  with 
which  they  handled  their  respective  commands. 

Division  Commander  Sherridan. — Colonel  Greusel,  Thirty-Sixth  Illinois; 
Colonel  Bradley,  Fifty-First  Illinois;  are  specially  commended  for 
skill  and  courage. 

Colonel  Sherman,  Eighty-Eighth  Illinois;  honorably  mentioned  for 
distinguished  service. 

Division  Commander  Johnson. — Lieutenant  Colonel  Hotchkiss,  Eighty- 


340  SPECIAL    MENTION. 

Ninth  Illinois  ;  Lieutenant  Colonel  Jones,  Thirty-Ninth  Indiana ; 
recommended  for  promotion  for  meritorious  conduct.  Lieutenant  Col 
onel  W.  W.  Berry,  Louisville  Legion;  specially  mentioned  for  gallant 
and  meritorious  conduct;  is  also  specially  mentioned  by  Major  Gen 
eral  Rousseau  for  retreating  in  good  order  before  an  overwhelming 
force,  and  drawing  off  by  hand  a  section  of  artillerjfc  he  had  been 
ordered  to  support. 

Division  Commander  Negley. — Lieutenant  Colonel  Neibling,  Twenty- 
First  Ohio  ;  for  skill  and  ability  during  the  battles. 

Division  Commander  Sherridan. — Lieutenant  Colonel  Laibolt,  Second 
Missouri;  specially  mentioned  for  skill  and  courage.  Lieutenant 
Colonel  McCreary,  Second  Michigan ;  honorably  mentioned  for  distin 
guished  service. 

Division  Commander  D.  S.  Stanley. — Major  Kline,  Third  Indiana  Cav 
alry  ;  on  the  27th  engaged  the  enemy  on  the  Nolensville  pike,  and  put 
them  to  flight.  Captain  E.  Otis,  Fourth  United  States  Cavalry  ;  with 
his  regiment  rendered  important  and  distinguished  service,  gallantly 
charging  and  dispersing  the  enen^'s  cavalry  in  their  attack  upon  our 
train,  on  Wednesday,  December  31st,  capturing  seventy  prisoners,  and 
rescuing  three  hundred  of  our  own  men. 

Staff  of  Major  General  Critlcnden. — Major  Lyne  Starling,  Assistant 
Adjutant  General;  specially  mentioned  by  Major  General  Crittenden 
for  gallantry  in  the  battles,  general  efficiency,  and  eighteen  months' 
faithful  service. 

Division  Commander  Rousseau. — Major  John  King,  Fifteenth  United 
States  Infantry,  Major  Carpenter,  Nineteenth  United  States  Infantry, 
Major  Slemmer,  Sixteenth  United  States  Infantry,  Major  CaldAvell, 
Eighteenth  United  States  Infantry,  Major  Fred.  Townsend,  Eighteenth 
United  States  Infantry,  commanding  their  respective  regiments,  are 
specially  mentioned  for  distinguished  gallantry  and  ability.  Major 
Carpenter  was  killed,  and  Majors  King  and  Slemmer  wounded. 

Division  Commander  Sherridan — Major  Miller,  Thirty-Sixth  Illinois, 
Major  Chandler,  Eighty-Eighth  Illinois,  Major  Hibbard,  Twentj'-Fourth 
Wisconsin;  honorably  mentioned.  Captain  John  Mendenhall,  Fourth 
United  States  Artillery,  Chief  of  Artillery  and  Topographical  Engi 
neer  on  Major  General  Crittenden's  staff;  recommended  for  promotion 
for  general  efficiency  and  personal  bravery  and  good  conduct  in  battle. 

Division  Commander  Wood. — Captain  Chambers,  Fifty-First  Indiana, 
Captain  Gladwin,  Seventy-Third  Ohio  ;  these  brave  officers,  with  one 
hundred  and  twenty  men,  drove  a  large  force  of  the  enemy  from  a  cov 
ered  position,  and  unmasked  his  battery. 

Division  Commander  Palmer. — Captain  Standart,  Company  F,  First 


SPECIAL    MENTION.  341 

Ohio  Artillery  ;  for  the  gallant  manner  in  which  he  handled  his  guns, 
and  brought  them  off  the  field. 

Staff  of  Major  General  Me  Cook.— Captain  Gates  P.  Thruston,  First 
Ohio;  specially  mentioned  by  Major  General  McCook,  and  others,  for 
particular  acts  of  gallantry,  skill  and  good  conduct.  He  is  mentioned 
by  Generals  Negley,  Johnson,  Davis,  Sherridan,  and  Carlin. 

Division  Commander  Davis. — Captain  Hale,  Seventy-Fifth  Illinois ; 
Captain  J.  H.  Litson,  Twentj'-Second  Illinois;  specially  mentioned  for 
gallant  conduct  in  skirmishing. 

Division  Commander  Rousseau. — Captain  Crofton,  Sixteenth  United 
States  Infantry  ;  Captain  Fulmer,  Fifteenth  United  States  Infantry  ; 
Captain  Mulligan,  Nineteenth  United  States  Infantry;  these  three 
infantry  Captains  commanded  their  respective  battalions  after  their 
Majors  had  beeu^iisabled,  and  behaved  with  great  gallantry,  although 
opposed  by  overwhelming  numbers.  Captain  Guenther,  Fifth  United 
States  Infantry,  Company  II;  deserves  great  credit  and  special  men 
tion. 

Division  Commander  Sherridan. — Captain  Hescock,  First  Missouri 
Battery;  specially  mentioned  for  bravery  and  skill  in  the  battles, 
and  for  general  efficiency. 

Pioneer  Brigade. — Captain  Bridges,  Nineteenth  Illinois  ;  continued  in 
command  of  his  regiment  after  receiving  a  painful  wound. 

Division  Commander  Johnson. — Lieutenant  Belding,  First  Ohio  Artil 
lery,  Company  A  ;  recommended  for  promotion  for  saving  three  of  his 
guns  by  his  personal  exertions. 

Division  Commander  Sherridan. — Lieutenant  Lambessard,  Nineteenth 
Illinois  ;  Lieutenant  Wvman  Murphy,  Twenty-First  Wisconsin,  Inspect 
ors  of  Pioneer  Brigade  ;  are  specially  mentioned  in  two  reports  for 
gallant  conduct  and  energy. 

Surgeon  McDermot,  Medical  Director  Right  Wing;  for  gallant  con 
duct  in  the  field,  and  great  care  and  consideration  for  the  wounded. 
Surgeon  G.  D.  Beebe,  Medical  Director  Center  ;  for  zeal,  energy  and 
efficiency.  Surgeon  A.  J.  Phelps,  Medical  Director  Left  Wing  ;  for 
prompt  attention  to  the  wounded,  great  energy  and  efficiency  in  the 
discharge  of  his  duties. 

By  Major  General  Rosecrans.— Major  General  G.  H.  Thomas,  true  and 
prudent,  distinguished  in  council  and  on  many  battle-fields  for  his 
courage  ;  Major  General  McCook,  a  tried,  faithful  and  loyal  soldier, 
who  bravely  breasted  battle  at  Shiloh  and  at  Perryville,  and  as  bravely 
on  the  bloody  field  of  Stone  River;  and  Major  General  Thomas  L. 
Crittenden,  whose  heart  is  that  of  a  true  soldier  and  patriot,  and  whose 
gallantry,  often  attested  by  his  companions  in  arms  in  other  fields, 


342  SPECIAL    MENTION. 

witnessed  many  times  by  this  army — never  more  conspicuously  than 
in  this  combat ;  and  the  gallant,  ever  ready  Major  General  Rousseau, 
maintained  their  high  character  throughout  this  action. 

Brigadier  Generals  Negley,  Jefferson  C.  Davis,  Stanley,  Johnson, 
Palmer,  Hascall,  Van  Cleve,  Wood,  Mitchell,  Cruft  and  Sherridan  ; 
ought  to  be  made  Major  Generals  in  our  service.  Brigade  command 
ers,  Colonels  Carlin,  Miller,  Hazen,  Samuel  Beatty,  of  the  Nineteenth 
Ohio,  Gibson,  Grose,  Wagner,  John  Beatty,  of  the  Third  Ohio,  Harker, 
Starkweather,  Stanley  ;  recommended  for  promotion. 

And  the  Staff,  viz.:  The  noble  and  lamented  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Garesche,  Chief  of  Staff;  Lieutenant  Colonel  Taylor,  Chief  Quarter 
master  ;  Lieutenant  Colonel  Simmons,  Chief  Commissary  ;  Major  C. 
Goddard,  senior  Aiddecarnp  ;  Major  Ralston  Skinner,  Judge  Advocate 
General ;  Lieutenant  Frank  S.  Bond,  Aiddecamp  of  General  Tyler  ; 
Captain  Charles  R.  Thompson,  my  Aiddecamp ;  Lieutenant  Byron 
Kirby,  Sixth  United  States  Infantry,  Aiddecamp,  who  was  wounded 
on  the  31st;  R.  S.  Thorns,  Esq.,  a  member  of  the  Cincinnati  Bar,  who 
acted  as  Volunteer  Aiddecamp,  and  behaved  with  distinguished  gal 
lantry;  Captain  Wm.  D.  Bickham,  Volunteer  Aiddecamp,  rendered 
efficient  services  on  the  field  ;  Colonel  Barnet,  Chief  of  Artillery  and 
Ordnance  ;  Captain  J.  PI.  Gilman,  Nineteenth  United  States  Infantry, 
Inspector  of  Artillery  ;  Captain  James  Curtis,  Fifteenth  United  States 
Infantry,  Assistant  Inspector  General;  Captain  Wiles,  Twenty-Second 
Indiana,  Provost  Marshal  General  ;  Captain  Michler,  Topographical 
Engineer  ;  Captain  Jesse  Merrill,  Signal  Corps,  whose  corps  behaved 
well  ;  Captain  Elmer  Otis,  Fourth  Regular  Cavalry,  who  commanded 
the  Courier  Line,  connecting  the  various  headquarters  most  success 
fully,  and  who  made  a  most  successful,  opportune,  and  brilliant  charge 
on  Wheeler's  Cavalry,  routing  the  brigade,  and  recapturing  three  hund 
red  of  our  prisoners;  Lieutenant  Edson,  United  States  Ordnance  Offi 
cer,  who,  during  the  battle  of  Wednesday,  distributed  ammunition 
under  the  fire  of  the  enemy's  batteries,  and  behaved  bravely.  Captain 
Hubbard  and  Lieutenant  Newberry,  who  joined  the  staff  on  the  field, 
acting  as  aids,  rendered  valuable  service  in  carrying  orders  on  the 
field;  Lieutenant  Royse,  Fourth  United  States  Cavalry,  commanded 
the  escort  of  the  headquarters'  train,  and  distinguished  himself  with 
gallantry  and  efficiency.  All  performed  their  appropriate  duties  to  the 
entire  satisfaction  of  the  General  Commanding — "accompanying  me 
everywhere,"  said  the  General,  "  carrying  orders  through  the  thickest 
of  the  fight,  watching  while  others  slept,  and  never  weary  when  duty 
called,  deserve  my  public  thanks-  and  the  respect  and  gratitude  of  the 
army." 


SPECIAL    MENTION.  343 


ADDENDA. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  Houssam,  Seventy-Seventh  Pennsylvania  Vol 
unteers. 

Captain  Bingham,  Sixty-Ninth  Ohio  Volunteers. 

Captain  Cox,  Tenth  Indiana  Battery. 

Captain  James  P.  Meade,  Thirty-Eighth  Illinois  Volunteers. 

Lieutenant  John  L.  Dillon,  Thirty-Eighth  Illinois  Volunteers. 

Lieutenant  Jones,  Post's  Brigade. 

Seventy-Eighth  Pennsylvania  Volunteers  captured  a  rebel  flag  from 
Twenty-Sixth  Tennessee,  assisted  by  other  regiments  of  Negicy's 
division. 

Lieutenant  Guenther,  United  States  Battery,  and  the  Second  Ohio 
Volunteers,  captured  the  flag  of  the  Thirtieth  Arkansas  Regiment. 

The  Fifteenth  Regiment  of  Indiana  Volunteers,  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Wood  commanding,  charged  and  captured  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
three  prisoners  from  the  Twentieth  Louisiana  Regiment. 

The  Thirteenth  Michigan  Volunteers  gallantly  recaptured  two  guns 
belonging  to  Captain  Bradley's  Battery. 

Carlin's  brigade  lost  half  its  field  officers  in  killed  and  wounded. 

The  Fifth  Kentucky  Volunteers  dragged  from  the  field,  by  hand,  a 
section  of  artillery,  through  deep  mud  and  under  heavy  fire. 

Four  color-bearers  of  the  Twenty-First  Illinois  were  shot  down,  yet 
the  colors  were  borne  safely  through  the  fight. 

SPECIAL  RECOMMENDATIONS  FOR  PROMOTION. 

Brigadier  General  David  S.  Stanley,  senior  Brigadier  General  at  the 
battle  of  Stone  River.  He  commanded  the  force  that  did  the  fighting 
at  New  Madrid.  On  the  27th  of  May,  1862,  he  commanded  division 
before  Corinth,  and  repulsed  a  vigorous  sortie  of  the  enemy.  At  the 
battle  of  luka  his  division  fought  well,  supporting  General  Hamilton's 
division,  and  pursuing  the  enemy.  His  troops  bore  a  conspicuous  part 
in  the  battle  of  Corinth — charged  the  enemy,  routed  Maury's  division 
at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  and  followed  the  advance  guard  in  the 
pursuit.  As  Chief  of  Cavalry,  in  the  Department  of  the  Cumberland, 
he  organized  an  effective  force  out  of  our  almost  disorganized  Cav 
alry,  and  successfully  operated  against  the  enemy  double  in  numbers. 
At.  the  bnttlc  of  Stone  River  he  won  universal  admiration  for  himself 
by  acts  of  personal  daring  and  skillful  uanagement  of  his  troops. 
Distinguished  in  five  great  battles,  he  is  entitled  to  rank  commensurate 
with  the  command  so  long  intrusted  to  him. 


344  SPECIAL   MENTION. 

Brigadier  General  James  S.  Negley  has  commanded  a  division  nearly 
a  year,  always  maintaining  strict  discipline,  and  keeping  his  com 
mand  in  excellent  condition.  As  commander  of  the  post  at  Nashville, 
he  fortified  and  protected  the  city  in  a  most  judicious  manner,  while 
cut  off  from  communication,  without  support  from  our  forces  in  Ken 
tucky,  and  surrounded  by  a  vigilant  enemy,  he  subsisted  upon  their 
country,  made  several  successful  sorties  against  them,  at  one  time 
routing  a  large  force  at  Lavergne,  Tennessee.  At  the  battle  of  Stone 
River  he  fought  his  troops  obstinately,  and  handled  them  with  con 
summate  skill,  winning  a  high  reputation  for  courage  and  generalship, 
and  contributing  largely  to  the  success  of  our  arms. 

Brigadier  General  Thomas  J.  Wood,  a  thoroughly  loyal  soldier  from 
Kentucky.  When  the  war  broke  out,  he  assisted  the  Governor  of 
Indiana  in  organizing  the  troops  in  that  State,  and,  through  his  energy 
and  experience,  was  instrumental  in  creating  and  systematizing  the 
military  department  for  which  that  State  is  so  justly  celebrated.  He 
made  a  forced  march  to  be  present  at  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  reaching 
there  with  his  command  in  time  to  join  in  the  pursuit.  He  com 
manded  a  division  before  Corinth.  At  the  battle  of  Stone  River  his 
division  repulsed  the  repeated  assaiilts  of  the  enemy  in  a  most  bril 
liant  manner,  and  the  night  of  the  31st  December  found  it  occupying 
the  same  ground  it  held  in  the  morning.  Early  that  day  he  was 
severely  wounded  while  nobly  discharging  his  duty,  but  he  did  not 
leave  the  field  till  night  ended  the  conflict. 

Brif/adicr  General  Jefferson  C,  Davis  won  distinction  at  the  commence 
ment  of  the  rebellion,  for  gallant  service  at  Fort  Sumter.  After 
ward  conspicuous  in  the  sanguinary  struggle  in  South-Western 
Missouri.  He  captured  nine  hundred  prisoners  at  Blackwatcr,  and  by 
the  splendid  fighting  of  his  troops,  and  his  skillful  management,  con 
tributed  largely  to  the  success  of  our  arms  at  Pea  Ridge.  His  services 
at  Shiloh  and  before  Corinth  deserve  honorable  mention.  At  Stone 
River  he  sustained  his  high  reputation.  His  division  was  compelled 
to  retire  by  being  flanked,  not  by  being  driven.  On  the  2d  of.  Jan 
uary,  he  crossed  Stone  River  with  a  single  brigade  of  his  division, 
and  gallantty  led  them  against  the  enemy,  and  assisted  in  routing  and 
pursuing  the  corps  of  General  Breckinridge. 

Brigadier  General  John  M.  Palmer  has  long  held  a  responsible  com 
mand  with  credit  to  himself  and  honor  to  his  country.  The  official 
report  of  Major  General  Crittenden  pays  him  a  well-deserved  compli 
ment  for  important  services  performed  at  the  battle  of  Stone  River. 
His  troops  were  posted  in  the  extreme  front  of  the  line  of  battle  in  an 
exposed  position,  when  they  successfully  resisted  the  massed  assaults 


SPECIAL    MENTION.  345 

of  a  foe  flushed  with  anticipated  victory,  and  held  their  ground  during 
the  whole  of  that  fearful  conflict.  He  exposed  himself  freely  to  heavy 
fire,  and  in  the  heat  of  battle  maneuvered  his  command  with  prudence 
and  ability. 

Brigadier  General  II.  P.  Van  Cleve  first  achieved  distinction  at  Mill 
Springs,  Kentucky,  where  his  command  charged  and  routed  the  enemy 
with  the  bayonet,  and  did  a  large  part  of  the  splendid  fighting  that 
resulted  in  that  most  important  and  brilliant  victory.  He  has  always 
borne  the  character  of  an  able,  conscientious,  and  brave  officer.  At 
the  battle  of  Stone  River  he  managed  his  command  with  skill  and 
vigor.  When  McCook's  corps  was  driven  back  after  his  (Van  Cleve's) 
division  had  crossed  the  river  to  advance  on  Murfreesboro,  General 
Van  Cleve  hastened  with  a  large  part  of  his  command  to  the  Right  of 
the  army,  and  in  an  open  field  assisted  in  checking  the  advance  of  the 
enemy.  Though  wounded  early  in  the  action  of  the  31st,  he  remained 
on  the  field  all  day,  animating,  and  obstinately  and  prudently  fighting 
his  well-disciplined  troops. 

Brigadier  General  Phil.  If.  Sherridan  is  a  model  officer,  and  possesses 
in  an  eminent  degree  qualities  that  promise  for  him  a  brilliant  and 
useful  career  in  the  profession  of  arms.  As  commander  of  a  large 
force  of  cavalry  at  Corinth,  he  proved  himself  enterprising,  capable, 
and  more  than  a  match  in  generalship  for  the  enemy's  most  noted 
officers.  At  Stone  River  he  won  universal  admiration.  He  held  his 
troops  in  hand,  and  fought  them  several  hours,  repulsing  the  enemy  in 
his  front  with  great  slaughter.  Upon  being  flanked  and  compelled  to 
retire,  he  withdrew  his  command  more  than  a  mile  under  a  terrible 
fire  in  remarkable  order,  at  the  same  time  inflicting  the  severest  pun 
ishment  upon  the  foe.  The  constancy  and  steadfastness  of  his  troops 
on  the  31st  of  December  enabled  the  reserve  to  reach  the  Right  of  our 
army  in  time  to  turn  the  tide  of  battle,  and  changed  a  threatened  rout 
into  a  victory.  He  has  fairly  Avon  promotion. 

Colonel  John  Beatti/,  Third  Ohio.  Early  in  the  war  he  participated 
in  the  important  military  operations  in  Western  Virginia,  and  was 
present  at  Rich  Mountain  and  Elkwater.  He  bore  an  honorable  part 
tinder  General  Mitchell  in  the  engagement  at  Bridgeport,  Tennessee. 
He  commanded  the  regiment  on  the  extreme  right  of  McCook's  corps 
at  the  battle  of  Chaplin  Hills,  and  displayed  coolness  and  courage  in 
that  exposed  and  fatal  position.  At  Stone  River,  Colonel  Bcatty's  bri 
gade  was  in  reserve,  and  when  the  Right  of  our  army  was  driven 
back,  was  gallantly  led  to  the  rescue,  and  through  such  splendid  fight 
ing  as  it  and  others  did,  the  army  was  saved.  On  January  3d,  Colonel 
Beatty;s  brigade,  under  his  skillful  management,  assisted  in  storming 


346  SPECIAL    MENTION. 

the  enemy's  rifle  pits,  and  achieving  the  success  that  led  the  enemy  to 
abandon  the  position  before  Murfreesboro. 

Colonel  Wm.  1L  Gibson,  Forty-Ninth  Ohio  Volunteers,  entered  the 
service  July  3,  1801,  as  Colonel  of  the  Forty-Ninth  Ohio  Volunteers,  a 
regiment,  while  under  his  charge,  second  to  no  other  in  drill,  disci 
pline,  and  efficiency.  He  long  commanded  a  brigade,  and  at  one  time 
a  division  at  Shiloh,  before  Corinth,  and  at  Stone  River ;  he  has  proved 
himself  a  working,  wide-awake,  determined,  and  able  officer.  During 
the  latter  engagement  he  moved  his  brigade  under  ciders  to  various 
parts  of  the  field  with  admirable  promptness  and  ability. 

Colonel  Wm.  B.  Hazen,  Forty-First  Ohio  Volunteers,  has  been  intrusted 
with  the  responsibility  of  commanding  a  brigade  perhaps  as  long  as 
any  officer  in  the  service  of  similar  rank.  At  Shiloh  he  displayed 
marked  ability.  At  Stone  River  he  proved  himself  a  brave  and  able 
soldier  by  the  courage  and  skill  displayed  in  forming  and  sheltering 
his  troops,  and  in  organizing  and  fighting  all  the  material  around  him, 
in  order  to  hold  his  important  position. 

Colonel  W.  P.  Carlin,  Thirty-Eighth  Illinois  Volunteers.  This  thor 
oughly  educated  and  efficient  officer  has  attained  honorable  distinction 
at  Pea  Ridge,  Corinth,  Chaplin  Hills,  and  Stone  River,  as  well  as  by 
the  perfect  state  of  discipline  in  which  he  always  kept  his  command. 
At  Chaplin  Hills  he  pushed  his  brigade  into  Perryville,  threatened  the 
enemy's  rear,  and  captured  an  ammunition  train,  several  caissons,  and 
a  considerable  number  of  the  enemy.  In  the  advance  on  Murfrees 
boro,  through  his  daring  and  skill,  the  brigade  routed  a  rebel  force  and 
captured  a  cannon.  At  Stone  River,  December  80,  he  drove  in  the 
rebc-1  skirmishers  and  advance  guard  in  admirable  style.  December 
31st  he  held- his  troops  in  hand,  fighting  desperately  against  fearful  odds 
until  the  supports  on  both  sides  were  driven  back,  and  the  fact  that  he  lost 
half  his  field  officers  in  killed  and  wounded,  and  thirty-four  and  three- 
fourths  per  cent,  of  his  command,  testifies  to  his  stubborn  fighting. 

Colonel  Samuel  13eatt>/,  Nineteenth  Ohio  Volunteers,  distinguished  him 
self  early  in  the  war  by  gallant  conduct  in  Western  Virginia,  particu 
larly  at  Rich  Mountain.  At  Shiloh  he  again  did  good  service.  On 
the  morning  of  the  31st  of  December,  at  Stone  River,  when  our  Right  had 
been  turned,  he  assisted  by  steady  and  unflinching  fighting  in  check 
ing  the  advance  of  the  enemy.  January  3d  he  commanded  the  Third 
Division,  Left  Wing,  in  the  sanguinary  conflict  east  of  Stone  River, 
and  though  forced  to  retire  before  overwhelming  numbers,  he  rallied 
his  troops,  and  aided  in  the  brilliant  repulse  and  pursuit  that  soon  fol 
lowed.  The  official  report  of  his  commanding  officer  commended  him 
for  his  coolness,  intrepidity,  and  skill  on  the  field  of  battle. 


SPECIAL   MENTION.  347 

Colonel  George  D.  Wagner,  Fifteenth  Indiana  Volunteers,  served  as 
Colonel  of  the  Fifteenth  Indiana  on  Cheat  Mountain  in  Western  Vir 
ginia,  and  aided  effectually  in  repulsing  the  attack  of  the  rebel  Gen 
eral  Lee  at  Elk  water.  Distinguished  for  energy  and  efficiency  as  a 
regimental  commander,  he  has  commanded  successfully  and  efficiently 
a  brigade,  and  at  the  battle  of  Stone  River  his  conduct  was  heroic. 
He  is  respectfully  recommended  for  promotion  to  Brigadier  General. 

Colonel  William  Grose,  Thirty-Sixth  Indiana  Volunteers,  has  long 
commanded  a  brigade  with  ability  that  would  make  his  promotion  but 
a  simple  act  of  justice  to  him  and  his  command.  At  the  battle  of 
Stone  River  his  troops,  posted  in  the  extreme  front,  fought  against 
great  odds,  and  the  commander  of  his  division  reports  that  he  con 
ducted  himself  with  great  coolness  and  bravery,  and  managed  his 
troops  in  such  a  manner  that  he  could  suggest  no  improvement.  He 
is  respectfully  recommended  for  promotion  to  the  rank  of  Brigadier 
General. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  0.  L.  Shepherd,  commanding  Regular  Brigade ; 
commanded  the  brigade  with  bravery  and  skill  at  the  battle  of  Stone 
River,  and  is  specially  mentioned  in  the  reports  of  Major  General 
Rousseau  and  of  Major  General  Thomas,  his  division  and  corps  com 
manders.  The  fearful  loss  of  the  brigade,  being  upward  of  thirty- 
five  per  cent.,  attests  the  obstinacy  of  the  fighting.  lie  is  respectfully 
recommended  for  a  "brevet," 

Major  Fred.  Townsend,  of  the  Eighteenth  United  States  Infantry,  com 
manding  a  battalion  of  Regulars  in  the  battle  of  Stone  River,  behaved 
with  great  gallantry,  and  is  especially  mentioned  in  the  report  of  his 
division  comutander.  He  is  respectfully  recommended  for  a  "brevet." 

Major  Slemmer,  commanding  battalion  of  Sixteenth  Regulars,  fought 
bravely,  was  badly  wounded,  and  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 
While  in  a  little  cabin  with  six  other  wounded  officers,  the  lire  of  our 
batteries  struck  the  house,  and  some  of  them  prepared  to  put  out  a 
white  flag,  but  Major  Slemmer  sent  his  boy  to  say  that  there  was  no 
one  but  six  desperately  wounded  officers  who  would  probably  die  any 
way,  and  that  if  it  was  necessary  to  hold  the  ground  to  blaze  away 
and  knock  the  house  to  pieces. 

Major  Caldwell,  commanding  battalion  of  Regulars  .at  the  battle  of 
Stone  River,  has  been  in  service  twenty  years — is  honorably  mentioned 
by  his  brigade  commander  for  gallantry.  He  is  respectfully  recom 
mended  for  a  "brevet." 

Major  John  H.  King,  Fifteenth  United  States  Infantry,  has  com 
manded  a  battalion  of  Regulars  for  more  than  a  year  in  active  service, 
and  always  praised  by  his  superiors  for  order  and  efficiency.  Was  in 


348  SPECIAL    MENTION. 

i.he  battle  of  Sliiloh,  where  he  had  a  horse  shot  from  under  him  ;  and 
was  second  in  command  in  the  battle  of  Stone  River,  where  he  fought 
bravely.  He  is  respectfully  recommended  for  "  brevet." 

Captain  Crofton  commanded  a  battalion  of  the  Sixteenth  United 
States  Infantry  after  Major  Slemmer  was  wounded,  in  the  battle  of 
Stone  River,  where  he  fought  bravely.  He  is  respectfully  recommended 
for  "  brevet." 

Captain  Mulligan,  who  succeeded  Major  Carpenter  in  command  of 
the  Nineteenth  Infantry  Battalion  in  the  battle  of  Stone  River,  is  men 
tioned  by  his  commander  for  gallantry.  He  is  respectfully  recom 
mended  for  a  "brevet." 

Captain  Fulmer,  Fifteenth  Regular  Infantry,  succceeded  to  the  com 
mand  of  that  battalion  at  the  battle  of  Stone  River,  after  Major  King 
was  wounded,  and  behaved  with  great  bravery  during  the  whole 
action. 

First  Lieutenant  J.  L.  Guenther,  JSattery  II,  Fifth  United  States 
Artillery.  Too  much  can  not  be  said  in  praise  of  this  brave  and 
accomplished  officer.  His  services  in  Western  Virginia  especially  at 
the  battle  of  Greenbriar,  deserves  the  most  honorable  mention.  At 
Shiloh  his  heroic  conduct  and  skill  in  managing  his  guns  won  univer 
sal  admiration,  and  Captain  W.  Terrill,  his  senior  officer,  was  made 
Brigadier  General  for  like  brilliant  services.  At  the  engagement  at 
Dog  Walk  he  behaved  with  coolness  and  intrepidity.  For  his  magnifi 
cent  conduct  at  Stone  River  he  fairly  earned  the  "brevet"  of  Major. 
His  battery  almost  annihilated  the  Thirty-Fifth  Arkansas  rebel  regi 
ment  and  cut  down  and  captured  its  colors.  His  splendid  Napoleons, 
double-shotted  with  grape,  defended  themselves  frequently  unaided  by 
infanti'y,  and  gained  for  them  the  thanks  and  admiration  of  the  army. 
Served  in  Western  Virginia  with  great  credit. 

Lieutenant  Parsons  commanding  Companies  H  and  M,  Fourth  United 
States  Artillery,  in  the  battle  of  Stone  River,  has  always  managed  to 
get  under  the  heaviest  fire.  He  was  in  the  affair  at  Cotton  Hill,  in 
Western  Virginia,  and  at  Shiloh  in  Mendenhall's  Battery,  which  was 
specially  mentioned  in  General  Crittenden's  report.  At  Perryville  he 
behaved  like  a  hero.  His  battery  was  specially  distinguished  in  the 
battle  of  Stone  River  on  the  day  of  the  31st  of  December,  and  on  the 
morning  of  the  2d  of  January.  He  is  respectfully  recommended  for  a 
Major  "  brevet." 

Colonel  John  Kennett,  Fourth  Ohio  Volunteer  Cavalry,  who  com 
manded  the  Second  Cavalry  Division,  accompanying  General  Crit 
tenden's  Corps,  behaved  with  great  gallantry  and  efficiency  through 
out  the  entire  engagement,  commencing  on  the  26th  of  Decem- 


SPECIAL   MENTION.  349 

ber  and  terminating  on  the  3d  of  January  last.  His  cavalry  drove  the 
rebel  cavalry  from  near  Lavergne  arid  followed  them  during  our 
advance.  On  the  30th,  during  all  the  day,  the  cavalry  of  his  brigade 
was  scattered,  but  with  those  parts  he  could  command,  from  time  to 
time  during  the  battle,  he  behaved  with  distinguished  gallantly, 
charging  the  rebel  cavalry  in  person.  He  rallied  some  of  our  cavalry 
and  stopped  stragglers  in  the  rear,  and  captured  a  number  of  rebel 
prisoners.  His  unwearied  labors  and  conspicuous  courage  on  former 
occasions,  as  well  as  during  the  battle  of  Stone  River,  have  endeared 
him  to  the  army,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  deep  regret  that  a  functional 
disease  compelled  him  to  quit  the  service.  He  well  deserves  to  be  a 
Brigadier  General  in  the  cavalry  service. 

ENLISTED  MEN  SPECIALLY  MENTIONED  FOR  GALLANT  CON 
DUCT  IN  THE  BATTLE  OF  STONE  RIVER. 

Quartermaster  Sergeant  Colburn,  Thirty-Third  Ohio. 

Sergeant  Ferguson,  Co.  G,  Fifty-Ninth  Illinois. 

First  Sergeant  German,  Eighth  Wisconsin  Battery. 

Privates  A.  F.  Freeman  and  Abijah  Lee  (Orderlies  with  Brigadier 
General  Davis). 

Private  James  Gray,  Co.  E,  Thirty-Ninth  Indiana. 

Sergeant  Holan,  Co.  G,  Sixty-Fourth  Ohio. 

Corporal  James  Slater  and  Private  William  Hayman,  Second  Indi 
ana  Cavalry  (escort  General  Palmer). 

Sergeant  McKay,  Co.  E,  Forty-First  Ohio;  Sergeant  McMnhon,  Co. 
II,  Forty-First  Ohio,  and  Corporal  J.  B.  Patterson,  Co.  G,  Forty-First 
Ohio  (commanded  their  respective  companies  in  the  battle  and 
behaved  with  great  gallantry,  recommended  for  promotion). 

Sergeant  R.  B.  Rhodes,  First  Ohio  Cavalry  (commanded  escort  of 
Brigadier  General  Van  Cleve). 

Sergeant  Jason  Hurd,  Nineteenth  Ohio. 

Private  William  Brown,  Fifty-Seventh  Ohio  (captured  thirty  pris 
oners). 

Private  Nelson  Shields,  Thirteenth  Ohio  (preserving  regimental 
flag). 

Private  J.  F.  Mitchell,  Co.  B.  Thirty-Third  Ohio. 

Sergeant  H.  A.  Millar,  Seventy-Eighth  Pennsylvania. 

Sergeant  A.R.  Weaver,  Seventy-Eighth  Pennsylvania. 

Sergeant  F.  Mechlin,  Seventy-Eighth  Pennsylvania. 

Corporal  W.  Hughes,  Seventy-Eighth  Pennsylvania. 

Sergeant  P.  A.  Weaver,  Seventy-Fourth  Ohio. 

Orderlies  Jaggers  and  Parish,  Fourth  Ohio  Volunteer  Cavalry. 


350 


CASUALTIES. 


CASUALTIES. 

Our  losses  in  the  service  of  operations,  beginning 
with  the  26th  day  of  December  and  ending  with  the 
battle  of  Stone  River,  were  as  follows : 

EIGHT  WING,  MAJOR  GENERAL  McCOOK. 

FIRST   DIVISION,    BRIGADIER  GENERAL  JEFF.   C.   DAVIS. 

First  Brigade,  Colonel  P.  Sidney  Post  Commanding. 


REGIMENTS. 

Killed 

Wounded      Missing. 

Aggregate 

Officers.. 

P 

Officers. 

<T> 

Officers. 

o 

Officers. 

a 

22d  Indiana  Volunteers* 

7 
7 

5 

34 
43 
34 
19 

5 

]  35 

... 
~~ 

18 
30 
42 
59 
6 

5 

i 

2 
1 

"1 

59 
80 
84 
80 
12 

3  ir> 

59th  Illinois  Volunteers  

74th  Illinois  Volunteers  

8 
2 
1 

9 

75th  Illinois  Volunteers  

5th  Wisconsin  Battery  

Total  First  BnVade..., 

— 

Second  Brigade,  Colonel  W.  P.  Carlin  Commanding. 

2lst  Illinois  Volunteers   

2 
2 

4 
2 

55 
13 
19 
32 

3 

7 
5 
2 

5 

1 

180 
05 
121 
104 

5 

"i 

59 
33 
66 
34 
1 

5 

6 
7 
1 

294. 
Ill 
206 
170 
9 

790 

15th  Wisconsin  Volunteers  

101st  Ohio  Volunteers  

38th  Illinois  Volunteers 

2d  Minnesota  Battery                      ..- 

Total  Second  Brigade  

!() 

122 

20 

475 

1 

193 

31 

Third  Brigade,  Colonel  W.  E.   Woodruff  Commanding. 


35th  Illinois  Volunteers 

1 

10 

1 

49 

25 

0 

84 

81st  Indiana  Volunteers        

9 

4 

1 

46 

1 

15 

4 

65 

8th  Wisconsin  Battery  

1 

4 

1 

1 

5 

Co   B   2d  Indiana  Cavalry 

2 

2 

2d  Kentucky  Cavalry   Co   G 

1 

2 

6 

1 

8 

Total  Third  Brigade  

6 

9q 

5 

175 

1 

52 

19 

256 

Total  First  Division    

in 

176 

84 

785 

9 

400 

59 

1361 

CASUALTIES. 


351 


SECOND  DIVISION,  BRIGADIER  GENERAL  R.  W.  JOHNSON. 

First  Brigade,  Brigadier  General  A.   Willich,  succeeded  by  Colonel  W.  H. 
Gibson   Commanding. 


REGIMENTS. 

Killed    Wounded 

Missing. 

Aggregate 

Officers.. 

g 

Officers.. 

| 

Officers. 

a 

3 

C 

m 

o> 

g 

p 

1 

ii  : 

15th  Ohio  Volunteers           ... 

17 

18 

2 
6 

68 
88 
40 
116 
45 
4 

1 
"2 

127 
108 
115 
229 
94 

to  en  :  CD  co 

212 
214 
167 
375 
148 
29 

1145 

49th  Ohio  Volunteers   

2 

32d  Indiana  Volunteers   

39th  Indiana  Volunteers  

1 
1 

30 
9 
1 

2 
1 

89th  Illinois    Volunteers  

Battery  A,  1st  Ohio....  

Total  First  Brigade  

1 

87 

11 

361 

4 

697 

19 

Second  Brigade,  Brigadier  General  E.  N.  Kirk  Commanding. 


1 

1 

34th  Illinois  Volunteers 

2 

... 

19 

o 

98 

2 

72 

5 

189 

79th  Illinois  Volunteers  .        ... 

1 

9^ 

g 

68 

3 

121 

7 

212 

29th  Indiana  Volunteers  

1 

14 

I 

86 

] 

51 

| 

131 

30th  Indiana  Volunteers  

1 

80 

2 

108 

9 

70 

5 

208 

77th  Pennsylvania  Volunteers  
Battery  E    1st  Ohio           .  .    .. 

1 

4 
10 

1 

28 
5 

2 

9 

28 

4 

9 

60 
15 

6 

100 

11 

373 

9 

349 

9f) 

815 

Third  Brigade,  Colonel  P.  P.  Baldwin  Commanding. 


1st  Ohio    Volunteers  1 

8 
12 
17 
18 
3 
4 

1 
1 

7 
1 

46 
45 
50 
73 
18 
6 

... 

"i 

i 

17 

81 
64 
36 
26 
1 
15 

1 
1 
1 

8 

1 

135 
121 
103 
117 
22 
25 

93d  Ohio  Volunteers  

6th  Indiana  Volunteers  

5th  Kentucky   Volunteers   .. 

*1 

Total   Third    Brigade  

1 
11 

62 
249 

10 

32 

238 
972 

223 

12 

60 

523 
2483 

Total  Second  Division 

1262 

352 


CASUALTIES. 


THIRD  DIVISION,  BRIGADIER  GENERAL  PHIL.  H.  SHERRIDAN. 
First  Brigade,  Brigadier  General  J.  W.  Sill    Commanding. 


REGIMENTS. 

Killed 

Wounded 

Missing.  |  Aggregate 

Officers.. 

ft) 

Officers.. 

5* 
O 
P 

Officers. 

Z 

o 

£3 

Officers. 

^ 

o 

•  \ 

1 

2 

3iitli  Illinois  Volunteers 

1 
1 
1 

45 
13 
19 
18 
6 

3 
2 
1 

7 

144 

48 
55 
82 
17 

6 

13 

48 
98 
3G 
3 

10 
3 

2 
7 

202 
109 
172 
130 
20 

045 

88t]i  Illinois  Volunteers 

24th  Wisconsin  Volunteers  
21^1  Michigan  Volunteers   . 

4  li  Indiana  Battery.    .  .        

Total   First  Brigade.... 

i 

101 

14 

340 

61  198 

24 

Second  Brigade,  Colonel  F.  Shaeffer  Commanding. 


2d  Brigade    officers                 .  ... 

j 

] 

2d  Missouri  Volunteers  
15th  Missouri  Volunteers  

g 

q 

4 

40 
51 

1 

14 
5 

1 
,7 

61 
65 

44th  Illinois  Volunteers  

1 

98 

4 

104 

17 

5 

149 

73d  Illinois  Volunteers  

1 

15 

8 

61 

1 

7 

5 

83 

1st  Missouri  Battery 

1 

5 

18 

1 

1 

19 

Total  Second  Brigade  

7 

64 

11 

269 

9 

44 

*>0 

377 

Third  Brigade,  Colonel  G.  W.  Roberts  Commanding. 


3d  Brigade    officers 

1 

1 

22d   Illinois   Volunteers  

21 
8 
18 
6 
5 

5 
2 

4 

2 

13 
38 
104 

109 
67 
96 
37 
19 

328 
943 
2700 

2 

"i 

54 
25 

45 
9 
25 

7 
3 
2 
5 
2 

184 
100 
159 
52 
49 

544 
1566 
5410 

27th   Illinois   Volunteers  

1 
1 
1 

42d  Illinois  Volunteers  
51st  Illinois  Volunteers                       . 

1st  Illinois  Battery   . 

Total  Third  Brigade   

4 

]r) 

58 
223 

648 

3 
11 

158 
400 

20 
64 

Total  Third  Division 

Grand  Total  

42 

30 

2062 

176 

CASUALTIES. 


353 


CENTER,  MAJOR  GENERAL  GEO.  H.  THOMAS. 
FIRST  DIVISION,  MAJOR  GENERAL  ROUSSEAU. 


REGIMENTS. 

Offi'rs 

JNon- 
(,'om. 
Officers 

Enlisted 
Men. 

Total. 

H 

5T 

— 

3 
o 

a 

^ 

(6 

w 

fl>* 
CU 

^ 

5 
» 

Su 

w 

o' 

F1 

3* 
o 
(3 
D 

C- 
CD 

cL 

s 

o"* 

o 
B 
0 

1 

17 
15 
22 
15 
65 
3 
1 
2 

33d  Ohio  Volunteers   

4 

7 
7 

2 
2 
5 
3 
10 

2 
2 
8 
3 
14 

21 
24 
33 
15 

86 
8 
2 
4 
8 
4 
29 
48 
67 
87 
71 
133 
216 
47 
5 

908 

94th  Ohio  Volunteers 

2 

2d  Ohio  Volunteers 

1 

4 

2 

10th  Wisconsin  Volunteers 

38th  Indiana  Volunteers 

1 

2 
1 

3 

19 
4 

2d  Kentucky  Cavalry  

2 

79th  Pennsylvania  Volunteers 

3 

2 

5 

24 
34 

53 
68 
54 
104 
173 
35 
4 

698 

2 

"8 
8 
17 
17 
11 
16 
55 
7 

170 

24th  Illinois  Volunteers 

15th   Kentucky  Volunteers   ..       .  . 

2 

3 
1 

6 
4 

7 

1  1 

* 

1!     4 
21  11 
4|  13 
3i  13 
1    13 
1    22 
10!  32 
...    11 
...      1 

5 
6 
13 
14 
9 
15 
43 
6 

88th  Indiana  Volunteers   

3d  Ohio  Volunteers  

42d  Indiana  Volunteers  

15th  United  States  Infantry 

1 

16th  United  States  Infantry 

18th  United  States  Infantry        ..     . 

2 
1 

19th  United  States  Infantry          .    .  . 

Company  H,  5th  United  States  Artillery 
Total  ... 

8 

44 

27  166 

135 

SECOND  DIVISION,  BRIGADIER   GENERAL  NEGLEY. 

18th  Ohio  Volunteers       

1 
1 
2 
1 
1 

8 
7 
6, 
6 
4 
B 
5 
6 

8 
4 
6 
3 
7 
4 
4 
3 

21 
21 
12 
15 
14 
21 
27 
17 
2 
I 
2 

17 

9 
23 
1 
16 

r 

19 
13 

"2 

"i 

106 

86 
55 
66 
32 
85 
66 
74 
103 
9 
3 
7 

"2 
588 

26 
14 
30 
5 
24 
9 

25 
16 

"t 

1 

_I 

154 

115 
83 
84 
53 
103 
92 
106 
125 
11 
5 
9 
1 

_! 

790 

19th  Illinois  Volunteers  

llth  Michigan  Volunteers  

69th  Ohio  Volunteer" 

21st  Ohio  Volunteers 

74th  Ohio  Volunteer^                       

37th  Indiana  Volunteers   

2 

78th  Pennsylvania  Volunteers  

1st  East  Tennessee  Volunteers  

2cl  East  Tennessee  Volunteers 

1 

Battery  G   1st  Ohio 

1 
1 

Battery  M  1st  Ohio     

1 
1 

Battery  M,  1st  Kentucky  

Total   . 

8 

49 

46 

1571 

80 


354 


CASUALTIES. 


RECAPITULATION. 


COMMANDS. 

Offi'rs 

Non- 
Coin. 

Officers 

'& 

CM). 

Total. 

Killed  

Wounded.. 

59 

Wounded.. 

1 

O 

C 

a, 

Killed  

Wounded.. 

First  Division                    .                    ..  . 

8 
8 

4427 

49J40 

1661135 
153106 

2 

698 
588 
12 

170 
154 

908 
790 
15 

Second  Division                   .                 

Walker's  Brigade        

Aggregate  

16 

94 

I'M 

321241  12983241713 

Total  killed  and  wounded, 


.2,037 


LEFT  WING,  MAJOR  GENERAL  T.  L.  CRITTENDEN. 
FIRST  DIVISION,  BRIGADIER  GENERAL  T.  J.  WOOD. 


CASUALTIES. 

Officers. 

£> 

o 

p 

g 

QD 

Killed      

11 

200 

211 

56 

859 

915 

in  7 

107 

Total  

67 

1220 

1293 

SECOND  DIVISION,   BRIGADIER   GENERAL  J.  M.  PALMER. 


COMMANDS. 

Killed.        ||     Wounded. 

Officers. 

g 

o 
ft 

H 
o 

£ 

O 
33 

a 

g 

to 

d 

g 

S" 

44 

41 
97 
5 
2 
2 

44 
46 

10^ 

o 

2 

^ 

QD 
0 

17 

22 

L« 

i 

49 

218 
318 
456 
12 
14 
43 

1001 

1st  Brigade   Cruft's  

227 

oo,-^ 

478 
12 
14 
44 

1110 

& 

10 

3d  Brigade    Grose's                        

St'ind'irt's  Ohio  Battery  

Persons'  4th  United  States  Artillery 

Cockcrell's  Indiana  Battery                         

Total... 

16 

191 

206 

CASUALTIES. 


355 


Second  Division — Continued. 


COMMANDS. 

Missing. 

Officers.... 

t> 

<e 

H 
o 
5" 

Aggregate 

1st  Brigade    Cruft'g 

6 

120 
52 
74 
3 
G 
2 

257 

1*>fi 

307 
433 
G59 
20 
22 

^ 
1579 

2d  Brio-ad  e,  Hazen  s  

52 
7-1 
3 

G 
o 

203 

3d  Brio-.idc    Grose's 

Standard's  Ohio  Battery            .... 

Parsons'  4th  United  States  Artillery  ' 

Cockcrell's  Indiana.  Battery    

Total 

6 

THIRD  DIVISION,  BRIGADIER  GENERAL  VAN  CLEVE. 


COMMANDS. 

Killed. 

Wounded.     •    Missing. 

o 
p_ 
? 

Oilicers.  | 

o 

3 

H 
o 

EL 

~ 
A 

O 

a 

o" 
p 

K 

g 

C- 

B 

o' 

1 

"1 

319 
239 

328 
1  9 

906 

9 

„! 

4 

Brigadier  General  Van  Cleve  

81 
160 

140 

387 

81 
162 

MS 

391 

460 
481 
557 
25 

1530 

1st  Brigade   ..       

7 
6 

59 
70 
75 
G 

210 

06 
80 
81 

G 



233 

14 

I 

303 
225 
307 
19 

854 

2d  Brigade             

3d  Brigade 

Artillery 

Total             

17 

GRAND  AGGREGATE. 


Officers  killed 92     Men  killed 1441     Total  killed 1,533 

Officers  wounded. ..384     Men  wounded. ...G8G1     Total  wounded..  7.2-15 


Total 476  Total 8302  Total 8,778 

Prisoners 3,000 


Grand  aggregate  of  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners 11,778 


356  BRAGG' s  TACTICS. 

Incongruous  official  reports  make  exactness  in 
aggregates  impossible;  but  it  was  finally  discovered 
upon  examination  of  all  the  data  that  the  actual 
numerical  casualties  of  the  Left  Wing  exceeded  those 
of  the  Right  "Wing.  Its  per  cent-age  of  losses  was 
correspondingly  greater.  We  lost  about  three  thou 
sand  prisoners. 

The  dead  were  buried  in  trenches,  excepting  in  a 
few  instances  where  regiments,  with  honorable  esprit 
du  corps  9  sought  tenderly  for  their  comrades  and 
interred  them  carefully,  distinguishing  their  places 
of  burial  with  head-boards.  The  body  of  Colonel 
Garesche'  was  interred  in  the  little  cemetery  on  the 
knoll  where  headquarters  were  established  on  the 
night  of  the  30th  of  December,  but  it  was  subsequently 
exhumed  by  his  brother  and  conveyed  to  the  North. 

BRAGG'S  ARMY  AND  ins  GRAND  TACTICS. 

In  the  absence  of  positive  data  it  is  necessary  to 
rely  upon  circumstantial  evidence  in  order  to  establish 
the  numerical  force  of  Bragg' s  army  in  that  battle. 
The  estimates  of  General  Rosecrans  are  not  only 
plausible  but  fair.  The  testimony  of  the  rebels  them 
selves  confirms  the  general  affirmation  that  Bragg's 
army  was  at  least  equal,  numerically,  in  infantry  and 
artillery  to  Rosecrans'  force,  while  his  cavalry  and 
mounted  infantry  exceeded  that  of  General  Stanley, 
at  least  four  to  one.  Colonel  Truesdail's  reports, 
touching  the  strength  of  Bragg's  infantry  force,  were 
generally  verified,  but  reinforcements  joined  his  forces 
after  Rosecrans  moved  from  Nashville. 

It  appeared  subsequently  that  Bragg,  confident  in  the 
superb  discipline  of  his  army,  had  misconceived  the 


BRAGG' s  TACTICS.  357 

fighting  qualities  of  our  men.  He  assumed  that  at 
least  half  of  Rosecrans'  forces  were  raw,  and  therefore 
unreliable,  lie,  therefore,  not  only  concluded  to  give 
battle  at  Stone  River,  but  it  is  asserted  that  he  was 
preparing  to  fall  suddenly  upon  the  divisions  at  Gal- 
latin,  menacing  Nashville  with  a  sufficient  force  to 
prevent  Rosecrans  from  sending  succor  to  the  forces 
at  the  former  points. 

It  is  certain  that  he  was  sanguine  of  success,  and 
his  defeat,  although  compensated  in  some  degree  by 
his  success  of  Wednesday,  was  a  sore  disappointment. 
Had  he  been  satisfied  to  withdraw  from  Murfreesboro 
Wednesday  night,  the  prestige  of  victory  would  have 
remained  with  him  for  a  little  while,  though  he  would 
have  been  bitterly  pursued  and  at  all-  hazards. 
Bragg's  mode  of  fighting  was  characteristic  of  the 
Southern  people.  It  was  all  dash,  and  the  admirable 
discipline  of  his  troops  told  fearfully  at  every  onset. 
They  charged  with  splendid  daring.  But  it  was  evi 
dent  that  they  were  best  in  onset.  They  did  not  at 
any  time  display  the  staunch  stand-up  fighting  pluck- 
iness  which  distinguished  our  troops.  Where  two 
lines  were  confronted  in  the  field,  man  for  man,  the 
superiority  of  our  troops  was  at  once  made  manifest. 
Northern  phlegm  was  too  much  for  Southern  fire. 
Their  troops  fought  ferociously,  ours  with  bitter  de 
termination.  Now  and  then  some  of  our  regiments 
galled  to  death  by  their  marksmen,  would  rush  infu- 
riately  forward  and  drive  everything  before  them. 
The  rebels  never  attempted  to  resist  a  charge,  though 
our  troops  resisted  mad  charges  by  them  repeatedly. 
They  overwhelmed  the  Right  Wing  and  the  Third 
Division  of  the  Left  by  avoirdupois — not  by  fighting. 


358  BRAGG'S  TACTICS. 

Their  grand  tactics  were  conspicuous  in  this  battle  as 
they  were  at  Games'  Mills,  where  they  defeated  Fitz 
John  Porter,  who,  if  he  had  possessed  the  skill  of 
Rosecrans,  would  have  utterly  defeated  the  enemy, 
though  vastly  outnumbered  by  them.  The  rebel  artil 
lery  practice  was  very  fine.  They  had  exact  range  all 
over  our  position.  It  was  often  remarked  in  the 
midst  of  battle  that  their  gunners  were  very  skillful. 
Nevertheless  the  superiority  of  our  artillery  was 
established.  Their  sharpshooters  were  their  most 
formidable  arm.  They  swarmed  in  the  forests,  and 
during  Wednesday  there  was  not  a  point  on  the  bat 
tle-field  that  was  not  within  their  range.  Half  our 
officers  who  were  wounded  were  struck  by  them.  In 
McCook's  front  they  had  constructed  platforms  among 
the  branches  of  the  trees,  from  which  to  practice  their 
devilish  arts.  Their  mounted  infantry  were  also  sig 
nally  serviceable  to  them.  Without  them  their  cav 
alry  would  not  have  been  able  to  cut  our  communica 
tions  so  successfully.  In  fine,  the  rebels  again 
illustrated  in  this  battle,  the  fact  that  they  had  thor 
oughly  devoted  themselves  to  war — that  they  had 
rejected  all  theories  ;  that  they  had  adopted  the  wisest 
maxims  of  warfare,  and  had  accepted  the  admonitions 
of  experience.  It  was  curious,  however,  that  Bragg, 
whose  reputation  as  an  artillery  officer  stood  highest 
in  that  branch  of  the  service,  should  have  been  so 
thoroughly  beaten  with  his  favorite  arm. 


INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES.  359 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

INCIDENTS  and  Anecdotes — Comedy  of  Battle — An  Irish  Rebel — A  Brace 
of  Wounded  Soldiers — Colonel  Granville  Moody — His  "Boys" — His 
Piety  and  Pugnacity — Singular  Incidents — Distracted  Birds  and 
Ptabbits — "All  the  Dinner  's  Gone'' — Ambulance  Corps  on  the  Field 
—The  Generals,  how  they  Appeared  in  Battle. 

RARE  comedy  was  intermingled  with  the  tragedy  of 
battle.  The  humorism  of  battle  saturates  you  after 
carnage  is  ended,  and  when  the  dead  are  buried.  The 
richest  of  the  fun  and  drollery  is  not  printable.  But 
soldiers  roar  over  awkward  adventures  of  their  com 
rades  when  they  assemble  in  their  bivouacs.  There 
were  some  good  things,  however,  that  the  reader  can 
enjoy.  One  was  of  Irish  parentage,  of  course.  A 
Milesian  member  of  the  First  Louisiana  rebel  regi 
ment,  who  had  been  captured,  was  strolling  around  a 
hospital  with  a  broken  arm,  which  had  been  dressed 
by  one  of  our  surgeons.  Said  an  officer.  "  Why,  Pat, 
you  an  Irishman  and  a  rebel?  How's  that?  What 
are  you  fighting  us  for?"  "An'  sure,  yer  honor," 
retorted  Pat  quickly,  "an*  did  yees  iver  hear  of  the 
likes  of  an  army  an'  there  wasn't  Irishmen  in  it?" 
"But,  Pat,"  interposed  Father  Trecy,  "you  were 
forced  into  the  service,  were  you  not?"  "Yer  river- 
encc,"  replied  the  incorrigible  fellow,  with  a  respect 
ful  salute,  "  I  wint  into  it  wid  good  will  ;  the  boys 
was  all  agoin';  there  was  a  fight,  an'  sure  Patrick 


360  INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES. 

wasn't  the  man  to  lit  inny  man  go  forninst  him." 
Pat  was  decidedly  obdurate,  and  no  more  inquisitive 
rhetoric  was  wasted  upon  him. 

A  group  of  mangled  soldiers  were  sauntering  around 
a,  field  hospital,  waiting  for  temporary  bandages  to  be 
applied  to  their  wounds.  The  surgeon  was  fully 
occupied,  and  some  delay  was  unavoidable.  A  brawny 
trooper,  with  a  bullet  in  his  left  leg  and  a  ball  in  his 
right  arm,  hobbled  up  to  the  surgeon,  holding  his 
wounded  arm  with  his  left  hand.  Projecting  his 
mutilated  leg  he  said,  with  laughable  grimace, 
"  Well,  doctor,  the  d — d  rebs  come  pretty  near  hittin' 
me."  Another  fellow,  who  had  lost  the  end  of  his 
nose,  elbowed  his  way  into  the  circle,  spouting  blood 
as  a  whale  spouts  water,  and  convulsed  the  group : 
"  The  d — d  rascals  " — sputter — u  doctor  " — sputter — 
"came  d — d  near" — sputter — "missin'  me." 

Colonel  Granville  Moody,  commanding  the  Seventy- 
Fourth  Ohio  Volunteers,  is  a  famous  Methodist 
preacher.  He  relinquished  the  altar  for  the  sword. 
Malicious  people  insinuated  that  the  Gospel  had  lost 
the  services  of  a  good  advocate,  and  that  the  army 
was  not  promoted  by  its  accession  from  the  pulpit. 
But  the  Colonel  proved  that  he  was  a  tremendous 
fighter  as  well  as  a  good  preacher.  He  is  fifty,  or 
more,  perhaps,  but  well  preserved,  with  magnificent 
port,  and  six  feet  two  or  three  inches  of  stature.  He 
has  a  fine  genial  face,  fiery  dark  eyes,  and  vocal  range 
that  would  have  excited  the  envy  of  Roaring  Ralph 
Stackpole.  He  carried  into  battle  a  spirit  of  enthu 
siasm  which  inflamed  his  "boys"  to  the  highest 
pitch  of  daring,  and  won  for  him  the  admiration 
of  thousands.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Yon  Schrader 


INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES.  361 

(Inspector  General  on  the  staff  of  General  Thomas), 
than  whom  a  braver  or  better  soldier  never  resisted 
storm  of  battle,  had  not  been  on  friendly  terms  with 
Moody  for  some  months,  but  admiring  his  splendid 
gallantry,  he  approached  him  in  the  heat  of  despqrate 
conflict,  extended  his  hand,  expressed  his  earnest 
approbation  of  the  Colonel's  heroism,  and  begged  that 
ever  after  peace  might  exist  between  them. 

A  little  later  Moody's  "  boys,"  as  he  paternally 
addressed  them,  were  obliged  to  withstand  a  terrific 
fire  without  enjoying  opportunity  to  return  it.  Moody 
galloped  to  GeneraHSTegley  and  protested.  "  This  fire, 
General,  is  positively  murderous ;  it  will  kill  all  my 
boys."  But  there  was  no  help  for  it.  His  martial 
flock,  imposing  upon  his  benevolent  nature,  sometimes 
indulged  a  little  sly  humor  at  his  expense.  In  the 
midst  of  battle,  an  Irishman  in  the  regiment  shouted, 
"  His  riverence,  the  Colonel,  has  bin  fightin'  Satan  all 
his  life ;  I  reckon  he  thinks  hell 's  broke  loose  now." 
"Not  long  after  the  battle,  General  IsTegley  merrily 
accused  him  of  having  indulged  heterodox  expletives 
in  the  ardor  of  engagement.  "  Is  it  a  fact,  Colonel," 
inquired  the  General,  "  that  you  told  the  boys  to  give 
'em  hell  ? "  "  Now,"  replied  the  Colonel  reproach 
fully,  "  there's  some  more  of  the  boys'  mischief.  I 
told  them  to  give  the  rebels  Hail  Columbia,  and  they 
have  wickedly  perverted  my  language."  The  fighting 
parson,  however,  explained  with  a  sly  twinkle  in  the 
corner  of  his  eye,  which  had  something  of  a  tendency 
to  cast  a  doubt  upon  the  subject. 

But  there  was  no  doubt  that  one  of  his  injunctions 
to  his  regiment  sounded  marvelously  like  a  fervent 
ejaculation  swelling  up  from  the  depths  of  the  "Amen 
31 


362  INCIDENTS   AND    ANECDOTES. 

corner"  in  an  old  fashioned  Methodist  Church.  This 
fact  must  be  imagined  that  the  anecdote  may  he 
appreciated.  The  Colonel's  mind  was  saturated  with 
piety  and  pugnacity.  He  praised  God  and  pitched 
into  the  rebels  alternately.  He  had  been  struck  by 
bullets  four  times  already.  He  had  given  the  enemy 
"Hail  Columbia"  once,  and  they  had  reeled  back  to 
cover.  Now  they  were  swarming  back  to  renew  the 
contest.  Moody's  regiment  were  lying  on  their  bellies 
waiting  for  them  to  corne  up.  He  had  a  moment  to 
spare,  and  thought  he  would  exhort  them.  The 
rebels  were  advancing  swiftly,  and  probably  cut  him 
short.  But  as  they  approached  he  said  quietly, 
"  Now,  boys,  fight  for  your  country  and  your  God" — 
"  and,"  said  one  of  his  boys,  "  we  all  surely  thought 
he  was  going  to  say  '  Amen,'  but  at  that  instant  the 
rebels  let  fly,  and  the  old  hero  roared  with  the  voice 
of  a  Stentor,  'AIM  LOW!'"  Weeks  afterward,  when 
the  Colonel  passed  through  his  camp,  the  mischievous 
rascals  would  shout  behind  him,  "  Fight  for  your 
country  and  your  God — AIM  LOW  !  " 

A  singular  incident  occurred  among  the  "  Twenty- 
Onesters"  (Twenty-First  Ohio).  Battle  was  raging 
with  terrific  fury  on  the  Right,  but  had  not  yet 
involved  ISTegley's  line.  The  men  were  lying  behind 
a  crest  waiting.  A  brace  of  frantic  wild  turkeys,  so 
paralyzed  with  fright  that  they  were  incapable  of 
flying,  ran  between  the  lines  and  endeavored  to  hide 
among  the  men.  One  of  the  "  Twenty-Onesters " 
caught  one,  and  cutting  off  its  head  began  to  strip  it 
of  feathers,  boasting  complacently  that  he  would  have 
fresh  fowl  after  the  fight.  The  wave  of  battle  had 
surged  alarmingly  near  the  front  of  the  "  Twenty- 


INCIDENTS    Atf  J    ANECDOTES.  863 

Onesters"  before  the  soldier  had  plucked  his  game. 
But  while  he  was  inserting  it  in  his  haversack,  an 
officer  riding  through  the  lines  espied  him  and  offered 
him  a  dollar  for  it.  The  soldier  hesitated  a  moment, 
but  accepted.  The  officer  bagged  the  turkey,  but 
neither  he  nor  the  soldier  could  make  change.  The 
"  Twenty-Onesters  "  were  ordered  forward,  and  the 
soldier  shouted,  "Never  mind.  Take  it  along.  I'll 
collect  after  the  fight !  " 

But  the  frenzy  of  the  turkeys  was  not  so  touching 
as  the  exquisite  fright  of  the  birds  and  rabbits. 
When  the  roar  of  battle  rushed  through  the  cedar- 
thickets,  flocks  of  little  birds  fluttered  and  circled 
above  the  field  in  a  state  of  utter  bewilderment,  and 
scores  of  rabbits  fled  for  protection  to  our  men  lying 
down  in  line  on  the  left,  nestling  under  their  coats 
and  creeping  under  their  legs  in  a  state  of  utter 
distraction.  They  hopped  over  the  field  like  toads, 
and  as  perfectly  tamed  by  fright  as  household  pets. 
Many  officers  witnessed  it,  remarking  it  as  one  of  the 
most  curious  spectacles  ever  seen  upon  a  battle-field. 

An  Irish  soldier  was  hit  by  a  bullet,  and  turned  to 
his  commander.  "Captain,"  said  Pat,  "shure  an' 
I'm  hit!"  "What  the  d — 1  are  you  doing  there, 
then-?"  roared  the  Captain;  "get  out  of  that  and  give 
a  better  man  your  place."  "Bejabers,"  retorted  Pat, 
"I'll  do  no  such  thing.  I  want  revinge,  an'  be  dad 
I'll  get  it." 

Lieutenant  Willie  Porter,  detailed  to  the  Adjutant 
G-cneraPs  office,  and  ex  qfficio  member  of  the  staff, 
afforded  a  laugh  in  the  midst  of  a  shower  of  shells. 
Willie,  a  staunch  youth  of  some  eighteen  or  nineteen 
summers,  had  been  weathering  the  storm  all  day  at 


364  INCIDENTS  AND   ANECDOTES. 

the  heels  of  the  General's  horse.  When  he  mounted 
111  the  morning  he  prudently  filled  the  General's  hav 
ersack  with  luncheon,  and  slung  it  over  his  shoulder. 
Daring  the  afternoon  a  fragment  of  a  shell  tore  away 
part  of  his  pantaloons  near  his  waist,  lacerated  his 
body,  and  cut  away  the  side  of  his  haversack,  letting 
the  bread  and  meat  fall  to  the  ground.  "  There, 
now  !"  said  Willie  with  admirable  sang  froid,  a  ludi 
crous  grimace  expanding  his  countenance,  "  all  the 
dinner's  gone."  Lieutenant  Willie  Porter  and  Lieu 
tenant  James  Reynolds,  his  companion,  about  the 
same  age,  deserved  honorable  official  mention  for 
their  gallantry. 

Another  member  of  the  staff  had  a  narrow  escape 
from  a  shell  which  whizzed  very  closely  to  a  portion 
of  his  body  that  is  ordinarily  protected  by  coat  tails. 
He  objected  decidedly — "it  would  be  so  d — d  ridicu 
lous  to  be  killed  in  that  manner."  The  staff  fairly 
roared  over  it,  but  the  Captain  "  couldn't  see  it." 

The  operations  of  ambulance  corps  on  the  field 
during  the  fight  furnished  a  curious  battle  picture. 
Dozens  of  those  somber-looking  vehicles  were  visible 
in  the  woods  and  on  the  plain  streaming  incessantly 
between  the  front  and  the  hospitals,  and  often  under 
fire.  When  the  vail  of  smoke  lifted  occasionally, 
squads  of  men,  in  fours,  with  stretchers,  were  descried 
between  the  lines — when  the  conflict  was  partially 
suspended  at  one  point,  although  it  was  raging  to  the 
right  or  left — bearing  the  wounded  to  the  rear.  Late 
in  the  evening  of  Wednesday  an  ambulance  party  on 
the  right  was  fiercely  hailed  by  the  rebel  pickets. 
"  What  the  h — 1  are  you  doing  here?  "  "  Picking  up 
wounded  men ! "  "  Well  pick  'em  up  quick  and  get 


INCIDENTS   AND   ANECDOTES.  365 

out  of  this?"     Our  men  replied,  "  Send  over  and  get 
your  wounded."     u  All  right !  " 

HOW  THE  GENERALS  APPEARED  IN  BATTLE. 

The  rebel  sharpshooters  were  sorely  annoying. 
They  picked  off  scores  of  our  soldiers  and  officers. 
One  of  them  permanently  disabled  Colonel  Frizelle 
of  the  Ninety-Fourth  Ohio.  General  Rosecrans 
probably  owed  his  escape  from  them  to  the  fact  that 
his  rank  was  not  distinguishable.  His  uniform  was 
mostly  covered  by  an  ample  cavalry  overcoat  fastened 
by  a  single  button  under  his  chin,  so  that  only  a  few 
buttons  on  the  breast  of  his  uniform  were  visible. 
This  was  merely  the  accident  of  weather.  It  was  a 
chill  morning,  and  overcoats  were  essential  to  com 
fort.  It  was  fortunate  also  that  "  Toby,"  his  gray 
charger,  had  not  been  brought  to  the  front.  It  is 
altogether  probable  he  would  have  mounted  him  that 
day  to  spare  "Boney,"  his  magnificent  bay — a  steed 
of  unusual  size  and  spirit,  whose  fire,  symmetry,  and 
proud  style  fully  realized  youthful  imagination's  con 
ception  of  a  war  horse  with  "neck  clothed  in  thun 
der,  and  smelling  battle." 

The  General  is  an  inveterate  smoker.  When  he 
mounted  in  the  morning  he  had  a  cigar  in  his  mouth. 
The  absorption  of  battle  caused  him  to  forget  it,  and 
the  light  expired,  but  the  force  of  habit  was  triumph 
ant.  He  retained  the  stump  in  his  mouth  during 
hours,  removing  it  mechanically  when  he  gave  orders. 
The  cigar,  the  sky-blue  cavalry  overcoat  with  stand 
ing  collar,  a  low-crowned  black  felt  hat  pushed  back 
upon  his  head  until  the  back  rim  tipped  down  upon 
his  neck  at  a  sharp  angle,  concealing  the  coat  collar, 


366  INCIDENTS    AND   ANECDOTES. 

and  his  chin  elevated  more  than  ordinarily,  "Boney  " 
prancing  gently  and  bowing  his  head  with  stately 
pride,  was  a  picture  of  the  General  Commanding 
which  his  staff  will  readily  recognize  in  this  plain 
sketch. 

Rousseau,  in  full  uniform,  rode  a  superb  thorough 
bred  chestnut.  He  met  a  friend  on  the  field  just  after 
his  division  had  driven  the  enemy  back  into  the 
woods.  He  was  just  about  to  send  after  Starkweath 
er's  brigade.  At  that  moment  his  countenance  was 
aglow  with  the  enthusiasm  of  triumph — such  a  face 
as  men  love  to  meet  in  battle,  for  it  was  inspiriting. 
Drawing  rein  he  accosted  his  friend  cheerily,  and 
shook  a  canteen  at  him.  "You  look  dry  and 
exhausted — let  me  refresh  you."  It  was  manna  in  the 
wilderness,  said  his  friend,  subsequently.  The  latter 
admired  the  chestnut.  Ixousscau,  turning  in  his 
saddle,  pointed  to  an  ugly  bullet  laceration  on  the 
rump  of  his  charger.  "I  wouldn't  mind  it,"  he  said, 

"  but  it'-s  a fine  hoss — a  Kentucky  hoss."  A  shell 

whizzing  in  close  proximity  concluded  the  colloquy. 

Crittenden  rode  a  fine  bay  horse,  and  was  clad  in  a 
dark  overcoat,  with  a  regulation  cap  covered  with  oil 
cloth.  Crittenden  at  review  is  more  moved  than  Crit 
tenden  in  battle.  McCook's  fine  chestnut  was  killed 
in  the  morning,  and  he  rode  a  "plug"  in  the  after 
noon.  Major  Bates,  of  his  staff,  had  also  lost  his 
horse,  but  compensated  himself  by  "jayhawking,"  as 
he  said,  "somebody's  big  yaller  stud  hoss."  This  was 
while  the  aw ful  battle  of  the  Left  Wing  was  going  on 
Wednesday  afternoon.  McCook  and  his  staff  were  in 
a  shallow  basin  at  the  left  of  his  line.  He  looked  a 
little  flushed  and  worried  by  fatigue,  but  did  not  seem 


INCIDENTS   AND    ANECDOTES.  ot)  7 

in  the  least  disturbed  by  battle.  The  misfortune  of 
the  Right  probably  affected  him.  The  infantry  fought 
in  their  overcoats,  but  the  cannoniers  stripped  to  the 
buff.  It  was  interesting  to  observe  that  horses  which 
at  review  are  generally  wild  and  rampant,  were  not  at 
all  difficult  to  manage  in  the  midst  of  the  stunning 
uproar  of  battle.  They  exhibited  splendid  spirit,  but 
ordinarily  they  were  perfectly  tractable  and  gentle. 
You  would  have  said  they  appreciated  the  spirit  of 
the  occasion.  But  when  their  riders  were  dismounted 
they  were  seized  with  frenzy,  and  plunged  across  the 
field  in  uncontrollable  agony  of  fright. 

After  the  battle,  Major  Goddard,  for  his  services 
and  gallantry,  was  promoted  to  the  office  of  Adjutant 
General  and  Chief  of  Staff,  with  rank  of  Lieutenant 
Colonel.  Lieutenant  Bond  was  promoted  to  the 
Senior  Aidship,  with  rank  of  Major.  Lieutenant 
Kirby  was  recommended  for  promotion  to  a  Cap 
taincy,  and  for  a  brevet  as  Major.  The  gallant  offi 
cers  of  staff  of  the  Corps  Generals  were  also  promoted, 
Thomas,  McCook,  and  Crittenden  being  designated 
commanders  of  the  Fourteenth,  Twentieth,  and 
Twenty-First  Army  Corps,  respectively,  thus  increas 
ing  the  numerical  force  of  their  staffs,  and  elevating 
the  grades  of  rank  of  officers. 

CONGRATULATORY. 

Upon  the  reception  at  "Washington  of  the  tidings  of 
the  success  of  Major  General  Rosecrans,  the  Presi 
dent  of  the  United  States  sent  him  the  following  tele 
graphic  acknowledgment  of  his  personal  and  official 
gratitude. 


368  INCIDENTS   AND   ANECDOTES. 

WASHINGTON,  January  5th. 
To  Major  General  Rosccrans : 

Your  dispatch,  announcing  the  retreat  of  the  enemy,  has 
just  reached  here.  God  bless  you  and  all  with  you.  Please 
tender  to  all,  and  accept  for  yourself,  the  nation's  gratitude  for 
your  and  their  skill,  endurance,  and  dauntless  courage. 

A.  LINCOLN. 

The  Secretary  of  War  forwarded  a  similar  congrat 
ulation,  and  Major  General  Halleck  also  sent  a  tele 
gram,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy,  viz.: 

WASHINGTON,  January  9,  1863. 
Major    General  Rosecram^    Commanding  Army  of  the   Cam- 

berland: 

GENERAL — Rebel  telegrams  fully  confirm  your  telegrams 
from  the  battle-field.  The  victory  was  well  earned,  and  one  of 
the  most  brilliant  of  the  war.  You  and  your  brave  army  have 
won  the  gratitude  of  your  country,  and  the  admiration  of  the 
world.  The  field  of  Murfreesboro  is  made  historical,  and 
future  generations  will  point  out  the  place  where  so  many 
heroes  fell  gloriously  in  defense  of  the  Constitution  and  the 
Union.  All  honor  to  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland.  Thanks 
to  the  living,  and  tears  for  the  lamented  dead. 

H.  W.  HALLECK. 

The  victory  electrified  the  nation,  and  the  people 
heaped  their  grateful  thanks  upon  the  General  and 
his  splendid  army.  It  was  the  most  momentous  battle 
of  the  war  up  to  that  period.  It  saved  Tennessee 
and  Kentucky,  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  Ohio 
arid  Indiana  owe  their  present  exemption  from  inva 
sion  to  it. 

AT    MURFREESBORO. 

General  headquarters  were  established  in  Murfrees 
boro  on  Monday  the  5th  of  January.  The  army  took 


INCIDENTS    AND    ANECDOTES.  369 

np  a  line  in  front  and  settled  down  to  rest.  Captain 
Morton  and  the  Pioneer  Brigade  at  once  proceeded  to 
reconstruct  the  railroad  bridge  across  Stone  River, 
and  to  fortify  the  town  in  order  to  make  it  an  inter 
mediate  magazine  of  supplies.  Details  were  dis 
patched  to  the  surrounding  country  to  collect  all  the 
forage  and  stock  that  could  be  found.  The  grist  mill 
at  the  post  was  put  into  operation  and  the  troops 
were  supplied  with  meal.  The  rainy  season  now  inter 
posed  to  obstruct  offensive  operations  upon  an  exten 
sive  scale,  though  preparations  were  vigorously  pressed. 
Bad  weather  was  compensated  for  by  a  freshet  in  the 
Cumberland,  which  reopened  navigation  and  gave 
assurance  of  supplies.  The  War  Department  caused 
the  army  to  be  remodeled,  by  constituting  its  three 
grand  divisions  Corps  de  Armee  —  the  Fourteenth, 
Twentieth,  and  Twenty-First,  under  Thomas,  Mc- 
Cook,  and  Crittenden,  Major  General  Rosecrans 
commanding  the  grand  army,  —  and  thus  concluded 
the  history  of  the  original  Fourteenth  Army  Corps. 


APPENDIX. 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS 


BATTLE  OF  STONE  RIVER, 


GENERAL  ROSECRAFS'  OFFICIAL  REPORT. 

LAND,  "| 

is.  j 


HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  CUMBERLAND, 

MURFREESBORO,  TENNESSEE, 

February  12,  1SG3. 


GENERAL — As  the  sub-reports  are  now  nearly  all  in.  I  have  the 
honor  to  submit,  for  the  information  of  the  General-in-Chief,  the  sub 
joined  report,  with  accompanying  sub-reports,  maps,  and  statistical 
rolls  of  the  battle  of  Stone  River. 

To  a  proper  understanding  of  this  battle,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
state  the 

PRELIMINARY   MOVEMENTS    AND    PREPARATIONS. 

Assuming  command  of  the  army,  at  Louisville,  on  the  27th  day  of 
October,  it  was  found  concentrated  at  Bowling  Green  and  Glasgow, 
distant  about  one  hundred  and  thirty  miles  from  Louisville  ;  from 
whence,  after  replenishing  with  ammunition,  supplies,  and  clothing, 
they  moved  on  to  Nashville,  the  advance  corps  reaching  that  place  on 
the  morning  of  the  7th  of  November,  a  distance  of  one  hundred  and 
eighty-three  miles  from  Louisville. 

At  this  distance  from  my  base  of  supplies,  the  first  thing  to  be  done 
was  to  provide  for  the  subsistence  of  the  troops,  and  open  the  Louisville 
and  Nashville  Hailroad.  The  cars  commenced  running  through  on 
the  26th  of  November,  previous  to  which  time  our  supplies  had  been 
brought  by  rail  to  Mitchelville,  thirty-live  miles  north  of  Nashville, 
and  from  thence,  by  constant  labor,  we  had  been  able  to  haul  enough 
to  replenish  the  exhausted  stores  for  the  garrison  at  Nashville,  and 
subsist  the  troops  of  the  moving  army. 

(371) 


372  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

From  the  26th  of  November  to  the  26th  of  December,  every  effort 
was  bent  to  complete  the  clothing  of  the  army,  to  provide  it  with 
ammunition,  and  replenish  the  depot  at  Nashville  with  needful  sup 
plies  to  insure  us  against  want  from  the  largest  possible  detention 
likely  to  occur  by  the  breaking  of  the  Louisville  and  Nashville  Rail 
road  ;  and  to  insure  this  work,  the  road  was  guarded  by  a  heavy  force 
posted  at  Gallatin. 

The  enormous  superiority  in  numbers  of  the  rebel  cavalry,  kept  our 
little  cavalry  force  almost  within  the  infantry  lines,  and  gave  the 
enemy  control  of  the  entire  country  around  us.  It  was  obvious,  from 
the  beginning,  that  we  should  be  confronted  by  Bragg's  army,  recruited 
by  an  inexorable  conscription,  and  aided  by  clouds  of  mounted  men, 
formed  into  a  guei-rilla-like  cavalry,  to  avoid  the  hardships  of  conscrip 
tion  and  infant.ry  service.  The  evident  difficulties  and  labors  of  an 
advance  into  this  country,  and  against  such  a  force,  and  at  such  dis 
tance  from  our  base  of  operations,  with  which  we  connected  by  a  sin 
gle  precarious  thread,  made  it  manifest  that  our  policy  was  to  induce 
the  enemy  to  travel  over  as  much  as  possible  of  the  space  that  sep 
arated  us— -thus  avoiding  for  us  the  wear  and  tear,  and  diminution  of 
our  forces,  and  subjecting  the  enemy  to  all  these  inconveniences, 
beside  increasing  for  him,  and  diminishing  for  us,  the  daugerous  con 
sequences  of  a  defeat. 

The  means  taken  to  obtain  this  end  were  eminentlv  successful.  The 
enemy,  expecting  us  to  go  into  winter  quarters  at  Nashville,  had  pre 
pared  his  own  winter  quarters  at  Murfreesboro,  with  the  hope  of  pos 
sibly  making  them  at  Nashville,  and  had  sent  a  large  cavalry  force 
into  West  Tennessee  to  annoy  Grant,  and  another  large  force  into 
Kentucky  to  break  up  the  railroad.  In  the  absence  of  these  forces, 
and  with  adequate  supplies  in  Nashville,  the  movement  Avas  judged 
opportune  for  an  advance  on  the  rebels.  Folk's  and  Kirby  Smith's 
forces  were  at  Murfreesboro,  and  Hardee's  corps  on  the  Shelby  ville  and 
Nolensville  pike,  between  Triune  and  Eaglesville,  with  an  advance 
guard  at  Nolensvi'le,  while  our  troops  lay  in  front  of  Nashville,  on  the 
Franklin,  Nolensville,  and  Murfreesboro  turnpikes. 

THE    PLAN    OF    THE    MOVEMENTS 
Was  as  follows  : 

McCook,  with  three  divisions,  to  advance  by  the  Nolensville  pike  to 
Triune. 

Thomas,  with  two  divisions  (Negley's  and  Rousseau's),  to  advance 
on  his  right,  by  the  Franklin  and  Wilson  pikes,  threatening  Hardee's 
right,  and  then  to  fall  in  by  the  cross-roads  to  Nolensville. 

Crittenden,  with  Wood'*,  Palmer's,  and  Van  Clove's  divisions,  to 
advance  by  the  Murfreesboro  pike  to  Lavergne. 

With  Thomas'  two  divisions  at  Nolensville,  McCook  was  to  attack 
Ilardee  at  Triune,  and  if  the  enemy  reinforced  Hardee,  Thomas  was 
to  support  McCook. 

If  McCook  beat  Hardee,  or  Ilardee  retreated,  and  the  enemy  met  us 
at  Stewart's  Creek,  five  miles  south  of  Lavergne,  Crittenden  was  to 
attack  him  ;  Thomas  was  to  come  in  on  his  left  flank,  and  McCook, 
after  detaching  a  division  to  pursue  or  observe  Hardee,  if  retreating 
south,  was  to  move,  with  the  remainder  of  his  force,  on  their  rear. 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  373 


THE    MOVEMENT 

Began  on  the  morning  of  the  2Gth  of  December.  Me  Cook  advanced 
on  the  Nolensville  pike,  skirmishing  his  way  all  day,  meeting  with 
stiff  resistance  from  cavalry  and  artillery,  and  closing  the  day  by  a 
brisk  fight,  which  gave  him  possession  of  Nolensville  and  the  hills  one 
nnd  a  half  miles  in  front,  capturing  one  gun,  by  the  One  Hundred  arid 
First  Ohio  and  Fifteenth  Wisconsin  Regiments,  his  loss  this  day  being 
about  seventy-five  killed  and  wounded. 

Thomas  followed  on  the  right,  and  closed  Negley's  division  on  Nolcns- 
ville  pike,  leaving  the  other  (Rousseau's)  division  on  the  right  flank. 

Crittenderi  advanced  to  Lavergne,  skirmishing  heavily  on  his  front, 
over  a  rough  country,  intersected  by  forests  and  cedar-brakes,  with 
but  slight  loss. 

On  the  2(Jth,  General  Me  Cook  advanced  on  Triune,  but  his  movement 
was  retarded  by  a  dense  fog. 

Crittendcn  had  orders  to  delay  his  movements  until  McCook  had 
reached  Triune,  and  developed  the  intentions  of  the  enemy  at  that 
point,  so  that  it  could  be  determined  which  Thomas  was  to  support. 

McCook  arrived  at  Triune,  and  reported  that  Hardee  had  retreated, 
and  that  he  had  sent  a  division  in  pursuit. 

Crittenden  bejran  his  advance  about  eleven  o'clock  A.  M.,  driving 
before  him  a  brigade  of  cavalry,  supported  by  Maney's  brigade  of 
rebel  infantry,  and  reached  Stewart's  Creek,  the  Third  Kentucky  gal 
lantly  charging  the  rear  guard  of  the  enemy,  and  saving  the  bridge, 
on  which  had  been  placed  a  pile  of  rails  that  had  been  set  on  fire. 
This  was  Saturday  night. 

McCook  having  settled  the  fact  of  Hardee's  retroat,  Thomas  moved 
Negley' s  division  on  to  join  Crittenden  at  Stewart's  Creek,  and  moved 
Rousseau's  to  Nolensville. 

On  Sunday  the  troops  rested,  except  Rousseau's  division,  which  was 
ordered  to  move  on  to  Stewartsboro;  and  Willich's  brigade,  which  had 
pursued  Hardee  as  far  as  Rigg-j'  Cross-roads,  and  had  determined  the 
fact  that  Hardee  had  gone  to  Murfreesboro,  when  they  returned  to 
Triune. 

On  Monday  morning  McCook  was  ordered  to  move  from  Triune  to 
Wilkinson's  Cross-roads,  six  miles  from  Murfreesboro,  leaving  a  brigade 
at  Triune. 

Crittenden  crossed  Stewart's  Creek  by  the  Smyrna  bridge,  on  the 
main  Murfreesboro  pike,  and  Negley  by  the  ford,  two  miles  above  ; 
their  whole  force  to  advance  on  Murfreesboro,  distant  eleven  miles. 

Rousseau  was  to  remain  at  Stewart's  Creek  until  his  train  came  up, 
and  prepare  himself  to  follow. 

McCook  reached  Wilkinson's  Cross-roads  by  evening,  with  an 
advance  brigade  at  Overall's  Creek,  saving  and  holding  the  bridge, 
meeting  with  but  little  resistance. 

Crittenden's  corps  advanced,  Palmer  leading,  on  the  Murfreesboro 
pike,  followed  by  Negley,  of  Thomas'  corps,  to  within  three  miles  of 
Murfreesboro,  having  had  several  brisk  skirmishes,  driving  the  enemy 
rapidly,  saving  two  bridges  on  the  route,  and  forcing  the  enemy  back 
to  his  intrenchments. 


374  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

About  three  o'clock  P.  M.,  a  signal  message  coming  from  the  front, 
from  General  Palmer,  said  that  he  was  in  sight  of  Murfreesboro,  and 
the  enemy  were  running.  An  order  was  sent  to  General  Crittenden  to 
send  a  division  to  occupy  Murfreesboro. 

This  led  General  Crittenden,  on  reaching  the  enemy's  front,  to  order 
Ilavker's  brigade  to  cross  the  river  at  a  ford  on  his  left,  where  he  sur 
prised  a  regiment  of  Breckinridge's  division,  and  drove  it  back  on  its 
main  lines,  not  more  than  five  hundred  yards  distant,  in  considerable 
confusion  ;  and  he  held  this  position  until  General  Crittenden  was 
advised,  by  prisoners  captured  by  Harker's  brigade,  that  Breckinridge 
was  in  force  on  his  front,  when,  it  being  dark,  he  ordered  the  brigade 
back  across  the  river,  and  reported  the  circumstances  to  the  Command 
ing  General,  on  his  arrival,  to  whom  he  apologized  for  not  having  car 
ried  out  the  order  to  occupy  Murfreesboro.  The  General  approved  of 
his  action,  of  course,  the  order  to  occupy  Murfreesboro  having  been 
based  on  the  information  received  from  General  Crittenden's  advance 
division,  that  the  enemy  were  retreating  from  Murfreesboro. 

Crittenden's  corps,  with  Negley's  division,  bivouacked  in  order  of 
battle,  distant  seven  hundred  yards  from  the  enemy's  intrcnchments, 
our  left  extending  down  the  river  some  five  hundred  yards.  The  Pio 
neer  Brigade,  bivouacking  still  lower  down,  prepared  three  fords,  and 
covered  one  of  them,  while  Wood's  division  covered  the  other  two. 

Van  Cleve's  division  being  in  reserve,  on  the  morning  of  the  30th 
Rousseau,  with  two  brigades,  was  ordered  down  early  from  Stewart's 
Creek,  leaving  one  brigade  there,  and  sending  another  to  Smyrna  to 
cover  our  left  and  rear,  and  took  his  place  in  reserve  in  rear  of  Pal 
mer's  right,  while  General  Negley  moved  on  through  the  cedar-brakes 
until  his  right  rested  on  the  Wilkinson  pike.  The  Pioneer  Corps  cut 
roads  through  the  cedars  for  his  ambulances  and  ammunition  wagons. 

The  Commanding  General  remained  with  the  Left  and  Center,  exam 
ining  the  ground,  while  General  McCook  moved  forward  from  Wilkin 
son's  Cross-roads,  slowly  and  steadily,  meeting  with  heavy  resist 
ance,  fighting  his  way  from  Overall's  Creek  until  he  got  into  position, 
with  a  loss  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  killed  and  wounded. 

Our  small  division  of  cavalry,  say  three  thousand  men,  had  been 
divided  into  three  parts,  of  which  General  Stanley  took  two,  and 
accompanied  General  McCook,  fighting  his  way  across  from  the  Wil 
kinson  to  the  Franklin  pike,  and  below  it,  Colonel  Zahn's  brigade 
leading  gallantly,  and  meeting  with  such  heavy  resistance  that  McCook 
sent  two  brigades  from  Johnson's  division,  which  succeeded  in  fighting 
their  way  into  position,  while  the  Third  Brigade,  which  had  been 
left  at  Triune,  moved  forward  from  that  place,  and  arrived  at  night 
fall  near  General  McCook's  headquarters.  Thus  on  the  close  of  the 
30th,  the  troops  had  all  got  into  position. 

At  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  General  McCook  had  reported  his 
arrival  on  the  Wilkinson  pike,  joining  Thomas — the  result  of  the  com 
bat  in  the  afternoon,  near  Grieson's  house,  and  the  fact  that  Sherridan 
was  in  position  there,  that  his  right  was  advancing  to  support  the  cav 
alry  ;  also,  that  Hardee's  corps,  with  two  divisions  of  Polk's,  was  on. 
his  front,  extending  down  toward  the  Salem  pike. 

Without  any  map  of  the  ground,   which  was  to  us  terra  incognita, 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  375 

when  General  McCook  informed  the  General  Commanding  that  his 
corps  was  facing  strongly  to  the  east,  the  General  Commanding  iold 
him  that  such  a  direction  to  his  line  did  not  appear  to  him  a  proper 
one,  but  that  it  ought,  with  the  exception  of  his  left,  to  face  much  more 
nearly  south,  with  Johnson's  division  in  reserve  ;  but  that  this  matter 
must  be  confided  to  him,  who  knew  the  ground  over  which  he  had 
fought. 

At  nine  o'clock  P.  M.,  the  corps  commanders  met  at  the  headquar 
ters  of  the  General  Commanding,  who  explained  to  them  the  following 


PLAN  OF  THE  BATTLE. 

McCook  was  to  occupy  the  most  advantageous  position,  refusing  his 
right  as  much  as  practicable  and  necessary  to  secure  it ;  to  receive  the 
attack  of  the  enemy,  or,  if  that  did  not  come,  to  attack  himself,  suffi 
cient  to  hold  all  the  force  on  his  front. 

Thomas  and  Palmer  to  open  with  skirmishing,  and  gain  the  enemy's 
center  and  left  as  far  as  the  river. 

Crittenden  to  cross  Van  Cleve's  division  at  the  lower  ford,  covered 
and  supported  by  the  Sappers  and  Miners,  and  to  advance  on  Breck- 
inridge. 

Wood's  division  to  follow  by  brigades,  crossing  at  the  upper  ford, 
and  moving  on  Van  Cleve's  right,  to  carry  everything  before  them  into 
Murfrcesboro. 

This  would  have  given  us  two  divisions  against  one,  and  as  soon  as 
Brecldnridge  had  been  dislodged  from  his  position,  the  batteries  of 
Wood's  division,  taking  position  on  the  bights  east  of  Stone  River,  in 
advance,  would  see  the  enemy's  works  in  reverse,  would  dislodge 
them,  and  enable  Palmer's  division  to  press  them  back,  and  drive  them 
westward  across  the  river,  or  through  the  woods,  while  Thomas,  sus 
taining  the  movement  on  the  Center,  would  advance  on  the  right  of 
Palmer,  crushing  their  right;  and  Crittenden's  corps,  advancing, 
would  take  Murfreesboro,  and  then  moving  westward  on  the  Franklin 
road,  get  in  their  flank  and  rear,  and  drive  them  into  the  country, 
toward  Salem,  with  the  prospect  of  cutting  off  their  retreat,  and  prob 
ably  destroying  their  army. 

It  was  explained  to  them  that  this  combination,  ensuring  us  a  vast 
superiority  on  our  left,  required  for  its  success,  that  General  McCook 
should  be  able  to  hold  his  position  for  three  hours  ;  that  if  necessary 
to  recede  at  all,  he  should  recede  as  he  had  advanced  on  the  preceding 
day,  slowly,  as  steadily,  refusing  his  right,  thereby  rendering  our  suc 
cess  certain. 

Having  thus  explained  the  plan,  the  General  Commanding  addressed 
General  McCook  as  follows  : 

"You  know  the  ground — you  have  fought  over  it;  you  know  its 
difficulties.  Can  you  hold  your  present  position  for  three  hours  ?" 

To  which  General  McCook  responded  : 

"Yes,  I  think  I  can." 

The  General  Commanding  then  said  : 

"  I  don't  like  the  facing  so  much  to  the  east,  but  must  confide  that  to 


376  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

you,  who  know  the  ground.  If  you  don't  think  your  present  the  best 
position,  change  it.  It  is  only  necessary  for  you  to  make  things  sure. 

The  officers  then  returned  to  their  commands. 

At  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the  31st,  the  troops  breakfasted,  and 
stood  to  their  arms,  and  by  seven  o'clock  were  preparing  for  the 


BATTLE. 

The  movement  began  on  the  left  by  Van  Cleve,  who  covered  the 
crossing  at  the  lower  fords.  Wood  prepared  to  sustain  and  follow  him. 
The  enemy  meanwhile  had  prepared  to  attack  General  McCook,  and  by 
six  and  a  half  o'clock  advanced  in  heavy  columns  regimental  front,  his 
left  attacking  Willich's  and  Kirk's  brigades,  of  Johnson's  division, 
and  were,  after  a  sharp,  but  fruitless  contest,  crumbled  to  pieces  and 
driven  back,  leaving  Edgarton's  and  part  of  Goodspeed's  Batteries  in 
the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

The  enemy  following  up,  attacked  Davis'  division,  and  speedily  dis 
lodged  Post's  brigade.  Carlin's  brigade  was  compelled  to  follow,  as 
Woodruff's  brigade,  from  the  weight  of  testimony,  had  previously  left 
its  position  on  his  left.  Johnson's  brigades,  in  retiring,  inclined  too 
fur  to  the  west,  and  were  too  much  scattered  to  make  a  combined 
resistance,  though  they  fought  bravely  at  one  or  two  points  before 
reaching  Wilkinson's  pike.  The  reserve  brigade  of  Johnson's  divi 
sion,  advancing  from  its  bivouac  near  Wilkinson's  pike  toward  the 
Right,  took  a  good  position,  and  made  a  gallant  but  ineffectual  stand, 
as  the  whole  rebel  left  was  moving  up  on  the  ground  abandoned  by 
our  troops. 

Within  an  hour  from  the  time  of  the  opening  of  the  battle,  a  staff 
officer  from  General  McCook  arrived,  announcing  to  me  that  the  Right 
Wing  was  heavily  pressed,  and  needed  assistance  ;  but  I  was  not 
advised  of  the  rout  of  Willich's  and  Kirby's  brigades,  nor  of  the 
rapid  withdrawal  of  Davis'  division,  necessitated  thereby.  Moreover, 
having  supposed  his  wing  posted  more  compactly,  and  his  right  more 
refused  than  it  really  was,  the  direction  of  the  noise  of  battle  did  not 
indicate  to  me  the  true  state  of  affairs.  I  consequently  directed  him 
to  return  and  direct  General  McCook  to  dispose  his  troops  to  the  best 
advantage,  and  to  hold  his  ground  obstinately.  Soon  after,  a  second 
officer  from  General  McCook  arrived,  and  stated  that  the  Right  Wing 
was  being  driven — a  fact  that  was  but  too  manifest,  by  the  rapid 
movement  of  the  noise  of  battle  toward  the  north. 

General  Thomas  was  immediately  dispatched  to  order  Rousseau — then 
in  reserve — into  the  cedar-brakes  to  the  right  and  rear  of  Sherridan. 
General  Crittenden  was  ordered  to  suspend  Van  Cleve's  movement 
across  the  river  on  the  left, 'and  to  cover  the  crossing  with  one  brigade 
and  move  the  other  two  brigades  westward,  across  the  fields  toward 
the  railroad,  for  a  reserve.  Wood  was  also  directed  to  suspend  his 
preparations  for  crossing  and  to  hold  Hascall  in  reserve. 

At  this  moment  fugitives  and  stragglers  from  McCook's  corps  began 
to  make  their  appearance  through  the  cedar-brakes  in  such  numbers 
that  I  became  satisfied  that  McCook's  corps  was  routed.  I  therefore 
directed  General  Crittenden  to  send  Van  Cleve  in  to  the  right  of  Rous- 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  377 

scan,  Wood  to  send  Colonel  Barker's  brigade  further  down  the  Mur- 
frecsboro  pike,  to  go  in  and  attack  the  enemy  on  the  right  of  Van  Cleve, 
the  Pioneer  Brigade  meanwhile  occupying  the  knoll  of  ground  west 
of  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  and  about  four  hundred  or  five  hundred 
yards  in  the  rear  of  Palmer's  center,  supporting  Stokes'  Battery  (see 
accompanying  drawing).  Sherridan,  after  sustaining  four  successive 
attacks,  gradually  swung  his  right  round  south-easterly  to  a  north 
western  direction,  repulsing  the  enemy  four  times,  losing  the  gallant 
General  Sill,  of  his  right,  and  Colonel  Roberts,  of  his  left  brigade, 
when,  having  exhausted  his  ammunition,  Negley's  division  being  in. 
the  same  predicament,  and  heavily  pressed,  after  desperate  fighting 
they  fell  back  from  the  position  held  at  the  commencement,  through 
the  cedar  woods  in  which  Rousseau's  division,  with  a  portion  of  Neg 
ley's  and  Sherridan's  met  the  advancing  enemy,  and  checked  his 
movements. 

The  ammunition  train  of  the  Right  Wing,  endangered  by  its  sudden 
discomfiture,  was  taken  charge  of  by  Captain  Thruston,  of  the  First 
Ohio  Regiment  ;  an  ordnance  officer,  who,  by  his  energy  and  gal 
lantry,  aided  by  a  charge  of  cavalry,  and  such  troops  as  he  could  pick 
up,  carried  it  through  the  woods  to  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  around  to 
the  rear  of  the  Left  Wing;  thus  enabling  the  troops  of  Sherridan's  divi 
sion  to  replenish  their  empty  cartridge-boxes.  During  all  this  time, 
Palmer's  front  had  likewise  been  in  action,  the  enemy  having  made 
several  attempts  to  advance  upon  it.  At  this  stage,  it  became  neces 
sary  to  readjust  the  line  of  battle  to  the  new  state  of  affairs.  Rousseau 
and  Van  Cleve's  advance  having  relieved  Sherridaivs  division  from 
the  pressure,  Negley's  division  and  Cruft's  brigade  from  Palmer's  divi 
sion,  withdrew  from  their  original  position  in  front  of  the  cedars,  and 
crossed  the  open  field  to  the  east  of  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  about  four 
hundred  yards  in  rear  of  our  front  line,  where  Neglcy  was  ordered 
to  replenish  his  ammunition  and  form  in  close  column  in  reserve. 

The  Right  and  Center  of  our  line,  now  extended  from  Hazen  to 
Murfreesboro  pike,  in  a  north-westerly  direction,  Hascall  supporting 
Irtizen,  Rousseau  filling  the  interval  to  the  Pioneer  Brigade. 

Negley  in  reserve,  Van  Cleve  west  of  the  Pioneer  Brigade  ;  McCook's 
corps  refused  on  his  right,  and  slightly  to  the  rear,  on  Murfreesboro 
pike;  the  cavalry  being  still  further  to  the  rear  on  Murfreesboro  pike 
and  beyond  Overall's  Creek. 

The  enemy's  infantry  and  cavalry  attack  on  our  extreme  Right,  was 
repulsed  by  Van  Cleve's  division,  with  Marker's  brigade  and  the  cav 
alry.  After  several  attempts  of  the  enemy  to  advance  on  this  new 
line,  which  were  thoroughly  repulsed,  as  were  also  the  attempts  on  the 
Left,  the  day  closed  leaving  us  masters  of  the  original  ground  on  our 
Left,  and  our  line  advantageously  posted,  with  open  ground,  in  front, 
swept  at  all  points  by  our  artillery.  We  had  lost  heavily  in  killed  and 
wounded,  and  a  considerable  number  in  stragglers  and  prisoners  ; 
also,  twenty-eight  pieces  of  artillery,  the  horses  having  been  slain, 
and  our  troops  being  unable  to  withdraw  them,  by  hand,  over  the 
rough  ground;  but  the  enemy  had  been  roughly  handled,  and  badly 
damaged  at  all  points,  having  had  no  success  where  we  had  open 
ground,  and  our  troops  properly  posted,  none,  which  did  not  depend 

32 


378  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

on  the  original  crushing  of  our  Right  and  the  superior  ma?ses  which 
were,  in  consequence,  brought  to  bear  upon  the  navrow  front  of  Sher- 
ridan's  and  Negley's  divisions,  and  a  part  of  Palmer's  coupled  with 
the  scarcity  of  ammunition,  caused  by  the  circuitous  road  which  the 
train  had  taken,  and  the  inconvenience  of  getting  it  from  a  remote 
distance  through  the  cedars.  Orders  were  given  for  the  issue  of  all 
the  spare  ammunition,  and  we  found  that  we  had  enough  for  another 
battle,  the  only  question  being  where  that  battle  was  to  be  fought. 

It  was  decided,  in  order  to  complete  our  present  lines,  that  the  Left 
should  be  retired  some  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards,  to  more  advantageous 
ground  the  extreme  Left  resting  on  Stone  Iliver,  above  the  lower  ford, 
and  extending  to  Stokes'  Battery.  Starkweather's  and  Walker's  bri 
gades  arriving  near  the  close  of  the  evening,  the  former  bivouacked  in 
close  column,  in  reserve,  in  the  rear  of  McCock's  left,  and  the  latter 
was  posted  on  the  left  of  Sherridan,  near  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  and, 
next  morning,  relieved  Van  Cleve,  who  returned  to  his  position  in  the 
Left  Wing. 

DISPOSITION   FOR   JANUARY    1,    1863. 

After  careful  examination,  and  free  consultation  with  corps  com 
manders,  followed  by  a  personal  examination  of  the  ground  in  the 
rear,  as  far  as  Overall's  Creek,  it  was  determined  to  await  the  enemy's 
attack  in  that  position,  to  send  for  the  provision  train,  and  order  up 
fresh  supplies  of  ammunition,  on  the  arrival  of  which,  should  the  ene 
my  not  attack,  offensive  operations  should  be  resumed. 

No  demonstration  on  the  morning  of  the  1st  of  January;  Crittenden 
was  ordered  to  occupy  the  points  opposite  the  ford  on  his  left,  with  a 
brigade. 

About  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  enemy,  who  had  shown  signs 
of  movement  and  massing  on  our  Right,  appeared  at  the  extremity  of  a 
field  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  but  the  presence 
of  Gibson's  brigade,  with  a  battery,  occupying  the  woods  near 
Overall's  Creek,  and  Negley's  division  and  a  portion  of  Rousseau's  on 
the  Murfreesboro  pike,  opposite  the  field,  put  an  end  to  this  dem^n- 
stration,  and  the  day  closed  with  another  demonstration  by  the  enemy, 
on  Walker's  brigade,  which  ended  in  the  same  manner. 

On  Friday  morning,  the  enemy  opened  four  heavy  batteries  on  our 
Center,  and  made  a  strong  demonstration  of  an  attack  a  little  further  to 
the  right;  but  a  well-directed  fire  of  artillery  soon  silenced  his  batteries, 
while  the  guns  of  Walker  and  Sherridan  put  an  end  to  his  effort  there. 

About  three  o'clock  P.  M.,  while  the  Commanding  General  was 
examining  the  position  of  Crittenden's  Left,  across  the  river,  which 
Avas  now  held  by  Van  Cleve's  division,  supported  by  a  brigade  from 
Palmer  s,  a  double  line  of  skirmishers  was  seen  to  emerge  from  the 
woods  in  a  south-easterly  direction,  advancing  across  the  fields,  and 
were  soon  followed  by  heavy  columns  of  infantry,  battalion  front, 
with  three  batteries  of  artillery. 

Our  only  battery  on  this  side  of  the  river  had  been  withdrawn  from 
an  eligible  point,  but  the  most  available  spot  was  pointed  out,  and  it 
soon  opened  here  upon  the  enemy.  The  line,  however,  advanced 
steadily  to  within  one  hundred  yards  of  the  front  of  Van  Cleve's  divi- 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  379 

eion,  when  a  short  and  fierce  contest  ensued.  Van  Glebe's  division 
giving  way,  retired  in  considerable  confusion  across  the  river,  fol 
lowed  closely  by  the  enemy. 

General  Crittenden  immediately  directed  his  Chief  of  Artillery  to 
dispose  the  batteries  on  the  hill,  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  so  as  to 
open  on  them,  while  two  brigades  of  Negley's  division,  from  the 
reserve,  and  the  Pioneer  Brigade  were  ordered  up  to  meet  the  onset. 

The  firing  was  terrific,  and  the  havoc  terrible.  The  enemy  retreated 
more  rapidly  than  they  had  advanced;  in  forty  minutes  they  lost  two 
thousand  men. 

General  Davis,  seeing  some  stragglers  from  Van  Cleve's  division, 
took  one  of  his  brigades  and  crossed  at  a  ford  below,  to  attack  the 
enemy  on  his  left  flank,  and,  by  General  McCook's  order,  the  rest  of 
his  division  was  permitted  to  follow;  but  when  he  arrived,  two  bri 
gades  of  Negley's  division,  and  Hazen's  brigade,  of  Palmer's  division, 
had  pursued  the  flying  enemy  well  across  the  field,  capturing  four 
pieces  of  artillery  and  a  stand  of  colors. 

It  was  now  after  dark,  and  raining,  or  we  should  have  pursued  the 
enemy  into  Murfreesboro.  As  it  was,  Crittenden' s  corps  passed  over, 
and  with  Davis,  occupied  the  crests,  which  were  intrenched  in  a  few 
hours. 

Deeming  it  possible  that  the  enemy  might  again  attack  our  Right 
and  Center,  thus  weakened.  I  thought  it  advisable  to  make  a  demon 
stration  on  our  Right  by  a  heavy  division  of  camp  fires,  and  by  lay 
ing  out  a  line  of  battle  with  torches,  which  answered  the  purpose. 

SATURDAY,  3D  DAY  OF  JANUARY. 

It  rained  heavily  from  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  ;  the  plowed 
ground  over  which  our  Left  would  be  obliged  to  advance,  was  impass 
able  for  artillery.  The  ammunition  train  did  not  arrive  until  ten 
o'clock  ;  it  was,  therefore,  deemed  uuadvisable  to  advance,  but  bat 
teries  were  put  in  position  on  the  left,  by  which  the  ground  could  be 
swept,  and  even  Murfreesboro  reached,  by  the  Parrott  shells. 

A  heavy  and  constant  picket  firing  had  been  kept  up  on  our  Right 
and  Center,  and  extending  to  our  Left,  which  at  last  became  so  annoy 
ing,  that  in  the  afternoon  I  directed  the  corps  commanders  to  clear 
their  fronts. 

Occupying  the  woods  to  the  left  of  Murfreesboro  pike  with  sharp 
shooters,  the  enemy  had  annoyed  Rousseau  all  day,  and  General 
Thomas  and  himself  requested  permission  to  dislodge  them  and  their 
supports  which  covered  a  ford.  This  was  gi-anted,  and  a  sharp  fire 
from  four  batteries  was  opened  for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  when  Rous 
seau  sent  two  of  his  regiments,  which,  with  Spears'  Tennesseeans  and 
the  Eighty-Fifth  Illinois  Volunteers,  that  had  come  out  with  the  wagon 
train,  charged  upon  the  enemy,  and  after  a  sharp  contest  cleared  the 
wood-1,  and  drove  the  enemy  from  his  trenche?,  capturing  from  seventy 
to  eighty  prisoners. 

Sunday  morning,  the  4th  of  January,  it  was  not  deemed  advisable 
to  commence  offensive  movements,  and  news  soo'i  reached  us  that  the 
enemy  had  fled  from  Murfreesboro.  Burial  parties  were  sent  out  to 
bury  the  dead,  and  the  cavalry  was  sent  to  reconnoiter. 


380  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

Earl}-  Monday  morning  General  Thomas  advanced,  driving  the  rear 
guard  of  the  rebel  cavalry  before  him  six  or  seven  miles,  toward  Man 
chester. 

McCook's  and  Crittcnden's  corps  following,  took  position  in  front  of 
the  town,  occupying  Murfrecsboro. 

We  learned  that  the  enemy's  infantry  had  reached  Shclbyville  by 
12  M.  on  Sunday,  but  owing  to  the  impracticability  of  bringing  up 
supplies,  and  the  loss  of  five  hundred  and  fifty-seven  artillery  horses, 
further  pursuit  was  deemed  inadvisable. 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  give  the  following 

GENERAL    SUMMARY 

Of  the  operations  and  results  of  the  series  of  skirmishes,  closing  with 
the  battle  of  Stone  River  and  the  occupation  of  Murfreesboro.  We 
moved  on  the  enemy  with  the  following  forces  : 

Infantry 41,421 

Cavalry 3,296 

Artillery 2,223 

Total 46,940 

We  fought  the  battle  with  the  following  forces  : 

Infantry 37,977 

Cavalry 3,200 

Artillery 2,223 


Total  43,400 

We  lost  in  killed  : 

Officers 92 

Enlisted  men 1,441 


Total 1,533 

We  lost  in  wounded  : 

Officers 384 

Enlisted  men 6,861 


Total 7,245 

Total  killed  and  wounded 8,778 

Being  20.03  per  cent,  of  the  entire  force  in  action. 

OUR   LOSS    IN    PRISONERS 

Is  not  fully  made  out ;  but  the  Provost  Marshal  General  says,  from 
present  information,  they  will  fall  short  of  two  thousand  eight 
hundred. 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  381 

If  there  are  any  more  bloody  battles  on  record,  considering  the 
newness  and  inexperience  of  the  troops,  both  officers  and  men,  or  if 
there  have  been  more  fighting  qualities  displayed  by  any  people,  I 
should  be  pleased  to  know  it. 

AS    TO    THE    CONDITION   OF    THE   FIGHT, 

We  may  say  that  we  operated  over  an  unknown  country,  against  a 
position  which  was  fifteen  per  cent,  better  than  our  own,  every  foot  of 
ground  and  approaches  being  well  known  to  the  enemy,  and  that  these 
disadvantages  were  fatally  enhanced  by  the  faulty  position  of  our 
Right  Wing. 

The  force  we  fought  is  estimated  as  follows:  We  have  prisoners 
from  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  regiments  of  infantry  (consolida 
tions  counted  as  one),  averaging  from  those  in  General  Bushrod  John 
son's  division  four  hundred  and  eleven  each — say,  for  certain,  three 
hundred  and  fifty  men  each,  will  give 

No.  men. 

132  Regiments  infantry,  say  350  men  each 40,200 

12  Battalions  sharpshooters,  say  100  men  each 1,200 

23  Battalions  of  artillery,  say  80  men  each 1,840 

29  Regiments  cavalry,  men  each 400)  13930 

And  24  organizations  of  cavalry,  men  each 70  /       ' 


220  62,520 

Their  average  loss,  taken  from  the  statistics  of  Clebornc,  Brcckin- 
ridge  and  Withers'  divisions,  was  about  two  thousand  and  eighty  each. 
This,  for  six  divisions  of  infantry  and  one  of  cavalry,  will  amount  to 
fourteen  thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty  men;  or  to  ours  nearly  as 
one  hundred  and  sixty-five  to  one  hundred. 

Of  fourteen  thousand  five  hundred  and  sixty  rebels  struck  by  our 
missiles,  it  is  estimated  that  twenty  thousand  rounds  of  artillery  hit 
seven  hundred  and  twenty-eight  men  ;  two  million  rounds  of  mus 
ketry  hit  thirteen  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-two  men;  aver 
aging  twenty-seven  cannon  shots  to  hit  one  man  ;  one  hundred  and 
forty-five  musket  shots  to  hit  one  man. 

Our  relative  loss  was  as  follows  : 

Per  rent. 

Right  Wing , 15.933.     Musketry  and  artillery  loss  20.72 

Center 10J8GO.  "  "    "      "     18.4 

Left  Wing 13.288.  «  »          "    24.0 

On  the  whole,  it  is  evident  that  we  fought  superior  numbers  on 
unknown  ground,  inflicting  much  more  injury  than  we  suffered.  We 
were  always  superior  on  equal  ground  with  equal  numbers,  and  only 
failed  of  a  most  crushing  victory  on  Wednesday  by  the  extension  and 
direction  of  our  Right  Wing. 

This  closes  the  narrative  of  the  movements  and  seven  days'  fighting 
which  terminated  with  the  occupation  of  Murfreesboro.  For  a  detailed 


382  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

history  of  the  parts  taken  in  the  battles  of  the  different  commands, 
their  obstinate  bravery  and  patient  endurance,  in  which  the  new  regi 
ments  vied  with  those  of  more  experience,  I  must  refer  to  the  accom 
panying  sub-reports  of  the  corps,  division,  cavalry  and  artillery 
commanders. 

Besides  the  mention  which  has  been  already  made  of  the  service  of 
our  artillery  by  the  brigade,  division,  and  corps  commanders,  I  deem  it 
a  duty  to  say  that  such  a  marked  evidence  of  skill  in  handling  the 
batteries,  and  in  firing  low  with  such  effect,  appears  in  this  battle  to 
deserve  special  commendation. 

Among  the  lesser  commands  which  deserve  special  mention  for  dis 
tinguished  service  in  the  battle,  is  the  Pioneer  Corps,  a  body  of  seven 
teen  hundred  (1,700)  men,  composed  of  details  from  the  companies  of 
each  infantry  regiment,  organized  and  instructed  by  Captain  Jamea 
St.  Glair  Morton,  Corps  of  Engineers,  Chief  Engineer  of  this  army, 
which  marched  as  an  infantry  brigade  with  the  Left  Wing,  made 
bridges  at  Stewart's  Creek,  prepared  and  guarded  the  fort  at  Stone 
River  on  the  nights  of  the  29th  and  30th,  supported  Stokes'  Battery, 
and  fought  with  valor  and  determination  on  the  31st,  holding  its  posi 
tion  until  relieved  ;  on  the  morning  of  the  2d  advancing  with  the 
greatest  promptitude  and  gallantry  to  support  Van  Cleve's  division 
against  the  attack  on  our  Left  ;  on  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  con 
structing  a  bridge  and  batteries  between  that  time  and  Saturday  even 
ing  ;  and  the  efficiency  and  esprit  de  corps  suddenly  developed  in  this 
command,  its  gallant  behavior  in  action,  the  eminent,  service  it  is  con 
tinually  rendering  the  army,  entitle  both  officers  and  men  to  special 
public  notice  and  thanks,  while  they  reflect  the  highest  credit  on  the 
distinguished  ability  and  capacity  of  Captain  Morton,  who  will  do 
honor  to  his  promotion  to  a  Brigadier  General,  which  the  President 
has  promised  him. 

The  ability,  order,  and  method  exhibited  in  the  management  of  the 
wounded,  elicited  the  warmest  commendation  from  all  our  general  offi 
cers,  in  which  I  most  cordially  join. 

Notwithstanding  the  numbers  to  be  cared  for,  through  the  energy  of 
Doctor  Swift,  Medical  Director,  ably  assisted  by  Doctor  Weeds  and  the 
senior  Surgeons  of  the  various  commands,  there  was  less  suffering 
from  delay  than  I  have  ever  before  witnessed. 

The  Tenth  Regiment  of  Ohio  Volunteers,  at  Stewart's  Creek,  Lieu 
tenant  Colonel  J.  W.  Burke  commanding,  deserves  especial  praise  for 
the  ability  and  spirit  with  which  they  held  their  post,  defended  our 
trains,  secured  their  guards,  chased  away  Wheeler's  rebel  cavalry, 
saving  a  large  wagon  train,  and  arrested  and  retained  for  service 
some  two  thousand  stragglers  from  the  battle- field. 

The  First  Regiment  of  Michigan  Engineers  and  Mechanics,  at 
Lavergne,  under  command  of  Colonel  Innis,  fighting  behind  a  slight 
protection  of  wagons  and  brush,  gallantly  repulsed  a  charge  from. 
more  than  ten  times  their  numbers  of  Wheeler's  cavalry. 

For  distinguished  acts  of  individual  zeal,  heroism,  gallantry,  and 
good  conduct,  I  refer  to  the  accompanying  "  List  of  Special  Mentions 
and  Recommendations  for  Promotion,''  wherein  are  named  some  of  the 
many  noble  men  who  have  distinguished  themselves  and  done  honor 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS.  383 

lo  their  country  and  the  starry  sj'mbol  of  its  unity.  But  those 
named  there  are  by  no  means  all  whose  names  will  be  inscribed  on 
the  rolls  of  honor  we  are  preparing,  and  hope  to  have  held  in  grateful 
remembrance  by  our  countrymen.  To  say  that  such  men  as  Major 
General  G.  IT.  Thomas,  true  and  prudent,  distinguished  in  council  and 
on  many  battle-fields,  for  his  courage;  or  Major  General  McCook,  a 
tried,  faithful,  and  loyal  soldier,  who  bravely  breasted  battle  at 
Shiloh  and  at  Perry ville,  and  as  bravely  on  the  bloody  field  of  Stone 
River;  and  Major  General  Thomas  L.  Crittenden,  whose  heart  is  that 
of  a  true  soldier  and  patriot,  and  whose  gallantry,  often  attested  by 
his  companions  in  arms  in  other  fields,  witnessed  many  times  by  this 
army  long  before  I  had  the  honor  to  command  it,  never  more  conspic 
uously  than  in  this  combat,  maintained  their  high  character  through 
out  this  action,  but  feebly  express  my  feeling  of  obligation  to  them  for 
counsel  and  support  from  the  time  of  my  arrival  to  the  present  hour. 
I  doubly  thank  them,  as  well  as  the  gallant,  ever-ready  Major  Gen 
eral  Rousseau,  for  their  support  in  this  battle. 

Brigadier  General  Stanley,  already  distinguished  for  four  success 
ful  battles,  Island  No.  10.  May  27,  before  Corinth,  luka,  and  the  battle 
of  Corinth,  at  this  time  in  command  of  our  ten  regiments  of  cavalry, 
fought  the  enemy's  forty  regiments  of  cavalry,  and  held  them  at  bay, 
and  beat  them  wherever  he  could  meet  them.  He  ought  to  be  made  a 
Major  General  for  his  services,  and  also  for  the  good  of  the  service. 

As  for  such  Brigadiers  as  Negley,  Jefferson  C.  Davis,  Johnson, 
Palmer,  Hascall,  Van  Cleve,  Wood,  Mitchell,  Cruft,  and  Sherridan, 
they  ought  to  be  made  Major  Generals  in  our  service.  In  such  bri 
gade  commanders  as  Colonels  Carlin,  Miller,  Hazen,  Samuel  Beatty  of 
the  Nineteenth  Ohio,  Gibson,  Gross,  Wagner,  John  Beatty  of  the  Third 
Ohio,  Marker,  Starkweather,  Stanley,  and  others,  whose  names  are 
mentioned  in  the  .accompanying  report,  the  Government  may  well  con 
fide.  They  are  the  men  from  whom  our  troops  should  be  at  once  sup 
plied  with  Brigadier  Generals;  and  justice  to  the  brave  men  and 
officers  of  the  regiments,  equally  demands  their  promotion,  to  give 
them  and  their  regiments  their  proper  leaders.  Many  captains  and 
subalterns  also  showed  great  gallantry  and  capacity  for  superior 
commands.  But  above  all,  the  steady  rank  and  file  showed  invincible 
fighting  courage  and  stamina  worthy  of  a  great  and  free  nation, 
requiring  only  good  officers,  discipline,  and  instruction,  to  make  them 
equal  if  not  superior  to  any  troops  in  ancient  or  modern  times.  To 
them  I  offer  my  most  heartfelt  thanks  and  good  wishes. 

Words  of  my  own  can  not  add  to  the  renown  of  our  brave  and 
patriotic  officers  and  soldiers  who  fell  on  the  field  of  honor,  nor 
increase  respect  for  their  memory  in  the  hearts  of  our  countrymen. 
The  names  of  such  men  as  Lieutenant  Colonel  J.  P.  Garesche,  the 
pure  and  noble  Christian  gentleman  and  chivalric  officer,  who  gave 
his  life  an  early  offering  on  the  altar  of  his  country's  freedom  ;  the 
gentle,  true,  and  accomplished  General  Sill;  the  bra^e,  ingenious,  and 
able  Colonels  Roberts,  Millikin,  Shaeffer,  McKee.  Reed,  Forman,  Fred. 
Jones,  Hawkins,  Kell,  and  the  gallant  and  faithful  Major  Carpenter, 
of  the  Nineteenth  Regulars,  and  many  other  field  officers,  will  live  in 
our  country's  history,  as  well  as  those  of  many  others  of  inferior 


384  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

rank,  whose  soldici'ly  deeds  on  this  memorable  battle-field  won  for 
them  the  admiration  of  their  companions,  and  will  dwell  in  our  mem 
ories  in  long  future  years  after  God,  in  his  mercy,  shall  have  given  us 
peace  and  restored  us  to  the  bosom  of  our  homes  and  families.  Sim 
ple  justice  to  the  officers  of  my  Staff  requires  their  special  mention, 
the  noble  and  lamented  Lieutenant  Colonel  Garesche,  Chief  of  Staff; 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Taylor,  Chief  Quartermaster;  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Simmons,  Chief  Commissary;  Major  C.  Goddard,  senior  Aiddecamp; 
Major  Ralston  Skinner,  Judge  Advocate  General;  Lieutenant  Frank 
S.  Bond,  Aiddecamp  of  General  Tyler;  Captain  Charles  R.  Thompson, 
my  Aiddecamp,  Lieutenant  Byron  Kirby,  Sixth  United  States  Infan 
try,  Aiddecamp,  who  was  wounded  on  December  31st;  R.  S.  Thorns, 
Esq.,  a  member  of  the  Cincinnati  bar,  who  acted  as  Volunteer  Aidde 
camp.  and  behaved  with  distinguished  gallantry;  Captain  William  D. 
Bickham,  Volunteer  Aiddecamp,  rendered  efficient  services  on  the 
field;  Colonel  Barnet,  Chief  of  Artillery  and  Ordnance;  Captain  J. 
H.  Gilman,  Nineteenth  United  States  Infantry,  Inspector  of  Artillery  ; 
Captain  James  Curtis,  Fifteenth  United  States  Infantry,  Assistant 
Inspector  General;  Captain  Wiles,  Twenty-Second  Indiana,  Provost 
Marshal  General;  Captain  Michler,  Topographical  Engineer;  Captain 
Jesse  Merrill,  Signal  Corps,  whose  corps  behaved  well;  Captain  Elmer 
Otis,  Fourth  Regular  Cavalry,  who  commanded  the  Courier  Line,  con 
necting  the  various  headquarters  most  successfully,  and  who  made  a 
most  successful,  opportune,  and  brilliant  charge  on  Wheeler's  Cavalry, 
routing  the  brigade,  and  recapturing  three  hundred  of  our  prisoners. 
Lieutenant  Edson,  United  States  Ordnance 'officer,  who,  during  the 
battle  of  Wednesday,  distributed  ammunition  under  the  fire  of  the 
enemy's  batteries  and  behaved  bravely;  Captain  Hubbard  and  Lieu 
tenant  Newberry,  who  joined  my  staff"  on  the  field,  acting  as  aids, 
rendered  valuable  service  in  carrying  orders  on  the  field.  Lieutenant 
Royse,  Fourth  United  States  Cavalry,  commanded  the  escort  of  the 
headquarters'  train,  and  distinguished  himself  with  gallantry  and 
efficiency.  All  performed  their  appropriate  duties  to  my  entire  satis 
faction,  accompanying  me  everywhere,  and  carrying  orders  through 
the  thickest  of  the  fight,  watching  while  others  slept,  never  weary 
when  duty  called,  deserve  my  public  thanks,  and  the  respect  and 
gratitude  of  the  army. 

With  all  the  facts  of  the  battle  fully  before  me,  the  relative  num 
bers  and  positions  of  our  troops  and  those  of  the  rebels,  the  gallantry 
and  obstinacy  of  the  contest  and  the  final  result,  I  say,  from  convic 
tion,  and  as  public  acknowledgment  due  to  Almighty  God,  in  closing 
this  report,  unon  nobis  !  Dominie,  non  nobis.  Sed  nomine  tui  da  Gioriam." 

[Signed,]  WM.  S.  ROSECRANS, 

Major  General  Commanding. 

BRIGADIER  GENERAL  THOMAS,  Adjutant  General  United  States  Army. 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  385 


MAJ.  GEN.  McCOOK'S  OFFICIAL  REPORT. 


63.  J 


HEADQUARTERS  RIGHT  WING    FOURTEENTH  ARMY   CORPS, 
IN  CAMP  2£  MILES  SOUTH  OF  MURFREESBORO,  TENNESSEE, 

January  8,  1863. 
Major  C.  Goddard,  Chief  of  Staff: 

MAJOR — In  compliance  with  telegraphic  orders  from  the  Gen 
eral  Commanding,  received  at  my  camp  on  Mill  Creek,  five  miles  south 
of  Nashville,  at  half-past  four  o'clock,  A.  M.,  on  the  morning  of  the 
26th  of  December,  1862,  I  put  the  Right  Wing  of  the  Fourteenth 
Army  Corps  in  motion  toward  Nolensville,  Tennessee. 

The  First  Division,  Brigadier  General  Jeff.  C.  Davis  commanding, 
marched  at  six  A.  M.,  upon  the  Edmonson  pike,  with  orders  to  move 
upon  that  road  to  Prim's  blacksmith's  shop,  whence  it  was  to  march 
Direct,  by  a  country  road,  to  Nolensville. 

The  Third  Division,  Brigadier  General  Philip  H.  Sherridan  com 
manding,  also  marched  at  six  A.  M.,  and  upon  the  direct  road 
to  Nolensville. 

The  Second  Division.,  Brigadier  General  R.  W.  Johnson  com 
manding  (the  reserve  of  the  Right  Wing),  followed  the  Third  Divi 
sion  upon  the  direct  road. 

The  advance  guard  of  Generals  Davis'  and  Sherridan's  columns, 
encountered  the  enemy's  cavalry  about  two  miles  beyond  our 
picket  line.  There  was  continuous  skirmishing  with  the  enemy  until 
the  heads  of  these  columns  reached  Nolensville. 

About,  a  mile  beyond  the  town,  the  enemy  made  a  determined  stand 
in  a  defile  and  upon  a  range  of  hills  that  cross  the  turnpike  at  this 
point,  lining  the  slopes  with  skirmishers  and  placing  a  six-gun  bat 
tery  on  a  commanding  position,  endeavoring  to  repel  our  advance. 

They  were  attacked  in  front  and  their  position  handsomely  turned, 
by  General  (Colonel)  Carlin's  brigade  of  Davis'  division,  capturing 
one  piece  of  their  artillery  and  several  prisoners.  After  taking  pos 
session  of  the  defile  and  hills,  the  command  was  encamped. 

On  the  night  of  this  day,  I  was  visited  by  the  General  Command 
ing,  who  gave  me  verbal  orders  to  move  forward  in  the  morning  to 
Triune,  seven  miles  distant,  and  attack  Hardee's  corps,  supposed  to  be 
quartered  at  that  place.  At  this  place  I  was  joined  by  Brigadier 
General  D.  S.  Stanley,  Chief  of  Cavalry,  with  the  First  and  Second 
Tennessee  Regiments  and  Fifteenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry. 

Preparations  were  made  to  move  forward  at  daylight,  the  cavalry 
under  General  Stanley  in  advance,  followed  by  the  Second  Division 
under  General  Johnson. 

It  having  rained  all  the  day  previous  and  the  entire  night,  there 
was  a  deep  fog,  which  prevented  our  seeing  one  hundred  and  fifty 
jards  in  any  direction. 

33 


386  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

The  columns  having  moved  about  two  miles  to  the  front,  they  again 
encountered  the  enemy,  consisting  of  cavalry,  infantry,  and  artillery. 
The  fog  at  this  time  being  so  thick  that  friend  could  not  be  distin 
guished  from  foe,  and  our  cavalry  being  fired  upon  by  our  infantry 
skirmishers  on  the  flanks — the  enemy  being  conversant  with  the 
ground,  my  troops  strangers  to  it,  and,  from  prisoners  captured,  hav 
ing  learned  that  Hardee's  corps  had  been  in  line  of  battle  since  night 
before,  I  did  not  deem  it  prudent  to  advance  until  the  fog  lifted.  I 
ordered  the  command  to  halt  until  the  work  could  be  done  understand- 
ingly.  The  fog  having  lifted  at  one  o'clock  P.  M.,  an  advance  w:ts 
immediately  ordered,  driving  the  enemy's  cavalry  before  us. 

On  nearing  Triune,  we  found  that  the  main  portion  of  the  forces 
had  retired,  leaving  a  battery  of  six  pieces,  supported  by  cavalry, 
to  contest  the  crossing  of  Wilson's  Creek,  which  has  steep  and  bluff 
banks. 

The  enemy  having  destroyed  the  bridge,  it  was  with  difficulty  that 
it  could  be  crossed.  On  the  approach  of  our  skirmishers,  the  battery, 
with  the  cavalry,  took  flight  down  the  Eaglesville  road.  It  now  being 
nearly  dark,  and  a  severe  and  driving  rain-storm  blowing,  they  were 
pursued  no  further. 

Johnson's  division  crossed,  and  camped  beyond  Wilson's  Creek, 
repairing  the  destroyed  bridge. 

On  the  morning  of  the  28th,  I  ordered  out  a  strong  reconnoissance, 
tinder  command  of  Brigadier  General  Willich,  to  learn  whether  the 
enemy  had  retired  to  Shelbyville  or  Murfreesboro.  Pursuing  seven 
miles  down  the  Shelbyville  road,  it  was  found  that  the  enemy  had 
turned  to  the  left,  having  taken  a  dirt  road  which  led  to  the  Salem 
pike,  thence  to  Murfreesboro. 

Leaving  the  Second  Brigade  of  Johnson's  division  at  Triune,  I 
marched  on  the  29th,  with  my  command,  on  the  Balle  Jack  road, 
toward  Murfreesboro,  the  road  being  very  bad,  and  the  command  did 
not  reach  Wilkinson's  Cross-roads  (five  miles  from  Murfreesboro)  until 
late  in  the  evening. 

My  command  was  encamped  in  line  of  battle,  Sherridan's  on  the 
left  of  Wilkinson's  pike,  Davis'  division  on  the  right  of  the  same  road, 
Woodruff's  brigade  guarding  the  bridge  over  Overall's  Creek,  and  the 
two  brigades  of  Johnson's  division  watching  the  right. 

On  that  evening,  believing  that  the  enemy  intended  giving  our  army 
battle  at  or  near  Murfreesboro.  I  ordered  the  brigade  left  at  Triune  to 
join  the  command  without  delay,  which  it  did  on  the  30th. 

At  one  o'clock  A.  M.,  on  the  30th,  I  received  an  order  from  General 
Rosecrans  to  report  in  person  at  his  headquarters,  on  the  Murfrees 
boro  pike,  and  arrived  there  at  three  and  a  half  o'clock  A.  M.,  received 
my  instructions,  which  were  that  the  left  of  my  line  should  rest  on  the 
right  of  General  Negley's  division,  and  my  right  was  to  be  thrown 
forward  until  it  became  parallel,  or  nearly  so,  with  Stone  River,  the 
extreme  right  to  rest  on  or  near  the  Franklin  road. 

My  entire  command  advanced  at  nine  and  a  half  o'clock,  and  Sher 
ridan's  division  moving  down  the  Wilkinson  turnpike,  until  its  advance 
encountered  the  enemy's  pickets. 

The  line  of  battle  was  then  formed,  the  left  of  Shei-ridan's  division 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  387 

resting  upon  the  Wilkinson  pike,  immediately  upon  General  Negley's 
right.  The  remainder  of  Sherridan's  division  war,  deployed  to  the 
right,  the  iine  running  in  a  south-easterly  direction.  I/avis'  division, 
which  had  already  been  deployed,  moved  up,  his  loft  resting  upon 
Sherridan's  right,  Johnson's  division  being  held  in  reserve.  Our  front 
was  covered  with  a  strong  line  of  skirmishers,  who  soon  became 
sharply  engaged  with  the  enemy's  sharpshooters  and  skirmishers. 

The  line  moved  forward,  but  slowly,  as  the  enemy  contested  stub 
bornly  every  inch  of  ground  gained  by  us.  The  ground  was  very 
favorable  to  them.  They  were  under  cover  of  heavy  woods  and  cedar 
thickets.  At  twelve  o'clock  M.  on  the  80th,  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Harding 
came  within  our  lines.  From  that  point  I  ascertained  where  the 
enemy's  line  of  battle  was — our  skirmishers  being  then  about  five 
hundred  yards  distant  from  it. 

The  right,  under  General  Davis,  moved  handsomely,  but  slowly  into 
position,  as  the  ground  over  which  he  had  to  march  was  hotly  con 
tested  by  the  enemy's  skirmishers. 

At  one  o'clock  P.  M.,  word  was  sent  to  General  D.  S.  Stanley,  Chief 
of  Cavalry,  that  Colonel  Zahn,  commanding  three  regiments  of  cavalry 
on  my  right  flank,  was  hard  pressed  by  a  superior  force.  I  ordered 
one  brigade  of  my  reserve  division  to  report  to  General  Stanley,  who 
conducted  it  to  the  Franklin  road.  On  his  approach  the  enemy  press 
ing  Colonel  Zahn  retired,  and  the  brigade  was  ordered  back  to  its 
former  position. 

At  two  o'clock  P.  M.,  a  citizen,  residing  on  the  Franklin  road,  and 
about  half  a  mile  in  front  of  the  enemy's  line  of  battle,  was  put  under 
guard  by  General  Stanley.  He  reported  as  follows  : 

"I  was  up  to  the  enemy's  line  of  battle  twice  yesterday,  and  once 
this  morning,  to  get  some  stock  taken  from  me.  The  enemy's  troops 
are  posted  in  the  following  manner:  The  right  of  Cheatham's  division 
rests  on  the  Wilkinson  pike.  Withers  is  on  Cheatham's  left,  with  his 
left  resting  on  the  Franklin  road.  Hardee's  corps  is  entirely  beyond 
that  road,  his  right  resting  on  that  road,  and  his  left  extending  toward 
the  Salem  pike." 

This  man  was  immediately  sent  to  the  General  Commanding,  and 
subsequently  returned  to  rne  with  the  report  that  his  information  had 
been  received. 

I  also  sent  a  report  to  the  General  Commanding,  by  my  Aiddecamp, 
Horace  N.  Fisher,  that  the  right  of  my  line  rested  directly  in  front  of 
the  enemy's  center.  This  made  me  anxious  tor  my  right.  All  my 
division  commanders  were  immediately  informed  of  this  fact,  and  two 
brigades  of  the  reserve  division,  commanded  respectively  by  Generals 
Willich  and  Kirk,  two  of  the  best  and  most  experienced  Brigadiers  in 
the  army,  were  ordered  to  the  right  of  the  line,  to  protect  the  right 
flank,  and  guard  against  surprise  there. 

At  six  o'clock  P.  M.,  I  received  an  order  from  the  General  Command 
ing  to  have  large  and  extended  camp-fires  built  on  my  right,  to  deceive 
the  enemy,  making  them  believe  we  were  massing  troops  there.  This 
order  was  communicated  to  General  Stanley,  commanding  cavalry, 
and  carried  into  execution  by  Major  R.  H.  Nodine,  Twenty-Fifth  Illi 
nois,  Engineer  Officer  on  my  staff. 


388  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

On  the  morning  of  the  30th,  the  order  of  battle  waa  nearly  parallel 
with  that  of  the  enemy,  my  right  slightly  refused,  and  my  line  of  battle 
in  two  lines. 

Two  brigades  of  the  reserve  reinforced  the  right  of  the  line,  and 
the  Third  Brigade  of  the  reserve  was  posted  in  column  about  eight 
hundred  yards  in  rear  of  the  right.  On  the  evening  of  the  30th, 
Sherridan's  left  rested  on  the  Wilkinson  road,  and  on  the  right  of 
Neglcy's  divison,  and  the  line  then  ran  in  a  south-easterly  direction, 
through  a  cedar  thicket,  until  General  Davis'  right  rested  near  the 
Franklin  road.  Kirk's  brigade  was  on  Davis'  right.  Willich's  brigade 
flanked  on  a  line  nearly  perpendicular  to  the  main  line,  forming  a 
crochet  to  the  rear,  to  avoid  the  possibilities  of  my  right  being  turned 
by  anything  like  an  equal  force.  My  line  was  a  strong  one,  open 
ground  in  front  for  a  short  distance.  My  instructions  for  the  following 
day  were  received  at  about  six  and  a  half  o'clock  P.  M.  on  the  30th, 
which  were  as  follows  : 

u  Take  strong  position  ;  if  the  enemy  attack  you,  fall  back  slowly, 
refusing  your  right,  contesting  the  ground  inch  by  inch.  If  the  enemy 
do  riot  attack  you,  you  will  attack  them,  not  vigorously,  but  warmly. 
The  time  of  attack  by  you  to  be  designated  by  the  General  Command 
ing." 

I  was  also  informed  that  Crittenden's  corps  would  move,  simulta 
neously  with  my  attack,  into  Murfreesboro. 

Written  instructions  were  sent  by  me  to  each  division  commander, 
on  the  night  of  the  30th,  explaining  to  each  what  would  be  required 
of  them  on  the  31st. 

At  about,  six  and  a  half  o'clock  on  the  31st,  a  determined,  heavy 
attack  was  made  on  Kirk's  and  Willich's  brigades,  on  the  extreme 
right.  They  were  attacked  by  such  an  overwhelming  force,  that  they 
were  compelled  to  fall  back. 

General  Kirk  being  seriously  wounded  at  the  first  fire  upon  his  main 
line,  General  Willich  having  his  horse  killed  early  in  the  action,  and 
he  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  the  two  brigades  were 
deprived  of  their  immediate  commanders,  and  gave  way  in  confusion. 
Colonel  Post's  brigade,  on  the  right  of  Davis'  division,  and,  in  fact,  my 
entire  line  to  Sherridan's  left,  was,  almost  simultaneously,  attacked  by 
a  heavy  force  of  the  enemy.  The  attack  in  front  of  Davis  and  Sher- 
ridan  was  repulsed  several  times;  and  had  not  the  heavy  attacking 
columns  of  the  encmjr  on  my  right  succeeded  so  well,  my  line  could 
have  been  maintained,  and  the  enemy  driven  back  to  his  barricade?, 
which  extended  from  the  Wilkinson  pike,  with  but  a  short  interval, 
three-fourths  of  a  mile  beyond  the  Franklin  road.  General  Sherri 
dan's  division  was  ably  maneuvered  by  him,  under  my  own  eye. 

As  soon  as  it  became  evident  that  my  lines  would  be  compelled  to 
give  way,  orders  were  given  to  re-form  my  line  in  the  first  skirt  of 
timber,  in  the  rear  of  my  first  position.  The  enemy  advancing  so 
rapidly  on  my  right,  I  found  this  impossible,  and  changed  the  point 
of  re-forming  my  line  to  the  high  ground  in  the  rear  of  the  Wilkinson 
pike. 

Moving  to  the  left  of  my  line,  and  in  rear  of  Sherridan's  division,  I 
here  met  General  Rousseau  in  a  cedar-wood,  posting  his  division  to 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  389 

repel  the  attack.  I  then  ordered  my  line  to  fall  still  further  back,  and 
form  on  the  right  of  Rousseau.  I  gave  General  Johnson  orders,  in  per 
son,  to  form  his  division  in  rear  of  Rousseau  ;  Rousseau's  division 
having  been  withdrawn  to  the  open  ground  in  rear  of  the  cedar-woods, 
the  hist  position  became  untenable,  and  my  troops  were  retired  to  the 
Nashville  pike,  where  my  wing,  except  ShaefFer's  brigade  of  Sherri- 
dan's  division,  was  reassembled  and  replenished  with  ammunition  On 
arriving  at  the  pike,  I  found  Colonel  Barker's  brigade,  of  Wood's 
division,  retiring  before  a  heavy  force  of  the  enemy.  I  immediately 
ordered  Robert's  brigade,  of  Sherridan's  division,  to  advance  into  a 
cedar-wood,  and  charge  the  enemy  and  drive  him  back.  Although 
this  brigade  was  reduced  in  numbers,  and  having  but  two  rounds  of 
cartridges,  it  advanced  to  the  charge,  under  the  gallant  Colonel  Brad 
ley,  driving  the  enemy  back  with  the  bayonet,  capturing  two  guns 
and  forty  prisoners,  and  securing  our  communication  on  the  Mur- 
freesboro  pike  at,  this  point.  This  brigade  is  composed  of  the  Twenty- 
Second,  Forty-Second,  Twenty-Seventh,  and  Fifty-First  Illinois.  The 
Twenty-Seventh  particularly  distinguished  itself. 

About  eleven  o'clock  A.  M.,  Colonel  Moses  B.  Walker's  brigade 
arrived  upon  the  field,  and  reported  to  me  for  duty.  They  were 
assigned  to  General  Sherridan's  command,  to  whose  report  I  refer  for 
the  good  conduct  of  this  brigade. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  31st,  the  Right  Wing  assumed  a  strong  posi 
tion  ;  its  left,  composed  of  Walker's  brigade,  resting  near  a  command 
ing  knoll,  the  line  running  nearly  north-west  along  the  slope  of  a 
ridge,  covered  with  cedar  growth,  the  right  resting  on  the  Murfrees- 
boro  pike.  On  the  slope  strong  barricades  were  erected,  which  could 
have  been  well  defended  by  single  lines.  The  second  line,  Gibson's 
brigade  (late  Willich's)  Avas  used  as  a  reserve.  The  Right  Wing, 
excepting  Davis'  division  and  Gibson's  brigade,  did  not  participate  in 
any  general  engagements  after  the  31st.  There  was  constant  skirm 
ishing  in  my  front  till  the  night  of  the  3d. 

On  the  4th,  the  enemy  left  his  position  in  front  of  the  Right,  and 
evacuated  Murfreesbore  the  night  of  the  same  day.  On  the  Gth  the 
Right  Wing  marched  to  its  present  camp,  two  miles  and  a  half  south 
of  Murfreesboro,  on  the  Shelbyville  pike. 

The  reports  of  Generals  Johnson,  Davis,  and  Sherridan,  division 
commanders,  are  herewith  enclosed.  Accompanying  General  John 
son's  report,  you  will  find  the  reports  of  the  brigade,  regimental  and 
battery  commanders  carefully  prepared. 

I  have  been  thus  particular  on  account  of  the  Commanding  Gen 
eral's  dispatch  to  the  General-in-Chief,  and  also  from  erroneous  reports 
sent  to  the  public  by  newspaper  correspondents.  The  attention  of  the 
General  Commanding  is  particularly  called  co  the  reports  of  Colonels 
Gibson  and  Dodge  ;  also,  to  Lieutenant  Colonel  Jones'  report,  who 
commanded  the  pickets  in  front  of  Willich's  brigade. 

Captain  Edgarton,  commanding  battery  of  Kirk's  brigade,  certainly 
was  guilty  of  a  great  error  in  taking  even  a  part  of  his  horses  to 
•water  at  such  an  hour.  He  is  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  and  there 
fore  no  report  can  be  had  from  him  at  present. 

In  a  strict  compliance  with  my  orders,  and   the  knowledge  I  pos 


390  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

sessed  of  the  position,  of  the  enemy,  which  was  communicated  to  my 
superior  and  the  Generals  under  my  command,  I  could  not  have  made 
a  better  disposition  of  my  troops. 

On  subsequent  examination  of  the  field,  I  found  the  statements  of 
the  citizen  referred  to  in  my  report  correct,  as  the  barricades  extended 
fully  three-fourths  of  a  mile  beyond  the  Franklin  road.  I  am  well 
satisfied  that  Hardee's  corps,  supported  by  McCown's  division  (late  of 
Kirby  Smith's  corps),  attacked  Kirk's  and  Willich's  brigade  about  the 
same  time  Withers'  division  attacked  Davis,  and  Cheatham's  division 
attacked  Sherridan.  Cheatham's  and  Withers'  divisions  compose 
Folk's  corps. 

I  was  in  the  rear  of  the  center  of  my  line  when  this  attack  com 
menced  ;  therefore  I  did  not  see  all  of  the  columns  that  attacked  and 
turned  my  right ;  but  it  may  be  safely  estimated  tiiat  the  rebel  force 
outnumbered  ours  three  to  one. 

After  leaving  my  line  of  battle,  the  ground  in  the  rear  was,  first, 
open  fields;  second,  woods,  then  a  dense  cedar-thicket;  and  over  such 
ground  it  was  almost  impossible  for  troops  to  retire  in  good  order,  par 
ticularly  when  assailed  by  superior  numbers. 

My  ammunition  train,  under  charge  of  my  efficient  Ordnance  Offi 
cer,  Captain  Gates  P.  Thruston,  First  Ohio,  was  at  an  early  hour 
ordered  to  take  a  position  in  the  rear  of  the  center  of  my  line.  It  was 
then  attacked  by  the  cavalry,  which  was  handsomely  repulsed  by  a 
detachment  of  cavalry  under  the  direction  of  Captain  H.  Pease,  of 
General  Davis'  staff,  arid  Captain  G.  P.  Thruston,  Ordnance  Officer. 

The  train  was  conducted  safely  to  the  Nashville  pike  by  Captain 
Thruston,  cutting  a  road  through  the  cedar-wood  for  the  passage  of  the 
trnin. 

To  Brigadiers  R.  W.  Johnson,  Philip  I!.  Sherridan,  and  Jeff.  C. 
Davis,  I  return  my  thanks,  for  their  gallant  conduct  upon  the  day  of 
the  battle,  and  for  their  prompt  support  and  conscientious  attention  to 
duty  during  their  service  in  the  Right  Wing.  I  commend  them  to 
mv  superiors  and  my  country. 

To  Brigadier  General  D.  S.  Stanley  my  thanks  are  particularly  due. 
lie  commanded  my  advance  from  Nolensville,  and  directed  the  cavalry 
on  my  right  Hank.  A  report  of  the  valuable  services  of  our  cavalry 
will  be  furnished  by  General  Stanley.  1.  commend  him  to  my  superiors 
and  my  country. 

For  the  particular  instances  of  good  conduct  of  individuals,  I  refer 
you  to  the  reports  of  division  commanders. 

I  can  not  refrain  from  again  calling  the  attention  of  my  superiors  to 
the  conspicuous  gallantry  and  untiring  zeal  of  Colonel  W.  H.  Gibson, 
of  the  Forty-Ninth  Ohio  Volunteers.  He  succeeded  to  the  command 
of  Willich's  brigade,  and  was  ever  prompt  to  dash  upon  the  enemy 
with  his  gallant  brigade  when  opportunity  permitted.  I  have  repeat 
edly  recommended  him  for  promotion.  He  has  again  won  additional 
claims  to  his  reward. 

Colonel  Marker,  commanding  a  brigade  of  Wood's  division,  performed 
gallant  service  under  my  supervision,  as  also  did  Colonel  Fyfi'e,  of  the 
Fifty-Ninth  Ohio..  They  are  commended  to  my  superiors. 

To  my  staff — Lieutenant  Colonel  E.  Bassett  Langdon,  Inspect*  Gen- 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  891 

eral;  Major  R.  H.  Nodine,  Engineer  Officer;  Major  J.  A.  Campbell, 
Assistant  Adjutant  General;  Captain  Gates  P.  Thruston,  Ordnance  Offi 
cer;  Captain  B.  D.  Williams,  Aiddecamp;  Captain  J.F.Boyd,  Assistant 
Quartermaster;  Captain  0.  F.  Blake,  Provost  Marshal;  Major  Caleb 
Bates.  Volunteer  Aiddecamp;  Captain  Horace  N.  Fisher,  Volunteer  Aid- 
decamp  and  Topographical  Engineer — my  thanks  are  due  for  their  con 
spicuous  gallantry  and  intelligence  on  the  field. 

My  escort,  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Huekston,  Second  Ken 
tucky  Cavalry,  and  my  orderlies,  behaved  gallantly.  When  my  horse 
was  shot,  Orderly  Cook,  of  the  Second  Indiana  Cavalry,  replaced  him 
with  his  own. 

The  officers  of  the  Signal  Corps  were  ever  ready  to  perform  raiy 
service  in  their  line,  or  as  aids. 

The  report  of  Surgeon  C.  McDermot,  the  Medical  Director  of  the 
Right  Wing,  is  also  submitted.  Surgeon  McDermot' s  gallantry  on  the 
field,  and  his  great  care  of  the  wounded,  is  worthy  of  great  praise. 
My  entire  Medical  Corps  behaved  nobly,  except  Assistant  Surgeon  W. 
S.  Fish,  of  the  Third  Indiana  Cavalry,  who  lied  to  Nashville.  He  is 
recommended  for  dismissal. 

The  casualties  of  my  wing  are  542  killed,  and  2,23-1  wounded. 

The  nation  is  again  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  gallant  spirits 
who  fell  upon  the  sanguinary  field. 

First  of  these,  Brigadier  General  J.  W.  Sill,  commanding  First  Bri 
gade,  Third  Division.  He  was  noble,  conscientious  in  the  discharge  of 
every  duty,  brave  to  a  fault.  He  had  no  ambition  save  to  serve  his 
country.  He  died  a  Christian  soldier,  and  in  the  act  of  repulsing  the 
enemy. 

Such  names  as  Roberts,  Shaeffer,  Harrison,  Stem,  Williams,  Reed, 
Houssam,  Drake,  Wooster,  and  McKee,  all  field  officers,  and  many  other 
commissioned  officers,  of  the  Right  Wing,  who  fell  vindicating  their 
flag,  will  never  be  forgotten  by  a  grateful  country. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted, 

A.  McD.  McCOOK, 

Major  General  United  States  Volunteers. 


MAJ.  GEST.  THOMAS'  OFFICIAL  KEPORT. 

HEADQUARTERS  CENTER  FOURTEENTH  ARMY  CORPS,  "J 

DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  CUMBERLAND,  > 

MURFBEESBORO,  January  15,  1863.  J 
Major  C.  Goddard,  Adjutant  General  and  Chief  of  Staff: 

MAJOR — 1  have  the  honor  to  submit  to  the  Major  General  command 
ing  the  Department  of  the  Cumberland,  the  following  report  of  the 
operations  of  that  part  of  my  command,  which  was  engaged  in  the 
battle  cf  Stone  River,  in  front  of  Muri'reesboro.  It  is  proper  to  state 


392  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

here,  that  two  brigades  of  Fry's  division,  and  Reynold's  entire  division 
were  detained  near  Gallatin  and  along  the  Louisville  and  Nashville 
Railroad,  to  watch  the  movements  of  the  rebel  leader,  Morgan,  \rho 
had  been,  for  a  long  time,  on  the  watch  for  an  opportunity  to  destroy 
the  railroad. 

llousseau's,  Negley's,  and  Mitchell's  divisions,  and  Walker's  brigade, 
of  Fry's  division,  were  concentrated  at  Nashville;  but.  Mitchell's  divi 
sion  being  required  to  garrison  Nashville,  my  only  available  force  was 
llousseau's  and  Negley's  divisions,  and  Walker's  brigade,  of  Fry's 
division,  about  thirteen  thousand  three  hundred  and  ninety-five 
(13,395)  effective  men. 

December  20. — Negley's  division,  followed  by  Rousseau's  division 
and  Walkers  brigade,  marched  by  the  Franklin  pike  to  Brentwood,  at 
that  point  taking  the  Wilson  pike.  Negley  and  Rousseau  were  to 
have  encamped  for  the  night  at  Owen's  store.  On  reaching  the  latter 
place,  Negley  hearing  heavy  firing  in  the  direction  of  Nolensville,  left 
his  train  with  a  guard  to  follow,  and  pushed  forward  with  his  troops 
to  the  support  of  Brigadier  General  J.  C.  Davis'  command,  the  advance 
division  of  McCook's  corps,  Davis  having  become  hotly  engaged  with 
the  enemy  posted  in  Nolensville  and  in  the  pass  through  the  hills  south 
of  that  village.  Rousseau  encamped,  with  his  division,  at  Owen's 
store,  and  Walker,  with  his  brigade,  at  Brentwood.  During  the  night 
a  very  heavy  rain  fell,  making  the  cross-road  almost  impassable,  and 
it  was  not  until  the  night  of  the  27th  that  Rousseau  reached  Nolens 
ville  with  his  troops  and  train.  Negley  remained  at  Nolensville  until 
ten  A.  M.,  on  the  27th,  when  having  brought  his  train  across  from 
"Wilson's  pike,  he  moved  to  the  east,  over  an  exceedingly  rough  by 
road,  to  the  right  of  Crittenden,  at  Stewartsboro,  on  the  Murfrees- 
boro  pike.  Walker,  by  my  orders,  retraced  his  steps  from  Brentwood 
and  crossed  over  to  the  Nolensville  pike. 

December  28. — Negley  remained  in  camp  at  Stewartsboro,  bringing 
his  train  from  the  rear.  Rousseau  reached  Stewartsboro  on  the  night 
of  the  28th.  His  train  arrived  early  next  day. 

December  29. — Negley's  division  crossed  Stewart's  Cw?ek,  two  miles 
south-west  and  above  the  turnpike  bridge,  and  marched  in  support  of 
the  head  and  right  flank  of  Crittenden's  corps,  which  moved,  by  the 
Murfreesboro  pike,  to  a  point  within  two  miles  of  Murfreesboro.  The 
enemy  fell  back  before  our  advance,  contesting  the  ground  obstinately 
with  their  cavalry  rear-guard. 

Rousseau  remained  in  camp  at  Stewartsboro,  detaching  Stark 
weather's  brigade,  with  a  section  of  artillery,  to  the  Jefferson  pike 
crossing  of  Stone  River,  to  observe  the  movements  of  the  enemy  in 
that  direction.  Walker  reached  Stewartsboro,  from  the  Nolensville 
pike,  about  dark. 

December  30. — A  cavalry  force  of  the  enemy,  something  over  four 
hundred  strong,  with  two  pieces  of  artillery,  attacked  Starkweather 
about  nine  A.  M.,  but  were  soon  driven  off.  The  enemy  opened  a 
brisk  fire  on  Crittenden's  advance,  doing  but  little  execution,  how 
ever,  about  seven  A.  M.  During  the  morning,  Negley's  division  was 
obliqued  to  the  right,  and  took  up  a  position  on  the  right  of  Palmer's 
division  of  Crittenden's  corps,  and  was  then  advanced  through  a 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  393 

dense  cedar  thicket,  several  hundred  yards  in  width,  to  the  "Wilkin 
son  Cross-road,  driving  the  enemy's  skirmishers  steadily,  and  with 
considerable  loss.  Our  loss  comparatively  small.  About  noon,  Sher- 
ridan's  division  of  McCook's  corps,  approached  by  the  Wilkinson 
Cross-road,  joined  Negley's  right,  McCook's  two  other  divisions 
coming  up  on  Sherridari's  right,  thus  forming  a  continuous  line,  the 
left  resting  on  Stone  River,  the  right  stretching  in  a  westerly  direc 
tion,  and  resting  on  high  wooded  ground,  a  short  distance  to  the  south 
of  the  Wilkinson  Cross-road,  and  has  since  been  ascertained,  nearly 
parallel  with  the  enemy's  intrenchments,  thrown  iip  on  the  sloping 
land  bordering  the  north-west  bank  of  Stone  River.  Rousseau's 
division  (with  the  exception  of  Starkweather's  brigade)  being 
ordered  up  from  Stewartsboro,  reached  the  position  occupied  by  the 
army  about  four  P.  M.,  and  bivouacked  on  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  in 
the  rear  of  the  center.  During  the  night  of  the  30th,  I  sent  orders 
to  Walker  to  take  up  a  strong  position  near  the  turnpike  bridge  over 
Stewart's  Creek,  and  defend  the  position  against  any  attempts  of  the 
enemy's  cavalry  to  destroy  it.  Rousseau  was  ordered  to  move  by  six 
A.  M.,  on  the  31st,  to  a  position  in  rear  of  Negley.  This  position 
placed  his  division  with  its  left  on  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  and  its 
right  extending  into  the  cedar  thicket,  through  which  Negley  had 
marched  on  the  30th. 

In  front  of  Negley's  position,  bordering  a  large  open  field,  reaching 
to  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  a  heavy  growth  of  timber  extended  in  a 
southerly  direction  toward  the  river.  Across  the  field,  running  in  an 
easterly  direction,  the  enemy  had  thrown  up  rillc-pits  at  intervals 
from  the  timber  to  the  river  bank  to  the  east  side  of  the  turnpike. 
Along  this  line  of  intrenchments,  on  an  eminence  about  eight 
hundred  yards  from  Negley's  position,  and  nearly  in  front  of  his 
left,  some  cannon  had  been  placed,  affording  the  enemy  great  advant 
age  in  covering  an  attack  on  our  center.  However,  Palmer,  Negley, 
and  Sherridan  held  the  position  their  troops  had  so  manfully  Avon  the 
morning  of  the  30th.  against  every  attempt  to  drive  them  buck,  and 
remained  in.  line  of  battle  during  the  night. 

December  31. — Between  six  and  seven  A.  M..  the  enemy  having 
massed  a  heavy  force  on  McCook's  right  during  the  night  of  the  oOth, 
attacked  and  drove  it  back,  pushing  his  divisions  in  pursuit  in 
echelon,  and  in  supporting  distance,  until  he  had  gained  sufficient 
ground  in  our  rear  to  wheel  his  masses  to  the  right,  and  throw  them 
upon  the  right  flank  of  the  Center,  at  the  same  moment  attacking 
Negley  and  Palmer  in  front  with  a  greatly  superior  force.  To  coun 
teract  this  movement,  I  had  ordered  Rousseau  to  place  t\vo  brigades, 
with  a  battery,  to  the  right  and  rear  of  Sherridan's  division,  facing 
toward  the  west,  so  as  to  support  Sherridan,  should  he  be  able  to  hold 
his  ground,  or  to  cover  him,  should  he  be  compelled  to  fall  back. 
About  eleven  o'clock,  General  Sherridan  reported  to  me  that  his 
ammunition  was  entirely  out,  and  he  would  be  compelled  to  fall  back 
to  get  more.  As  it  became  necessary  for  General  Sherridan  to  fall 
back,  the  enemy  pressed  on  still  further  to  our  rear,  and  soon  took  up  a 
position,  which  gave  them  a  concentrated  cross-fire  of  musketry  and 
cannon,  on  Negley's  and  Rousseau's  troops,  at  short  range.  This  com- 


394  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

pellecl  me  to  fall  back  out  of  the  cedar-woods,  and  take  up  a  line  along 
a  depression  in  the  open  ground,  within  good  musket  range  of  the 
edge  of  the  woods,  while  the  artillery  was  retired  to  the  high  ground 
to  the  right  of  the  turnpike.  From  this  last  position,  we  were  enabled 
to  drive  back  the  enemy,  and  cover  the  formation  of  our  troops  and 
secure  the  Center  on  the  high  ground.  In  the  execution  of  this  last 
movement,  the  Regular  Brigade,  under  Lieutenant  Colonel  Shepard, 
Eighteenth  United  States  Infantry,  came  under  a  most  murderous  fire, 
losing  twenty-two  officers  and  five  hundred  and  eight  men  in  killed 
and  wounded;  but,  with  the  co-operation  of  Scribner's  and  Beatty's 
(John)  brigades,  and  Guenther's  and  Loomis'  Batteries,  gallantly  held 
its  ground  against  overwhelming  odds.  The  Center  having  succeeded 
in  driving  back  the  enemy  from  its  front,  and  our  artillery  concen 
trating  its  fire  on  the  cedar-thicket  on  our  right,  drove  him  back  far 
under  cover,  from  which,  though  attempting  it,  he  could  not  make  any 
advance. 

January  1,  1863. — Repeated  attempts  were  made  by  the  enemy  to 
advance  on  our  position,  during  the  morning,  but  they  were  driven 
back  before  emerging  from  the  woods.  Colonel  Starkweather's  bri 
gade,  of  Rousseau's  division,  and  Walker's  brigade,  of  Fry's  division, 
having  reinforced  us  during  the  night,  took  post  on  the  right  of  Rous 
seau,  and  left  of  Sherridan,  and  bore  their  share  in  repelling  the 
attempts  of  the  enemy  on  the  morning  of  the  1st  instant. 

Neglcy's  division  was  ordered,  early  in  the  day,  to  the  support  of 
McCook's  right,  in  which  position  it,  remained  during  the  night. 

January  2. — About  7  A.  M.,  the  enemy  opened  a  direct  and  cross 
fire  from  his  batteries  in  our  front,  and  from  a  position  on  the  east 
bank  of  Stone  River,  to  our  left  and  front,  at  the  same  time  making  a 
strong  demonstration  with  infantry,  resulting,  however,  in  no  serious 
attack.  Our  artillery,  Loomis',  Guenther's,  Stokes:,  and  another  bat 
tery,  the  commander's  name  I  can  not  now  recall,  soon  drove  back 
their  infantry.  Negley  was  withdrawn  from  the  extreme  right,  and 
placed  in  reserve  behind  Crittenden's  right.  About  4  P.  M.,  a  divi 
sion  of  Crittenden's  command,  which  had  crossed  Stone  River  to 
reeonnoiter,  was  attacked  by  an  overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy, 
and,  after  a  gallant  resistance,  compelled  to  fall  back.  The  movements 
of  the  enemy  having  been  observed  and  reported  by  some  of  my  troops 
in  the  Center,  I  sent  orders  to  Negley  to  advance  to  the  support  of 
Crittenden's  troops,  should  they  want  help.  This  order  was  obeyed 
in  most  gallant  style,  and  resulted  in  the  complete  annihilation  of 
the  Twenty-Sixth  Tennessee  (rebel)  Regiment  and  the  capture  of 
their  flag.  Also,  in  the  capture  of  a  battery,  which  the  enemy  had 
been  forced  to  abandon  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  (See  Negleyrs 
report.) 

January  3. — Soon  after  daylight,  the  Forty-Second  Indiana,  on  picket 
in  a  clump  of  woods  about  eight  hundred  yards  in  front  of  our  lines, 
was  attacked  by  a  brigade  of  the  enemy,  evidently  by  superior  num 
bers,  and  driven  in,  with  considerable  loss.  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Shanklin,  commanding  the  regiment,  was  surrounded  and  taken 
prisoner,  while  gallantly  endeavoring  to  draw  off  his  men,  under 
the  fire  of  such  superior  numbers.  From  these  woods,  the  enemy's 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  395 

sharpshooters   continued  to  firo  occasionally  during  the   day,  on   our 
pickets. 

About  0  P.  M.,  two  regiments  from  Colonel  John  Beatty's  brigade, 
Rousseau's  division,  co-operating  with  two  regiments  of  Spears'  (Ten 
nessee)  brigade,  of  Negley's  division,  covered  by  the  skillful  and  \vell- 
diivcted  tire  of  Guenthev's  Fifth  United  States  Artillery,  and  Loomis1 
First  Michigan  Battery,  advanced  on  the  woods  and  drove  the  enemy, 
not  only  from  its  cover,  but  from  the  intrencliments,  a  short  distance 
beyond. 

The  enemy  having  retreated  during  the  night  of  the  3d,  our  troops 
were  occupied  during  the  night  of  the  4th  in  burying  the  dead  left  on 
the  field.  In  the  afternoon,  one  brigade  of  Negley's  division  was 
advanced  to  the  crossing  of  Stone  River,  with  a  brigade  of  Rousseau's 
division  in  supporting  distance,  in  reserve. 

January  5. — My  entire  command,  proceeded  by  Stanley's  cavalry, 
marched  into  Murfrecsboro  and  took  up  the  position  which  we  now 
hold.  The  enemy's  rear  guard  of  cavalry  was  overtaken  on  the  Shcl- 
byville  and  Manchester  roads,  about  five  miles  from  Murfreesboro, 
and  after  sharp  skirmishing  for  two  or  three  hours,  was  driven  from 
our  immediate  front. 

The  conduct  of  my  command,  from  the  time  the  army  left  Nashville 
to  its  entry  into  Murfreesboro.  is  deserving  of  the  highest  praise,  both 
for  their  patient  endurance  of  the  fatigues  and  discomforts  of  a  five 
days'  battle  and  for  the  manly  spirit  exhibited  by  them  in  the  various 
phases  in  this  memorable  contest.  I  refer  you  to  the  detailed  reports 
of  division  commanders,  for  special  mention  of  those  officers  and  men  of 
their  commands  whose  conduct  they  thought  worthy  of  particular  notice. 

All  the  members  of  my  staif,  Major  G.  E.  Flynt,  Assistant  Adjutant 
General  ;  Lieutenant  Colonel  A.  Von  Schrader,  Seventy-Fourth  Ohio  ; 
Acting  Inspector  General,  Captain  0.  A.  Mack,  Thirteenth  United 
Slates  Infantry,  Acting  Chief  Commissary;  and  Captain  A.  J.  Mackay, 
Chief  Quartermaster,  were  actively  employed  in  carrying  orders  to 
various  parts  of  my  command,  and  in  the  execution  of  the  appropriate 
duties  of  their  office.  Captain  0.  A.  Mack  was  dangerously  wounded 
in  the  right  hip  and  abdomen,  while  conveying  orders  from  me  to 
Major  General  Rousseau.  The  officers  of  the  Signal  Corps,  attached 
to  ray  headquarters,  did  excellent  service  in  their  appropriate  sphere, 
when  possible  ;  and  as  aidsdecamp,  carrying  orders.  My  escort,  com 
posed  of  a  select  detail  from  the  First  Ohio  Cavalry,  commanded  by 
Lieutenant  Barker,  of  the  same  regiment,  have  been  on  duty  with  me 
for  nearly  a  year,  deserve  commendation  for  the  faithful  performance 
of  their  appropriate  duties.  Private  Gustcam  W.MS  killed  by  a  cannon 
shot,  on  the  morning  of  January  2.  Surgeon  C.  D.  Beebe  deserves 
special  mention,  for  his  efficient,  arrangements  for  moving  the  wounded 
from  the  field,  and  giving  them  immediate  attention. 

The  details  will  be  seen  in  the  accompanying  reports  of  division 
commanders. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

GEORGE  II.  THOMAS, 
Major   General    United  States    Volunteers. 


896  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 


MAJOR   GENERAL   CEITTENDEN'S  REPORT. 

HEADQUARTERS  LEFT  WING, 

MURFREESBOUO,  January  20,  1863. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  0.  Goddard,  Chief  of  Staff: 

COLONEL — In  obedience  to  orders,  I  left  camp  near  Nashville  on  the 
26th  of  December,  and  reached  the  point  where  the  battle  of  Stone 
River  wns  fought,  before  dusk  on  the  morning  of  the  20th.  The  march 
from  Nashville  was  accompanied  by  the  skirmishing  u-ual  when  an 
army  moves  toward  an  enemy,  posted  near  by  and  in  force.  The 
gallant  and  handsome  things  done  by  several  different  portions  of  my 
Command  during  this  march,  have  been  mentioned  in  detail  by  the 
immediate  commanders  conducting  the  advance  and  leading  the  skirm 
ishers.  The  seizure  of  two  bridges,  one  by  General  Hascall,  and  the 
other  by  Colonel  Hazen  ;  the  gallant  charge  of  the  troops  of  Hascall's 
brigade,  at  Lavergne  ;  arid  the  counter-charge  and  capture  of  twenty- 
five  of  the  enemy  by  a  company  of  the  new  regiment,  One  Hundredth 
Illinois,  when  charged  by  the  enemy's  cavalry,  are  worthy  of  special 
notice. 

It  was  about  dusk,  and  just  at  the  moment  when  Generals  Wood 
and  Palmer  had  halted  to  gather  up  their  troops,  that  I  reached  the 
head  of  my  command.  These  two  Generals  had  their  divisions  in  line 
of  battle.  General  Wood  on  the  left,  and  General  Palmer  on  the  right, 
the  enemy  in  sight,  and  evidently  in  heavier  force  than  we  had  yet 
encountered  them;  it  was  evident  they  intended  to  dispute  the  passage 
of  the  river  and  to  fight  a  battle  at  or  near  Murfreesboro. 

At  this  moment  I  received  an  order  to  occupy  Murfreesboro  with  one 
division,  camping  the  other  two  outside. 

I  immediately  gave  the  order  to  advance,  and  the  movement  was 
commenced.  General  Wood  was  ordered  to  occupy  the  place,  General 
Palmer  being  ordered,  at  General  Wood's  suggestion,  to  keep  in  line 
with  Wood's  division,  and  advance  with  him,  until  he  had  forced  the 
passage  of  the  river.  At  this  time  it  was  dark.  General  Wood  had 
declared,  when  he  received  the  order,  that  it  was  hazarding  a  great 
deal  for  very  little,  to  move  over  unknown  ground  in  the  night,  instead 
of  awaiting  for  daylight,  and  that  I  ought  to  take  the  responsibility  of 
disobeying  the  order.  I  thought  the  movement  hazardous,  but  as  the 
success  of  the  whole  army  might  depend  on  the  prompt  execution  of 
orders  by  every  officer,  it  was  my  duty  to  advance.  After  General 
Wood  had  issued  the  order  to  advance,  and  General  Palmer  had 
received  his  also,  they  both  came  to  see  me,  and  insisted  that 
the  order  should  not  be  carried  out.  I  refused  to  rescind  the  order, 
but  consented  to  suspend  it  for  one  hour,  as  General  Rosecrans  could 
be  heard  from  in  that  time.  During  the  interval  the  General  himself 
came  to  the  front,  and  approved  of  what  I  had  done. 

In  the  meantime,  Colonel  Harker,  after  a  sharp  skirmish,  gallantly 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  397 

crossed  the  river  with  his  brigade  and  Bradley's  Battery,  and  Hnscall 
was  already  in  the  river  advancing,  when  the  order  to  suspend  the 
movement  was  received.  As  soon  as  possible  I  recalled  Market*,  and, 
to  my  great  satisfaction,  this  able  officer,  with  consummate  address, 
withdrew  from  the  actual  presence  of  a  vastly  superior  force  his  artil 
lery  and  troops,  and  recrossed  the  river  without  any  serious  loss.  Dur 
ing  the  night  General  McCook  came  over  to  see  the  Commanding 
General,  and  reported  that  he  was  on  the  Wilkinson  pike,  about  three 
miles  in  the  rear  of  our  line,  and  that  he  should  advance  in  the 
morning. 

The  next  morning  (the  30th)  early,  my  line  of  battle  was  formed. 
Palmer's  division  occupied  the  ground  to  the  right  of  the  turnpike,  his 
right  resting  on  Negley's  left,  Neglcy  having  advanced  into  the  woods 
and  taken  a  position  in  the  center,  to  take  a  position  with  General 
McCook  when  he  should  come  into  line.  General  Wood  was  to  occupy 
that  part  of  our  front  to  the  left  of  the  turnpike,  extending  down 
the  river.  General  Van  Cleve  was  held  in  reserve  to  the  rear  and 
left.  This  position  of  our  forces  was,  without  material  change,  main 
tained  all  day,  though  the  skirmishing  during  part  of  the  day  was  very 
heavy,  particularly  on  our  extreme  right,  where  McCook  was  coming 
up.  Then,  when  it  apparently  assumed  the  proportion  of  a  battle,  I 
proposed  to  cross  the  river  with  my  corps/  and  attack  Murfreesboro 
from  the  left,  by  way  of  the  Lebanon  pike,  but  the  General,  though 
approving  the  plan  of  attack,  would  not  consent  that  I  should  move 
until  McCook  was  more  seriously  engaged. 

On  the  morning  of  the  31st.  when  the  battle  begun,  I  occupied  the 
front  near  the  turnpike,  General  Palmer's  division  on  the  right,  Gen 
eral  Wood  on  the  left,  General  Van  Cleve  in  reserve  to  the  rear  and 
left.  About  8  o'clock,  when  my  troops  under  Van  Cleve  were  cross 
ing  the  river,  as  ordered,  and  when  all  was  ready  for  an  advance 
movement,  it  became  evident  that  our  Right  was  being  driven  back  ; 
orders  were  received  and  immediately  issued  recalling  Van  Cleve  and 
stopping  the  advance;  Van  Cleve  was  ordered  to  leave  a  brigade  to 
guard  the  ford,  Matthews'  brigade,  Colonel  Price  commanding  in 
Colonel  Matthews'  absence,  was  left,  and  to  hurry  with  all  possible  dis 
patch  to  try  and  check  the  enemy  to  the  right  and  rear.  One  brigade 
of  his  division,  Colonel  Fyffe's,  had  already  been  ordered  to  protect 
the  train  then  threatened  near  the  hospital,  and  General  Van  Cleve 
moved  at-  once  and  quickly  to  the  right  with  Beatty's  brigade.  He 
arrived  most  opportunely,  as  his  o.wn  and  Colonel  Beatty's  reports 
show,  and  checked  the  enemy.  The  confusion  of  our  own  troops,  who 
were  being  driven  from  the  woods  at  this  point,  hindered  him,  for 
some  time,  from  forming  his  men  in  line  of  battle.  This  difficulty,  how 
ever,  Avas  soon  overcome,  his  line  rapidly  formed,  and  one  small  bri 
gade,  commanded  by  the  gallant  Colonel  Beatty,  of  the  Nineteenth 
Ohio,  under  the  direction  of  General  Van  Cleve,  boldly  attacked  vastly 
superior  forces  of  the  enemy,  then  advancing  in  full  career,  checked 
their  advance  and  drove  them  back.  Being  soon  reinforced  by 
Fyife's  brigade  and  Marker's  brigade,  of  Wood's  division,  the  enemy 
were  pressed  vigorously,  and  too  far.  They  came  upon  the  enemy 


398  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

massed  to  receive  them,  who,  outnumbering  them  and  outflanking 
them,  compelled  them  to  fall  back  in  turn.  This  they  did  in  good 
order,  and  fighting  with  such  effect  that  the  enemy  drew  off  and  left 
them,  and  they  were  able  to  hold  their  position  during  the  remainder 
of  the  day.  From  this  time  the  great  object  of  the  enemy  seemed  to 
be  to  break  our  left  and  front,  where,  under  great  disadvantages,  my 
two  divisions,  under  Generals  Wood  and  Palmer,  maintained  their 
ground. 

AVhen  the  troops  composing  the  Center  and  Right  Wing  of  our 
army  had  been  driven  by  the  enemy  from  our  original^  line  of  bat 
tle  to  a  line  almost  perpendicular  to  it,  the  First  and  Second  Divi 
sions  of  the  Left  Wing  still  nobly  maintained  their  position.  Though 
several  times  assaulted  by  the  enemy  in  great  force,  it  was  evident 
that  it  was  vital  to  us  that  this  position  should  be  held,  at  least  until 
our  troops,  who  had  been  driven  back,  could  establish  themselves  on 
their  new  line.  The  country  is  deeply  indebted  to  Generals  Wood 
and  Palmer  for  the  sound  judgment,  skill,  and  courage  with  which 
they  managed  their  commands  at  this  important  crisis  in  the  battle. 
The  reports  of  my  Division  Commanders  show  how  nobly  and  how 
ably  they  were  supported  by  their  officers;  and  the  most  melancholy 
and  convincing  proof  of  the  bravery  of  all  who  fought  in  this  part  of 
the  field  is  their  terrible  list  of  killed  and  wounded,  for  with  them 
was  no  rout,  no  confusion;  the  men  who  fell,  fell  fighting  in  the 
ranks. 

Generals  Wood  and  Van  Cleve  being  wounded  on  the  31st,  their 
commands  devolved,  of  course,  on  other  officers — General  Hascnll 
taking  command  of  Wood's  division,  and  Colonel  Beatty  of  Van 
Cleve's  on  the  1st  day  of  January.  It  was  a  fortunate  thing  that 
competent  and  gallant  officers  took  command  of  these  two  noble 
divisions. 

On  the  night  of  the  31st,  with  the  consent  of  the  General  Command 
ing,  I  reunited  my  command,  bringing  them  all  together  on  the  left 
of  the  turnpike,  and  before  daylight,  by  orders  from  the  General 
Commanding,,  we  took  up  a  new  line  of  battle,  abou.t  five  hundred 
yards  to  the  rear  of  our  former  line;  Hascall's  division  was  ordered 
to  rest  their  right  on  the  position  occupied  by  Stokes  Battery,  and 
his  left  on  General  Palmer's  right;  General  Palmer  was  to  rest  his 
left  on  the  ford,  his  right  extending  toward  the  railroad,  and  perpen 
dicular  to  it,  thus  bringing  the  line  at  right  angles  to  the  railroad  and 
turnpike,  and  extending  from  Stokes'  Battery  to  the  ford.  On  the 
morning  of  the  1st  of  January,  Van  Cleve's  division  again  crossed 
the  river,  and  took  position  on  ground  the  General  considered  it 
important  we  should  hold,  extending  from  the  ford  about  half  a  mile 
from  the  river,  the  right  resting  on  high  ground  near  the  river,  and 
the  left  thrown  forward,  so  that  the  direction  of  the  line  should  be 
nearly  perpendicular  to  it.  These  changes  in  position  having  been, 
accomplished,  the  day  parsed  quietly,  except  continued  skirmishing 
and  occasional  artillery  firing.  The  next  day  (January  2)  large 
forces  of  the  enemy's  infantry  and  artillery  were  seen  to  pass  to  the 
right,  apparently  contemplating  an  attack.  Lieutenant  Livingston, 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  399 

with  Drury's  Battery,  was  ordered  over  the  river,  and  Colonel  Grose's 
brigade,  of  Palmer's  division,  was  also  crossed  over,  taking  post  on 
the  hill  near  the  hospital,  so  as  to  protect  the  left  and  rear  of  Beatty's 
position. 

About  four  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  the  2d,  a  sudden  and  concen 
trated  attack  was  made  on  the  Third  Division,  IIOAV  commanded  by 
Colonel  Beatty;  several  batteries  opened  at  the  same  time  on  their 
division. 

The  overwhelming  numbers  of  the  enemy  directed  upon  two  bri 
gades,  forced  them,  after  a  bloody  but  short  conflict,  back  to  the 
river.  The  object  of  the  enemy  (it  is  since  ascertained)  was  to  take 
the  battery  which  we  had  on  that  side  of  the  river.  In  this  attempt 
it  is  most  likely  they  would  have  succeeded,  but  for  the  sound  judg 
ment  and  wise  precaution  of  Colonel  Beatty,  in  changing  the  position 
of  his  battery.  It  was  so  late  when  the  attack  was  made,  that  the 
enemy,  failing  in  their  enterprise  to  capture  our  battery,  were  sure 
of  not  suffering  any  great  disaster  in  case  of  a  repulse,  because  night 
would  protect  them.  They  not  only  failed  to  capture  our  battery,  but 
lost  four  of  their  guns  in  their  repulse  and  flight.  As  soon  as  it 
became  evident  that  the  enemy  were  driving  Colonel  Beatty,  I  turned 
to  my  Chief  of  Artillery,  Captain  John  Mendenhall,  and  said,  "Now, 
Meridenhall,  you  must  cover  my  men  with  your  cannon."  Without 
any  show  of  excitement  or  haste,  almost  as  soon  as  the  order  Avas 
given,  the  batteries  began  to  open,  so  perfectly  had  he  placed  them. 
In  twenty  minutes  from  the  time  the  order  was  received,  fifty-two 
guns  were  firing  upon  the  enemy.  They  can  not  be  said  to  have  been 
checked  in  their  advance;  from  a  rapid  advance  they  broke  at  once 
into  a  rapid  retreat.  Reinforcements  soon  began  to  arrive;  our 
troops  crossed  the  river  and  pursued  the  flying  enemy  until  dark. 

It  is  a  pleasant  thing  to  report  that  the  officers  and  men  from  the 
Center  and  Right  Wing  hurried  to  the  support,  of  the  Left  Wing, 
when  it  was  known  to  be  hard  pressed.  General  J.  C.  Davis  sent  a 
brigade  at  once  without  orders,  then  applied  for  and  obtained  orders 
to  follow  immediately  with  his  division.  General  Negley,  from  the 
Center,  crossed  with  a  part  of  his  division.  General  McCook,  to 
whom  I  applied  for  a  brigade,  not  knowing  of  Davis'  movement, 
ordered  immediately  Colonel  Gibson  to  go  with  his  brigade,  and  the 
Colonel  and  the  brigade  passed  at  doublo-quick  in  loss  than  five 
minutes  after  the  request  was  made.  Honor  is  due  to  such  men.  On 
the  night  of  the  2d,  General  Hascall,  with  his  division,  and  General 
Davis  with  his,  camped  a  little  in  advance  of  the  position  which 
Beatty  h;id  occupied.  General  Palmer,  commanding  the  Second 
Division,  camped  with  two  brigades  in  reserve  to  Ilascall  and  Davis' 
divisions,  and  the  remaining  brigade  on  this  side  of  the  river.  In 
this  position  these  troops  remained  until  Saturday  night,  when  the 
river  beginning  to  rise,  and  the  rain  continuing  to  fall,  it  was  feared 
we  might  be  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  army,  and  all  recrossed 
the  river  except  Palmer's  two  brigades,  which  remained,  and  did  not 
come  back  until  it  was  ascertained  the  next  day  (Sunday)  that  the 
enemy  had  evacuated  Murfreesboro. 

I   feel  that  this  report  of  the  part  taken  by  my  command  in  the 


400  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

battle  of  Stone  River  is  very  imperfect.  I  have  only  endeavored  to 
give  a  general  outline  of  the  most  important  features  of  the  battle. 
The  reports,  however,  of  the  division  commanders,  and  the  report  of 
the  Chief  of  Artillery,  give  a  detailed  and  good  account  of  the  memo 
rable  incidents  which  occurred  in  this  particular  fight. 

Reports  of  the  division  commanders  show  how  nobly  they  were 
sustained  by  their  subordinate  officers,  and  all  reports  show  how 
nobly  the  troops  behaved.  Generals  Wood  and  Van  Clevc,  though 
wounded  early  in  the  battle  of  the  31st,  remained  in  the  saddle  and 
on  the  field  throughout  the  day,  and  at  night  were  ordered  to  the  rear; 
General  Palmer  exposing  himself  everywhere  and  freely,  escaped 
unhurt,  and  commanded  the  Second  Division  throughout  the  battle. 
To  these  division  commanders,  I  return  my  most  earnest  and  heartfelt 
thanks,  for  the  brave,  prompt,  and  able  manner  in  which  they  executed 
every  order,  and  I  most  urgently  present  their  names  to  the  Com 
manding  General  and  to  the  Government,  as  having  fairly  earned 
promotion. 

After  the  81st,  General  Hascall  commanded  Wood's  division,  the 
First,  and  Colonel  Beatty  the  Second,  Van  Cleve's.  To  these  officers  I 
am  indebted  for  the  same  cheerful  and  prompt  obedience  to  orders, 
the  same  brave  support  which  I  received  from  their  predecessors  in 
command  ;  and  I  also  respectfully  present  their  names  to  the  Com 
manding  General  and  the  Government,  as  having  earned  promotion  on 
the  field  of  battle. 

There  are  numerous  cases  of  distinguished  conduct  in  the  brigade 
as  well  as  regimental  commanders,  mentioned  by  my  division  com 
manders  as  meriting  promotion.  I  respectfully  refer  the  General 
Commanding  to  division,  brigade,  and  regimental  reports,  and  solicit 
for  the  gallant  officers  and  men  who  have  distinguished  themselves  for 
conduct  and  bravery  in  battle,  the  honors  they  have  won.  We  have 
officers  who  have  commanded  brigades  for  almost  a  year,  though  the}' 
have  but  the  rank  of  Colonel  ;  in  such  cases,  and  in  all  like  cases, 
as  where  a  Lieutenant  commands  a  company,  it  seems  if  the  officers 
have  capacity  for  their  commands  on  the  field,  that  they  should  have 
the  rank  the  command  is  entitled  to.  The  report  of  Captain  Menden- 
hall,  Chief  of  Artillery  to  the  Left  Wing,  shows  the  efficiency,  skill, 
and  daring  with  which  our  artillery  officers  handled  their  batteries. 
Division  and  brigade  commanders  vie  with  each  other  in  commenda 
tion  upon  different  batteries.  Some  of  the  batteries,  fighting  as  they 
did  in  all  parts  of  the  field,  won  praises  from  all.  To  these  officers, 
also,  attention  is  called,  with  a  sincere  hope  that  they  may  be  rewarded 
as  their  valor  and  bearing  deserves. 

Major  Lyne  Starling,  Assistant  Adjutant  General  to  the  Left  Wing, 
has  been,  for  nearly  eighteen  months,  the  most  indefatigable  officer  I 
ever  knew,  in  his  department.  His  services  to  me  arc  invaluable.  On 
the  field  here,  as  at  Shiloh,  he  was  distinguished,  even  among  so  many 
brave  men,  for  his  daring  and  efficiency.  Captain  R.  Loder,  Inspector 
General  for  the  Left  Wing,  has  entitled  himself  to  my  lasting  grati 
tude,  by  his  constant  and  able  management  of  his  department.  It  is 
sufficient  to  say  that  the  gallant  and  lamented  Colonel  Garesche  told 
him,  in  my  presence,  but  a  short  time  before  the  battle,  that  he  had 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  401 

proved  himself  to  be  the  best  Inspector  General  in  the  army.  On  the 
field  of  battle  bravery  was  added  to  the  same  efficiency  and  activity 
which  marked  his  conduct  in  the  camp. 

Captain  John  Meudenhall,  who  has  been  mentioned  already  as 
Chief  of  Artillery  to  my  command,  but  of  whom  too  much  can  not  be 
said,  is  also  Topographical  Engineer  on  my  staff.  In  this  capacity,  as 
in  all  where  he  works,  the  work  is  well  arid  faithfully  done.  His 
services  at  Shiloh,  of  which  I  was  an  eye-witness;  his  splendid  con 
duct  as  Chief  of  Artillery  to  the  Left  Wing  ;  his  uniform  soldierly 
bearing,  point  him  out  as  eminently  qualified  for  promotion. 

To  the  Medical  Director  of  the  Left  Wing,  Doctor  A.  J.  Phelps,  the 
thanks  of  the  army  and  the  country  are  due,  not  only  for  his  prompt 
attention  to  the  wounded,  but  for  his  arrangements  for  their  immediate 
accommodation.  He  took  good  care  not  only  of  the  wounded  of  my 
command,  but  of  more  than  two  thousand  wounded  from  other  corps 
and  from  the  enemy.  Since  the  battle,  I  have  visited  his  hospitals, 
and  can  bear  testimony  to  the  efficiency  of  the  Medical  Department 
of  the  Left  Wing. 

Captain  Louis  M.  Buford  and  Lieutenant  George  Knox,  my  Aidsde- 
camp,  were  brave,  active,  and  efficient  helps  to  me  all  through  the 
battle.  Captain  Buford  was  struck  just  over  the  heart,  fortunately,  by 
a  ball  too  far  spent  to  penetrate,  and  which  only  bruised.  The  Cap 
tain  and  Lieutenant  Knox  were  frequently  exposed  to  the  heaviest 
firing,  as  they  fearlessly  carried  my  orders  to  all  parts  of  the  field. 

Captain  Case,  of  the  Signal  Corps,  tendered  his  services  as  a  volun 
teer  aid,  and  proved  himself  a  bold  soldier  and  an  efficient  aid.  Two 

other  officers  of   the  same  corps,  Lieutenants tendered 

their  services  as  aids,  and  were  placed  on  my  staff  during  the  battle, 
and  I  thank  them  sincerely  for  their  services. 

Lieutenant  Brown,  of  the  Third  Kentucky  Cavalry,  who  com 
manded  my  escort,  was  as  quietly  brave  on  the  battle-field  as  he  is 
mild  and  gentlemanly  in  the  camp. 

Before  concluding  this  report,  it  will  be  proper  to  add,  that  when  I 
speak  of  a  quiet  day,  I  mean  to  speak  comparatively.  We  had  no 
quiet  days  ;  no  rest  from  the  time  we  reached  the  battle-field  until  the 
enemy  lied,  skirmishing  constantly,  and  sometimes  terrible  cannon 
ading.  On  the  2d,  which  we  call  a  quiet  day,  until  about  four  o'clock 
P.  M.,  the  First  Division,  under  Hascall,  laid  for  half  an  hour,  in  the 
early  part  of  the  day,  under  the  heaviest  cannonading  we  endured. 
Many  men  were  killed,  but  he  and  his  brave  soldiers  would  not  flinch. 
The  number  of  killed  and  wounded,  demonstrates  with  what  fearful 
energy  and  earnestness  the  battle  was  contested  in  my  command. 
Most  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

T.  L.  CRITTENDEN, 

Major  General  Commanding. 

34: 


402  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 


THE 


GEN.  D.  S.  STANLEY'S  OFFICIAL  REPORT. 

HEADQUARTERS  CAVALRY  FOURTEENTH  ARMY  CORPS,  ") 
DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  CUMBERLAND, 

NEAR  MURFREESBORO,  January  9,   18G3.  J 

MAJOR — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  for  the  information  of  the  Gen 
eral  commanding  the  army,  the  following  statement  of  the  part  taken 
by  the  cavalry  under  my  command  in  the  advance  upon  and  battle 
of  Mnrfreesboro  : 

Upon  the  26th  day  of  December  I  divided  the  cavalry  into  three 
column',  putting  the  First  Brigade,  commanded  by  Colonel  Mintv, 
Fourth  Michigan  Cavalry,  upon  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  in  .advance  of 
General  Crirtenden's  corps.  The  Second  Brigade,  commanded  by 
Colonel  Zahn.  Third  Ohio  Cavalry,  was  ordered  on  Franklin  to  dis 
lodge  the  enemy's  cavalry,  and  move  parallel  to  General  McCook's 
corps,  protecting  his  right  flank.  The  reserve  cavalry,  consisting  of 
the  new  regiments,  viz.  :  Anderson  Troop,  First  Middle  Tennessee, 
Second  East  Tennessee  Cavalry,  and  four  companies  of  the  Third 
Indiana,  I  commanded  in  person,  and  preceded  General  McCook's 
corps  on  the  Nolensville  pike. 

Colonel  John  Kennett,  commanding  cavalry  division,  commanded 
the  cavalry  on  the  Murfreesboro  pike.  For  the  operations  of  this  col 
umn  and  also  the  movements  of  Colonel  Zahn  up  to  the  31st  of  Decem 
ber,  I  would  refer  you  to  the  inclosed  reports  of  Colonel  Kennett,  and 
Colonels  Zahn  and  Minty.  > 

On  the  morning  of  the  26th  our  cavalry  first  encountered  the  enemv 
on  the  Nolensville  pike,  one  mile  in  advance  of  Balle  Jack  Pass  ;  their 
cavalry  was  in  large  force  and  accompanied  by  a  battery  of  artillery, 
the  fighting  continued  from  ten  o'clock  until  evening,  during  which 
time  we  had  driven  the  enemy  two  miles  beyond  Lavergne.  The  Third 
Indiana  and  Anderson  Troop  behaved  gallantly,  charging  the  enemy 
twice,  and  bringing  them  to  hand  and  hand  encounters.  The  conduct 
of  Majors  Rosengarten  and  Ward,  the  former  now  deceased,  was  most 
heroic.  On  the  28th  we  made  a  reconnoissance  to  College  Grove,  and 
found  that  Hardee's  rebel  corps  had  marched  to  Murfreesboro. 

On  the  29th,  Colonel  Zahn's  brigade  having  formed,  was  directed  to 
march  upon  Murfreesboro  by  the  Franklin  road.  The  reserve  cavalry 
moving  on  the  Balle  Jack  road,  the  column  communicating  at  the 
crossing  of  Stewart's  ('reek.  We  encountered  the  enemy's  cavalry  and 
found  them  in  strong  force  at  Wilkinson's  Cross-roads.  Our  cavalry 
drove  them  rapidly  acioss  Overall's  Creek,  and  within  one-half  rnile 
of  the  enemy's  line  of  battle.  The  Anderson  Cavalry  behaved  most 
gallantly  this  day,  pushing  at  full  charge  upon  the  enemy  for  sis 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  403 

miles  ;  unfortunately  their  .advance  fronted  too  recklessly  ;  having 
dispersed  their  cavalry,  the  troops  fell  upon  two  regiments  of  rebel 
infantry  in  ambush,  and  after  a  gallant  struggle  wtre  compelled  to 
retire,  with  the  loss  of  Major  Rosengarten  and  six  men  killed,  and  the 
brave  Major  Ward  and  five  men  desperately  wounded.  With  the  loss 
of  these  two  most  gallant  officers  the  spirit  of  the  "  Anderson  Troop," 
which  gave  such  full  promise,  seems  to  have  died  out,  and  I  have  not 
been  able  to  get  any  duty  out  of  them  since. 

On  the  30th  the  entire  cavalry  force  was  engaged  in  guarding  the 
flanks  of  the  army  in  position.  Some  small  cavalry  skirmishing 
occurred,  but  nothing  of  importance.  At  eleven  o'clock  P.  M.,  the 
30th,  I  marched  for  Lavergne,  with  the  First  Tennessee  and  the 
Anderson  Cavalry.  Near  that  place  I  was  joined  by  detachments  of 
the  Fourth  Michigan  and  Seventh  Pennsylvania  Cavalry.  At  half- 
past  nine  o'clock  on  the  31st,  I  received  an  order  from  the  General 
Commanding,  directing  me  to  hasten  to  the  Right.  I  made  all  pos 
sible  speed,  leaving  a  strong  detachment  to  protect  the  trains  crossing 
the  road  at  Stewartsboro,  and  to  pick  up  stragglers.  Upon  arriving 
upon  the  right  flank  of  the  army,  I  found  order  restored,  and  took 
position  on  General  McCook's  right,  my  right  extending  toward  Wil 
kinson's  Cross-roads,  occupying  the  woods  about  the  niceting-house 
and  Overall's  Creek.  In  this  position  we  were  attacked,  about  four 
o'clock  P.  M.,  by  a  long  line  of  foot-skirmishers.  My  first  impression 
was  that  these  were  covered  infantry,  but  I  soon  learned  that  they 
were  dismounted  cavalry.  We  successfully  held  them  at  bay  for  half 
an  hour  with  the  Fourth  Michigan  and  Seventh  Pennsylvania  dis 
mounted,  when,  being  outflanked,  I  ordered  our  line  to  mount  and  fall 
back  to  the  open  field.  The  enemy  followed  here,  and,  being  rein 
forced  by  detachments  of  the  Anderson  and  Third  Kentucky  Cavalry, 
and  by  the  First  Tennessee,  we  charged  the  enemy  and  put  him  to 
rout,  The  cavalry  held  the  same  position  this  night  they  had  taken 
upon  my  arrival  upon  the  field.  About  nine  o'clock  New  Year's  morn 
ing,  the  enemy  showed  a  line  of  skirmishers  in  the  woods  to  our  front, 
and  soon  after  brought  a  six-gun  battery  to  bear  upon  mvr  cavalry. 
As  we  could  not  reach  the  enemy's  skirmishers  nor  reply  to  his  artil 
lery,  I  ordered  my  cavalry  to  fall  back.  A  part  of  Zahn's  brigade 
marched  this  day  to  Nashville,  to  protect  our  trains.  Colonel  Zahn  s 
report  is  inclosed. 

The  2d  and  3d  of  January  the  cavalry  was  engaged  in  watching  the 
flanks  of  our  position.  On  the  4th  it  became  evident  that  the  enemy 
had  fled  ;  the  cavalry  was  collected  and  moved  to  the  fords  of  Stone 
River.  Upon  the  5th  we  entered  Murfreesboro.  Zahn's  brigade 
marched  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy  on  the  Shelby ville  pike  six  miles. 
finding  no  opposition.  With  the  remainder  of  the  cavalry,  I  marched 
on  the  Manchester  pike,  and  encountered  the  enemy  in  heavy  force  at 
Lytlc's  Creek,  three  and  a  half  miles  from  town.  We  fought  with  this 
force  till  near  sundown,  pushing  them  from  one  cedar-brake  to  another, 
when,  being  reinforced  by  General  Spears'  brigade  of  East  Tcnnes- 
seeans,  we  drove  the  enemy  out  of  his  last  stand  in  disorder.  We 
returned  after  dusk  and  encamped  on  Lytle's  ("reek.  Our  troops  all 
behaved  well.  The  skirmishing  was  of  a  very  severe  character. 


404  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

The  Fourth  United  States  Cavalry,  which  was  this  day  first  under 
my  control,  behaved  very  handsomely.  Captain  Otis'  command  acted 
independently  until  the  oth  instant,  when  they  came  under  my 
command. 

The  duty  of  the  cavalry  was  very  arduous.  From  the  2Gth  of 
December  till  the  4th  of  January,  the  saddles  were  only  taken  oil  to 
groom,  and  were  immediately  replaced. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

D.  S.  STANLEY, 
Brigadier  General  and  Chief  of  Cavalry. 


OFFICIAL  REPORT  OF  COL.  JOHN"  EENKETT. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST    CAVALRY  DIVISION, 

CAMP  STANLEY,  January  8,  1863. 
Cap'ain  W.  II.  Sinclair  : 

SIR — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  to  you  the  reports  of  the  part  taken 
in  the  fighting  of  the  two  brigades  composing  the  First  Cavalry 
Division  from  December  26,  1862,  up  to  the  night  of  January  f),  1863, 
from  Nashville  to  Murfreesboro,  and  six  miles  beyond  Murfrcesboro, 
on  the  Manchester  and  Shelbyville  pikes. 

On  leaving  Nashville  the  Second  Brigade,  under  Colonel  Zahn, 
took  the  road  to  Franklin;  Brigadier  General  D.  S.  Stanley,  with  the 
First  and  Second  Tennessee  Cavalry  and  Anderson  Troop,  taking  the 
Nolensville  pike.  The  First  Brigade,  Colonel  Minty  commanding; 
under  my  charge,  took  the  Murfreesboro  pike.  I  reported  my  com 
mand  to  General  Palmer,  who  placed  us  in  advance.  Our  skirmishers 
drove  the  enemy  some  five  miles.  The  afternoon  was  well  spent  when 
General  Palmer  relieved  us  with  infantry  skirmishers.  The  oavalrj 
forming  the  reserve  on  the  right  and  left  flanks,  the  First  Brigade 
marched  directly  as  a  reserve  to  the  advance  skirmishers  of  the 
army  composing  the  Left  Wino1,  on  their  flanks,  up  to  December  30, 
1862. 

On  December  31,  1862,  we  were  posted  as  reserves  on  the  flanks, 
throwing  out  our  skirmishers  and  vedettes,  watching  the  movements 
of  the  enemy.  We  performed  a  variety  of  duty  as  scouts  on  the  dif 
ferent  avenues  leading  to  our  camp  and  connecting  with  the  roads 
centering  upon  Nashville,  Tennessee — flankers,  vedettes,  couriers — 
engaging  the  enemy  daily  on  the  right  flank. 

Some  few  incidents  which  could  not  have  fallen  under  the  eye  of  the 
brigade  commanders,  having  occurred  under  my  immediate  notice,  I 
beg  leave  to  append. 

When  the  enemy  charged  upon  our  wing,  scattering  a  few  regi 
ments,  who  stampeded  to  the  rear,  I  received  orders  from  General 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  405 

Piosecrans  in  person,  to  collect  all  the  cavalry  at  my  command,  and 
proceed  to  rally  the  Right  Wing  and  drive  the  enemy  away.  I  found 
Colonel  Murray,  of  the  Third  Kentucky,  in  command  of  about  a 
squadron  of  men.  With  that  we  made  our  way  to  the  right.  We 
found  a  complete  stampede — infantry,  cavalry,  and  nrtilleiy,  rushing 
to  the  rear,  and  the  rebel  cavalry  charging  upon  our  retiring  forces 
on  the  Murfreesboro  pike.  Colonel  Murray,  with  great  intrepidity, 
engaged  the  enemy  toward  the  skirts  of  the  wood,  and  drove  them  in 
three  charges.  His  men  behaved  like  old  veterans.  Between  his 
command  and  the  field,  was  filled  with  rushing  rebel  cavalry  charging 
upon  our  retreating  cavalry  and  infantry,  holding  many  of  our 
soldiers  as  prisoners. 

I  rallied  the  Third  Ohio,  some  two  companies,  who  "were  falling 
back,  and  formed  them  in  the  rear  of  a  fence,  where  volley  after  vol 
ley  had  the  effect  of  driving  back  the  rebels  on  the  run.  the  Third 
Ohio  charging  upon  them  effectually,  thereby  relieving  the  pike  of 
their  presence,  saving  the  train,  one  piece  of  artillery,  and  rescuing 
from  their  grasp  many  of  our  men  taken  as  prisoners.  One  of  my 
staff,  Lieutenant  Reilly,  being  a  prisoner  in  their  hands  was  released. 
Lieutenant  Murray,  of  the  Third  Ohio,  displayed  energy,  courage, 
and  coolness  upon  this  occasion,  in  executing  my  orders.  I  also  take 
great  pride  in  mentioning  the  prompt  manner  with  which  my  staff 
conveyed  my  orders  in  all  these  engagements. 

Two  of  my  orderlies  displayed  high  order  of  chivalry.  Joggers 
charged  upon  two  rebel  cavalry,  rescuing  two  men  of  the  Fourth 
Ohio  Volunteer  Cavalry,  who  were  being  taken  off  as  prisoners.  The 
other,  Farrish,  shot  two  of  the  rebels,  and  came  to  my  rescue  in  a  per 
sonal  encounter  with  a  rebel,  who  was  in  the  act  of  leveling  his  pistol 
at  my  head,  but.  he  found  a  carbine  leveled  into  his  own  face,  and  at 
my  order  to  surrender,  he  delivered  his  pistols,  carbine,  and  horse  to 
me.  They  both  deserve  promotion,  and  would  make  good  officers. 

The  able  and  undaunted  spirit  and  ability  which  Colonel  Minty  has 
displayed  whenever  coming  under  my  eye,  I  take  great  satisfaction 
in  noticing.  The  officers  and  men  all  displayed  great,  self-sacrifice. 
Major  Wynkoop,  of  the  Seventh  Pennsylvania  commanding,  and 
Lieutenant  Wooley,  Adjutant  General  of  the  First,  Brigade,  carried 
out  every  order  with  unhesitating  energy  and  will,  displaying  the 
highest  order  of  gallantry. 

Captain  E.  Otis,  of  the  Fourth  Regular  Cavalry,  although  he  does 
not  belong  to  my  division,  but  being  posted  on  the  Left  Wing  of  our 
skirmishers  on  the  march  on  the  Manchester  road,  I  feel  it  my  duty 
as  well  as  take  great  pleasure  in  stating  he  is  is  an  able  and  efficient 
officer. 

Brigadier  General  D.  S.  Stanley  being  in  command  of  the  forces 
pursuing  the  retiring  rebels  on  the  march,  it  fell  to  my  lot  to  convey 
and  see  his  orders  executed.  Before  closing  this  report  it  is  my  duty 
to  make  honorable  mention  of  the  meritorious  conduct  of  Lieutenant 
Newell,  commanding  a  section  of  artillery  attached  to  my  division. 
During  the  first  day's  engagement  near  Lavcrgne,  he  placed  his  two 
pieces  on  well-selected  ground,  and  did  great  execution,  killing  three 
horses,  dismounting  seven,  and  scattering  the  rebel  cavalry  by  his 


406  OiTICIAL    REPORTS. 

well  and  timely  aimed  shots.     Tie  lias  on  several  occasions  displayed 
talents  of  iirst  order  as  an  artillerist. 

It  would  not  be  amiss  at  this  time  to  state  that  my  entire  command 
were  short  of  rations,  performing  duty,  night  and  day,  in  the  wet 
field  without  shelter,  exposed  to  the  wet,  cold,  and  hunger,  without  a 
murmur.  Major  Paransom,  of  the  Third  Ohio,  displayed  great  pres 
ence  of  mind  and  determination  in  maintaining  his  position  on  the 
right  flank  with  his  battalion,  to  cover  an  ammunition  train,  long  after 
the  cavalry  on  his  right  had  been  driven  away  by  the  enemy's  shells. 
Your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  KENNETT, 

Commanding  Division. 


OFFICIAL  REPORT  OF   CAPT.  ELMER  OTIS. 

HEADQUARTERS  FOURTH  UNITED  STATES  CAVALRY, 

IN  CAMP  NEAR  MURFREESBORO,  TENNESSEE, 

January  7,  1863. 
Major  C.  Goddard,  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant  General: 

SIR — I  have  the  honor  to  make  the  following  report  of  the  opera 
tions  of  the  Fourth  United  States  Cavalry,  in  the  battle  in  front  of 
Murfreesboro: 

On  December  30,  the  Fourth  United  States  Cavab-y  left  camp  at 
Stewart's  Creek,  leaving  the  train  and  baggage  under  a  strong  guard, 
commanded  by  Lieutenant  Randlebrook.  The  regiment  proceeded  to 
}oin  General  Rosecrans  on  the  field  of  battle,  and  was  drawn  up  in 
"line  of  battle  in  rear  of  the  General's  headquarters,  but  took  no 
immediate  part  in  the  action  that  day.  Company  L,  commanded  by 
Lieutenant  Royse,  was  General  Rosecrans'  immediate  escort,  and  so 
remains  at  the  present  time.  Company  M,  strengthened  by  fifty  men 
detailed  from  Companies  B,  C,  D,  G,  I,  and  K,  commanded  by  Lieuten 
ant  L'Hommedieu,  proceeded  to  establish  a  courier  line  from  General 
Rosecrans'  headquarters  to  Lavergne,  and  so  remained  doing  good 
service  until  relieved,  January  4,  1863.  These  details  left  me  with 
only  six  small  companies,  numbering  in  aggregate  two  hundred  and 
sixty  men,  rank  and  file. 

On  the  morning  of  the  31st,  Colonel  Garesche  informed  me  that 
rebel  cavalry  was  appearing  on  the  right  flank  of  the  line  of  battle, 
and  ordered  me  to  proceed  with  the  Fourth  United  States  Cavalry  to 
look  after  them.  This  must  have  been  between  seven  and  eight  o'clock 
in  the  morning.  I  crossed  the  Murfreesboro  pike  and  drew  up  the  six 
companies  in  line  of  battle  in  the  following  manner :  each  company 
was  in  a  column  of  fours  led  by  tht  company  commanders,  the  com 
panies  on  a  line  parallel  to  each  other,  company  distance  apart,  lead- 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  407 

ing  the  center  myself.  This  was  done  owing  to  the  wooded  country 
and  fences  that  were  obstructions  to  the  ordinary  line  of  battle. 

Proceeding  to  the  right  of  the  line,  I  found  our  entire  right  flank 
had  given  way.  Learning  from  some  men  of  General  Davis1  division 
the  position  of  the  enemy's  cavalry,  I  made  a  turn  to  the  right, 
moving  about  one-fourth  of  a  mile,  and  discovered  the  enemy.  I 
came  out  of  a  piece  of  timber  I  was  in,  and  getting  over  a  fence,  rap 
idly  charged  the  enemy  with  my  entire  command,  completely  routing 
them  with  the  exception  of  two  pieces  of  artillery,  supported  by  about 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  cavalry,  stationed  between  my  right  and 
the  Murfreesboro  and  Nashville  pike,  who  were  not  at  first  discovered. 
I  rallied  my  men  again,  and  while  rallying  I  saw  about  three  hundred 
of  volunteer  cavalry  on  my  right ;  I  rode  over  to  them  and  asked  them 
lo  charge  the  artillery  with  me  and  the  few  men  I  had  rallied  to  take 
the  pieces.  The  officer  replied  that  he  was  placed  there  to  guard  a 
train,  and  would  not  charge  with  me.  1  have  no  doubt  I  could  have 
taken  the  artillery.  Before  I  could  get  my  men  rallied  the  artillery 
moved  oft'.  About  the  time  I  got  my  command  rallied,  I  received  an 
order  from  General  Rosecrans  to  proceed  to  the  Nashville  and  Mur 
freesboro  pike  as  soon  as  possible.  1  did  so  immediately.  I  have 
since  thought  the  General  did  not  know  my  position,  or  he  would  havo 
allowed  me  to  follow  up  the  enemy.  I  was  much  nearer  the  pike  than 
I  thought  I  was.  I  saw  no  more  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  on  the  pike 
that  morning. 

In  this  charge  I  can  not  speak  in  too  high  terms  of  the  officers  and 
men.  Every  man  charged  and  kept  in  position,  taking  over  a  hundred 
prisoners  of  the  enemy  and  releasing  a  large  number  of  our  own  cap 
tured  men.  More  redounds  to  their  credit,  considering  that  a  large 
majority  were  recruits  from  volunteer  infantry,  and  only  some  five 
days  drilled  mounted. 

Two  companies  of  infantry  were  released  in  a  body.  The  train  on 
the  pike  was,  I  have  since  learned,  in  the  possession  of  the  encrny 
with  a  large  number  of  stragglers,  who  were  being  disarmed  at  the 
time.  These  stragglers  did  nothing  to  protect  the  train,  scarcely 
firing  a  shot. 

From  prisoners  taken  I  have  learned  that  the  Fourth  United 
States  Cavalry  charged  an  entire  brigade  of  cavalry,  and  routed  them 
to  such  a  degree  that  they  disappeared  from  the  field  at  this  point 
entirely.  Later  in  the  day  I  sent  seventy-nine  prisoners  in  one  body 
to  the  Tenth  Ohio  Infantry,  stationed  in  our  rear  at  Stewart's  Creek. 
Another  body  of  forty  men  started,  but  I  regret  to  say  were  captured. 
Of  th"e  seventy-nine  sent  to  the  rear  there  was  one  captain  and  two 
lieutenants.  I  have  no  doubt  there  were  other  officers,  but  did  not 
have  an  opportunity  to  examine  them  closely  enough  to  find  out. 

Of  the  officers  engaged  it  is  almost  impossible  to  particularize,  they 
all  did  so  well.  Captain  Eli  Long  led  his  company  with  the  greatest 
gallantry,  and  was  wounded  by  a  ball  through  his  left  arm.  Lieuten 
ants  Mouck,  Kelly,  Lee,  and  Healey  could  not  have  done  better. 

It  was  a  matter  of  great  surprise  to  me,  considering  the  ground 
passed  over,  to  find  Dr.  Comfort*so  soon  on  the  field  with  his  ambu 
lance,  caring  for  the  wounded.  He  was  in  time  to  capture  a  prisoner 


408  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

himself.  First  Sergeant  Murphy  led  Company  G,  and  commanded  it 
with  great  gallantry,  the  reports  having  counted  eleven  dead  of  the 
enemy  on  the  ground  over  which  his  company  charged.  Sergeant 
Major  John  G.  AVebstcr  behaved  gallantly,  capturing  a  lieutenant 
mounted  on  a  fine  mare.  First  Sergeant  James  MeAlpin  led  Company 
K  after  Captain  Long  was  wounded,  and  reports  having  killed  two 
rebels  with  two  successive  shots  of  his  pistol.  First  Sergeant  John 
Dolan,  Company  B,  captured  a  captain  and  received  his  sword.  ]No 
one  could  have  acted  more  bravely  than  First  Sergeant  McMaster,  of 
Company  I.  First  Sergeant  Christian  Hacfling.  in  charge  of  courier 
line  near  headquarters,  proceeded  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  and 
recovered  the  effects  of  Colonel  Garesche  on  his  body,  killed  in  this 
day's  fight.  Our  loss  in  this  charge  was  small,  Captain  Eli  Long  and 
six  privates  wounded. 

Proceeding  on  the  Nashville  pike,  I  was  ordered  to  escort  a  train  to 
the  rear.  1  afterward  got  orders  to  return  and  report  to  General 
Rosecrans  ;  I  returned,  and  for  two  hours  looked  for  the  General  with 
my  command,  but  did  not  find  him,  although  1  found  several  of  his 
staff.  I  proceeded  to  the  right  flank  and  formed  my  regiment  in  front 
of  some  rebel  cavalry,  who  showed  themselves  in  the  distance,  in 
order  to  protect  our  train.  1  returned  to  General  Rosecrans'  head 
quarters  that  night,  and  bivouacked  near  him.  The  next  morning, 
January  1st,  I  was  ordered  to  make  a  reconnoissance  on  the  right 
flank  which  I  did,  making  my  reports  frequently  to  Major  Goddard, 
Acting  Assistant  Adjutant  General;  ihat  night  bivouacking  near 
Overall's  Creek,  where  my  command  remained  watching  the  move 
ments  of  the  enemy  until  the  4th  of  January,  when  it,  was  moved 
to  Wilkinson's  Cross-roads.  On  Janunry  5th  my  command  proceeded 
under  command  of  General  Stanley  to  engage  the  enemy's  rear  guard, 
on  the  Manchester  pike,  driving  them  some  two  or  three  miles. 

1'rivate  Snow,  of  Company  L,  orderly  to  General  Rosecrans,  was 
ordered  on  January  2d,  to  pick  up  fifteen  stragglers,  march  them  to 
the  front,  and  turn  them  over  to  some  commissioned  officer.  Failing  fo 
find  one  he  assumed  command,  formed  them  in  line,  telling  them  that 
he  would  shoot  the  first  one  that  should  run.  He  reports  that  they 
fought  bravely. 

Twelve  men  were  taken  prisoners  while  performing  courier  duty. 
Lieutenant  Randlebrook  was  exceedingly  vigilant  guarding  the  train, 
and  of  great  service  in  sending  forward  supplies. 

I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

ELMER  OTIS, 
Captain  Commanding  Fourth  United  States  Cavalry  in  Field. 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  409 


REPORT  OF  COLOKEL  R.  II.  GL  MIOTY. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  CAVALRY  BRIGADE,  \ 

CAMP  BEFORE  MURFREESBORO,  January  7,  1863.  f 

Lieutenant  Chamberlain,  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant  General,  First  Cavalry 

Division  : 

SIR — I  have  the  honor  to  hand  you  the  following  report  of  the  part 
taken  by  the  First  Brigade,  First  Division  Cavalry  Reserve,  in  the 
operations  from  the  advance  of  the  army  from  Nashville  to,  and 
including  the  battle  before,  Murfreesboro. 

I  marched  from  Camp  Rosecrans,  near  Nashville,  on  the  morning 
of  the  26th  ult.,  with  the  Third  Kentucky,  Fourth  Michigan,  Seventh 
Pennsylvania,  and  one  company  of  the  Second  Indiana,  and  reported 
to  General  Palmer  on  the  Murfreesboro  road.  In  accordance  with 
orders  received  from  him,  through  the  Colonel  commanding  the  divi 
sion,  I  placed  the  Third  Kentucky  on  the  left,  and  the  Seventh  Penn 
sylvania  on  the  right  of  the  road,  keeping  the  Fourth  Michigan  on  the 
pike,  with  a  strong  advance  guard  thrown  out. 

Ten  miles  from  Nashville  I  met  the  enemy's  pickets,  who,  as  they 
fell  back  before  us,  were  continually  reinforced,  until  arriving  at 
Lavcrgne  they  disputed  our  progress  with  a  force  of  two  thousand  five 
hundred  cavalry  and  mounted  infantry,  with  four  pieces  of  artillery, 
under  General  Wheeler.  After  some  sharp  skirmishing  in  which  we 
suffered  some  loss,  and  did  the  enemy  considerable-damage,  I  moved 
under  cover  of  a  slight  eminence  on  which  Lieutenant  Newell,  of  Bat 
tery  D,  First  Ohio,  had  his  section  planted,  leaving  two  companies  of 
the  Fourth  Michigan  dismounted,  and  in  ambush  behind  a  fence,  to 
support,  the  artillery.  I  must  here  mention  that  Lieutenant  Newell  did 
splendid  service  with  his  two  three-inch  Rodmans.  Every  shot  was 
well  planted,  and  he  nobly  fought  the  four  guns  of  the  enemy  for  over 
half  an  hour,  when  a  battery  from  General  Palmer's  division  came  up 
to  his  assistance.  One  of  the  gunners  was  killed  by  a  shell  from  the 
enemy  while  serving  his  gun. 

Saturday,  December  27. — The  Seventh  Pennsylvania,  under  Major 
Wynkoop,  made  a  reconnoissance  in  front  of  General  Palmer's  divi 
sion,  which  occupied  a  position  on  the  left  of  the  line.  One  battalion, 
Fourth  Michigan,  under  Captain  Mix,  was  sent  out  on  the  Jefferson 
pike,  and  did  not  rejoin  the  brigade  until  the  following  day. 

The  army  advanced  at  about  eleven  o'clock  A.  M.,  the  Third  Ken 
tucky  and  one  company  of  the  Second  Indiana,  under  Colonel  Murray, 
on  the  left  flank,  and  the  Fourth  Michigan,  under  my  immediate 
direction,  covering  the  right  flank. 

Camped  near  Stewart's  Creek  this  night. 

Sunday,  December  28. — I  sent  one  battalion  Seventh  Pennsylvania, 
under  Captain  Jennings,  to  relieve  the  battalion  Fourth  Michigan  on 
the  Jefferson  pike. 

Monday,   December   29. — The    army    again    advanced — the    Seventh 

35 


410  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

Pennsylvania,  under  Major  Wynkoop,  on  the  left  flank  ;  the  Third 
Kentucky,  under  Colonel  Murray,  on  the  right  flank  ;  the  Fourth 
Michigan,  under  Lieutenant  Colonel  Dickinson,  in  reserve  ;  Second 
Indiana  on  courier  duty.  Light  skirmishing  with  the  enemy  all  day. 
Found  the  enemy  in  position  in  front  of  Murfreesboro  at  about  three 
o'clock  P.  M.  Bivouacked  immediately  in  rear  of  our  line  of  battle. 

Tuesday,  December  30. — One  battalion  of  the  Seventh  Pennsylvania 
and  one  battalion  of  the  Third  Kentucky  formed  a  chain  of  vedettes  in 
rear  of  line  of  battle,  with  orders  to  drive  up  all  stragglers. 

Under  orders  from  the  Colonel  commanding  the  division,  I  took  the 
Fourth  Michigan,  and  one  battalion  of  the  Seventh  Pennsylvania,  back 
on  the  Nashville  road  to  operate  against  Wheeler's  Cnvalry,  who,  a  few 
hours  before,  had  captured  the  train  of  the  Twenty-Eighth  Brigade  on 
the  Jefferson  pike.  Between  Stewart's  Creek  and  Lavergne  I  met  the 
enemy,  who  were  chiefly  dressed  in  our  uniforms.  The  Seventh  Penn 
sylvania  drove  them  until  after  dark.  I  joined  Colonel  Walker's  bri 
gade,  and  camped  with  them  near  Lavergne  for  the  night. 

Wednesday,  December  31. — Under  orders  from  General  Ro?ecrans  I 
reported  to  Brigadier  General  Stanley,  Chief  of  Cavalry,  who  came 
up  the  same  morning  with  the  First  Middle  Tennessee,  and  a  part  of 
the  Fifteenth  Pennsylvania,  and  in  accordance  with  his  orders  we 
moved  rapidly  across  the  country  toward  the  right  flank  of  General 
McCook's  position,  leaving  Lieutenant  Colonel  Dickinson  with  one 
hundred  and  twenty  men  to  protect  Lieutenant  Newell's  section  of 
artillery  at  the  Cross-roads,  north-west  from  Stewart's  Creek.  The 
enemy's  cavalry  fell  back  rapidly  before  us  for  some  miles.  When 
close  to  Overall's  Creek  our  own  artillery,  in  position  to  our  left,  opened 
on  us  with  shell,  and  wounded  severely  one  man  of  the  Fifteenth 
Pennsylvania. 

Crossing  Overall's  Creek,  I  took  up  position  parallel  to  and  about 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  the  Murfreesboro  and  Nashville  pike  ; 
the  Fourth  Michigan,  under  command  of  Captain  Mix,  forming  a  line 
of  dismounted  skirmishers  close  to  the  edge  of  the  woods,  out  of  which 
they  had  driven  a  large  force  of  the  enemy's  cavalry.  They  were 
supported  by  a  portion  of  the  First  Middle  Tennessee  Cavalry,  also 
dismounted. 

Captain  Jennings'  battalion  of  the  Seventh  Pennsylvania,  and  two 
companies  of  the  Third  Kentucky,  under  Captain  Davis,  were  posted 
in  the  woods  near  and  to  the  right  of  the  Fourth  Michigan,  with  the 
Fifteenth  Pennsylvania  (the  :--.a«rson  Troop)  in  their  rear. 

My  entire  force  at  this  time  numbered  nine  hundred  and  fifty  men. 
The  enemy  advanced  rapidly  with  two  thousand  five  hundred  cav 
alry,  mounted  and  dismounted,  and  three  pieces  of  artillery,  all  under 
the  command  of  Generals  Wheeler,  Wharton,  and  Buford.  They  drove 
back  the  Fourth  Michigan  to  the  line  of  the  First  Tennessee  skirm 
ishers,  and  then  attacked  the  Seventh  Pennsylvania  with  great  fury, 
but  met  with  a  determined  resistance.  I  went  forward  to  the  line  of 
dismounted  skirmishers  and  endeavored  to  move  them  to  the  right  to 
strengthen  the  Seventh  Pennsylvania,  but  the  moment  the  right  of  the 
line  showed  itself  from  behind  the  fence  where  they  were  posted,  the 
whole  of  the  enemy's  fire  was  directed  on  it,  turning  it  completely  round. 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  411 

At  this  moment  the  Fifteenth  Pennsylvania  gave  way  and  retreated 
rapidly,  leaving  the  battalion  of  the  Seventh  Pennsylvania  and  the 
dismounted  men  entirely  unsupported,  and  no  alternative  but  to 
retreat.  I  fell  back  a  short  distance  and  reformed  in  the  rear  of  a 
rising  ground,  which  protected  us  from  the  enemy's  artillery. 

The  rebel  cavalry  followed  us  up  sharply  into  the  open  ground,  and 
now  menaced  us  with  three  strong  lines,  two  directly  in  front  of  our 
position,  and  one  opposite  our  left  flank,  with  its  right  thrown  well 
forward,  and  a  strong  body  of  skirmishers  in  the  woods  on  our  right, 
threatening  that  flank. 

General  Stanley  ordered  a  charge,  and  he  himself  led  two  companies 
of  the  Fourth  Michigan  (II  and  K),  with  about  fifty  men  of  the  Fif 
teenth  Pennsylvania,  against  the  line  in  front  of  our  left.  lie  routed 
the  enemy  and  captured  one  stand  of  colors,  which  was  brought  in  by 
a  sergeant  of  the  Fifteenth  Pennsylvania. 

Captain  Jennings,  of  the  Seventh  Pennsylvania,  with  his  battalion, 
supported  this  movement.  At  the  same  time  I  charged  the  first  line  in 
our  front  with  the  Fourth  Michigan  and  First  Tennessee,  and  drove 
them  from  the  field.  The  second  line  was  formed  on  the  far  side  of  a, 
lane,  with  a  partially  destroyed  fence  on  each  side,  and  still  stood  their 
ground.  I  reformed  my  men  and  again  charged.  The  enemy  again 
broke,  and  were  driven  from  the  field  in  the  wildest  confusion. 

I  held  the  ground  that  night,  with  the  First  Tennessee,  Fifteenth 
Pennsylvania,  and  Fourth  Michigan,  picketing  all  of  my  first  position. 

A  sergeant  of  the  Seventh  Pennsylvania,  who  was  taken  prisoner  by 
the  enemy  when  we  were  driven  back,  states  that  before  we  charged 
we  had  killed  twenty-seven,  including  many  officers. 

January  1,  2.  and  3. — Had  the  brigade  under  arms  all  day,  with  two 
regiments  on  picket  and  skirmishing  with  the  enemy's  pickets. 

January  4. — I  moved  the  brigade  to  Wilkinson's  Cross-roads  and 
bivouacked  there  for  the  night,  with  the  Fourth  Cavalry. 

January  5. — I  marched  through  Murfreesboro  and  took  the  Manches 
ter  pike.  One  mile  out  I  met  the  enemy's  pickets  and  reported  the 
fact  to  General  Stanley,  who  ordered  an  advance  and  took  the  lead 
with  the  Fourth  Cavalry. 

After  crossing  a  small  creek,  about  two  miles  from  Murfreesboro,  the 
bridge  over  which  had  been  destroyed,  the  rebels  commenced  shelling  us. 

I  sent  the  Third  Kentucky  well  to  the  right  and  front  and  the  Sev 
enth  Pennsylvania  to  the  left,  keeping  the  Fourth  Michigan  and  First 
and  Second  Tennessee  in  reserve.  After  some  little  delay  we  again 
advanced.  The  Fourth  Michigan,  being  next  to  and  on  the  right  of 
the  road  with  one  company,  advanced  as  skirmishers;  the  Third  Ken 
tucky  on  the  right  of  the  Fourth  Michigan,  the  First  Tennessee  on  the 
right  of  the  Third  Kentucky,  and  the  Second  Tennessee  in  reserve.  In 
this  formation  we  moved  through  a  cedar-thicket,  with  a  dense  under 
growth,  rendering  it  almost  impossible  to  force  our  way  through.  We 
had  occasional  heavy  skirmishing  with  the  enemy,  who  continued  to 
shell  us  as  we  advanced. 

About  six  miles  out  we  met  the  enemy  in  force.  A  sharp  skirmish 
ensued,  the  Fourth  Cavalry,  First  Tennessee  Infantry,  and  the  Seventh 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry  having  to  bear  the  brunt  of  *.he  fight  on  our  side. 


412 


OFFICIAL  REPORTS. 


The  enemy  were  driven  from  the  field  with  heavy  loss,  and  we 
returned  to  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  Murfreesboro  and  went  into 
camp. 

CASUALTIES. 


REGIMENTS. 

Killed  |  Wounded  j  Missing. 

Aggregate 

o 

93 
o 

* 
f* 

S> 
0 

Officers. 

t£ 

0 

2 

Officers. 

g 

o 
13 

0 

3 
o 
$ 

>~s 

gj 

o 

3 

14 
01 
9 
19 

13 

17 

183 

2d  Indiana  Cavalry                          ... 

1 

1 

"i 

2 

13 
50 
1 

12 

8 
5 

89 

1 

1 
1 

0 

1 

f, 

7th  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  

2 

9 

7 
8 
5 
10 

87 

3d  Kentucky  Cavalrv   

1 

1 

2 

1 
1 
1 

4th  Michigan  Cavalrv  

1st  Middle  Tennessee  Cavalry  
2d  East  Tennessee  Cavalry  

Total... 

7 

8 

Horses  killed,  01  ;  wounded,  65. 


Colonel  Murray  with  a  handful  of  men,  performed  services  that 
would  do  honor  to  a  full  regiment. 

Captain  Mix,  with  about  fifty  men,  not  only  drove  two  hundred  of 
the  enemy  for  over  two  miles,  but  he  there  held  his  position  against  an 
entire  regiment  of  rebel  cavalry. 

Lieutenant  Eldridge,  with  eighteen  men,  and  dismounted,  attacked 
the  enemy,  routed  them,  and  recaptured  a  wagon  full  of  ammunition. 

In  the  engagement  of  Wednesday,  the  31st,  while  leading  his  com 
pany  in  a  charge,  Captain  Mix's  horse  was  shot,  under  him,  and,  in  the 
same  charge,  Lieutenant  Woollcy,  my  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant  Gen 
eral,  was  thrown  from  his  horse,  severely  hurting  his  leg,  notwith 
standing  which  he  remounted  and  continued  to  perform  all  his  duties. 

In  explanation  of  the  large  number  of  "  missing"  reported  by  the 
Seventh  Pennsylvania,  I  would  call  your  attention  to  the  fact  that  the 
entire  force  of  one  battalion  was  deployed  as  a  chain  of  vedettes  in 
rear  of  our  line  of  battle,  when  the  Right  Wing  was  driven  back,  and 
many  of  the  men  must  have  been  captured  by  the  enemy  while  endeav 
oring  to  drive  forward  the  struggling  infantry. 

In  reporting  such  officers  and  men  who  deserve  special  mention,  I 
must  confine  myself  to  those  who  came  under  my  personal  observation. 

First  Sergeant  Bedtelyon,  of  Company  K,  Fourth  Michigan  Cavalry, 
rode  by  my  side  during  both  charges  against  the  enemy  in  the 
engagement  of  Wednesday  evening,  December  31st,  and  displayed 
great  gallantry  and  coolness.  I  have  recommended  him  to  his  Excel 
lency,  the  Governor  of  Michigan,  for  promotion.  Bugler  Ben  Depen- 
brock,  Second  Indiana  Cavalry,  and  Quartermaster  Sergeant  Edward 
Owen,  Fourth  Michigan  Cavalry — when  we  were  driven  back  in  the 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS.  413 

early  part  of  the  evening  of  December  31st,  I  was  on  foot  and  in  rear 
of  the  dismounted  skirmishers  who  were  running  for  their  horses — 
when  these  two  callant,  soldiers  galloped  to  the  front,  bringing  up  my 
horse.  Lieutenant  John  Woollej7",  Second  Indiana  Cavalry,  Acting 
Ass  stant  Adjutant  General,  First  Cavalry  Brigade,  was  thrown  from 
his  horse  and  so  severely  hurt  that  he  could  not  walk  without  great  dif 
ficulty,  continued  to  press  to  the  front  on  foot  until  he  got  another 
horse,  and  remained  on  the  field  until  long  after  the  engagement  was 
over.  Captain  Frank  W.  Mix,  Fourth  Michigan  Cavalry,  had  his  horse 
shot  under  him  during  the  first  charge  ;  he  pressed  forward  on  foot, 
caught  a  stray  horse,  and  led  his  company  in  the  second  charge. 
Many  others  undoubtedly  did  as  well  as  those  I  have  mentioned,  but 
the  above  are  the  cases  that  came  under  my  immediate  notice. 

The  brigade  has  captured  and  turned  over  one  hundred  and  ninety- 
two  prisoners. 

I  am,  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

R.  H.  G.  MINTY, 

Colonel  Commanding. 


THE  RIGHT  WING. 


OFFICIAL  REPORT  OF  GEN.  R.  W.  JOHNSON. 

HEADQUARTERS  SECOND  DIVISION,  ") 

EIGHT  WING,  January  6,  18G3.       / 

Major  J.  A.  Campbell,  Assistant  Adjutant  General  : 

I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  of  the  operations  of 
the  Second  Division,  under  my  command,  beginning  December  26, 
1862.  the  day  upon  which  it  left  Nashville,  and  terminating  on  Jan 
uary  6,  1863  : 

Agreeably  to  orders,  the  divisions  of  the  Right  Wing  of  the  Four 
teenth  Army  Corps  marched  from  their  camps  near  Nashville,  taking 
the  Nolensville  pike,  and  arrived  in  that  village  the  same  day,  at  four 
o'clock  P.  M.  On  the  following  day  the  same  divisions,  with  mine  in 
advance,  marched  to  Triune.  The  rebel  rear  guard  contested  the 
ground  inch  by  inch,  and  the  day  was  passed  constantly  skirmishing 
with  them,  with  no  loss  on  our  side,  but  several  casualties  on  their 
part.  Triune  was  occupied  by  my  division  about  four  P.  M.  The  fol 
lowing  day  (December  28),  the  command  remained  in  Triune.  A 
reconnoissance,  to  ascertain  the  direction  the  enemy  had  retreated, 
was  made  by  a  brigade  of  my  command,  commanded  by  Brigadier 
General  A.  Willich.  It  having  ascertained  that  the  enemy  had 
retreated  toward  Murfreesboro,  I  was  ordered  to  leave  a  brigade  at 


414  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

Triune,  and  on  the  29th  to  march  on  Murfreesboro  on  what  is  known 
as  the  Balle  Jack  road.  Colonel  P.  P.  Baldwin,  Third  Brigade,  was 
left  at  Triune.  The  command  arrived  at  Wilkinson's  Cross  roads 
about  eight  P.  M.,  on  the  20th,  and  an  order  sent  at  once  to  Colonel 
Baldwin  to  move  forward  his  brigade,  which  arrived  early  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  30th.  My  division  was  in  reserve  on  the  29th.  On 
the  following  morning,  December  30,  General  Sherridan's  division  was 
ordered  to  advance  in  line  of  battle,  covering  the  Wilkinson  pike, 
while  General  Davis'  division  marched  in  the  same  order,  on  the  right 
of  General  Sherridan.  My  division,  being  held  in  reserve,  was 
marched  in  column  on  the  pike.  There  being  no  troops  on  General 
Davis'  right,  and  General  Sherridan's  left  being  guarded  by  General 
Crittenden's  left  wing  (N.  B. — Negley's  division  of  Center),  I  was 
ordered  to  oblique  to  the  right,  covering  the  right  of  General  Davis' 
division.  About  two  o'clock  P.  M.  I  received  an  order  from  Major 
General  McCook  to  look  well  to  my  right,  as  General  Hardee  (rebel), 
with  his  corp?,  was  on  the  right  flank  of  our  column.  I  ordered  the 
Second  Brigade,  Brigadier  General  E.  N.  Kirk  commanding,  to  take 
position  with  his  brigade,  his  left  resting  against,  the  right  of  General 
Davis,  his  right  refused  so  as  to  cover  our  right  flank.  About  dark  I 
placed  General  Willich's  on  the  right  of  Kirk's,  refusing  his  right,  and 
directed  a  heavy  line  of  skirmishers  to  be  thrown  forward,  connecting 
on  the  left  with  those  of  General  Davis,  and  extending  to  the  right 
and  rear,  near  the  Wilkinson  pike  This  line  of  skirmishers  was 
thrown  forward  about  six  hundred  yards,  and  near  those  of  the  enemy. 
My  Third  Brigade,  Colonel  Baldwin  commanding,  was  held  in  reserve. 
In  consultation  with  General  McCook,  late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  30th, 
he  informed  me  that  he  had  reliable  information  to  tiie  effect  that  the 
center  of  the  rebel  line  of  battle  was  opposite  to  our  extreme  right, 
and  that  we  would  probably  be  attacked  by  the  entire  rebel  army  early 
on  the  following  morning.  His  prediction  proved  true.  lie  also  in 
formed  me  that  he  had  communicated  this  information  to  the  Com 
manding  General.  I  expected  a  change  in  the  programme  for  the 
following  day,  but  none  was  made.  My  brigade  commanders  were 
called  together,  and  the  operations  of  the  following  day  fully  explained 
to  them.  Every  arrangement  was  made  for  an  attack.  Two  gallant 
and  experienced  officers  commanded  my  two  advance  brigades,  and 
every  precaution  was  taken  against  surprise. 

At  twenty-two  minutes  past  six  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  31st, 
the  outposts  in  front  of  my  division  were  driven  in  by  an  overwhelm 
ing  force  of  infantry,  outnumbering  my  forces  greatly,  and  known  to 
contain  about  thirty-five  thousand  men.  At  the  same  time  my  extreme 
vijrlit  was  attacked  by  the  enemy's  cavalry.  The  gallant  Kirk  and 
Willich  soon  opened  up  a  heavy  fire  of  musketry  and  artillery  on  the 
advancing  columns,  causing  wavering  in  the  ranks,  but  fresh  columns 
would  soon  repine 2  them,  and  it  was  apparent  that  to  fall  back  was  a 
"military  necessity."  Pklgarton's  Battery,  after  firing  three  rounds, 
had  so  many  of  his  hordes  killed  as  to  render  it  unmanageable,  lie, 
however,  remained  with  it,  and  continued  so  fire,  until  he  fell  by  a 
severe  wound,  and  he  and  his  battery  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 
Before  falling  back,  the  horse  of  General  Willich  was  killed,  and  he 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  415 

was  wounded  and  taken  prisoner.  About  the  same  time,  General  Kirk 
received  a  severe  wound,  which  disabled  him.  Seeing  the  pressure 
upon  my  lines,  I  ordered  up  my  reserve  brigade,  under  the  gallant 
Baldwin.  The  troops  of  his  brigade  advanced  promptly,  and  delivered 
their  fire,  holding  their  ground  for  some  time,  but,  they,  too,  were  com 
pelled  to  fall  back.  The  troops  of  this  division,  for  the  first  time,  were 
compelled  to  yield  the  field  temporarily,  but  the  heroes  of  Shiloh  and 
Perryville  did  not  abandon  their  ground  until  forced  to  do  so  by  the 
immense  masses  of  the  enemy  hurled  against  them,  and  then  inch  by 
inch. 

The  ground  over  which  the  division  passed,  covered  with  the  ene 
my's  dead  and  those  of  our  own  men,  shows  that  the  field  was  warmly 
contested.  Several  times  the  lines  were  reformed  and  resistance 
offered,  but  the  columns  of  the  enemy  were  too  heavy  for  a  single  line, 
and  ours  would  have  to  yield.  Finally  the  left  flank  of  my  division 
reached  the  line  of  General  Rousseau's,  when  it  was  reformed  and 
fought  until  out  of  ammunition,  but  my  efficient  ordnance  officer,  Lieu 
tenant  Murdoch,  had  a  supply  in  readiness,  which  was  soon  issued, 
and  the  division  assisted  in  driving  the  enemy  from  the  field  in  their 
last  desperate  struggle  of  the  day.  Soon  the  curtain  of  darkness  fell 
upon  the  scene  of  blood,  and  all  was  quiet,  awaiting  the  coining  of 
morn  to  renew  hostilities. 

Morning  came  but  the  enemy  had  withdrawn.  January  1  was  a 
day  of  comparative  quiet  in  camp,  few  shots  being  fired,  but  many 
preparations  made  for  a  heavy  battle  on  the  following  day.  General 
Crittenden  s  wing  was  attacked  in  force  on  the  2d,  and  one  of  my  bri 
gades,  Colonel  Gibson's,  was  sent  to  reinforce  them.  For  the  gallant 
part  taken  by  it  reference  is  made  to  the  report  of  Major  General  Crit- 
tenderi.  The  enemy  evacuated  Murfreesboro  on  the  night  of  the  3d. 
On  the  6th  I  was  ordered  to  move  my  camp  to  a  point  on  the  Shelby- 
ville  road,  four  miles  south  of  Murfreesboro. 

The  conduct  of  the  officers  and  men  under  my  command  was  good. 
The  Louisville  Legion,  under  the  command  of  the  gallant  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Berry,  brought  off  by  hand  one  cannon,  after  the  horses  were 
killed.  They  yielded  the  ground  only  when  overpowered,  offering  an 
obstinate  resistance  at  every  point.  Some  few  in  each  regiment 
becoming  panic-stricken,  fled  to  Nashville  for  safety.  Captain  Simon- 
son  managed  his  battery  with  skill  and  courage,  and  with  it  did  good 
execution.  He  lost  two  guns,  but  not  until  the  horses  had  been  killed 
anjl  the  guns  disabled.  Goodspeed's  Battery  lost  three  guns  and  quite 
a  number  of  horses.  This  battery  was  handled  well  and  did  good 
execution,  under  Lieutenant  Belden. 

After  the  capture  of  General  Willich,  his  brigade  was  commanded 
temporarily  by  Colonel  Wallace  of  the  Fifteenth  Ohio,  but  was  after 
ward  commanded  by  Colonel  W.  H.  Gibson,  Forty-Ninth  Ohio.  Gen 
eral  Kirk  becoming  disabled  was  replaced  by  Colonel  Dodge,  Thirtieth 
Indiana,  while  the  Third  Brigade  was  commanded  by  Colonel  Bald 
win.  These  four  Colonels  have  demonstrated  their  fitness  for  command 
on  several  bloody  fields,  and  are  recommended  to  my  superiors  for  pro 
motion.  Their  coolness  and  courage  rendered  them  conspicuous 
throughout  the  bloody  engagement.  Major  Klein  and  his  battalion 


416  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

of  the  Third  Indiana  Cavalry,  deserve  special  mention  under  their 
gallant  leader;  the  battalion  was  always  in  front,  and  rendered  effi 
cient  service. 

To  Captains  Barker,  Hooker,  Thruston,  and  McLeland  :  Lieutenants 
Taft,  Hills,  and  Sheets  of  my  staff,  many  thanks  are  due  for  their  effi 
ciency  and  promptness  in  carrying  orders  to  all  parts  of  the  field. 
My  Medical  Director,  Surgeon  Marks,  and  the  medical  officers  of  the 
division,  Avere  untiring  in  their  exertions  to  alleviate  the  sufferings  of 
the  wounded,  and  to  them  my  thanks  are  due.  My  escort,  composed 
of  the  following  named  men  of  the  Third  Kentucky  Cavalry,  who 
accompanied  me  throughout  the  engagement,  deserves  special  mention 
for  their  good  conduct: 

Sergeant  Wm.  C.  Miles  ;  privates  Geo.  Long,  Thos.  Salycrs,  John 
Christian,  John  Whitten,  James  Bowen,  B.  Hammerslein,  R.  A.  Novah. 

Private  Bowen's  horse  was  killed  by  a  cannon  ball. 

The  loss  of  the  division  was  as  follows  :  Killed,  2GO;  wounded,  1,005; 
missing,  1,280;  total,  2,545. 

The  missing  are  supposed  to  have  been  captured. 
Very  respectfully  your  obedient  servant, 

K.  W.  JOHNSON, 

Brigadier  General  Commanding. 


GENERAL  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS'  REPORT. 

EIGHT  WING, 
January  8,  1863 


HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  DIVISION,  EIGHT  WING,      "> 


Major  J,  A.  Campbell,  Acting  Adjutant  General: 

MAJOR — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  of  the 
part  taken  by  the  division  under  my  command,  in  the  recent  opera 
tions  against  the  enemy's  forces  in  the  vicinity  of  Triune  and  Mur- 
freesboro : 

On  the  morning  of  the  26th  ult.,  in  compliance  with  instructions 
received  from  the  General  commanding  the  Ilight  Wing,  I  broke  up 
camp  at  St.  James'  Chapel,  on  Mill  Creek,  and  advanced  upon  Nolefis- 
ville  via  the  Edrnonson  pike,  as  far  as  Prim's  blacksmith  shop;  from 
thence  m}T  advance  was  over  a  rugged  country  road,  rendered  almost 
impassable  by  the  incessant  rain  which  had  been  falling  in  torrents 
during  the  entire  morning. 

The  enemy's  pickets  were  discovered  by  my  cavalry  escort,  corn- 
posed  of  Company  B,  Thirty-Sixth  Illinois  Volunteers,  under  com 
mand  of  Captain  Shirer,  within  a  few  miles  of  our  camp.  This  small 
force  of  cavalry  being  the  only  mounted  force  under  our  command,  I 
ordered  them  to  the  front,  with  instructions  to  drive  in  the  enemy's 
pickets,  and  to  attack  him  on  his  flanks  at  every  opportunity.  So 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  417 

effectually  was  this  clone  that  the  infantry  and  artillery  were  enabled 
to  move  with  little  interruption  to  within  a  mile  of  Nolensville.  By 
this  time  I  had  learned  from  reliable  information,  through  citizens  as 
well  as  cavalry  scouts,  that  the  enemy  occupied  the  town  in  some 
force  both  of  cavalry  and  artillery. 

The  First  Brigade,  consisting  of  the  Twenty-Second  Indiana,  Sev 
enty-Fourth,  Seventy-Fifth,  and  Fifty-Ninth  Illinois  Regiments,  and 
the  Fifth  Wisconsin  Battery,  commanded  by  Colonel  P.  Sidney  Post, 
was  immediately  deployed  for  an  advance  upon  the  town.  Piriney's 
Fifth  Wisconsin  Battery  was  posted  so  as  to  command  the  town  and 
all  approaches  from  the  south-west.  The  enemy's  cavalry  was  seen 
by  this  time  taking  position  on  a  range  of  hills  south-west  of  town, 
and  was  evidently  attempting  to  flank  our  position.  A  few  shells 
from  Piriney's  Battery  soon  caused  them  to  fall  back.  A  battery 
which  by  this  time  they  had  succeeded  in  getting  into  position, 
opened  fire  but,  was  after  a  few  rounds  silenced  by  Pinney's  guns. 

The  Second  Brigade,  consisting  of  the  Twenty-First  and  Thirty- 
Eighth  Illinois,  Fifteenth  Wisconsin,  and  One  Hundred  and  First 
Ohio  Regiments,  and  the  Second  Minnesota  Battery,  commanded  by 
Colonel  Carlin,  had  by  this  time  formed  a  line  of  battle  on  Post's 
right,  and  moving  rapidly  forward  soon  engaged  the  enemy's  dis 
mounted  cavalry  in  a  sharp  skirmish. 

The  Third  Brigade,  consisting  of  the  Twenty-Fifth  and  Thirty-Fifth 
Illinois,  Eighty-First  Indiana,  and  the  Eighth  Wisconsin  Battery, 
commanded  by  Colonel  Woodruff,  was  deployed  on  the  right  so  as  to 
check  any  effort  which  might  be  made  to  attack  my  flank  from  this 
direction.  Carlin  advanced  in  excellent  order,  driving  everything 
before  him  until  ordered  to  halt,  having  dislodged  the  enemy  from 
his  position  entirely. 

By  this  time  I  ascertained  that  the  enemy  would  probably  make 
another  effort  to  resist  our  advance  about  two  miles  further  on,  and 
notwithstanding  it  was  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  men  were  much 
fatigued  from  a  hard  day's  march  through  rain  and  mud,  I  could  riot 
forego  the  opportunity  thus  offered  in  giving  them  another  chance 
to  signalize  their  courage  and  endurance.  Ascertaining  the  enemy's 
position  as  well  as  I  could  I  ordered  the  advance.  Their  linos  were 
soon  discovered,  occupying  a  range  of  high  rocky  hills,  through 
which  the  Nolensville  and  Triune  pike  passes,  known  as  "Knob's 
Gap."  This  was  a  favorable  position  to  the  enemy  and  well  guarded 
by  artillery,  which  opened  fire  at  long  range  upon  Carlin's  lines. 
•  Hotchkiss'  and  Piriney's  Batteries  were  rapidly  brought  into  action 
and  opened  fire,  while  Carlin's  brigade  charged  the  battery,  carried 
the  hights  in  his  front  and  captured  two  guns.  Post's  brigade  car 
ried  the  hights  on  the  left  of  the  road  with  but  little  resistance,  while 
Woodruff's  brigade  drove  in  the  enemy's  skirmishers  on  the  extreme 
right, 

The  day  had  now  closed  and  I  ordered  the  troops  to  bivouac  in 
accordance  with  instructions  from  the  General  Commanding,  AV!IO 
arrived  at  this  time  upon  the  ground,  followed  by  Generals  Shcrri- 
dan's  and  Johnson's  divisions. 

The  steady  courage  and  soldierly  zeal  displayed  on  this  occasion  by 


418  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

both  officers  and  men,  gave  ample  assurance  of  •what  could  be 
expected  of  them  in  the  coming  struggle  at  Murfreesboro. 

On  the  27th,  in  accordance  with  the  General's  instructions,  the 
division  took  position  at  the  junction  of  the  Balle  Jack  road  with  the 
Noleusville  pike,  one  mile  from  Triune,  where  it  remained  in  bivouac 
until  the  morning  of  the  29th,  at  which  time  the  advance  was 
resumed.  In  compliance  with  instructions,  I  moved  forward  on  the 
Balle  Jack  as  far  as  Stewart's  Creek,  a  few  miles  beyond  which  it  was 
reported  by  our  cavalry  the  enemy  had  shown  himself  in  considera 
ble  force.  The  General  Commanding  arriving  at  this  time  in  person, 
at  the  head  of  the  column,  ordered  a  halt  until  the  division  in  the 
rear  could  be  brought  up. 

Brigadier  General  Stanley,  commanding  the  cavalry  in  advance, 
soon  reported  the  road  clear  and  the  march  was  resumed  without 
obstruction,  until  the  entire  command  reached  the  Wilkinson  pike, 
six  miles  from  Murfreesboro. 

The  division  bivouacked  during  the  night  at  Overall's  Creek,  three 
and  a  half  miles  from  Murfreesboro,  the  left  brigade  resting  on  the 
Wilkinson  pike.  On  the  morning  of  the  30th  the  division  moved  for 
ward  and  took  position  on  General  Sherridan's  right,  about  three 
hundred  yards  south  of  and  parallel  to  the  Wilkinson  pike,  in  which 
position  it  remained  until  two  o'clock  P.  M.  A  few  companies  of 
skirmishers  thrown  to  the  front,  in  a  skirt  of  timber  land,  soon  found 
those  of  the  enemy,  and  for  several  hours  a  brisk  skirmish  was  kept 
up  with  varying  results. 

About  two  o'  clock  P.  M.,  the  General  Commanding  ordered  a  gen 
eral  advance  of  the  whole  line.  This  the  enemy  seemed  at  first  dis 
posed  to  resist  onljr  with  his  skirmishers;  gradually,  however,  as 
both  parties  strengthened  their  lines  of  skirmishers,  the  contest 
became  more  animated.  Our  main  lines  steadily  advanced,  occupy 
ing  and  holding  the  ground  gained  by  the  skirmishers,  until  about 
half  an  hour  before  sunset,  when  the  enemy's  position  was  plainly 
discovered  running  diagonally  across  the  old  Murfreesboro  and 
Franklin  road.  The  enemy's  batteries  now  announced  our  close  prox- 
iniitv  to  their  lines.  Carpenter's  and  Ilotchkiss'  Batteries  were  soon 
brought  into  position  and  opened  fire.  Woodruff's  and  Carlin's  bri 
gades  by  this  time  felt  the  fire  of  the  enemy's  main  lines  and 
responded  in  the  most  gallant  manner. 

Post's  brigade,  moving  steadily  forward  on  the  right,  after  a 
most  obstinate  resistance  on  the  part  of  the  enemy  succeeded  in 
driving  his  skirmishers  from  a  strong  position  in  our  front,  for 
cing  them  to  retire  upon  their  main  lines.  Night  soon  brought 
a  close  to  the  conflict.  Receiving  directions  at  this  time,  from 
General  McCook,  to  desist  from  any  further  offensive  demonstration 
further  than  what  might  be  necessary  to  hold  my  position,  I  ordered 
the  troops  to  rest  for  the  night  on  their  arms.  Two  brigades  of  Gen 
eral  Johnson's  division,  heretofore  held  in  reserve,  arrived  and  took 
position  on  my  right  about  sunset,  thus  extending  our  line  of  battle 
beyond  the  old  Franklin  and  Murfreesboro  road.  These  brigades 
were  commanded  by  Generals  Willich  and  Kirk. 

The  night  passed  off  quietly  until  about  daylight,  when  the  ene- 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS.  419 

my's  forces  were  observed  by  our  pickets  to  be  in  motion.  Their 
object  could  not,  however,  with  certainty  be  determined  until  near 
sunrise,  when  a  vigorous  attack  was  made  upon  Willich's  and  Kirk's 
brigades.  These  troops  seemed  not  to  have  been  fully  prepared  for 
the  assault,  and  with  little  or  no  resistance  retreated  from  their  posi 
tion  leaving  their  artillery  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  This  left  my 
right  brigade  exposed  to  a  flank  movement,  which  the  enemy  ifas 
now  rapidly  executing,  and  compelled  me  to  order  Post's  brigade  to 
fall  back  and  partially  change  its  front.  Simultaneous  with  this 
movement  the  enemy  commenced  a  heavy  and  very  determined  attack 
on  both  Carlin's  and  Woodruff's  brigades. 

These  brigades  were  fully  prepared  for  the  attack,  and  received  it  with 
veteran  courage.  The  conflict  was  fierce  in  the  extreme  on  both  sides. 
Our  loss  was  heavy,  and  that  of  the  enemy  no  less.  It  was  according 
to  my  observations,  the  best  contested  point  of  the  day,  and  would 
have  been  held  but  for  the  overwhelming  force  moving  so  persistently 
against  my  right.  Carlin  finding  his  right  flank  being  severely  pushed 
and  threatened  with  being  turned,  ordered  his  troops  to  retire.  Wood 
ruffs  brigade  succeeded  in  repulsing  the  enemy,  and  holding  its  posi 
tion  until  the  withdrawal  of  the  troops  on  both  its  flanks  compelled  it 
to  retire 

Pinricy  s  Battery,  which  had  posted  in  an  open  field  upon  my 
extreme  right,  and  ordered  to  be  supported  by  a  part  of  Post's  bri 
gade,  now  opened  a  destructive  fire  upon  the  enemy's  advancing  lines. 
This  gallant  and  distinguished  battery,  supported  by  the  Twenty-Sec 
ond  Indiana  and  Fifty-Ninth  Illinois  regiments,  together  with  a  bri 
gade,  of  General  Johnson's  division,  commanded  by  Colonel  Baldwin 
(Sixth  Indiana  Volunteers),  for  a  short  time  brought  the  enemy  to  a 
check  on  our  right.  Ilotchkiss'  Battery,  had  also  by  this  time  taken 
an  excellent  position  near  the  Wilkinson  pike,  so  as  to  command 
the  enemy's  approach  across  a  large  cotton-field  in  his  front,  over 
which  he  was  now  advancing.  The  infantry,  however,  contrary  to 
expectations,  failed  to  support  this  battery,  and  after  firing  a  few 
rounds  was  forced  to  retire.  In  accordance  with  instructions  re 
ceived  during  the  night,  announcing  the  plan  of  operations  for  the 
day,  I  desisted  from  any  further  attempts  to  engage  the  enemy  except 
by  skirmishers  thrown  to  the  rear  for  that  purpose  until  iny  lines  had 
reached  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  Nashville  and  Murfrees- 
boro  pike?,  when  I  again  determined  to  reform  my  lines  to  resist  his 
further  advance.  To  this  order  but  few  of  the  regiments  responded, 
their  ranks  being  much  thinned  by  killed  and  wounded,  and  not  a  few 
availed  themselves  of  the  favorable  opportunity  offered  by  the  dense 
woods  through  which  we  were  compelled  to  pass  to  skulk  like  cowards 
from  the  ranks. 

The  reserve  force  here  moved  to  the  front  and  relieved  my  command 
from  any  further  participation  in  the  engagement,  until  late  in  the 
afternoon  when  in  compliance  with  instructions  I  took  position  on  the 
right.  My  skirmishers  were  immediately  thrown  out  and  soon  engaged 
the  enemy's  until  night  brought  a  close  to  hostilities  for  the  day. 

During  the  1st  and  2d  of  January,  the  division  occupied  tiiis  posi 
tion  in  skirmishing  with  the  enemy's  pickets  until  late  in  the  afternoon 


420  OFFICIAL   KEPORTS. 

of  the  2d,  when  I  received  orders  from  General  Eosecrans  to  hasten  to 
the  support  of  a  part  of  General  Crittenden's  command,  who  had  been 
sometime  hotly  engaged  with  the  enemy  across  the  river  on  our 
extreme  left. 

Moving  as  rapidly  as  possible  across  the  river  to  the  field  of  battle, 
I  found  our  gallant  troops  forcing  the  enemy  back  on  his  reserves. 
The  brigade  of  Colonel  Woodruff,  being  in  the  advance,  only  arrived 
in  time  to  participate  in  the  general  engagement. 

After  relieving  the  troops  of  General  Palmer  and  Colonel  Beatty, 
and  particularly  the  brigade  of  Colonel  Hazen,  which  had  so  nobly 
vindicated  their  courage  in  the  then  closing  conflict,  I  ordered  a 
heavy  line  of  skirmishers  to  be  thrown  out.  The  enemy's  lines  were 
soon  encountered,  and  a  renewal  of  the  engagement  seemed  imminent. 
A  few  rounds  of  grape  and  cannister  from  one  of  our  batteries,  how 
ever,  caused  them  to  withdraw,  and  night  again  brought  a  cessation 
of  hostilities. 

During  the  night  I  disposed  of  my  troops  in  such  manner  as  would 
best  enable  me  to  repel  an  attack,  and  in  compliance  with  instructions, 
I  directed  rifle  pits  and  breastworks  to  be  thrown  up.  This  was  done, 
and  morning  found  us  well  prepared  for  any  emergency,  either  offen 
sive  or  defensive. 

The  following  day  (3d  January),  considerable  skirmishing  was  kept 
up  Avithout  abatement  from  early  in  the  morning  until  dark.  During 
the  night,  I  received  orders  from  General  Crittenden  to  withdraw  my 
command  from  the  east  bank  of  the  river,  and  to  report  with  it  to 
General  Me  Cook. 

This  movement  was  executed  between  one  and  four  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  during  which  time  the  rain  fell  incessantly.  The  pickets 
about  this  time  reported  the  enemy  as  having  been  very  active  in  their 
movements  during  the  latter  part  of  the  night,  and  their  convictions 
that  he  was  evacuating  his  position.  Further  observations  made  after 
daylight  proved  this  to  be  the  case. 

The  following  list  of  casualties  shows  a  loss  in  the  division  during 
the  several  engagements  above  described,  as  follows  : 

OFFICERS. 

Killed 16 

Wounded 34 

Missing 2 —     52 

ENLISTED    MEN. 

Killed 17G 

Wounded 784 

Missing 399—1,359 

Total 1,411 

This  division  lost  three  pieces  of  artillery,  and  captured  two  In  the 
list  of  officers  killed  are  the  names  of  Colonel  Stem,  One  Hundred  and 
First  Ohio  ;  Colonel  Williams,  Twenty-Fifth  Illinois  ;  Lieutenant  Col 
onel  Wrooster,  One  Hundred  and  First  Ohio  ;  Lieutenant  Colonel  McKee, 
Fifteenth  Wisconsin;  Captain  Carpenter,  Eighth  Wisconsin  Battery, 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS.  421 

and  Captain  McCullocli,  Second  Kentucky  Cavalry  of  my  staff,  whose 
noble  deeds  of  valor  on  the  field,  had  already  placed  their  names  on  the 
list  of  brave  men.  The  history  of  the  war  will  record  no  brighter  names, 
and  the  country  will  mourn  the  loss  of  no  more  devoted  patriots  than 
these. 

Among  the  wounded  are  Colonel  Alexander,  Twenty-First  Illinois  ; 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Tanner,  Twenty-Second  Indiana  ;  Captain  Pinney, 
Fifth  Wisconsin  Battery,  and  Captain  Austin,  Acting  Assistant  Adju 
tant  General,  on  the  staff  of  Colonel  Woodruff,  whose  names  it  affords 
me  special  gratification  to  mention. 

From  the  2Gth  of  December,  until  the  close  of  the  engagement  on 
the  4th  of  January,  at  Murfreesboro,  no  entire  day  elapsed  that  the 
division  or  some  portion  of  it  did  not  engage  the  enemy.  During  a 
great  part  of  the  time,  the  weather  was  excessively  inclement  and  the 
troops  suffered  much  from  exposure.  A  heavy  list  of  casualties  and 
much  suffering  was  unavoidable  under  the  circumstances. 

It  affords  me  much  pleasure  to  be  able  to  report  the  cheerful  and 
soldier-like  manner  in  which  these  hardships  and  privations  were 
endured  by  the  troops  throughout.  History  will  record,  and  the  coun 
try  reward,  their  deeds. 

My  staff  consisting  of  T.  W.  Morrison,  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant 
General;  Captain  H.  Pease,  Inspector  General;  Captain  McCulloch, 
Lieutenants  Frank  E.  Reynolds,  and  Thomas  H.  Dailcy,  Aidsdecamp; 
Surgeon  J.  L.  Judd,  Medical  Director  ;  Captain  Shriver,  Ordnance 
Officer;  Lieutenant  R.  Plunket,  Provost  Marshal;  private  Frank  Clark, 
Clerk  to  the  Assistant  Adjutant  General,  and  Acting  Aiddecamp  ; 
deported  themselves  throughout  the  entire  campaign,  as  well  as  on  the 
battle-field,  with  distingushed  zeal  and  conspicuous  gallantry. 

While  expressing  my  high  regard  and  approbation  of  the  General  Com 
manding,  1  desire  to  tender  my  thanks  to  yourself.  Major,  and  to  Col 
onel  Langdon,  Major  Bates,  Captains  Thruston,  William?,  and  Fisher, 
of  his  staff,  for  the  prompt  and  efficient  manner  in  which  the  field 
duties  were  performed  by  them. 

During  the  several  engagements  in  which  the  division  pai-ticipated, 
my  subaltern  officers  attracted  my  admiration  by  their  conspicuous 
gallantry,  and  whose  names,  I  regret,  can  not  be  mentioned  in  this 
report.  They  will  be  remembered  in  future  recommendations  for  pro 
motion. 

I  am,  Major,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS, 
Brigadier   General   Commanding. 


422  OFFICIAL  REPORTS. 


GENERAL  P.  II.  SHERRIDAN'S  REPORT. 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  DIVISION,  RIGHT  WING,  ") 

CAMP  ON  STONE  RIVER,  TENNESSEE,      I 

January  9,  1863.  J 

Major  J.  A.  Campbell,  Adjutant  General  and  Chief  of  Staff: 

MAJOR — In  obedience  to  instructions  from  the  headquarters  of  the 
Right  Wing,  I  have  the  honor  to  report  the  following  as  the  operations 
of  my  division,  from  the  26th  day  of  December,  1862,  to  the  6th  day 
of  January,  1863. 

On  the  26th  of  December  I  moved  from  camp,  near  Nashville,  on  the 
Nolensville  pike,  in  the  direction  of  Nolensville.  At  the  crossing  of 
Mill  Creek  the  enemy's  cavalry  made  some  resistance,  but  were  soon 
routed,  one  private  and  one  Lieutenant  of  the  enemy  being  captured. 

On  approaching  Nolensville,  I  received  a  message  from  General 
Davis,  who  had  arrived  at  Nolensville,  via  the  Edmonson  pike,  that  the 
enemy  were  in  considerable  force  on  his  front,  and  requesting  me  to 
support  him. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  head  of  my  division  at  Nolensviile,  General 
Davis  advanced  upon  the  enemy's  position  about  two  miles  south  of 
that  place,  supported  by  my  division.  The  enemy  had  here  made  a 
stand  in  a  gap  of  the  mountains,  but  after  a  sharp  conflict  with  Gen 
eral  Davis'  command,  were  routed  and  one  piece  of  artillery  captured. 

On  the  next  day  (27th)  I  supported  General  Johnson's  division  in  its 
advance  on  Triune,  where  the  enemy  were  supposed  to  be  in  consider- 
'able  force. 

The  town  was  taken  possession  of  after  a  slight  resistance,  the  main 
portion  of  their  forces  having  evacuated  the  place. 

On  the  28th  I  encamped  at  Triune.  On  the  29th  I  supported  General 
Davis'  division,  which  had  the  advance  from  Triune  on  Murfreesboro, 
encamping  that  night  at  Wilkinson's  Cross-roads,  from  which  point 
there  is  a  good  turnpike  to  Murfreesboro. 

On  the  next  day  (30th)  I  took  the  advance  of  the  Right  Wing  on 
this  turnpike,  toward  Murfreesboro,  General  Stanley  with  a  regiment 
of  cavalry  having  been  thrown  in  advance. 

After  arriving  at  a  point  about  three  miles  from  Murfreesboro,  the 
enemy's  infantry  pickets  were  encountered  and  driven  back,  their 
numbers  constantly  increasing  until  I  had  arrived  within  about  two 
miles  and  a  quarter  of  Murfreesboro.  At  this  point  the  resistance 
was  so  strong  as  to  require  two  regiments  to  drive  them.  T  was  here 
directed  by  Major  General  McCook  to  form  my  line  of  battle  and 
place  my  artillery  in  position.  My  line  was  formed  on  the  right  of  the 
pike  and  obliquely  to  it,  four  regiments  to  the  front  with  a  second  line 
of  four  regiments,  within  short  supporting  distance,  in  the  rear,  with, 
a  reserve  of  one  brigade,  in  column  of  regiments,  to  the  rear  and  oppo 
site  the  center.  General  Davis  was  then  ordered  to  close  in  and  form 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS.  423 

on  my  right,  the  enemy  all  this  time  keeping  up  a  heavy  artillery 
and  musketry  fire  upon  my  skirmishers. 

The  enemy  continued  to  occupy,  with  their  skirmishers,  a  heavy  belt 
of  timber  to  the  right  and  front  of  my  line,  and  across  some  open 
fields,  and  near  where  the  left  of  General  Davis'  division  was  intended 
to  rest.  General  Davis  was  then  directed  by  Major  General  McCook  to 
swing  his  division,  and  I  was  directed  to  swing  my  right  brigade  with 
it  until  our  continuous  line  would  front  nearly  due  east.  This  would 
give  us  possession  of  the  timber  above  alluded  to,  and  which  was  occu 
pied  by  the  enemy's  skirmishers  in  considerable  force.  This  move 
ment  was  successfully  executed,  after  a  stubborn  resistance  on  the 
part  of  the  enemy,  in  which  they  used  one  battery  of  artillery.  This 
battery  was  silenced  in  a  very  short  time  by  Bush's  and  Hescock's  Bat 
teries,  of  my  division,  and  two  of  the  enemy's  pieces  disabled. 

At  sundown  I  had  taken  up  my  position,  my  right  resting  in  the 
timber,  my  left  on  the  Wilkinson  pike,  my  reserve  brigade  of  four  regi 
ments  to  the  rear  and  opposite  the  center. 

The  killed  and  wounded  during  the  day  was  seventy-five  men. 
General  Davis'  left  was  closed  in  on  my  right,  and  his  line  thrown  to 
the  rear,  so  that  it  formed  nearly  a  right  angle  with  mine.  General 
Negley's  division,  of  Thomas'  Corps,  was  immediately  on  my  left,  his 
right  resting  on  the  left  hand  side  of  the  Wilkinson  pike. 

The  enemy  appeared  to  be  in  strong  force  in  a  heavy  cedar-woods, 
across  an  open  valley  in  my  front  and  parallel  to  it,  the  cedar  extend 
ing  the  whole  length  of  the  valley,  the  distance  across  the  valley  vary 
ing  from  three  hundred  to  four  hundred  yards. 

At  two  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  31st,  General  Sill,  who  had 
command  of  my  right  brigade,  reported  great  activity  on  the  part  of 
the  enemy  immediately  in  his  front.  This  being  the  narrowest  point 
in  the  valley,  I  was  fearful  that  an  attack  might  occur  at  that  point.  I 
therefore  directed  two  regiments  from  the  reserve  to  report  to  General 
Sill,  who  placed  them  in  position  in  very  short  supporting  distance  of 
his  lines. 

At  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  division  was  assembled  under 
arms,  and  the  cannoniers  at  their  pieces.  About  fifteen  minutes  after 
seven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  enemy  advanced  to  the  attack  across 
an  open  cottonficld  on  Sill's  front.  This  column  was  opened  on  by 
Bush's  Battery,  of  Sill's  brigade,  which  had  a  direct  fire  on  its  front. 
Also  by  Hescock's  and  Houghtaling's  Batteries,  which  had  an  oblique 
fire  on  their  front,  from  a  commanding  position  near  the  center  of  my 
line.  The  effect  of  this  fire  upon  the  enemy's  columns  was  terrible. 
The  enemy,  however,  continued  to  advance  until  they  had  reached 
nearly  the  edge  of  the  timber,  when  they  were  opened  upon  by  Sill's 
inf.mtry  at  a  range  of  not  over  fifty  yards.  The  destruction  to  the 
enemy's  column,  which  was  closed  in  mass,  being  several  regiments  in 
depth,  was  terrible.  For  a  short  time  they  withstood  the  fire,  wavered, 
then  broke  and  ran.  Sill  directing  his  troops  to  charge,  which  was 
gallantly  responded  to,  and  the  enemy  driven  back  across  the  valley 
and  behind  their  intrenchments.  In  this  charge  I  had  the  misfortune 
to  lose  General  Sill,  who  was  killed. 

The  brigade  then  fell  back  in  good  order  and  renewed  its  original 


424  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

lines.  The  enemy  soon  rallied  and  advanced  to  the  attack  on  my 
extreme  right,  and  in  front  of  Colonel  Woodruff,  of  Davis'  division. 
Here,  unfortunately,  the  brigade  of  Colonel  Woodruff  gave  way,  also 
one  regiment  of  Sill's  brigade,  which  was  in  the  second  line.  This 
regiment  fell  back  some  distance  into  the  open  field  and  then  rallied, 
its  place  being  occupied  by  a  third  regiment  of  my  reserve.  At  this 
time  the  enemy,  who  had  attacked  on  the  extreme  right  of  our  wing, 
against  Johnson,  and  also  on  Davis'  front,  had  been  successful,  and 
the  two  divisions  on  my  right  were  retiring  in  great  confusion,  closely 
followed  by  the  enemy,  completely  turning  my  position,  and  exposing 
my  line  to  a  fire  from  the  rear.  I  hastily  withdrew  the  whole  of  Sill's 
brigade,  and  the  three  regiments  sent  to  support  it,  at  the  same  time 
directing  Colonel  Roberts,  of  the  left  brigade,  who  had  changed  front 
and  formed  in  column  of  regiments,  to  charge  the  enemy  in  the  timber 
from  which  I  had  withdrawn  three  regiments.  This  was  very  gal 
lantly  done  by  Colonel  Roberts,  who  captured  one  piece  of  the  enemv's 
artillery,  which  had  to  be  abandoned. 

In  the  meantime  I  had  formed  Sill's  and  Shaeffer's  brigades  on  a 
line  at  right  angles  to  my  first  line,  and  behind  the  three  batteries  of 
artillery,  which  were  placed  in  a  fine  position,  directing  Colonel  Roberts 
to  return  and  form  on  the  new  line.  I  then  made  an  unavailing 
attempt  to  form  the  troops  on  my  right  on  this  line,  in  front  of  which 
there  were  open  fields  through  which  the  enemy  was  approaching 
under  a  heavy  fire  from  Hescock's,  Houghlaling's,  and  Bush's  batteries. 

After  the  attempt  had  proved  to  be  entirely  unsuccessful,  and  my 
right  was  again  turned,  General  McCook  directed  me  to  advance  to  the 
front  and  form  on  the  right  of  Negley.  This  movement  was  success 
fully  accomplished,  under  a  heavy  fire  of  musketry  and  artillery,  every 
regiment  of  mine  remaining  unbroken. 

I  took  position  on  Negley's  right,  Roberts'  brigade  having  been 
placed  in  position  at  right  angles  to  Negley's  line,  facing  to  the  south, 
the  other  two  brigades  being  placed  to  the  rear  and  at  right  angles 
with  Roberts'  and  facing  the  west,  covering  the  rear  of  Negley's  lines. 
I  then  directed  Houghtaling's  Battery  to  take  position  at  the  angle  of 
these  two  lines,  Captain  Hescock  sending  one  section  of  his  battery, 
under  Lieutenant  Taliaferro,  and  one  section  of  Bush's  Battery  to  the 
same  point,  the  remaining  pieces  of  Hescock's  and  Bush's  Batteries 
were  placed  on  the  right  of  Negley's  line,  facing  toward  Murfrees- 
boro.  In  this  position  I  was  immediately  attacked,  when  one  of  the 
bitterest  and  most  sanguinary  contests  of  the  whole  day  occurred. 

General  Cheatham's  division  advanced  on  Roberts'  brigade,  and 
heavy  masses  of  the  enemy  with  three  batteries  of  artillery  advanced 
over  the  open  ground  which  I  had  occupied  in  the  previous  part  of  the 
engagement,  at  the  same  time  the  enemy  opening  from  their  intrench- 
nients  in  the  direction  of  Murfreesboro. 

The  contest  then  became  terrible.  The  enemy  made  three  attacks 
and  were  three  times  repulsed,  the  artillery  range  of  the  respective 
batteries  being  not  over  two  hundred  yards.  In  these  attacks  Roberts' 
brigade  lost  its  gallant  commander,  who  was  killed. 

There  was  no  sign  of  faltering  with  the  men,  the  only  cry  being  for 
more  ammunition,  which,  unfortunately,  could  not  be  supplied  on 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  425 

account  of  the  discomfiture  of  the  troops  on  the  right  of  oar  wing, 
which  allowed  the  enemy  to  come  in  and  capture  our  ammunition 
train. 

Shaeffer's  brigade  being  entirely  out  of  ammunition,  I  directed  them 
to  fix  bayonets  and  await  the  enemy.  Roberts'  brigade,  which  was 
nearly  out  of  ammunition,  I  directed  to  fall  back  resisting  the  enemy. 
Captain  Houghtaling  having  exhausted  all  his  ammunition,  and  nearly 
all  the  horses  of  his  battery  having  been  killed,  attempted,  with  the 
assistance  of  the  men,  to  withdraw  his  pieces  by  hand. 

Lieutenant  Taliaferro,  commanding  the  section  of  Hescock's  Battery, 
having  been  killed,  and  several  of  his  horses  shot,  his  two  pieces  were 
brought  off  by  his  sergeant  with  the  assistance  of  the  men.  The  diffi 
culty  of  withdrawing  the  artillery  here  became  very  great,  the  ground 
being  rocky  and  covered  with  a  dense  growth  of  cedar.  Houghtaling's 
Battery  had  to  be  abandoned,  and  also  two  pieces  of  Bush's  Battery. 
The  remaining  pieces  of  artillery  in  the  division  were  brought  through 
the  cedars  with  great  difficulty,  under  a  terrible  fire  from  the  enemy, 
on  to  the  open  space  on  the  Murfreesboro  pike,  near  the  right  of  Gen 
eral  Palmer's  division.  In  coming  through  the  cedars  two  regiments 
of  Shaeffer's  brigade  succeeded  in  obtaining  ammunition,  and  were 
immediately  put  in  front  to  resist  the  enemy,  who  appeared  to  be  driv 
ing  in  our  entire  lines. 

On  arriving  at  the  open  space  I  was  directed  by  Major  General  Rose 
crans  to  take  those  two  regiments  and  put  them  into  action  on  the 
right  of  Palmer's  division,  where  the  enemy  were  pressing  heavily. 
The  two  regiments  went  in  very  gallantly,  driving-  the  enemy  from  the 
cedar  timber  and  some  distance  to  the  front.  At  the  same  time  I  put 
four  pieces  of  Hescock's  Battery  into  action  near  by  and  on  the  same 
front.  The  other  two  regiments  of  Shaeffer's  brigade,  and  the  Thirty- 
Sixth  Illinois  of  Sill's  brigade,  were  directed  to  cross  the  railroad, 
where  they  could  obtain  ammunition.  I  then,  by  direction  of  Major 
General  Me  Cook,  withdrew  the  two  regiments  that  had  been  placed  on 
the  right  of  Palmer's  division,  also  Captain  Hescock's  pieces,  that 
point  having  been  given  up  to  the  enemy  in  the  rearrangement  of  our 
lines. 

These  regiments  of  Shaeffer's  brigade  having  supplied  themselves 
with  ammunition,  I  put  it  into  action,  by  direction  of  Major  General 
Rosecrans,  directly  to  the  front  and  right  of  General  Wood's  division, 
on  the  left  hand  side  of  the  railroad. 

The  brigade  advanced  through  a  clump  of  timber,  and  took  position 
on  the  edge  of  a  cottonfield,  close  upon  the  enemy's  lines,  relieving  the 
division  of  General  Wood,  which  was  falling  back  under  a  heavy 
pressure  from  the  enemy. 

At  this  point  I  lost  my  third  and  last  brigade  commander,  Colonel 
Shaeffer,  who  was  killed.  The  brigade,  remaining  in  this  position 
until  after  it  had  expended  its  ammunition,  was  withdrawn  to  the  rear 
of  this  timber,  when  it  was  again  supplied  and  joined  by  the  Thirty- 
Sixth  Illinois.  I  was  here  directed  ly  General  Rosecrans  to  form  a 
close  column  of  attack  and  charge  the  enemy  should  they  again  come 
down  on  the  open  ground. 


426  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

The  remaining  portion  of  the  evening  this  gallant  brigale  remained 
in  close  column  of  regiments,  and  under  lire  of  the  enemy's  batteries, 
which  killed  about  twenty  of  the  men  by  round  shot.  In  the  mean 
time.  Colonel  Roberts'  brigade,  which  had  come  out  of  the  cedars 
unbroken,  was  put  into  action  by  General  Me  Cook  at,  a  point  a  short 
distance  to  the  rear,  where  the  enemy  threatened  our  communications 
on  the  Murfreesboro  pike. 

The  brigade  having  but  three  or  four  rounds  of  ammunition,  cheer 
fully  went  into  action,  gallantly  charged  the  enemy,  routing  them, 
recapturing  two  pieces  of  artillery,  and  taking  forty  prisoners.  The 
rout  of  the  enemy  at  this  point  deserves  special  consideration,  as  they 
had  here  nearly  reached  the  Muifreesboro  pike. 

On  the  night  of  the  31st  I  was  placed  in  position  on  the  Murfrees 
boro  pike,  facing  south,  and  on  the  ground  where  Roberts'  brigade  had 
charged  the  enemy,  General  Davis  being  on  my  right. 

On  the  1st  of  January  heavy  skirmish  fighting  with  occasional 
artillery  shots  on  both  sides  was  kept  up  till  about  three  o'clock  P.  M., 
when  a  charge  was  made  by  a  brigade  of  the  enemy  on  my  position. 
This  was  handsomely  repulsed,  and  one  officer  and  eighty-live  men  of 
the  enemy  captured.  Colonel  Walker's  brigade,  of  Thomas'  Corps,  was 
also  placed  under  my  command  temporarily,  having  a  position  on  rny 
left,  where  the  same  character  of  fighting  was  kept  up. 

On  the  2d  of  January  Colonel  Walker  sustained  two  heavy  attacks, 
which  he  gallantly  repulsed.  On  the  3d  skirmishing  took  place 
throughout  the  day.  On  the  4th  all  was  quiet  in  front,  the  enemy 
having  disappeared.  On  the  5th  nothing  of  importance  occurred,  and 
on  the  6th  I  moved  my  camp  to  its  present  camp  on  Stone  River,  three 
miles  south  of  Murfreesboro  on  the  Shelbyville  pike. 

I  trust  that  the  General  Commanding  is  satisfied  with  my  division. 
It  fought  bravely  and  well.  The  loss  of  Iloughtaling's  Battery  and 
one  section  of  Bush's  was  unavoidable.  All  the  horses  were  shot 
down  or  disabled,  Captain  Houghtaling  wounded,  and  Lieutenant  Tal- 
iaferro  killed. 

My  division,  alone  and  unbroken,  made  a  gallant  stand  to  protect 
the  right  flank  of  our  army,  being  all  that  remained  of  the  Right 
AVing.  Had  my  ammunition  held  out  I  would  not  have  fallen  back, 
although  such  were  my  orders  if  hard  pressed.  As  it  was,  this 
determined  stand  of  my  troops  gave  time  for  a  rearrangement  of  our 
lines. 

The  division  mourns  the  loss  of  Sill,  ShaefTer,  and  Roberts.  They 
were  all  instantly  killed,  and  at  the  moment  when  their  gallant  bri 
gades  were  charging  the  enemy.  They  were  true  soldievs — prompt 
and  brave. 

On  the  death  of  these  officers,  respectively,  Colonel  Greusel,  Thirty- 
Sixth  Illinois,  took  command  of  Sill's  brigade,  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Lai  bold  t,  Second  Missouri,  of  Shaeffer's,  and  Colonel  Bradley  of  Rob 
erts'  brigade.  These  officers  behaved  gallantly  throughout  the  day. 

It  is  also  my  sad  duty  to  record  the  death  of  Colonel  F.  A.  Harring 
ton,  of  the  Twenty-Seventh.  Illinois,  who  fell  heroically  leading  his 
regiment  to  the  charge. 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  427 

I  refer  with  pride  to  the  splendid  conduct,  bravery,  and  efficiency 
of  the  following  regimental  commanders,  and  the  officers  and  men  of 
their  respective  commands: 

Colonel  F.  T.  Sherman,  Eighty-Eighth  Illinois. 

Major  F.  Ehrler,  Second  Missouri. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  John  Weber,  Fifteenth  Missouri. 

Captain  W.  W.  Barrett,  Forty-Fourth  Illinois  (wounded). 

Major  W.  A.  Presson,  Seventy-Third  Illinois  (wounded). 

Major  Silas  Miller,  Thirty-Sixth  Illinois  (wounded  and  prisoner). 

Captain  P.  C.  Oleson,  Thirty-Sixth  Illinois. 

Major  E  C.  Hubbard,  Twenty-Fourth  Wisconsin. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  McCreery,  Twenty-First  Michigan. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  N.  II.  Walworth,  Forty-Second  Illinois. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  F.  Swannick,  Twenty-Second  Illinois  (wounded 
and  prisoner). 

Captain  Samuel  Johnson,  Twenty-Second  Illinois. 

Major  W.  A.  Schmitt,  Twenty-Seventh  Illinois. 

Captain  Wescott,  Fifty-First  Illinois. 

I  respectfully  bring  to  the  notice  of  the  General  Commanding  the 
good  conduct  of  Captain  Hescock,  Chief  of  Artillery,  whose  services 
were  almost  invaluable.  Also.  Captains  Houghtaling  and  Bush,  and 
the  officers  and  men  of  their  batteries. 

Surgeon  D.  J.  Griffiths,  Medical  Director  of  my  division,  and  Doctor 
Me  Arthur  of  the  Board  of  Medical  Examiners  of  Illinois,  were  most 
assiduous  in  their  care  of  the  wounded. 

Major  II.  F.  Dietz,  Provost  Marshal,  Captain  Morhnrdt,  Topographi 
cal  Engineer,  Lieutenant  George  Lee,  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant  Gen 
eral,  Lieutenants  A.  M.  Denning,  Frank  II.  Allen,  E.  W.  DeBruin,  J. 
L.  Forman,  and  Soward,  Aidsdeeamp,  officers  of  my  staff",  were  of  the 
greatest  service  to  me,  delivering  my  orders  faithfully,  and  promptly 
discharging  the  duties  of  their  respective  positions. 

The  ammunition  train  above  alluded  to  as  captured,  was  retaken 
from  the  enemy  by  the  good  conduct  of  Captain  Thruston,  ordnance 
officer  of  the  corps,  and  Lieutenant  Douglas,  ordnance  officer  of  my 
division,  who,  with  Sergeant  Cooper  of  my  escort,  rallied  the  strag 
glers  and  drove  off  the  enemy's  cavalry. 

The  following  is  the  total  of  casualties  in  the  division  : 

OFFICERS. 

Killed 15 

Wounded 38 

Missing 11—     64 

ENLISTED    MEN. 

Killed  223 

Wounded 943 

Missing..  400-1,500 


Total 1,030 

Of  the  eleven  officers  and  four  hundred  enlisted  men  missing,  many 
are  known  to  be  wounded  and  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 


428  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

Prisoners  were  captured  from  the  enemy  by  my  division  as  follows  : 

Majors 1 

Captains , 1 

Lieutenants 3 

Enlisted  men 216 

Total 221 

I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

P.  H.  SHERRIDAN, 

Brigadier  General  Commanding. 


THE  CENTER. 


GENERAL  JAS.   S.   NEGLEY'S  EEPORT. 

HEADQUARTERS  EIGHTH  DIVISION,  ~> 

MURFHEESBORO,  January  8,  1863.  j 
Major  George  E.  Flynt,  Chief  of  Staff : 

SIR — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  of  the  opera 
tions  of  the  troops  under  my  command,  in  the  engagements  with  the 
enemy  on  Stone  River  : 

On  Tuesday  morning,  December  30,  1862,  the  Eighth  Division, 
composed  of  the  Seventh  and  Twenty-Ninth  brigades,  Schultz's,  Mar 
shall's  and  Wells'  batteries,  was  posted  on  a  rolling  slope  of  the  west 
bank  of  Stone  River,  in  advance,  but  joining  the  extreme  right  of 
General  Crittenden's  line,  and  the  left  of  General  McCook's. 

In  the  rear  and  on  the  right,  was  a  dense  cedar-wood  with  a  broken, 
rocky  surface.  From  one  position,  several  roads  were  cut  through  the 
woods  in  our  rear,  by  which  to  bring  iip  the  artillery  and  ammunition 
trains. 

In  front,  a  heavy  growth  of  oak  timber  extended  toward  the  river. 
wrhich  was  about  a  mile  distant.  A  narrow  thicket,  diagonally  crossed 
our  left,  and  skirted  the  base  of  a  cultivated  slope,  expanding  to  the 
width  of  a  mile,  as  it  approached  the  Nashville  pike. 

This  slope  aiforded  the  enemy  his  most  commanding  position  (in  the 
Center),  on  the  crest  of  which  his  rifle  pits  extended  (with  intervals) 
from  the  oak  timber  immediately  in  my  front,  to  the  Nashville  pike, 
with  a  battery  of  four  Napoleon  and  two  iron  guns,  placed  in  position, 
near  the  woods,  and  about  eight  hundred  yards  from  my  position. 

Behind  this  timber,  on  the  river  bank,  the  enemy  massed  his  col 
umns,  for  the  movements  of  the  next  day. 

His  skirmishers  were  driven  from  our  immediate  front  after  a  sharp 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  429 

contest ;  in  which  the  Nineteenth  Illinois  and  Seventy-Eighth  Penn 
sylvania  Volunteers,  displayed  admirable  efficiency.  The  position  of 
my  command  was  held,  under  a  heavy  fire,  until  darkness  terminated 
the  skirmishing  in  our  front,  by  which  time,  we  had  inflicted  consider 
able  loss  upon  the  enemy. 

In  the  meantime,  General  Sherridan's  division,  came  up  and  formed 
"  line  of  battle"  (his  left  resting  on  my  right),  and  began  to  advance, 
driving  the  enemy,  until  he  had  passed  the  center  of  my  brigade. 

While  General  Sherridan  was  in  this  position,  I  changed  my  front 
slightly,  bearing  it  more  to  the  left,  to  avoid  masking  a  portion  of 
Sherridan's  command. 

The  troops  remained  in  this  position  and  in  "order  of  battle"  all 
night,  cheerfully  enduring  the  cold  and  rain,  awaiting  the  morrow's 
sun,  to  renew  the  contest. 

Early  the  next  morning,  and  before  the  heavy  fog  had  drifted  from 
our  front,  the  enemy,  in  strong  force,  attacked  General  McCook's 
right,  commencing  a  general  engagement,  which  increased  in  intensity 
toward  his  left. 

Sherridan's  division  stood  its  ground  manfully,  supported  by  the 
Eighth  Division,  repulsing  and  driving  the  enemy  at  every  advance. 

the  enemy  still  gained  ground  on  General  McCook's  right,  and  suc 
ceeded  in  placing  several  batteries  in  position,  which  covered  my 
right;  from  these,  and  the  battery  on  ray  left,  which  now  opened,  the 
troops  were  exposed  to  a  converging  fire,  which  was  most  destructive. 

Houghtaling's,  Schultz's,  Marshall's,  Bush's  and  Wells'  Batteries, 
were  all  ordered  into  action  in  my  front,  pouring  destructive  volleys 
of  grape  and  shell  into  the  advancing  columns  of  the  enemy,  mowing 
him  down  like  swaths  of  grain. 

For  four  hours,  the  Eighth  Division,  with  a  portion  of  Sherridan's  and 
Palmer's  divisions,  maintained  their  position,  amid  a  murderous  storm 
of  lead  and  iron,  strewing  the  ground  with  their  heroic  dead. 

The  enemy,  maddened  to  desperation,  by  the  determined  resistance, 
still  pressed  forward  fresh  troops,  concentrating  and  forming  them  in 
a  concentric  line,  on  either  flank. 

By  eleven  o'clock,  Sherridan's  men,  with  their  ammuniton  exhausted, 
were  falling  back.  General  Ptousseau's  reserve  and  General  Palmer's 
division,  had  retired  in  the  rear  of  the  cedars,  to  form  a  new  line. 
The  artillery  ammunition  was  expended,  that  of  the  infantry  reduced 
to  a  few  rounds.  The  artillery  horses  were  nearly  all  killed  or 
wounded  ;  my  ammunition  train  had  been  sent  back,  to  avoid  capture; 
a  heavy  column  of  the  enemy  was  marching  directly  to  our  rear, 
through  the  cedars.  Communication  with  Generals  Rosecrans  and 
Thomas,  was  entirely  cut  off,  and  it  was  manifestly  impossible  for  my 
command  to  hold  the  position,  without  eventually  making  a  hopeless, 
fruitless  sacrifice  of  the  whole  division. 

To  retire,  was  but  to  cut  our  way  through  the  ranks  of  the  enemy. 
The  order  was  given  and  manfully  executed;  driving  back  the  enemy 
in  front,  and  checking  his  approaching  columns  in  our  rear. 

All  the  regiments  in  my  command,  distinguished  themselves  for 
their  coolness  and  daring,  frequently  halting  and  charging  the  enemy, 
under  a  withering  fire  of  musketry. 


430  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

On  npproaching  General  Rousseau's  line,  the  battalion  of  regulars, 
under  command  of  Major  King,  at  my  request,  gallantly  charged  for 
ward  to  our  assistance,  sustaining  a  severe  loss  in  officers  and  men 
in  the  effort. 

Colonels  Stanley  and  Miller  now  promptly  reformed  their  brigades, 
with  the  remaining  portions  of  the  batteries,  and  took  position  on  the 
new  line,  as  designated  by  Major  General  Thomas. 

Shortly  afterward  the  Twenty-Ninth  Brigade  was  ordered  to  the 
left,  to  repel  an  attack  from  the  enemy's  cavalry  upon  the  trains. 

The  troops  remained  in  line  all  night,  and  the  next  day  in  "order 
of  battle"  until  noon,  when  the  division  was  ordered  to  the  right  of 
General  McCook's  line,  in  expectation  of  an  attack  upon  his  front. 

The  next  day  (January  2)  at  one  o'clock  P.  M.,  my  command  was 
ordered  to  the  support  of  General  Crittenden,  on  the  left,  and  took 
position  in  the  rear  of  the  batteries,  on  the  west  bank  of  Stone  River. 

About  three  P.  M.  a  strong  force  of  the  enemy,  with  artillery, 
advanced  rapidly  upon  General  Van  Cleve's  division ;  which,  after 
sustaining  a  severe  fire  for  twenty  or  thirty  minutes,  fell  back  in  con 
siderable  disorder;  the  enemy  pressing  vigorously  forward  to  the  river 
bank. 

At  this  important  moment,  the  Eighth  Division  was  ordered  to 
advance,  which  it  did  promptly  ;  the  men  crossing  the  river  and 
charging  up  the  steep  bank  with  unflinching  bravery.  The  Twenty- 
First,  Eighteenth,  Sixty-Ninth,  and  Seventy-Fourth  Ohio,  Nineteenth 
Illinois,  Eleventh  Michigan,  Thirty-Seventh  Indiana,  and  Seventy- 
Eighth  Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  displaying  their  usual  promptness 
and  gallantry.  Four  pieces  of  artillery  and  a  stand  of  colors  belong 
ing  to  the  Twenty-Sixth  (rebel)  Tennessee,  were  captured  at  the  point 
of  the  bayonet,  also  a  large  number  of  prisoners  ;  the  enemy  retreat 
ing  in  disorder. 

It  is  proper  to  mention  here,  that  the  artillery  practice  of  Schultz's, 
Mendenhall's,  Standards,  Wells',  Marshall's,  and  Stokes'  batteries, 
which  were  acting  temporarily  under  my  orders,  in  this  engagement, 
was  highly  satisfactory;  giving  the  enemy  great  tribulation. 

The  promptness  displayed  by  Captain  Stokes,  in  bringing  his  bat 
tery  into  action  by  my  orders,  and  the  efficient  manner  with  which  it 
was  served,  affords  additional  evidence  of  his  marked  ability  and 
bravery  as  an  officer  and  patriot.  In  the  same  connection,  I  feel  per 
mitted  to  speak  in  complimentary  terms  of  the  gallant  Morton,  and 
his  Pioneer  Brigade,  which  marched  forward  under  a  scathing  fire,  to 
the  support  of  my  division. 

The  enemy  having  fallen  back  to  his  intrenchments,  my  division 
recrossed  the  river  and  resumed  its  former  position. 

On  the  evening  of  the  4th,  the  Twenty-Ninth  Brigade  was  moved 
forward  to  the  north  bank  of  Stone  River,  near  the  railroad,  as  an 
advanced  force.  On  the  same  day,  General  Spears'  First  Tennessee 
Brigade,  was  assigned  to  the  Eighth  Division.  This  brigade  distin 
guished  itself  on  the  evening  of  the  2d,  in  a  desperate  charge  on  the 
enemy.  On  the  morning  of  the  5th,  I  was  ordered  to  take  command 
of  the  advance  and  pursue  the  enemy  toward  Murfreesboro. 

By  nine  A.  M.,  the  Eighth  Division,  Walkers  brigade,  Pioneer  Brigade, 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  431 

and  Genci'al  Stanley's  cavalry  force  had  crossed  the  river  and  taken 
possession  of  Murfrccsboro,  without  meeting  any  resistance;  the  rear 
guard  of  the  enemy  retreating  on  the  Manchester  and  Shelbyville 
roads,  our  cavalry  pursuing,  supported  by  the  Twenty-Ninth  Brigade, 
on  the  Shelbyville  pike,  and  by  Colonel  Byrd's  First  East  Tennessee 
Regiment,  on  the  Manchester  pike. 

The  rear  guard  of  the  enemy  (three  regiments  cavalry  and  one  bat 
tery)  was  overtaken  on  the  Manchester,  five  miles  from  Murfrecsboro. 
Colonel  Byrd  fearlessly  charged  this  unequal  force  of  the  enemy, 
driving  him  from  his  position,  with  a  loss  of  four  killed  and  twelve 
wounded;  enemy's  loss  not  ascertained. 

Our  army  marched  quietly  into  Murfreesboro,  the  chosen  position 
of  the  enemy,  which  he  was  forced  to  abandon  after  a  series  of  des 
perate  engagements.  The  joyful  hopes  of  traitors  have  been  crushed  5 
treason  receiving  another  fatal  blow. 

My  command  enthusiastically  join  me  in  expression  of  admiration 
of  the  official  conduct  of  Generals  Ilosecrans  and  Thomas.  During 
the  most  eventful  periods  of  the  engagements  their  presence  was  at 
the  point  of  danger,  aiding  with  their  counsels  and  animating  the 
troops  by  their  personal  bravery  and  cool  determination. 

I  refer  to  my  command  with  feelings  of  national  pride  for  the  living, 
and  personal  sorrow  for  the  dead.  Without  a  murmur,  they  made 
forced  marches  over  almost  impassable  roads,  through  drenching  win 
ter  rains,  without  blankets  or  a  change  of  clothing;  deprived  of 
sleep  or  repose,  constantly  on  duty  for  eleven  days;  living  three  days 
on  a  pint  of  flour  and  parched  corn.  Ever  vigilant,  always  ready, 
sacrificing  their  lives  with  a  contempt  of  peril,  displaying  the  cool 
ness,  determination,  and  high  discipline  of  veterans,  they  are  enti 
tled  to  our  country's  gratitude.  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Kentucky, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Michigan,  and  Tennessee,  may  proudly  inscribe 
upon  their  scrolls  of  fame  the  names  of  the  Seventy-Eighth  Pennsyl 
vania  Volunteers,  Eighteenth,  Twenty-First.  Sixty-Ninth,  and  Sev 
enty-Fourth  Ohio,  Schultz's  and  Marshall's  (Ohio)  Batteries,  the 
Eleventh  Michigan,  Nineteenth  Illinois,  Thirty-Seventh  Indiana, 
Wells'  section  (Kentucky)  Battery,  and  Spears'  Tennessee  Brigade. 

I  wisli  to  make  honorable  mention  of  the  bravery  and  efficient 
services  rendered  by  the  following  named  officers  and  men,  for  whom 
I  earnestly  request  promotion: 

Brigadier  General  Spears,  commanding  First  Tennessee  Brigade. 

Colonel  T.  R.  Stanley,  Eighteenth  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry,  com 
manding  Twenty-Ninth  Brigade. 

Colonel  John  T.  Miller,  Twenty-Ninth  Indiana  Volunteers,  com 
manding  Seventh  Brigade. 

Captain  Jas.  St.  Clair  Morton,  commanding  Pioneer  Brigade. 

Captain  James  H.  Stokes,  commanding  Chicago  Battery. 

Major  John  H.  King,  commanding  Fifteenth  United  States  Infantry. 

Captain  Bush,  commanding  Fourth  Indiana  Battery. 

Captain  James  A.  Lowrie,  Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

Lieutenant  Fred.  II.  Kennedy,  Aiddecamp. 

Captain  Charles  T.  Wing,  Assistant  Quartermaster. 


432  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

Major  Fred.  H.  Gross,  Medical  Director. 

Captain  James  R.  Hayden,  Ordnance  Officer. 

Lieutenant.  Wm.  \V.  Barker,  Aiddecamp. 

Lieutenant  Robert  H.  Cochran,  Provost  Marshal. 

Lieutenant  Francis  Riddell,  Acting  Assistant  Commissary  of  Sub 
sistence. 

Lieutenant  Charles  C.  Cook,  Acting  Aiddecamp. 

Lieutenant  W.  D.  Ingraham,  Topographical  Engineers. 

Captain  Frederick  Schultz  and  Lieutenant  Joseph  Hein,  Battery  M, 
First  Ohio  Artillery. 

Lieutenants  Alex.  Marshall,  John  Crable,  and  Robert  D.  Whittleaey, 
Battery  G,  First  Ohio  Artillery. 

Captain  W.  E.  Standart,  Battery  B,  First  Ohio  Artillery. 

Lieutenant  A.  A.  Ellsworth,  Commanding  Wells'  Section  Kentucky 
Artillery. 

Lieutenant  W.  H.  Spence,  Wells'  Section  Kentucky  Artillery. 

Lieutenant  H.  Terry,  Third  Ohio  Cavalry. 

Secretaries — Sergeant  H.  B.  Fletcher,  Company  K,  Nineteenth  Illi 
nois  Volunteers;  Corporal  Rufus  Rice,  Company  K,  First  Wisconsin 
Volunteers;  Private  James  A.  Sangston,  Company  C,  Seventy-Ninth 
Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  and  Sergeant  Charles  Rambour,  Company 
K,  Seventy-Fourth  Ohio  Volunteers.  Wm.  Longwell,  Orderly,  Sev 
enth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry. 

Escort — Sergeant  George  C.  Lee,  Corporal  E.H.  Daugherty,  Privates 
Henry  Schwenk,  Henry  B.  Zimmerman,  John  Higgins,  Leon  Starr, 
Daniel  Walker,  John  McCorkle,  Abraham  Keppuly,  George  Gillem, 
John  Cunningham. 

CASUALTIES. 

The  following  is  an  approximate  report  of  the  casualties  in  my 
command,  during  the  battles  before  Murfreesboro,  December  30th  and 
31st,  18G2,  and  January  2d  and  3d,  1863: 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 


433 


bd 


II 


REMARKS.  —  My  command  captured  upward  of  four  hundred  p 
of  regimental  colors. 

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434  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 


GENERAL  L.  H.  ROUSSEAU'S  EEPORT. 

VJLLE,  T 
January 


NASHVILLE,  TENN.,          \ 
11,  1863.  / 


Major  George  K  Flynt,  Chief  of  Staff : 

SIR — I  have  the  honor  to  report  the  part  taken  by  my  command,  the 
Third  Division  of  the  army,  in  the  battle  of  Murfreesboro,  begun  on 
the  31st  ult.,  and  ended  on  the  3d  inst.  : 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  30th  ult.,  in  obedience  to  the  order  of 
Major  General  Thomas,  my  division  moved  forward  toward  Murfrees 
boro  from  Stewartsboro,  on  the  Nashville  and  Murfreesboro  turnpike, 
about  nine  miles  from  the  latter  place.  On  the  march  forward  several 
dispatches  from  General  Rosecrans  reached  me,  asking  exactly  where 
my  command  was,  and  the  hour  and  minute  of  the  day.  In  conse 
quence  we  moved  rapidly  forward,  halted  but  once,  and  that  for  only 
five  minutes.  About  half  past  ten  o'clock,  A.  M.,  we  reached  a  point 
three  miles  from  Murfreesboro,  where  General  Rosecrans  and  Thomas 
were,  on  the  Nashville  and  Murfreesboro  turnpike,  and  remained 
during  the  day,  and  bivouacked  at  night. 

At  about  nine  o'clock  A.  M.  on  the  31st,  the  report  of  artillery  and 
the  heavy  firing  of  small  arms  on  our  right  announced  that  the  battle 
had  begun  by  an  attack  on  the  Right  Wing,  commanded  by  Major 
General  McCook.  It  was  not  long  before  the  direction  from  which  the 
firing  came,  indicated  that  General  McCook's  command  had  given  way 
and  was  yielding  ground  to  the  enemy.  His  forces  seemed  to  swing 
round  toward  our  right  and  rear.  At  this  time  General  Thomas  ordered 
me  to  advance  my  division  quickly  to  the  front  to  the  assistance  of 
General  McCook. 

On  reaching  the  right  of  General  Negley's  line  of  battle,  General 
Thomas  there  directed  me  to  let  my  left  rest  on  his  right,  and  to  deploy 
my  division  off  toward  the  right  as  far  as  I  could,  so  as  to  resist  the 
pressure  on  General  McCook. 

We  consulted  and  agreed  as  to  where  the  line  should  be  formed. 
This  was  in  a  dense  cedar-brake,  through  which  my  troops  marched  in 
quick  time  to  get  into  position  before  the  enemy  reached  us.  He  was 
then  but  a  few  hundred  yards  to  the  front,  sweeping  up  in  immense 
numbers,  driving  everything  before  him.  This  ground  was  new  and 
unknown  to  us  all.  The  woods  were  almost  impassable  to  infantry, 
and  artillery  was  perfectly  useless,  but  the  line  was  promptly  formed. 
The  Seventeenth  Brigade,  Colonel  John  Beatty  commanding,  on  the 
left,  the  Regular  Brigade,  Lieutenant  Colonel  0.  L.  Shepard  commanding, 
on  the  right;  the  Ninth  Brigade,  Colonel  B.  F.  Scribner  commanding, 
was  placed  perhaps  a  hundred  yards  in  rear  and  opposite  the  center 
of  the  front  line,  so  as  to  support  either  or  both  of  the  brigades  in 
front  as  occasion  might  require.  My  recollection  is  that  perhaps  the 
Second  and  Thirty-Third  Ohio  regiments  filled  a  gap  between  General 
Negley's  right  and  the  Seventeenth  Brigade,  occasioned  by  the  effort  to 


OFFICIAL     REPORTS.  435 

extend  our  lines  far  enough  to  the  right  to  afford  the  desired  aid  to 
General  Me  Cook. 

The  Twenty-Eighth  Brigade,  Colonel  John  C.  Starkweather  com 
manding,  and  Stone's  Battery  of  the  First  Kentucky  Artillery,  were  at 
Jefferson  crossing  on  Stone  Itiver,  about  eight  miles  below. 

Our  lines  were  hardly  formed  before  a  dropping  fire  from  the  enemy 
announced  his  approach.  General  McCook's  troops,  in  a  good  deal  of 
confusion,  retired  through  our  lines,  and  around  our  right  under  a 
most  terrific  fire.  The  enemy  in  pursuit  furiously  assailed  our  front, 
and  greatly  outflanking  us,  passed  around  to  our  right  and  rear. 

By  General  Thomas'  direction  I  had  already  ordered  the  artillery, 
Loomis'  and  Guenther's  Batteries,  to  the  open  field  in  the  rear.  See 
ing  that  my  command  was  outflanked  on  the  right,  I  sent  orders  to  the 
brigade  commanders  to  retire  at  once  also  to  this  field,  and  riding  back 
myself,  I  posted  the  batteries  on  a  ridge  in  the  open  ground  parallel 
with  our  line  of  battle,  and  as  my  men  emerged  from  the  woods  they 
were  ordered  to  take  position  on  the  right  and  left,  and  in  support  of 
these  batteries,  which  was  promptly  done.  We  had  perhaps  four  or  five 
hundred  yards  of  open  ground  in  our  front.  While  the  batteries  were 
unlimbering1,  seeing  General  Van  Cleve  close  by,  I  rode  up  and  asked 
him  if  he  would  move  his  command  to  the  right,  and  aid  in  checking 
up  the  enemy  by  forming  on  my  left,  and  thus  giving  us  a  more  ex 
tended  line  in  that  direction  in  the  new  position  taken.  In  the 
promptest  manner  possible  his  line  was  put  in  motion,  and  in  double- 
quick  time  reached  the  desired  point  in  good  season. 

As  the  enemy  emerged  from  the  woods  in  great  force  shouting  and 
cheering,  the  batteries  of  Loomis  and  Guenther,  double-shotted  with 
canister,  opened  upon  them.  They  moved  straight  ahead  for  awhile, 
but  were  finally  driven  back  with  immense  loss.  In  a  little  while  thpy 
rallied  again,  and  as  it  seemed,  with  fresh  troops,  asrain  assailed  our 
position,  and  were  again,  after  a  fierce  struggle,  driven  back.  Four 
deliberate  and  fiercely  sustained  assaults  were  made  upon  our  posi 
tion,  and  repulsed.  During  the  last  assault  I  was  informed  that  our 
troops  were  advancing  on  our  right,  and  saw  troops,  out  of  my  divi 
sion,  led  by  General  Rosecrans,  moving  in  that  direction.  I  informed 
General  Thomas  of  the  fact,  and  asked  leave  to  advance  my  lines.  He 
directed  me  to  do  so.  We  made  a  charge  upon  the  enemy  and  drove 
him  into  the  woods,  my  staff  and  orderlies  capturing  some  seventeen 
prisoners,  including  a  Captain  and  Lieutenant,  who  were  within  one 
hundred  and  thirty  yards  of  the  batteries.  This  ended  the  fighting 
of  that  day,  the  enemy  in  immense  force  hovering  in  the  woods  (luring 
the  night,  while  we  slept  upon  our  arms  on  the  field  of  battle.  We 
occupied  this  position  during  the  three  following  days  and  nights  of 
the  fight.  Under  General  Thomas'  direction  I  had  it  intrenched  by 
rifle-pits,  and  believe  the  enemy  could  not  have  taken  it  at  all. 

During  the  day,  the  Twenty-Eighth  Brigade,  Colonel  Starkweather, 
was  attacked  by  Wheeler's  Cavalry  in  force,  and  some  of  the  wagons 
of  his  train  were  burned  before  they  reached  him,  having  started  that 
morning  from  Stewartsboro  to  join  him.  The  enemy  were  finally 
repulsed  and  driven  off  with  loss.  Starkweather's  loss  was  small.  In 
this  affair  the  whole  brigade  behaved  handsomely. 


436  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

The  burden  of  the  fight  fell  upon  the  Second  Wisconsin,  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Hobart  commanding.  This  regiment,  led  by  its  efficient  com 
mander,  behaved  like  veterans.  From  the  evening  of  the  81st  until 
Saturday  night,  no  general  battle  occurred  in  front  of  my  division, 
though  firing  of  artillery  and  small  arms  was  kept  up  during  the  day, 
and  much  of  the  small  arms  during  the  night.  The  rain  on  the  night 
of  the  31st,  which  continued  at  intervals  until  the  Saturday  night  fol 
lowing,  rendered  the  ground  occupied  by  my  command  exceedingly 
sloppy  and  muddy,  and  during  much  of  the  time  my  men  had  neither 
shelter,  food,  nor  fire.  I  procured  corn,  which  they  parched  and  ate,  and 
some  of  them  ate  horse-steaks  cut  and  broiled  from  horses  on  the 
battle-field.  Day  and  night  in  the  cold,  wet,  and  mud,  my  men  suf 
fered  severely,  but  during  the  whole  time  I  did  not  hear  one  single 
murmur  at  their  hardships,  but  all  were  cheerful  and  ever  ready  to 
stand  by  their  arms  and  fight.  Such  endurance  I  never  saw.  In  these 
severe  trials  of  their  patience  and  their  strength,  they  were  much 
encouraged  by  the  constant  presence  and  solicitous  anxiety  of  General 
Thomas  for  their  welfare. 

On  the  evening  of  Saturday,  3d  inst.,  I  asked  permission  of  General 
Thomas  to  drive  the  enemy  from  a  wood  on  our  left  front,  to  which  he 
gave  his  consent.  Just  before  I  directed  the  batteries  of  Guenther  and 
Loomis  to  shell  the  woods  with  six  rounds  per  gun,  fired  as  rapidly  as 
possible.  This  was  very  handsomely  done,  and  ended  just  at  dark, 
when  the  Third  Ohio,  Lieutenant  Colonel  0.  H.  Lawson,  and  Eighty- 
P^ighth  Indiana,  Colonel  George  Humphreys,  both  under  command  of 
the  brigade  commander,  Colonel  John  Beatty,  moved  promptly  up  to 
the  woods.  When  near  the  woods  they  received  a  heavy  fire  from  the 
enemy,  but  returned  it  vigorously  a>nd  gallantly,  and  pressed  forward. 
On  reaching  the  woods  a  fresh  body  of  the  enemy,  attracted  by  the  fire, 
moved  up  on  their  left  to  support  them.  On  that  body  of  the  enemy 
Loomis'  Battery  opened  with  shell.  The  fusilade  was  very  rapid,  and 
continued  for  perhaps  three-quarters  of  an  hour,  when  Beatty's  com 
mand  drove  the  enemy  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  and  held  the  woods. 
It  turned  out  that  the  enemy  were  posted  behind  a  stone  breastwork  in 
the  woods,  and  when  ousted  about  thirty  men  were  taken  prisoners 
behind  the  woods.  This  ended  the  battle  of  Murfreesboro. 

On  the  morning  of  the  31st  six  companies  of  the  Second  Kentucky 
Cavalry,  Major  Thomas  P.  Nicholas  commanding,  were  ordered  down 
to  watch  and  defend  the  fords  of  Stone  River  to  our  left  and  rear. 
The  cavalry  of  the  enemy  several  times,  in  force,  attempted  to  cross 
these  fords,  but  Nicholas  very  gallantly  repulsed  them  with  loss,  and 
they  did  not  cross  the  river. 

I  should  have  mentioned  that  Friday  evening  late  I  was  directed  by 
General  Thomas  to  place  a  regiment  in  the  woods  on  our  left  front  as 
an  outpost,  and  with  the  view  to  hold  the  woods,  as  they  were  near 
our  lines,  and  the  enemy  could  greatly  annoy  us  if  allowed  to  hold 
them.  Our  skirmishers  were  then  just  leaving  the  woods.  I  oi'dered 
the  Forty-Second  Indiana,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Shanklin  commanding, 
to  take  that  position,  which  he  did.  But  early  the  next  morning  the 
enemy,  in  large  force,  attacked  Colonel  Shanklin,  first  furiously  shell 
ing  the  woods,  and  drove  the  regiment  back  to  our  lines,  taking 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS.  437 

Shanklin  prisoner.     It  was  this  wood  that  was  retaken  on  Saturday 
night  as  before  described. 

The  troops  of  the  division  behaved  admirably.  I  could  not  wish 
them  to  behave  more  gallantly.  The  Ninth  and  Seventeenth  Brijia'ics, 
under  the  lead  of  their  gallant  commanders,  Scribner  and  Beatty, 
were,  as  well  as  the  Twenty-Eighth  Brigade,  Colonel  Starkweather, 
veterans  ;  they  were  with  me  at  Chaplin  Hills,  and  could  not  act  badly. 

The  Twenty-Eighth  Brigade  held  a  position  in  our  front  after  the 
first  day's  fighting,  and  did  it  bravely,  doing  all  that  was  required  of 
them  like  true  soldiers. 

The  brigade  of  United  States  Infantry,  Lieutenant  Colonel  0.  L. 
Shepard  commanding,  was  on  the  extreme  right.  On  that  body  of 
brave  men  the  shock  of  battle  fell  heaviest,  and  its  loss  was  most 
severe.  Over  one-third  of  the  command  fell  killed  or  wounded.  But 
it  stood  up  to  the  work  and  bravely  breasted  the  storm,  and  though 
Major  King,  commanding  the  Fifteenth,  and  Major  Slemmer  ("Old 
Pickens  "),  the  Sixteenth,  fell  severely  wounded,  and  Major  Carpenter, 
commanding  the  Nineteenth,  fell  dead  in  the  last  charge,  together  with 
many  other  brave  officers  and  men,  the  brigade  did  not  falter  for  a 
moment.  These  three  battalions  were  a  part  of  my  old  Fourth  Brigade 
at  the  battle  of  Shiloh. 

The  Eighteenth  Infantry,  Majors  Townsend  and  Caldwell  command 
ing,  were  new  troops  to  me,  but  I  am  proud  now  to  say  we  know  each 
other.  If  I  could  I  would  promote  every  officer  and  non-commissioned 
officer  and  private  of  this  brigade  of  Regulars  for  gallantry  and 
good  service  in  this  terrific  battle.  I  make  no  distinction  between 
these  troops  and  my  brave  volunteer  regiments,  for  in  my  judgment 
there  were  never  better  troops  than  these  regiments  in  the  world.  But 
the  troops  of  the  line  are  soldiers  by  profession,  and  with  a  view  to  the 
future  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  say  what  I  have  of  them.  The  brigade  was 
admirably  and  gallantly  handled  by  Lieutenant  Colonel  Shepard. 

I  lost  some  of  the  bravest  and  best  officers  I  had.  Lieutenant  Colo 
nel  Kell,  commanding  Second  Ohio,  was  killed.  After  he  fell  his  regi 
ment  was  efficiently  handled  by  Major  Anson  McCook,  who  ought  to 
to  be  made  Colonel  of  that  regiment  for  gallantry  on  the  field.  Colonel 
Form  an,  my  brave  boy  Colonel  of  the  Fifteenth  Kentucky,  also  fell. 
Major  Carpenter,  of  the  Nineteenth  Infantry,  fell  in  the  last  charge. 
His  loss  is  irreparable.  Many  other  gallant  officers  were  lost. 

Of  the  batteries  of  Guenther  and  Loomis  I  can  not  say  too  much. 
Loomis  was  Chief  of  Artillery  for  the  Third  Division,  and  I  am  much 
indebted  to  him.  His  battery  was  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Van 
Pelt.  Guenther  is  but  a  Lieutenant.  Both  of  these  men  deserve  to  be 
promoted,  and  ought  to  be  at  once.  Without  them  we  could  not  have 
held  our  position. 

I  fell  in  with  many  gallant  regiments  and  officers  on  the  field  not 
of  my  command.  I  wish  I  could  name  all  of  them  here.  While  fall 
ing  back  to  the  line  in  the  open  field,  I  saw  Colonel  Charles  Anderson 
gallantly  and  coolly  rallying  his  men.  Colonel  Grider,  of  Kentucky, 
and  his  regiment,  efficiently  aided  in  repulsing  the  enemy.  The 
Eighteenth  Ohio,  I  think  it  was,  though  I  do  not  know  any  of  its  offi 
cers,  faced  about,  and  charged  the  enemy  in  my  presence,  and  I  went 


438  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

along  with  it.  The  Eleventh  Michigan  and  its  gallant  little  Colonel 
(Stoughton)  behaved  well,  and  the  Sixth  Ohio  Infantry,  Colonel  Nick 
Anderson,  joined  my  command  on  the  right  of  the  Regular  Brigade, 
and  stood  manfully  up  to  the  work. 

I  fell  in  with  the  Louisville  Legion  in  retreat,  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Berry  commanding.  This  regiment,  though  retreating  before  an  over 
whelming  force,  was  dragging  by  hand  a  section  of  artillery  which  it 
had  been  ordered  to  support.  A  part  of  General  McCook's  wing  of 
the  army  had  fallen  back  with  the  rest,  but  through  the  woods  and 
fields  with  great  difficulty,  bravely  brought  off  the  cannon  it  could  no 
longer  defend  on  the  field.  When  I  met  it,  it  faced  about  and  formed 
line  of  battle  with  cheers  and  shouts. 

To  Lieutenant  McDowell,  my  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant  General; 
Lieutenant  Armstrong,  Second  Kentucky  Cavalry;  Lieutenant  Millard, 
Nineteenth  United  States  Infantry,  Inspector  General;  Captain  Taylor, 
Fifteenth  Kentucky,  and  Lieutenant  Alf.  Pirtle,  Ordnance  officer,  my 
regular  aids,  and  to  Captain  John  D.  Wickliffe  and  Lieutenant  W.  G. 
Jenkins,  both  of  Second  Kentucky  Cavalry,  aids  for  that  battle,  I  am 
much  indebted  for  services  on  that  field. 

The  wounded  were  kindly  and  tenderly  cared  for  by  the  Third 
Division  Medical  Director,  Surgeon  Muscroft,  and  the  other  Surgeons 
of  the  command. 

Lieutenant  McDowell  was  wounded.  My  orderlies,  James  Emery 
and  the  rest,  went  through  the  whole  fight  behaving  well.  Emery  was 
wounded.  Lieutenant  Carpenter,  First  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry,  one 
of  my  aids,  was  so  badly  injured  by  the  fall  of  his  horse  that  I  would 
not  permit  him  to  go  on  the  field.  Lieutenant  Hartman,  Seventy- 
Ninth  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Infantry,  a  member  of  my  staff,  was  ill 
with  fever,  and  unable  to  leave  his  bed. 

It  should  be  mentioned  that  the  Eighty-Eighth  Indiana,  Colonel 
Humphreys,  being  placed  at  one  of  the  fords  on  Stone  River  where  our 
forces  were  temporarily  driven  back,  very  opportunely  rallied  the 
stragglers,  and  promptly  crossed  the  river  and  drove  the  enemy  back. 
In  this  he  was  aided  by  the  stragglers,  who  rallied  and  fought  well. 
The  Colonel  was  wounded  by  a  bayonet  thrust  in  the  hand  in  the 
atta ;k  of  Saturday  night  on  the  enemy  in  the  woods  in  our  front. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  etc., 

LOVELL  H.  ROUSSEAU, 

Major  General. 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS.  439 


THE   LEFT  WING. 


BRIGADIER  GENERAL  PALMER'S   REPORT. 

HEADQUARTERS  SECOND  DIVISION  LEFT  WING,  1 

CAMP  NEAR  MURFREESBORO,  January  9,  1863.  J 

Major  L.  Starling,  Chief  of  Staff  : 

MAJOR — I  have  the  honor  to  submit,  for  the  information  of  the  Gen 
eral  Commanding,  the  following  reports  of  the  operations  of  this  divi 
sion,  from  and  including  the  27th  of  December  up  to,  and  including  the 
4th  of  January. 

At  11.20  A.  M.,  on  the  27th  of  December,  while  in  camp  near 
Lavergne,  I  received  orders  to  move  forward,  following  the  division  of 
General  Wood,  and  to  detach  a  brigade  to  proceed  by  the  Jefferson 
pike  and  seize  the  bridge  across  Stewart's  Creek.  The  duty  of  con 
ducting  this  operation  was  assigned  to  Colonel  Hazen — which  was  well 
and  skillfully  done. 

The  brigades  of  Cruft  and  Grose  reached  the  west  bank  of  Stewart's 
Creek  late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  27th,  and  bivouacked  there  until  the 
morning  of  the  29th. 

During  all  the  day,  Sunday,  the  28th,  the  enemy's  pickets  were  in 
sight  across  the  creek,  firing  upon  us  occasionally  at  long  range,  but 
did  us  no  harm.  On  Monday  morning,  29th  of  December,  at  nine 
o'clock,  I  was  ordered  to  deploy  one  regiment  as  skirmishers;  to  dis 
pose  of  my  other  troops  so  as  to  support  it,  and  move  forward  at  ten 
o'clock  precisely  and  continue  to  advance  until  the  enemy  were  found 
in  position. 

This  disposition  was  made. 

A  few  minutes  before  ten  o'clock,  Parsons  was  ordered  to  shell  the 
woods  to  our  front,  and  at  ten  o'clock  Grose's  brigade  moved  forward, 
skirmishing  with  the  enemy,  supported  by  the  first  brigade,  Hazen  not- 
having  yet  joined  me. 

The  command  advanced  steadily,  driving  the  light  force  of  rebel 
skirmishers  before  it  to  the  top  of  the  hill,  some  mile  and  a  half  this 
side  of  Stewart's  Creek,  and  being  under  the  impression  that  the  divi 
sions  of  Wood  and  Negley  were  to  advance  with  me. 

In  a  few  moments  Wood's  advance  came  up  on  the  left  of  the  pike 
and  the  two  divisions  moved  forward,  constantly  skirmishing  (though 
much  heavier  on  Wood's  front  than  my  own)  to  the  ground  occupied 
that  night,  afterward  the  theater  of  the  battle  of  the  31st. 

During  the  day  the  casualties  were  ten  wounded  in  Grose's  brigade, 
none  severely. 

On  the  morning  of  the  30th,  my  division  was  formed  as  follows  : 
Third  brigade  (Grose's),  in  two  lines,  the  left  resting  on  the  pike;  first 
brigade  (Graft's),  to  the  right,  extending  across  the  point  of  woods,  his 


440  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

extreme  right  retired  to  connect  with  Negley's  left;  and  Hazen's  bri 
gade  in  reserve. 

There  was  considerable  skirmishing  during  the  day,  the  greater  por 
tion  of  which  fell  upon  Craft's  brigade,  which  was  in  rather  unpleas 
ant  proximity  to  a  point  of  woods  to  his  front  and  right,  held  by  the 
enemy  in  strong  force. 

About  four  o'clock  I  was  ordered  to  advance  and  open  upon  the 
enemy  with  all  my  artillery.  This  was  not  done,  probably,  as  soon  us 
the  order  contemplated.  The  ground  occupied  by  the  batteries  at  th<? 
time  the  order  was  received  was  low  and  confined;  upon  pushing  for 
ward  the  skirmishers  of  the  first  brigade  to  clear  the  way  to  a  good 
artillery  position,  in  the  open  field  to  the  front,  the  rebels  were  found 
numerous  and  stubborn.  Learning  very  soon  that  a  mere  demonstra 
tion  was  intended,  all  my  batteries  opened,  and,  I  am  satisfied,  dam 
aged  the  enemy  considerably.  The  skirmish  attending  this  movement 
was  quite  brisk;  the  troops  engaged  doing  themselves  great  credit. 
This  closed  the  operations  of  the  day. 

On  the  morning  of  the  31st,  Craft's  brigade  retained  its  position  of 
the  day  before.  Hazen's  brigade  had  relieved  Grose,  who  had  fallen 
back  to  a  point  some  two  hundred  yards  to  the  rear,  and  was  formed  in 
two  lines  nearly  opposite  the  interval  between  the  First  and  Second 
Brigades;  Standart's  Battery  on  the  extreme  right,  Parsons'  near  the 
center. 

Early  in  the  morning  I  rode  to  the  right  of  my  own  command,  and 
the  battle  had  commenced  on  the  extreme  right  of  the  line;  soon  after 
ward,  near  eight  o'clock,  General  Negley,  through  one  of  his  staff, 
informed  me  he  was  about  to  advance  and  requested  me  to  advance  to 
cover  his  left.  I  gave  notice  of  this  to  the  General  Commanding,  and 
a  few  moments  later  received  orders  to  move  forward.  I  at  once 
ordered  General  Cruft  to  advance,  keeping  close  up  well  toward  Neg 
ley;  Colonel  Hazen  to  go  forward,  observing  the  movements  of  Wood's 
right;  and  Grose  to  steadily  advance,  supporting  the  advance  brigades, 
and  all  to  use  their  artillery  freely. 

My  line  had  advanced  hardly  a  hundred  yards  when,  upon  reach 
ing  my  own  right,  I  found  that  General  Negley  had,  instead  of  advanc 
ing,  thrown  back  his  right,  so  that  his  line  was  almost  perpendicular 
to  that  of  Cruft  and  to  his  rear;  and  it  was  also  apparent  that  the 
enemy  were  driving  General  McCook  back,  and  were  rapidly  approach 
ing  our  rear. 

Cruft's  line  was  halted  by  my  order.  I  rode  to  the  left  to  make  some 
disposition  to  meet  the  coming  storm,  and  by  the  time  I  reached  the 
open  ground  to  the  south  of  the  pike,  the  heads  of  the  enemy's  columns 
had  forced  their  way  to  the  open  ground  to  my  rear.  To  order  Grose 
to  change  front  to  the  rear  was  the  work  of  a  moment,  and  he  obeyed 
the  order  almost  as  soon  as  given;  retiring  his  new  left  so  as  to  bring 
the  enemy  under  the  direct  fire  of  his  line;  he  opened  upon  them  in 
fine  style  and  with  great  effect,  and  held  his  ground  until  the  enemy 
were  driven  back. 

In  the  meantime  General  Negley's  command  had,  to  some  extent, 
become  compromised  by  the  confusion  on  the  right,  and  my  first  bri 
gade  was  exposed  in  front  and  flank  to  a  severe  attack,  which  alsa 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS.  441 

now  extended  along  my  whole  front.  Orders  were  sent  to  Colonel 
Hazen  to  fall  back  from  the  open  cottonfield  into  which  he  had  moved. 
He  fell  back  a  short  distance,  and  a  regiment  from  Wood's  division 
which  had  occupied  the  crest  of  a  low-wooded  hill,  between  the  pike 
and  the  railroad,  having  been  removed,  he  took  possession  of  that 
and  there  resisted  the  enemy.  Hazen  on  the  railroad,  one  or  two 
regiments  to  the  right,  some  troops  in  the  point  of  woods  south  of  the 
cottonfield  and  a  short  distance  in  advance  of  the  general  line, 
among  whom  I  was  only  able  to  distinguish  the  gallant  Colonel  Whit- 
taker  and  his  Sixth  Kentucky  ;  still  further  to  the  right  Cruft  was 
fighting  aided  by  Standards  guns,  and  to  the  rear  Grose  was  fighting 
with  apparently  great  odds  against  him.  All  were  acquitting  them 
selves  nobly,  and  all  were  hard  pressed.  I  could  see  that  Grose  was 
losing  a  great  many  men,  but  the  importance  of  Hazen's  position 
determined  me,  if  necessary,  to  expend  the  last  man  in  holding  it. 
I  gave  my  attention  from  that  time  chiefly  to  that  point. 

The  One-Hundreth  Illinois  came  up  on  the  left  of  the  railroad  and 
fought  steadily.  As  soon  as  Colonel  Grose  was  relieved  of  the 
enemy  in  his  rear,  he  again  changed  front,  moved  to  the  left  and 
cooperated  with  Colonel  Hazen.  One  regiment  was  sent  to  my  sup 
port  from  General  Wood's  command,  and  which  behaved  splendidly. 
I  regret  my  inability  either  to  name  the  regiment  or  its  officers. 
Again  and  again  the  attack  was  renewed  by  the  enemy,  and  each 
time  repulsed,  and  the  gallant  men  who  had  so  bravely  struggled  to 
hold  the  position  occupied  it  during  the  night. 

Brigadier  General  Cruft  deserves  great  praise  for  so  long  holding 
the  important  position  occupied  on  our  right,  and  for  skillfully  extri 
cating  his  command  from  the  mass  of  confusion  around  it.  Standart 
fought  his  guns  until  the  enemy  were  upon  him,  and  then  brought  them 
off  safely  ;  while  the  Second  Kentucky  brought  off  by  hand  three  guns 
abandoned  by  General  Negley's  division. 

Colonel  Hazen  proved  himself  a  brave  and  able  soldier  by  the  skill 
and  courage  exhibited  in  forming  and  sheltering  his  troops,  and  in 
organizing  and  fighting  all  the  materials  around  him  for  the  mainte 
nance  of  his  important  position. 

Colonel  Grose  exhibited  great  coolness  and  bravery,  and  fought 
against  great  odds.  He  was  under  my  eye  during  the  whole  day,  and 
I  could  see  nothing  to  improve  in  the  management  of  his  command. 

I  shrink  from  the  task  of  specially  mentioning  regiments  or  regi 
mental  officers.  All  did  their  duty,  and  from  my  imperfect  acquaint 
ance  with  regiments,  I  am  apprehensive  of  injurious  mistakes. 

I  recognized  during  the  battle  the  Forty-First  Ohio,  which  fought 
until  it  expended  its  last  cartridge,  and  was  then  relieved  by  the  noble 
Ninth  Indiana,  which  came  into  line  with  a  heavy  shout,  inspiring 
all  with  confidence.  The  Eighty-Fourth,  One  Hundred  and  Tenth, 
and  One- Hundredth  Illinois  I  knew;  all  new  regiments,  and  all  so 
fought  that  even  the  veterans  of  "Shiloh  "  and  other  bloody  fields  had 
no  occasion  to  boast  over  them.  The  Eighty-Fourth  stood  its  ground 
until  more  than  one-third  of  its  number  were  killed  or  wounded.  The 
Sixth  Ohio,  the  Twenty-Fourth  Ohio,  the  Twenty-Third  Kentucky,  and 
the  Thirty-Sixth  Indiana  were  pointed  out  to  me;  and  I  recognized  the 


442  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

brave  Colonel  Whit-taker  and  his  fighting  men  doing  soldiers'  duty.  I 
only  saw  the  regiments  of  Craft's  brigade  fighting  early  in  the  day  ;  I 
had  no  fears  for  them  where  valor  could  win.  Indeed  the  whole  divi 
sion  fought  like  soldiers  trained  under  the  rigid  discipline  of  the 
lamented  Nelson,  and  by  their  courage  proved  that  they  had  caught 
a  large  portion  of  his  heroic  and  unconquerable  spirit. 

During  the  whole  day  I  regarded  the  battery  under  the  command 
of  Lieutenant  Parsons,  assisted  by  Lieutenants  Gushing  and  Htmt- 
ington,  as  my  right  arm,  and  well  did  the  conduct  of  these  courageous 
and  skillful  young  officers  justify  my  confidence.  My  orders  to  Par 
sons  were  simple  :  "  Fight  where  you  can  do  the  most  good."  Never 
were  orders  better  obeyed. 

The  reported  conduct  of  the  other  batteries  attached  to  the  division 
is  equally  favorable.  They  were  in  other  parts  of  the  field. 

My  personal  staff,  Captain  Norton,  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant  Gen 
eral;  Lieutenants  Simmons  and  Child;  Lieutenant  Croxton,  Ordnance 
Officer  ;  Lieutenant  Hays,  Division  Topographical  Engineer  ;  Lieuten 
ant  Shaw,  Seventh  Illinois  Cavalry,  were  with  me  all  day  on  the  field, 
and  carried  my  orders  everywhere  with  the  greatest  courage.  Lieu 
tenant  Simmons  was  severely  injured  by  a  fragment  of  a  shell. 

I  can  not  commend  the  conduct  of  Doctor  Sherman,  Ninth  Indiana 
Volunteers,  Medical  Director,  too  highly.  At  all  times  from  the  com 
mencement  of  the  march  from  Nashville,  and  during  the  battles  and 
skirmishes  in  which  the  division  was  engaged,  up  to  the  occupation 
of  Murfreesboro,  he  was  always  at  his  post,  and  by  his  industry, 
humanity,  and  skill  earned,  not  only  my  gratitude  and  that  of  this 
command,  but  that  of  the  wounded  of  the  enemy,  many  of  whom  were 
thrown  upon  his  care. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  this  division  was  relieved  and  placed  in 
reserve.  On  Friday  the  2d,  Grose's  brigade  was  ordered  over  the  river 
to  the  left  to  support  the  division  of  Colonel  Beatty,  and  during  the 
action  the  brigade  of  Colonel  Hazen  was  also  ordered  over  to  cooperate 
with  Grose,  while  the  First  Brigade  (Cruft's)  was  posted  to  support  a 
battery  on  the  hill  near  the  ford. 

During  the  heavy  cannonade  the  First  Brigade  maintained  its  posi 
tion  with  perfect  coolness. 

While  the  engagement  was  going  on  across  the  river  a  rebel  force 
of  what  seemed  to  be  three  small  regiments,  entered  the  clump  of 
woods  in  front  of  the  position  of  our  batteries  on  the  hill  near  the  ford. 
These  troops  were  in  musket  range  of  our  right  across  the  creek,  and 
I  determined  at  once  to  dislodge  them.  Seeing  two  regiments,  one  of 
which  was  commanded  by  Colonel  Garrit,  and  the  other  by  Colonel 
Attmire,  I  ordered  them  to  advance  to  the  edge  of  the  wood  and  deploy 
some  companies  as  skirmishers.  They  obeyed  me  cheerfully  and 
pushed  in.  Not  being  willing  to  leave  the  repulse  of  the  enemy  a 
matter  of  doubt,  or  to  expose  these  brave  fellows  to  the  danger  of 
heavy  loss,  I  ordered  up  two  of  Cruft's  regiments,  and  upon  approach 
ing  the  edge  of  the  woods  halted  them,  and  told  them  it  was  my  pur- 
.  pose  to  clear  the  woods  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  To  inspire  them 
with  coolness  and  confidence,  the  preparation  for  the  charge  was 
made  with  great  deliberation.  To  get  the  proper  direction  for  the  line, 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 


443 


guides  were  thrown  out  and  the  proper  changes  were  made.  Bayo 
nets  fixed,  and  these  two  regiments,  Thirty-First  Indiana  and  Ninetieth 
Ohio,  ordered  to  clear  the  woods.  They  went  in  splendidly.  It  was 
done  so  quickly  that  the  rebels  had  hardly  time  to  discharge  their 
pieces.  They  fled  with  the  utmost  speed.  All  these  regiments  behaved 
handsomely. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  casualties  of  my   command,   and  its 
fearful  proportions  demonstrate  its  hard  service  : 


COMMANDS. 

Killed.        ||      Wounded. 

Missing. 

Aggregate.. 

0 

£ 
o 

- 
4 

IB 

g 

(o 

0 

9 

E 

O 

B 
o 
5 

• 

o> 

d 

9 

E 

C 
5 
o 
(t> 
—. 
pa 

5 

a 

f 

397 
433 
659 
20 
22 
18 

11549 

44 
41 
97 
5 
2 
2 

191 

44 
46 
107 
5 
2 
2 

9 

17 
22 

"l 

218 
318 
456 
12 
14 
13 

227 
335 
478 
12 
14 
14 

6 
6 

120 
52 

74 
3 
6 
2 

257 

126 
52 
74 
3 
6 

-* 

263 

2d  Brigade 

6 
10 

3d  Brigade            

Parsons'  Battery 

Cockerell's  Battery          .. 

Total... 

16 

206 

491031 

1080 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  very  respectfully,  yours, 

J.  M.  PALMER, 
Brigadier  General  Commanding. 


GENERAL  THOMAS  J.  WOOD'S  REPORT. 


NASHVILLE,  TENN.,      1 
January  6,  1863.  f 
Major  Lyne  Starling,  Chief  of  Staff: 

On  the  morning  of  the  26th  ult.,  the  Left  Wing  of  the  Fourteenth  Army 
Corps  broke  up  its  encampment  in  the  vicinity  of  Nashville,  and 
moved  toward  the  enemy.  Reliable  information  assured  us  that  they 
were  encamped  in  force  at  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Murfreesboro  ;  but 
as  their  cavalry,  supported  occasionally  by  infantry,  had  extended  its 
operations  up  to  our  outposts,  and  as  we  had  been  compelled,  some 
days  previous  to  the  movement  on  the  26th  ult.,  to  fight  for  the  greater 
part  of  the  forage  consumed  by  our  animals,  it  was  supposed  we  would 
meet  with  resistance  as  soon  as  our  troops  passed  beyond  the  lines  of 


444  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

our  own  outposts.  Nor  was  this  expectation  disappointed.  The  order 
of  march,  on  the  first  day  of  the  movement,  placed  the  Second  Division 
(General  Palmer  s)  in  advance,  followed  by  my  own.  Several  miles 
northward  of  Lavergne,  a  small  hamlet  nearly  equidistant  between 
Nashville  and  Murfreesboro,  portions  of  the  enemy  were  encountered 
by  our  advance  guard,  a  cavalry  force,  and  a  running  light  at  once 
commenced.  The  country  occupied  by  these  bodies  of  hostile  troops. 
affords  ground  peculiarly  favorable  for  a  small  force  to  retard  the 
advance  of  a  larger  force.  Large  cultivated  tracts  occur  at  intervals,  on 
either  side  of  the  turnpike  road,  biit  the  country  between  the  cultivated 
tracts  is  densely  wooded,  and  much  of  the  woodland  is  interspersed 
with  cedar.  The  face  of  the  country  is  undulating,  presenting  a  suc 
cession  of  swells  and  depressions. 

This  brief  description  is  applicable  to  the  whole  country  between 
Nashville  and  Murfreseboro,  and  it  will  show  to  the  most  casual  ob 
server  how  favorable  it  was  for  covering  the  movements  and  designs 
of  the  enemy  in  resisting  our  progress.  The  resistance  of  the  enemy 
prevented  our  troops  from  gaining  possession  of  the  commanding 
hig-hts  immediately  south  of  Lavergne,  during  the  first  day's  opera 
tion,  and  delayed  the  arrival  of  my  division  at  the  site  selected  for  its 
encampment  until  some  time  after  nightfall.  The  darkness  of  the 
evening  and  the  lateness  of  the  hour,  prevented  such  a  reconnoissance 
of  the  ground  as  is  so  necessary  in  close  proximity  to  the  enemy.  But 
to  guard  effectually  against  surprise,  a  regiment  from  each  brigade 
was  thrown  well  forward  as  a  grand  guard,  and  the  front  and  flanks 
of  the  division  covered  with  a  continuous  line  of  skirmishers. 

The  troops  were  ordered  to  be  roused  at  an  hour  and  a  half  before 
dawn  of  the  following  morning,  to  get  their  breakfast  as  speedily  as 
possible,  and  to  be  formed  under  arms  and  in  order  of  battle  before 
daylight.  An  occasional  shell  from  the  opposing  hights,  with  which  the 
enemy  commenced  to  greet  us  shortly  after  the  morning  broke,  showed 
these  precautions  were  not  lost.  As  it  was  understood  from  the  Com 
manding  General  of  the  Corps,  that  the  Right  Wing  was  not  so  far 
advanced  as  the  Left,  the  latter  did  not  move  forward  until  eleven  o'clock 
A.  M.  on  the  27th.  At  this  hour  the  advance  was  ordered,  and  my 
division  was  directed  to  take  the  lead.  The  entire  cavalry  on  duty 
with  the  Left  Wing  was  ordered  to  report  to  me  ;  being  satisfied,  how 
ever,  from  the  nature  of  the  country  that  its  position  in  the  advance 
would  be  injudicious,  and  retard,  rather  than  aid,  the  progress  of  the 
infantry,  I  directed  it  to  take  position  in  rear  of  the  flanks  of  the 
leading  brigade.  I  ordered  Hascall's  brigade  to  take  the  advance,  and 
move  forward  in  two  lines,  with  the  front  and  flanks  well  covered 
with  skirmishers.  The  other  two  brigades,  Wagner's  and  Marker's, 
were  ordered  to  advance  on  either  side  of  the  turnpike  road,  prepared  to 
sustain  the  leading  brigade,  and  especially  to  protect  its  flanks. 
These  two  brigades  were  also  ordered  to  protect  their  outer  flanks  by 
flankers.  In  this  order  the  movement  commenced.  Possession  of  the 
hamlet  of  Lavergne  was  the  first  object  to  be  attained.  The  enemys 
were  strongly  posted  in  the  houses,  and  on  the  wooded  hights  in  the 
rear,  where  they  were  enabled  to  oppose  our  advance  by  a  direct  and 
cross-fire  of  musketry.  Hascall's  brigade  advanced  nobly  across  an 


OFFICIAL    REt>OKTS.  445 

open  field  to  the  attack,  and  quickly  routed  the  enemy  from  their  strong 
hold.  This  was  the  work  of  only  a  few  minutes,  but  more  than 
twenty  causalties  in  the  two  leading  regiments  proved  how  sharp  was 
the  fire  of  the  enemy.  The  forward  movement  of  Hascall's  brigade 
was  continued,  supported  by  Estep's  Eighth  Indiana  Battery.  The  en 
emy  availed  themselves  of  the  numberless  positions  which  occur  along 
the  entire  road,  to  dispute  our  progress,  but  could  not  materially  retard 
the  advance  of  our  troops  so  determined  and  enthusiastic.  They  con 
tinued  to  press  forward  through  the  densely-wooded  country,  in  a 
drenching  rain-storm,  till  the  advance  reached  Stewart's  Creek,  distant 
some  five  miles  from  Lavergne.  Stewart's  Creek  is  a  narrow,  deep 
stream,  flowing  between  high  and  precipitous  banks.  It  is  spanned 
by  a  wooden  bridge,  with  a  single  arch.  It  was  a  matter  of  cardinal 
importance  to  secure  possession  of  this  bridge,  as  its  destruction  would 
entail  difficulty  and  delay  in  crossing  the  river,  and  perhaps,  involve 
the  necessity  of  constructing  a  new  bridge.  The  ndvance  troops 
found,  on  their  arrival,  that  the  enemy  had  lighted  a  fire  upon  it,  but 
had  been  pressed  so  warmly  that  there  had  been  no  time  for  the  flames 
to  be  communicated  to  the  bridge.  The  line  of  skirmishers  and  the 
Third  Kentucky  Volunteers,  Colonel  McKee,  dashed  bravely  for 
ward,  though  opposed  to  a  fire  from  the  opposing  direction,  threw  the 
combustible  materials  into  the  stream,  and  saved  the  bridge.  While 
this  gallant  feat  was  being  performed,  the  left  flank  of  the  leading 
brigade  was  attacked  by  cavalry.  The  menaced  regiments  immedi 
ately  changed  front  to  left,  repulsed  the  attack,  and  a  company  of 
the  One-Hundredth  Illinois,  Colonel  Bartleson,  succeeded  in  cutting 
off  and  capturing  twenty-five  prisoners,  with  their  arms,  and  twelve 
horses  with  their  accouterments.  The  result  of  the  day's  operations 
was  twenty  casualties,  wounded,  in  Hascall's  brigade,  and  some 
twenty-five  prisoners  taken  from  the  enemy.  The  enemy  fell  back  in 
great  disorder  from  Stewart's  Creek.  He  left  tents  standing  on  the 
southern  bank  of  the  creek,  and  in  this  encampment  the  ground  was 
strewn  with  arms. 

Sunday,  the  28th  ult.,  we  remained  in  camp  waiting  for  the  troops 
of  the  Right  Wing  and  Center  to  get  into  position. 

Monday,  the  29th,  the  advance  was  resumed.  Wagner's  brigade,  of 
my  division,  was  deployed,  in  order  of  battle,  on  the  left  or  eastern, 
and  a  brigade  of  General  Palmer's  division  on  the  right  or  western, 
side  of  the  road.  Cox's  Tenth  Indiana  Battery,  supported  Wagner's 
brigade.  Moving  part  passu,  the  two  brigades  advanced,  clearing  all 
opposition,  till  we  arrived  within  two  miles  and  a  half  of  Murfrees- 
boro.  Harker's  brigade  was  disposed  on  the  left  of  Wagner's  brigade, 
in  the  advance,  and  Hascall's  held  in  reserve.  On  arriving  within 
two  miles  and  a  half  of  Murfreesboro,  the  evidences  were  perfectly 
unmistakable  that  the  enemy  were  in  force  immediately  in  our  front, 
prepared  to  resist,  seriously  and  determinedly,  our  further  advance. 
The  rebels,  displayed  in  battle  array,  were  plainly  seen  in  our  front. 
Negley's  division,  which  was  to  take  position  in  the  Center,  to  com 
plete  the  communication  between  the  Right  and  Left  Wings,  was  not 
up,  but  several  miles  in  the  rear.  Van  Cleve's  division,  which  was  to 
support  the  left,  was  in  the  rear  of  Negley's.  Consequently  I  halted 


446  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

the  troops  in  advance,  reported  the  fact  to  General  Crittenden,  com 
manding  the  Left  Wing,  and  desired  further  orders.  Up  to  this  moment, 
the  information  received  had  indicated,  with  considerable  probability, 
that  the  enemy  would  evacuate  Murfreesboro,  offering  no  serious 
opposition.  But  observations  assured  me,  very  soon  after  arriving  so 
near  the  town,  that  we  should  meet  with  determined  resistance,  and  I 
did  not  deem  it  proper  to  precipitate  the  force  in  advance — two  divi 
sions,  my  own  and  Palmer's — on  the  entire  force  of  the  enemy,  with 
the  remainder  of  our  troops  so  far  in  the  rear,  as  to  make  it  entirely 
possible,  perhaps  probable,  that  a  serious  reverse  would  occur  before 
they  could  support  us.  Furthermore,  the  afternoon  was  well  nigh 
spent,  and  an  attempt  to  advance  would  have  involved  us  in  the  obscurity 
of  the  night,  on  unexamined  ground,  in  the  presence  of  an  unseen  foe, 
to  whom  our  movements  would  have  rendered  us  seriously  vulnerable. 

The  halt  being  approved,  my  division  was  disposed  in  order  of  battle, 
and  the  front  securely  guarded  by  a  continuous  line  of  skirmishers, 
thrown  out  well  in  advance  of  their  reserves.  The  right  of  the  divi 
sion,  Wagner's  brigade,  rested  on  the  turnpike,  and  occupied  a  piece  of 
wooded  ground,  with  an  open  field  in  front  of  it  ;  the  center,  Marker's 
brigade,  occupied,  in  part,  the  woods  in  which  Wagner's  brigade  was 
posted,  and  extended  leftward  into  an  open  field,  covered  in  front  by  a 
low  swell  which  it  was  to  occupy  in  case  of  an  attack,  and  General  lias- 
call's  brigade  was  posted  on  the  left  of  the  division,  with  the  left  flank 
resting  nearly  on  Stone  River.  The  entire  division  was  drawn  up  in  two 
lines*  Stone  River  runs  obliquely  in  front  of  the  position  occupied  by  the 
division  leaving  a  triangular  piece  of  ground  of  some  hundreds  of  yards 
in  breadth  in  front  of  the  right,  and  narrowing  to  almost  a  point  in 
front  of  the  left. 

Such  was  the  position  occupied  by  my  division,  Monday  night.  It 
remained  in  this  position  throughout  Tuesday,  the  30th — the  skirmish 
ers  keeping  up  an  active  fire  with  the  enemy.  In  this  encounter,  Lieu 
tenant  Elliott,  Adjutant  of  the  Fifty-Seventh  Indiana,  was  badly  wound 
ed.  In  the  afternoon,  I  had  three  days'  subsistence  issued  to  the  men; 
and,  near  nightfall,  by  order,  twenty  additional  rounds  of  cartridges 
were  distributed  to  them.  Commanders  were  directed  to  instruct  the 
troops  to  be  exceedingly  vigilant,  and  to  report  promptly  any  indica 
tion  in  their  fronts  of  a  movement  by  the  enemy.  The  artillery  horses 
were  kept  attached  to  their  pieces.  Between  midnight  and  daylight 
Wednesday  morning,  I  received  a  message  from  Colonel  Wagner,  to  the 
effect  that  the  enemy  seemed  to  be  moving  large  bodies  of  troops  frotn 
the  right  to  the  left.  I  immediately  dispatched  the  information  to  the 
headquarters  of  the  Left  Wing,  and  I  doubt  not  it  was  sent  thence  to  the 
Commanding  General,  and  by  him  distributed  to  the  rest  of  the  corps. 
The  division  was  roused  at  five  o'clock  Wednesday  morning  ;  the  men 
took  their  breakfasts,  and,  before  daylight,  were  ready  for  action. 
Shortly  after  dawn,  I  repaired  to  the  headquarters  of  the  Left  Wing  for 
orders.  I  met  the  Commanding  General  there,  and  received  orders 
from  him  to  commence  passing  Stone  River,  immediately  in  front  of 
the  division,  by  brigades.  I  rode  at  once  to  my  division,  and  directed 
Colonel  Harker  to  commence  the  movement  with  his  brigade,  dispatch 
ing  an  order  to  General  Hascall  to  follow  Colonel  Harker,  and  an  order 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS.  447 

to  Colonel  Wagner  to  follow  General  Hascall.  While  Colonel  Harker 
was  preparing  to  move,  I  rode  to  the  front  to  examine  the  ground.  A 
long,  wooded  ridge,  withdrawn  a  few  hundred  yards  from  the  streim, 
extends  along  the  southern  and  eastern  side  of  Stone  River.  On  the 
crest  of  this  ridge  the  enemy  appeared  to  be  posted  in  force.  During 
the  morning  some  firing  had  been  heard  on  the  right,  but  not  to  a 
sufficient  extent  to  indicate  that  the  troops  were  seriously  engaged. 
But  the  sudden  and  fierce  roar  and  rattle  of  musketry,  which  burst  upon 
us  at  this  moment,  indicated  that  the  enemy  had  attacked  the  Right 
Wing  in  heavy  force,  and  soon  the  arrival  of  messengers,  riding  in  hot 
haste,  confirmed  the  indications.  I  was  ordered  to  stop  the  movement 
to  cross  the  river,  and  to  withdraw  the  brigades  to  the  rear,  for  the 
purpose  of  reinforcing  the  Center  and  Right.  General  Ha  scull's  and 
Col.  Barker's  brigades  were  withdrawn,  and  the  latter,  under  orders 
from  the  Commanding  General,  moved  to  the  right  and  rear.  I  ordered 
Colonel  Wagner  to  hold  his  position  in  the  woods  at  all  hazards,  as 
this  was  an  important  point,  and  so  long  as  it  was  held,  not  only  were 
our  left  front  and  flanks  secured,  but  the  command  of  the  road  leading 
to  the  rear  preserved.  The  vigorous  attack  on  our  Right  and  Center, 
extended  to  our  Left,  and  our  whole  line  became  seriously  engaged. 
Not  only  was  the  extreme  left  exposed  to  the  attack  in  the  front,  but 
was  much  harassed  by  the  enemy's  artillery,  posted  on  the  bight!  on 
the  southern  side  of  Stone  River.  But  the  troops  nobly  maintained 
their  position,  and  gallantly  repulsed  the  enemy.  A  slackening  of  the 
enemy's  fire  at  this  moment,  in  his  attack  on  our  Center  and  Left,  and 
other  indications  that  his  forces  were  weakening  in  the  Center,  ren 
dered  the  juncture  apparently  favorable  for  bringing  additional  and 
fresh  troops  into  the  engagement.  Hascall's  brigade  was  now  brought 
forward,  and  put  into  position  on  the  right  of  Wagner's  brigade.  But 
the  abatement  of  the  enemy's  fire  was  but  the  lulling  of  the  storm,  to 
burst  soon  with  greater  fury.  The  attack  was  renewed  on  our  Center 
and  Left  with  redoubled  violence.  Hnscall's  brigade  had  got  into  posi 
tion  in  good  season,  and  aided  in  gallant  style  in  driving  back  the 
enemy.  Estep's  Battery,  generally  associated  with  Hascall's  brigade, 
had  been  detached  early  in  the  morning,  and  sent  to  the  Right  and 
rearward,  to  aid  in  driving  back  the  enemy  from  our  Center  and 
Right.  The  falling  back  of  the  Right  Wing  had  brought  our  lines  into 
a  crochet.  This  rendered  the  position  of  the  troops  on  the  extreme 
left  particularly  hazardous,  for  had  the  enemy  succeeded  in  gaining 
the  turnpike,  in  his  attack  on  the  Right,  the  Left  would  have  been 
exposed  to  an  attack  in  the  reverse.  This  danger  imposed  on  me 
the  necessity  of  keeping  a  rigid  watch  to  the  right,  to  be  prepared 
to  change  front  in  that  direction,  should  it  become  necessary.  Again 
the  enemy  were  seen  concentrating  large  masses  of  troops  in  the  fields 
to  the  front  and  right,  and  soon  these  masses  moved  to  the  attack. 
Estep's  Battery  was  now  moved  to  the  front  to  join  Hascall's  brigade. 
The  artillery  in  the  front  lines,  as  well  as  those  placed  in  the  rear  of 
the  Center  and  Left,  poured  a  destructive  fire  on  the  advancing  foe, 
but  on  he  came  until  within  small-arm  range,  when  he  was  repulsed 
and  driven  back.  But  our  thinned  ranks  and  dead  and  wounded 
officers  told,  in  sad  and  unmistakable  language,  how  seriously  we  were 


448  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

sufferers  from  these  repeated  assaults.  Colonel  McKee,  of  the  Third 
Kentucky,  had  been  killed  ;  and  Colonel  Hines  and  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Dennard,  of  the  Fifty-Seventh  Indiana,  and  Colonel  Blake  and  Lieuten 
ant  Colonel  Neff.  of  the  Fortieth  Indiana,  with  others,  were  wounded. 
During  this  attack,  the  Fifteenth  Indiana,  commanded  by  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Wood,  counter-charged  on  one  of  the  enemy's  regiments,  and 
captured  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  prisoners.  The  capture  was  from 
the  Twentieth  Louisiana.  While  this  attack  was  in  progress,  I  received 
a  message  from  General  Palmer,  commanding  the  Second  Division  of  the 
Left  Wing,  that  he  was  sorely  pressed,  and  desired  I  would  send  him 
a  regiment,  if  I  could  possibly  spare  one.  I  sent  an  order  to  General 
Hascall,  to  send  a  regiment  to  General  Palmer's  assistance,  if  his  own 
situation  would  warrant  it.  He  dispatched  the  Fifty-Eighth  Indiana, 
Colonel  G.  P.  Buell's  regiment,  to  report  to  General  Palmer.  The 
regiment  got  into  position,  reserved  its  fire  until  the  enemy  were  in 
close  range,  and  then  poured  in  a  withering  discharge,  from  which  the 
foe  recoiled  in  disorder.  Our  extreme  left  next  became  the  object 
of  the  enemy's  attention.  Skirmishers  were  seen  descending  the 
slope  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  as  also  working  their  way 
down  the  stream  for  the  purpose,  apparently,  of  gaining  our  left 
flank  and  rear.  A  few  well-directed  charges  of  grape  and  canister 
from  Cox's  Battery,  drove  them  back.  This  battery  did  most  excellent 
service  in  counter-battering  the  enemy's  artillery,  posted  on  the  hights 
on  the  southern  side  of  the  river.  The  afternoon  was  now  well 
advanced,  but  the  enemy  did  not  seem  disposed  to  relinquish  the 
design  of  forcing  us  from  our  position.  Heavy  masses  were  again 
assembled  in  front  of  the  center,  with  a  view,  evidently,  of  renewing 
the  onset.  But  the  well-directed  fire  of  the  artillery  held  them  in 
check,  and  only  a  small  force  came  within  range  of  our  small  arms, 
which  was  readily  repulsed.  The  enemy  concluded  his  operations 
against  the  Left,  as  night  approached,  by  opening  on  it  writh  his 
artillery.  Cox's  and  Estep's  Batteries  gallantly  and  effectually  replied. 
But  darkness  soon  put  a  conclusion  to  this  artillery  duel,  and  when  the 
night  descended  brought  a  period  to  the  long  and  bloody  contest  of  this 
ever-memorable  day,  which  found  the  First  and  Second  Brigades, 
Hascall's  and  Wagner's,  occupying,  with  some  slight  interchange  in  the 
position  of  particular  regiments,  the  ground  on  which  they  had  gone 
into  the  fight  in  the  morning.  Every  effort  of  the  enemy  to  dislodge 
them  had  failed ;  every  attack  was  gallantly  repulsed.  I  can  not 
speak  in  too  high  terms  of  praise  of  the  soldierly  bearing  and  steadfast 
courage  with  which  the  officers  and  men  of  these  two  brigades 
maintained  the  battles  throughout  the  day.  Their  good  conduct 
deserves  and  will  receive  the  highest  commendations  of  their  com 
manders  and  countrymen.  The  Commanding  General  of  the  enemy 
has  borne  testimony  in  his  dispatch  to  the  gallantry  and  success 
of  their  resistance.  Cox's  and  Estep's  Batteries  were  splendidly 
served  throughout  the  day,  and  did  the  most  effective  service.  They 
lost  heavily  in  men  and  horses,  and  it  was  necessary  for  Estcp  to 
call  on  the  One-Hundredth  Illinois,  for  a  detail  to  aid  in  working 
his  guns.  I  have  previously  remarked  that  the  Third  Brigade,  Colonel 
Barker's,  was  detached  early  in  the  morning  and  sent  to  reinforce  the 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS.  449 

Right.  It  remained  on  that  part  of  the  field  during  the  entire  day.  I 
am  not  able,  consequently,  to  speak  of  its  service  from  personal  observ 
ation.  But  its  extremely  heavy  list  of  casualties  shows  how  hotly  it 
was  engaged,  and  what  valuable  service  it  rendered.  I  am  sure  it  met 
the  expectation  I  had  ever  confidently  entertained  of  what  would  be 
its  bearing  in  presence  of  the  foe.  Bradley's  Sixth  Ohio  Battery  was 
associated  with  this  brigade  during  the  clay,  was  skillfully  handled,  and 
did  most  effective  service.  It  lost  two  of  its  guns,  but  they  were 
spiked  before  they  were  abandoned.  They  were  subsequently  recap 
tured  by  the  Thirteenth  Michigan,  attached  to  this  brigade.  From 
all  I  have  learned  of  the  service  of  the  Third  Brigade  and  Bradley's 
Battery,  I  am  sure  they  deserve  equal  commendation  with  the  other 
two  brigades  and  batteries,  which  so  stoutly  held  the  left.  An  official 
report  of  events  so  thrilling  as  those  of  the  battle  of  the  31st  ult., 
made  from  personal  observations  amid  the  din  and  roar  of  the  conflict, 
and  unaided  by  the  reports  of  the  subordinate  commanders,  must  nec 
essarily  present  but  a  brief  and  meager  outline  of  the  part  enacted  by 
the  troops  whose  services  it  professes  to  portray.  A  report  so  pre 
pared  may,  entirely  unintentionally  on  the  part  of  the  writer,  do  injus 
tice  to  particular  troops  and  officers.  From  the  inability  of  reference 
to  the  reports  of  subordinate  commanders,  I  can  not  give  any  detail  of 
the  heavy  casualties  of  the  battle  of  the  31st.  I  must  leave  them 
to  be  reported  with  the  subsequent  casualties  by  my  successor  in  com 
mand.  The  absence  of  such  reports  prevents  me  from  signalizing 
by  names  such  regimental  and  company  officers  as  particularly  distin 
guished  themselves.  But  where  all  did  so  well  it  would  be  difficult, 
perhaps  invidious,  to  discriminate  among  them.  To  my  brigade  com 
manders,  Brigadier  General  Hascall,  commanding  First  Brigade,  Colonel 
Wagner,  Fifteenth  Indiana,  commanding  Second  Brigade,  and  Colonel 
Harker,  Sixty-Fifth  Ohio,  commanding  Third  Brigade,  my  warmest 
thanks  are  due  for  their  valuable  assistance,  their  hearty  co-operation, 
and  intelligent  performance  of  duty  throughout  the  whole  of  that  try 
ing  day.  For  these  services  and  their  gallant  and  manly  bearing 
under  the  heaviest  tire,  they  richly  deserve  the  highest  commendation, 
and  the  gratitude  of  their  countrymen.  Colonels  Wagner  and  Harker 
have  long  and  ably  commanded  brigades,  and  I  respectfully  submit 
it  would  be  simply  an  act  of  justice  to  confer  on  them  the  actual 
and  legal  rank  of  the  command  they  have  so  long  exercised.  To  Major 
S.  Race,  Chief  of  Artillery  ;  Surgeon  W.  W.  Blair,  Fifty-Eighth  In 
diana  ;  Captain  M.  P.  Bestow,  Assistant  Adjutant  General;  First 
Lieutenant  J.  L.  Yargan,  Fifty-Eighth  Indiana,  Aiddecamp  ;  Cap 
tain  Y.  R.  Palmer,  Thirteenth  Michigan,  Inspector  General,  and  Major 
Walker,  Second  Indiana  Cavalry,  Volunteer  Aiddecamp,  my  thanks 
are  due  and  cordially  given.  Captain  L.  D.  Myers,  Division  Quarter 
master  ;  Captain  Henderson,  Commissary  of  Subsistence  to  the  division, 
and  First  Lieutenant  Martin,  Twenty -First  Ohio,  Signal  Officer,  but  for 
some  time  engaged  in  performing  the  duties  of  Acting  Assistant 
Quartermaster,  great  credit  is  due  for  the  intelligent  and  efficient 
performance  of  duty  in  their  respective  departments.  Captain  Bruce, 
Fifty-Eighth  Indiana,  Ordnance  Officer  of  the  First  Virginia,  deserves 
credit  for  valuable  services  rendered  in  the  Ordnance  Department 

38 


450  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

for  the  entire  division,  during  the  absence  of  the  Division  Ordnance 
Officer. 

My  division  is  composed  of  regiments  from  the  States  of  Illinois, 
Indiana,  Ohio,  Michigan,  and  Kentucky.  To  the  relatives  and  personal 
friends  of  those  who  have  fallen  in  defense  of  their  country,  I  would 
respectfully  offer  my  sympathy  and  condolence. 

About  ten  o'clock  Wednesday  morning,  during  one  of  the  heaviest 
attacks,  I  was  struck  by  a  Minnie  ball  on  the  inner  side  of  the  left  heel. 
Fortunately,  the  ball  struck  obliquely,  or  the  injury  would  have  been 
much  severer.  My  boot  was  torn  open,  the  foot  lacerated,  and  a  severe 
contusion  inflicted.  I  did  not  dismount  from  my  horse  till  seven 
o'clock  in  the  evening.  The  coldness  of  the  night,  combined  with  the 
injury,  made  my  foot  so  painful  and  stiff  as  to  render  it  evident  I 
would  not  be  effective  for  immediate  service.  I  was  ordered  by  the 
Commanding  General  of  the  corps  to  repair  that  night,  by  ambulance, 
with  an  escort,  to  this  city.  It  was  with  extreme  regret  I  found  myself 
in  a  condition  to  make  it  necessary,  on  account  of  my  injury,  to  leave  the 
division  I  had  formed  and  so  long  commanded  ;  but  the  regret  was  alle 
viated  by  the  reflection  that  I  had  left  the  division  under  the  command 
of  an  able  and  experienced  officer,  one  who  had  long  served  with  it,  who 
knew  it  well,  and  in  whom  it  had  confidence — Brigadier  General  Hascall. 

I  am  still  confined  to  my  room,  but  trust  ere  long  to  be  able  to  resume 
my  duties.  I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

TH.  J.  WOOD, 

Brigadier  General  Commanding. 


GENERAL  M.  S.  HASCALL'S  REPORT. 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  DIVISION,          "> 
MURFHEESBORO,  TEN*;.,  January  10,  1863.  j 
Major  Starling,  Assistant  Adjutant  General : 

I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  of  the  operations  of 
this  division  during  the  recent  battles,  after  the  command  devolved 
upon  me,  on  the  evening  of  December  31,  1862.  At  that  time  the  divi 
sion  was  considerably  scattered,  as  Colonel  Barker's  brigade  had  been 
in  action  during  the  31st,  on  the  extreme  right,  and  had  not  returned. 
Colonel  Wagner  was  in  position  to  the  left  of  the  railroad,  where  he 
had  been  in  action  during  the  day,  and  my  brigade  was  to  the  right  of 
the  railroad.  About  eleven  P.  M.,  of  that  day,  Colonel  Harker  retired 
with  his  brigade,  and  the  division  was  once  more  together.  At  this 
time  I  received  an  order  to  send  all  the  wagons  of  the  division  to  the 
rear  ;  and  shortly  after  this  was  executed,  I  received  orders  from  Gen 
eral  Crittenden  to  fall  back,  so  that  my  right  should  rest  on  the  posi 
tion  occupied  by  Stokes'  Battery,  and  my  left  on  the  right  of  General 
Palmer's  division.  This  brought  the  new  line  of  the  division  about  five 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS.  451 

hundred  yards  to  the  rear  of  the  one  of  the  day  before.  The  line  of 
the  division  was  now  nearly  at  right  angles  with  the  railroad,  with  the 
center  of  the  line  resting  on  it,  the  First  Brigade,  Colonel  Buell,  on  the 
right  of  the  Third,  Colonel  Harker  in  the  center,  and  the  Second,  Col 
onel  Wagner's,  on  the  left.  In  this  position  we  lay  all  the  next  day 
(January  1,  1863)  with  nothing  more  than  picket  tiring  and  an  occa 
sional  artillery  duel,  to  break  the  silence.  The  division  lost,  however, 
several  killed  and  wounded  during  the  day.  Each  of  my  brigades  was 
in  line  of  battle,  and  I  was  occupying  so  much  front  that  it  kept  the 
men  constantly  on  the  alert.  Most  of  the  other  divisions  had  one  or 
two  brigades  in  reserve  and  could,  therefore,  relieve  their  men  some. 
We  maintained  this  position  during  the  night  of  the  1st  and  till  about 
eight  A.  M.  on  the  morning  of  the  2d,  the  batteries  occupying  the 
intervals  between  the  brigades.  At  this  time  the  enemy  opened  upon 
us  the  most  terrific  fire  of  shot  and  shell  that  we  sustained  during  the 
entire  engagement.  It  appears  that  during  the  night  before,  they  had 
massed  several  batteries  in  our  front,  so  they  opened  upon  us  from  a 
line  of  batteries  one-fourth  of  a  mile  long,  all  at  once.  They  had  our 
range  perfectly,  so  that  their  shot  were  terribly  effective  from  the  first. 
Estep's  Battery,  on  the  right  of  my  line,  being  in  an  exposed  situation 
and  receiving  a  very  heavy  fire,  had  to  retire  at  once,  not,  however, 
till  so  many  horses  had  been  killed,  as  to  render  it  necessary  for  two 
of  the  pieces  to  be  hauled  to  the  rear  by  the  infantry.  Bradley's  Bat 
tery,  with  Colonel  Harker,  in  the  center,  having  a  better  position,  and 
longer-range  guns,  opened  a  brisk  fire  on  the  enemy  in  return,  and 
had  every  probability  of  maintaining  their  position  until  Stokes'  Bat 
tery,  in  their  rear,  undertook  to  open  on  the  enemy  with  grape  which 
took  effect  on  Bradley's  men,  instead  of  the  enemy,  and  compelled 
Bradley  to  retire.  The  infantry,  however,  along  mv  entire  line, 
although  suffering  severely  from  the  effects  of  this  fire,  all  maintained 
their  position.  In  about  half  an  hour  this  firing  ceased,  and  noth 
ing  further,  worthy  of  note,  happened,  until  near  four  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  of  that  day.  At  this  time  General  Van  Cleve's  division, 
which  was  stationed  across  Stone  River,  to  our  left,  was  suddenly 
attacked  by  a  heavy  force  of  the  enemy,  under  Breckinridge,  and  so 
fierce  was  the  onslaught  that  the  division  was  compelled,  almost  imme 
diately,  to  give  way.  General  Jeff.  C.  Davis  and  General  Negley  were 
ordered  to  their  relief  with  their  divisions,  and  as  soon  as  they  had 
time  to  get  over,  the  attack  was  checked,  and  the  enemy  began  to 
retire.  At  this  time  I  received  an  order  from  General  Crittenden  to 
cross  with  my  division,  and  immediately  piit  the  different  brigades  in 
motion.  While  crossing  at  the  ford  one  or  two  pieces  of  the  enemy's 
artillery  were  playing  upon  us,  but  as  it  was  then  dusk,  their  firing 
was  not  accurate,  and  I  think  we  sustained  no  loss  in  crossing.  By 
the  time  we  were  over  it  was  dark,  and  the  firing  had  nearly  ceased. 
Negley's  division  was  returning,  and  Davis  had  taken  up  a  position  a 
little  in  advance  of  where  Van  Cleve  was  attacked,  his  right  resting 
on  the  bank  of  the  river.  I  moved  up  and  went  into  position  on  the 
left  of  Davis,  my  left  inclining  somewhat  to  the  rear,  to  prevent  it  from, 
being  turned.  General  Davis  and  myself  then  fortified  our  fronts 
as  well  as  we  could  with  the  logs,  stones,  and  rails  at  hand,  and 


452  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

remained  in  this  position  that  night,  the  next  day  (January  3),  and 
till  about  twelve  o'clock  that  night,  without  anything  more  than  picket 
firing  transpiring.  I  should  remark  that  it  rained  very  hard  all  day 
January  3d,  and  during  the  night,  so  that  our  men  and  officers  suffered 
severely.  B;y  this  time  the  rain  had  so  swollen  the  river  that  General 
Crittenden  became  apprehensive  that  it  would  not  be  fordable  by 
morning,  and  we  might  be  cut  off  from  communication  with  the  main 
body  of  the  army.  He  then  ordered  us  back,  and  my  division  took  up 
a  position  in  reserve  near  General  Rosecran's  headquarters,  arriving 
there  about  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  completely  drenched  with 
mud  and  rain.  They  had  now  been  on  duty  four  days  and  nights, 
some  of  the  time  with  nothing  to  eat,  and  constantly  in  the  front, 
where  they  had  to  be  all  the  time  on  the  alert.  The  next  morning  we 
heard  that  the  enemy  had  evacuated.  The  battle  was  over.  The  con 
duct  of  the  division,  throughout,  was  admirable,  and  it  can  be  truth 
fully  said,  concerning  it,  that  it  held  its  original  position,  and  every 
other  position  assigned  to  it,  during  the  whole  four  days. 

I  am  under  great  obligations  to  my  brigade  commanders,  Colonels 
Wagner,  Harker,  and  Buell.  Colonel  Wagner  had  his  horse  shot  under 
him  on  the  31st.,  and  his  clothes  completely  riddled  with  bullets.  He, 
nevertheless,  stood  by  throughout,  and  ably  and  gallantly  performed 
his  duty.  The  conduct  of  Colonel  Harker  was  equally  brave  and  effi 
cient.  They  have  now  each  commanded  brigades  for  nearly  a  year, 
and  it  seems  to  me  that  common  justice  demands  that  they  now  receive 
the  promotion  they  have  so  gallantly  earned.  Colonel  Buell  came  in 
command  of  the  First  Brigade  in  consequence  of  my  taking  command 
of  the  division  ;  and,  although  comparatively  inexperienced,  he  per 
formed  every  duty  gallantly  and  well.  All  the  officers  of  the  division, 
with  a  single  exception,  behaved  gallantly  and  did  well,  therefore,  I 
need  not  discriminate.  The  exception  was  Colonel  John  W.  Blake,  of 
the  Fortieth  Indiana;  and  I  consider  it  my  duty  to  draw  the  line  of 
distinction  broad  and  deep  between  those  who  do  well  and  those  who 
prove  recreant.  He  became  so  drunk  as  to  be  unfit  for  duty,  before 
going  into  action,  on  the  31st.,  and  was  sent  to  the  rear,  in  arrest,  by 
his  immediate  commander,  Colonel  Wagner.  The  next  that  was  heard 
from  him,  he  was  in  Nashville,  claiming  to  be  wounded  and  a  paroled 
prisoner.  For  this  bad  conduct  I  recommend  that  he  be  dishonorably 
discharged  from  the  service. 

The  casualties  in  the  division  were  as  follows  : 

The  First  Brigade  went  into  action  with  seventy-four  officers  and 
one  thousand  four  hundred  and  fifty-four  enlisted  men,  and  lost : 

OFFICERS. 

Killed 4 

Wounded 21—     25 

ENLISTED    MEN. 

Killed 42 

Wounded 278 

Missing 34—    354 

Total...  379 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS.  453 

The  Second  Brigade  went  into  action  with  eighty-six  officers  and 
oue  thousand  three  hundred  and  eighty  enlisted  men,  and  lost : 

OFFICERS. 

Killed 2 

Wounded 18—     20 

ENLISTED    MEN. 

Killed 64 

Wounded 269 

Missing ....     32—   355 


Total 375 

The  Third  Brigade  went  into  action  with  ninety-seven  officers  and 
one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety  enlisted  men,  including  the 
Sixth  Ohio  Battery,  and  lost : 

OFFICERS. 

Killed 6 

Wounded 17—     22 

ENLISTED    MEN. 

Killed 104 

Wounded 312 

Missing 101—   617 


Total 539 

RECAPITULATION. 

The  division  went  into  action  with  two  hundred  and  fifty-four  offi 
cers  and  four  thousand  six  hundred  and  eighty-three  enlisted  men, 
and  lost  : 

OFFICERS. 

Killed 11 

Wounded 66 —     67 

ENLISTED   MEN. 

Killed 200 

Wounded 859 

Missing 167—1,226 

Total 1,293 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

M.  S.  HASCALL, 
Brigadier  General  Commanding. 


454  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 


GENERAL  II.  P.  VAN  CLEYE'S  REPORT. 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  DIVISION,  "> 

ARMY  OF  THE  CUMBERLAND.  J 

Major  Lyne  Starling,  Assistant  Adjutant  General : 

MAJOR — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  of  the  oper 
ations  of  my  division  on  the  31st  of  December,  1802  : 

At  seven  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  that  day  I  received  an  order  to 
cross  Stone  River,  on  which  my  left  rested,  and  march  toward  Mur- 
freesboro.  The  First  Brigade,  Colonel  Beatty,  Third  Brigade,  Colonel 
Price,  and  the  batteries,  Captain  Swallow  commanding,  were  promptly 
moved  over  and  formed  into  line  ;  the  Second  Brigade,  Colonel  Fyffe, 
being  retained  on  the  south  side  by  a  subsequent  order. 

My  lines  being  formed  and  about  to  advance,  by  your  order  I  re- 
crossed  the  river,  leaving  the  Third  Brigade  to  guard  the  ford.  With 
the  First  Brigade  I  marched  rapidly  to  the  support  of  General  Rous 
seau,  whose  division  was  hard  pressed  by  the  enemy.  We  formed  in  a 
wood  on  the  south  side  of  the  Murfreesboro  and  Nashville  turnpike. 
Our  lines  were  no  sooner  formed  than  the  enemy  were  seen  advancing, 
driving  before  them  our  scattered  troops.  Our  ranks  were  opened  to 
suffer  them  to  pass,  when  they  closed  and  opened  on  the  enemy  with  a 
withering  fire,  who  were  soon  brought  to  a  halt.  A  murderous  fire 
was  kept  up  on  both  sides  about  twenty  minutes,  when  the  enemy 
began  to  recoil.  Our  second  line  now  relieving  the  first  with  hearty 
cheer,  the  rebels  broke  and  retreated.  The  Second  Brigade  coming  up 
at  this  moment,  formed  on  the  right  and  joined  in  the  pursuit.  We 
pressed  the  enemy  through  this  wood,  then  across  an  open  field  to 
another  wood,  where  they  appear  to  have  met  with  reinforcements  and 
reformed.  The  Seventh  Indiana  Battery,  Captain  Swallow,  joined  us 
on  this  open  field,  and  rendered  efficient  aid.  Here  I  received  informa 
tion  from  General  Rosecrans  that  General  Rousseau  was  driving  the 
enemy,  accompanied  with  an  order  for  me  to  press  them  hard. 

At  the  same  moment  I  was  notified  by  a  messenger  from  Colonel 
Barker,  whose  brigade  was  to  my  right  and  rear,  that  the  enemy  were 
in  force  on  my  right  in  a  wood,  and  were  planting  a  battery  there.  I 
immediately  sent  a  message  to  Colonel  Harker  to  press  the  enemy 
hard,  as  I  had  no  reserve  to  protect  my  right  ;  to  Captain  Swallow, 
who  was  doing  good  service  with  his  battery,  not  to  suffer  it  to  be  cap 
tured  ;  to  Colonel  Beatty  to  send  two  regiments,  if  they  could  possibly 
be  spared,  to  the  support  of  Colonel  Fyffe,  and  a  fourth  to  General 
Crittenden  to  inform  him  of  my  critical  situation.  The  enemy  now 
poured  a  galling  fire  of  musketry,  accompanied  with  grape  and  shell, 
on  our  right.  Colonel  Fyffe's  brigade,  supported  by  Captain  Swallow's 
Battery,  gallantly  returned  the  fire,  but  being  overpowered  by  numbers 
on  front  and  flank,  were  soon  compelled  to  retire,  followed  but  a  short 
distance  by  the  enemy.  Captain  Swallow,  to  whom  too  much  praise 
can  not  be  awarded,  brought  off  his  battery  safely. 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS.  455 

Colonel  Beatty,  who  had  been  pressing  the  enemy  on  the  left,  as  soon 
as  he  learned  the  condition  of  affairs,  retired  in  good  order  ;  with  two 
of  his  regiments  was  ordered  by  General  Rosecrans  to  protect  a  bat 
tery  on  the  Murfreesboro  road;  the  remaining  two  regiments  of  his 
brigade  and  Colonel  Fyffe's  brigade  were  reformed,  and  took  a  position 
on  the  left  of  General  McCook's  Corps,  and  to  the  right  of  the  Pioneer, 
which  position  we  occupied  without  further  adventure  till  after  dark. 

I  can  not  close  this  report  without  inviting  your  attention  to  the 
gallantry  displayed  by  those  under  my  command  during  this  engage 
ment.  To  both  officers  and  men  too  much  praise  can  not  be  awarded. 
I  would  particularly  notice  the  coolness,  intrepidity,  and  skill  of  my 
brigade  commanders,  Colonels  Beatty  and  Fyffe,  and  of  Captain  Swal 
low,  Chief  of  Artillery.  To  the  members  of  my  staff,  Captain  E.  A. 
Otis,  Assistant  Adjutant  General  ;  Captain  C.  H.  Wood,  Inspector  Gen 
eral  ;  Captain  William  Starling,  Topographical  Engineer  ;  Lieutenants 
T.  F.  Murdoch  and  H.  M.  Williams,  Aidsdecarnp,  I  owe  much  for  the 
promptness,  faithfulness,  and  gallantry  with  which  they  executed  my 
orders,  and  conveyed  intelligence  on  the  field.  Sergeant  R.  B.  Rhodes, 
of  the  First  Ohio  Cavalry,  in  command  of  my  escort,  conducted  him 
self  like  a  true  soldier,  and  deserves  honorable  mention. 

A  slight  wound  received  early  this  day,  becoming  exceedingly  pain 
ful,  on  the  following  morning  I  Avas  compelled  to  turn  over  the  com 
mand  of  the  division  to  Colonel  Beatty,  and  retire  from  the  field. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

H.  P.  VAN  CLEVE, 

Brigadier  General. 


COLOKEL  SAMUEL  BEATTY'S  REPORT. 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  DIVISION,  "l 

CAMP  NEAR  MURFREESBORO,  January,  1863.      / 

Major  Lyne  Starling,  Assistant  Adjutant  General  : 

MAJOR — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  of  the 
operations  of  this  division  for  the  time  embraced  between  the  1st  and 
3d  days  of  January,  1863,  inclusive  : 

I  was  called  to  the  command  of  the  division  on  the  morning  of  Jan 
uary  1st,  by  General  Van  Cleve's  disability  from  the  wound  received 
in  the  battle  of  the  preceding  day. 

At  three  P.  M.  on  that  day,  I  received  orders  to  cross  Stone  River 
with  my  command  at  the  "upper  ford,"  and  hold  the  hill  overlooking 
the  river  near  the  ford.  Accordingly  at  daybreak  the  Third  Brigade, 
Colonel  Price  commanding,  crossed  the  river  at  the  place  indicated, 
throwing  out  skirmishers  and  flankers.  Colonel  Price  waa  quickly 


456  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

followed  by  Colonel  Fyfife's  brigade  ;  the  force  being  formed  in  two 
lines,  the  right  retiring  on  the  high  ground  near  the  river  and  east  of 
the  ford,  and  the  left  thrown  forward  so  that  the  direction  of  the  line 
should  be  nearly  perpendicular  to  the  river. 

In  the  meantime,  the  First  Brigade,  Colonel  Grider  commanding, 
had  been  disposed  as  follows  :  Two  regiments  were  formed  in  the  hol 
low  near  the  hospital  as  a  reserve,  the  other  two  remaining  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river  to  support  a  battery. 

The  enemy's  skirmishers  were  now  discovered  in  a  wood,  distant 
half  a  mile  or  so  from  our  first  line,  and  occasional  firing  took  place 
on  both  sides. 

Information  of  all  these  movements  was  sent  to  General  Crittenden, 
who  sent  me  word  that  if  I  needed  artillery  to  order  up  a  battery. 
The  Third  Wisconsin  Battery,  Lieutenant  Livingston  commanding,  was 
accordingly,  at  about  ten  o'clock  A.  M.,  ordered  to  cross  the  river  and 
remain  in  the  hollow  near  the  ford. 

Small  parties  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  and  infantry  were  occasionally 
seen,  and  at  length  a  strong  line  was  distinctly  visible  through  the 
openings  of  the  wood.  Lieutenant  Livingston  was  ordered  to  bring 
up  his  battery.  It  was  accordingly  placed  in  position  on  the  rising 
ground  in  front  of  Colonel  Fyffe's  brigade.  Several  shells  were  thrown 
at  the  enemy's  line,  which  caused  its  disappearance  ;  it  was  supposed 
that  they  had  laid  down.  One  section,  Lieutenant  Hubbard  command 
ing,  was  now  moved  to  the  hill  on  the  right,  whence  also  one  or  two 
shells  were  thrown  at  detached  parties.  Colonel  Fyffe's  brigade  was 
moved  to  the  left  of  the  battery,  where  it  was  covered  by  a  skirt  of 
woods.  Our  whole  force  had  been  constantly  concealed  by  making  the 
men  lie  down. 

About  one  o'clock  the  remaining  two  regiments  of  Colonel  Grider's 
brigade,  the  Nineteenth  Ohio  and  Ninth  Kentucky,  were  oi-dered  to 
cross  the  river,  which  they  did,  forming  near  the  hospital  on  the  left 
of  the  other  two  regiments  of  the  same  brigade,  to  protect  our  left 
flank.  The  enemy's  force  was  occasionally  seen  moving  to  our  left, 
and  Generals  Crittenden  and  Palmer  were  advised  of  the  fact;  Colonel 
Grose  was  consequently  ordered  to  support  me.  His  brigade  formed 
so  as  to  protect  our  left,  relieving  the  Nineteenth  Ohio  and  Ninth  Ken 
tucky.  These  two  regiments  were  formed  in  rear  of  the  right  of  the 
second  line  as  a  reserve,  being  posted  in  the  hollow  near  the  ford. 

No  other  disturbance  occurred  during  the  day,  except  the  occasional 
firing  of  the  skirmishers,  so  Colonel  Grose's  brigade  and  Livingston's 
Battery  recrossed  the  river.  About  midnight  we  were  alarmed  by 
sharp  firing  from  the  skirmishers  ;  they  reported  that  it  was  caused  by 
the  enemy's  skirmishers  advancing  and  firing  upon  us.  One  of  our 
men  was  killed  and  one  wounded.  Nothing  else  occurred  during  the 
night.  On  the  morning  of  Friday,  January  2d,  Livingston's  Battery 
came  across  the  river  again,  and  was  posted  as  before.  There  was 
light  skirmishing  during  the  earlier  part  of  the  day. 

The  Seventy-Ninth  Indiana,  Colonel  Knifler,  was  ordered  to  take 
place  in  the  first  line,  to  close  the  gap  between  Colonel  Fyffe's  brigade 
and  the  others.  Nothing  of  note  occurred  until  about  eleven  o'clock, 
when  the  firing  of  the  enemy's  skirmishers  became  very  constant  and 


OFFICIAL    REPOHTS.  457 

heavy,  as  they  slowly  crept  up  toward  us.  The  skirmishers  now 
reported  a  battery  being  planted  in  our  front,  and  shortly  afterward, 
that  fifteen  regiments  of  infantry  and  three  pieces  of  artillery  were 
moving  to  our  left. 

Notice  of  all  these  movements  was  given  to  Generals  Crittenclcn  and 
Palmer,  and  Colonel  Grose's  brigade  again  came  over  to  our  support. 
About  noon  the  enemy's  battery  opened  with  occasional  shells,  directed 
at  Lieutenant  Hubbard's  section  of  artillery  on  the  hill.  The  enemy's 
artillery  were  now  seen  moving  to  our  left,  and  soon  another  battery 
opened  fire  upon  Lieutenant  Hubbard's  section. 

As  the  enemy's  skirmishers  were  so  near  that  their  firing  was  annoy 
ing  and  dangerous  to  the  artillery,  I  ordered  Lieutenant  Livingston  to 
retire  and  take  a  position  on  the  hill  near  the  hospital.  A  few  shells 
were  still  thrown  by  the  enemy's  battery  on  our  left,  and  occasional 
ones  from  an  apparently  heavy  battery  across  the  river.  As  the  ene 
my's  skirmishers  pressed  ours  very  closely,  our  lines  were  strength 
ened  by  throwing  out  two  more  companies.  The  firing  was  very  sharp, 
and  many  of  our  men  as  well  as  theirs  were  wounded.  At  about  half 
past  two  o'clock  it  was  reported  that  four  more  of  the  enemy's  guns 
were  moving  toward  our  left.  Word  was  sent  of  this,  as  in  case  of  all 
other  movements,  to  General  Crittenden.  At  about  three  o'clock  our 
skirmishers  reported  that  the  enemy's  skirmishers  were  throwing  down 
the  fence  in  front  of  our  line.  Orders  were  sent  to  Colonel  Price  to  let 
his  first  line  fall  back  behind  the  crest,  of  the  hill,  but  before  he  could 
receive  them  the  enemy  were  advancing  across  the  field  to  the  charge. 
They  were  formed  in  column,  with  a  front  of  apparently  two  regiments. 

The  first  column  was  three  regiments,  or  six  ranks  deep  ;  this  was 
succeeded  by  a  second  of  the  same  depth,  and  a  third  apparently 
greater. 

At  the  same  moment  their  artillery  opened  from  three  or  four  differ 
ent  points,  throwing  shot,  shell,  and  canister  directly  into  us. 

As  the  enemy's  columns  approached  to  within  a  hundred  yards  or 
so,  the  first  line  rose  up  and  delivered  a  heavy  fire  upon  their  column, 
which  checked  it  for  a  moment ;  they  soon  pressed  on,  however.  The 
regiments  of  the  first  line,  the  Fifty-First  Ohio,  Eighth  Kentucky,  and 
Thirty-Fifth  and  Seventy-Ninth  Indiana,  fought  gallantly  until  the 
enemy  were  within  a  few  yards  of  them,  when,  overpowered  by  num 
bers,  they  were  compelled  to  retire. 

This  movement  confused  and  disorganized  the  second  line,  which 
also  was  ordered  to  fall  back.  The  reserve,  consisting  of  the  Nine 
teenth  Ohio,  Ninth  Kentucky,  and  Eleventh  Kentucky,  was  now  ordered 
up.  They  advanced  most  gallantly  toward  the  crest  of  the  hill,  and 
poured  a  destructive  fire  upon  the  enemy,  whose  first  column  was  by 
this  time  almost  annihilated.  Their  supporting  columns  soon  came  up, 
however,  and  at  the  same  time  a  force  advanced  along  the  river  bank 
upon  our  right  flank.  Our  men  fought  with  most  desperate  courage,  as 
will  appear  from  their  severe  loss,  until  forced  back  by  the  actual 
pressure  of  the  enemy.  Even  then  they  broke  back  from  the  right, 
file  by  file,  stubbornly  contesting  their  ground.  At  last,  however,  the 
right  being  forced  back,  the  left  was  ordered  to  retire,  which  it  slowly 
did  until  the  bank  of  the  river  was  reached. 

39 


458 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 


Attempts  were  made  to  rally  the  men  at  several  points,  but  it  was 
impossible  from  the  heavy  fire  and  the  close  proximity  of  the  enemy  ; 
most  of  them  were,  therefore,  forced  across  the  river,  where  many 'of 
them  rallied  and  returned  with  the  first  supporting  troops  ;  and  I  am 
proud  to  say  that  the  colors  of  the  Nineteenth  Ohio,  Ninth  Kentucky, 
and  Fifty-First  Ohio  were  the  first  to  recross  the  stream  after  the 
enemy's  check.  The  tremendous  fire  of  our  artillery  on  the  south  side 
of  the  river,  with  Livingston's  Battery  on  the  other,  with  the  determ 
ined  resistance  they  had  met,  had  stopped  the  enemy  at  the  river  ;  and 
now,  as  our  troops  pressed  forward,  they  fled  in  confusion,  leaving  four 
of  their  guns. 

Several  brave  officers  had  rallied  a  great  number  of  our  men,  and 
were  the  foremost  in  the  advance. 

Night  now  came  on  and  closed  the  pursuit.  The  regiments  were 
rapidly  reorganized,  and  in  a  few  hours  were  in  a  state  of  efficiency, 
and  turned  out  promptly  and  cheerfully  at  an  alarm. 

The  Second  Brigade,  Colonel  Fyffe,  was  not  attacked,  the  front  of 
the  enemy's  column  not  extending  to  them.  Seeing  the  right  driven 
back,  they  also  retired  in  good  order.  Lieutenant  Livingston's  Battery 
fired  constantly  and  well  from  the  first  appearance  of  the  enemy,  until 
the  very  last  moment  he  could  remain  safely.  He  then  crossed  the 
river  without  losing  a  piece. 

I  can  not  too  much  commend  the  gallant  manner  in  which  my  men 
fought,  and  the  promptness  with  which,  when  forced  to  give  way,  they 
rallied  and  reorganized. 

The  following  is  a  report  of  the  number  of  killed,  wounded,  and 
missing  in  the  engagement  before  Murfreesboro,  Tennessee  : 


COMMANDS. 

Killed. 

Wounded. 

Missing. 

Aggregate.... 

O 

a 
o 

1 

t-' 
ft 

a 

H3 

o 

C 

3J 

c. 

a 

ft 

g 

a> 
3 
: 

§ 
P" 

& 
o 

^ 

!^ 
0 

2 

1-2 

0 

E 

1 

Brigadier  General  Van  Cleve     . 

1 

1 
466 
481 
557 
25 

1530 

1st  Brigade  

7 
4 
6 

59 
76 
75 
6 

216 

66 
80 
81 
6 

2?,?, 

10 
14 

•1\ 

52 

303 
225 
307 
19 

854 

319 
239 
328 
19 

906 

1 

81 
160 
146 

387 

81 
162 
148 

391 

2d  Brigade           

Artillery 

Total... 

17 

To  the  commanders  of  the  different  brigades,  Colonels  Grider,  Price, 
and  Fyffe,  my  thanks  are  due  for  the  gallantry  and  coolness  of  their 
behavior  under  very  trying  circumstances.  Lieutenant  Livingston,  of 
the  Third  Wisconsin  Battery,  did  efficient  service,  and  performed  his 
duty  ably  and  handsomely.  Lieutenant  Smoch,  Third  Kentucky  Cav 
alry,  who  commanded  a  detachment  of  couriers,  remained  constantly 
on  hand  near  me,  and  was  of  great  use. 

To  the  following  officers,  members  of  my  staff,  I  tender  niy  thanks 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  459 

for  their  assistance,  and  the  manner  in  which  it.  was  rendered  :  Cap 
tain  E.  A.  Otis,  Assistant  Adjutant  General  ;  Captain  C.  II.  Wood, 
Acting  Assistant  Inspector  General  ;  Captain  William  Starling,  Topo 
graphical  Engineer,  and  Lieutenants  T.  F.  Murdoch  and  II.  M.  Wil 
liams,  Aidsdecamp. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

SAMUEL  BEATTY, 

Colonel  Commanding. 


CAPTAIN"  J.  ST.  CLAIR  MORTON'S  REPORT. 

The  following  is  a  full  abstract  of  the  Official  Report 
of  Captain  James  St.  Clair  Morton,  Corps  of  Engi 
neers,  commanding  Brigade  of  Pioneers: 

The  Pioneer  Brigade  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  consists  of 
three  battalions  of  infantry,  selected  from  forty  different  regiments, 
and  the  Chicago  Board  of  Trade  Battery,  Captain  Stokes.  Captain 
Bridges,  of  the  Nineteenth  Illinois,  commanded  the  First  Battalion  ; 
Captain  Hood,  of  the  Eleventh  Michigan,  the  Second,  and  Captain 
Clements,  of  the  Sixty-Ninth  Ohio,  the  Third  Battalion. 

On  the  march  from  Nashville  the  brigade  constructed  two  bridges 
over  Stewart's  Creek,  between  the  hours  of  four  P.  M.  and  four  o'clock 
A.  M.,  29th  and  30th  December,  arriving  at  the  battle-field  on  the  30th. 

On  the  morning  of  the  31st  of  December,  the  brigade,  was  engaged 
in  improving  the  fords  of  Stone  Kiver,  in  which  the  right  battalion 
sustained  the  fire  of  some  rebel  cavalry.  Captain  (now  Brigadier 
General)  Morton  was  ordered,  soon  afterward,  to  take  position  in  line 
of  battle.  The  brigade  was  formed  by  order  of  General  Rosecrans, 
in  person,  fronting  toward  the  right.  The  enemy  appeared  on  a  rise 
of  ground,  in  front,  from  which  they  had  driven  one  of  our  batteries. 
Stokes'  Battery  immediately  opened  fire,  with  canister,  and  drove 
them  back.  Captain  Morton,  at,  the  personal  order  of  General  Rose 
crans,  who,  with  his  staff  accompanied  him,  advanced  to  the  eminence 
and  held  it,  nnder  a  heavy  fire  from  the  rebel  batteries  and  sharp 
shooters.  Stokes'  Battery  was  supported  by  the  First  Battalion,  on 
the  left,  posted  in  a  thicket;  the  Third  Battalion  on  the  right,  its 
flank  protected  by  the  Second  Battalion,  posted  in  a  wood,  still 
further  to  the  right. 

Shortly  after  the  line  was  formed  the  enemy  appeared  across  the 
field,  preparing  to  charge  upon  one  of  our  retiring  detachments, 
which  had  been  rallied  by  the  Commanding  General.  Stokes'  Bat 
tery  opened  upon  the  foe,  and  the  advance  of  the  enemy  was  speedily 
arrested.  The  right  battalion  was  attacked  soon  after,  the  enemy 


460  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

obviously  intending  to  penetrate  the  line  under  cover  of  the  forest. 
The  battalion  changed  front  to  obtain  a  flanking  fire,  and  by  a  single 
volley  repulsed  the  enemy,  composed  of  the  Eleventh  and  Fourteenth 
Texas  regiments.  The  Seventy-Ninth  Indiana  had  rallied  on  the  right 
of  the  battalion  in  the  meantime,  and  assisted  in  the  success.  This 
was  one  of  the  most  brilliant  episodes  of  the  battle.  It  followed 
quickly  upon  the  charge  made  by  the  General  in  person,  and  was 
really  the  second  act  of  the  drama,  which  changed  the  tide  of  battle. 

Toward  sunset  the  enemy  appeared  on  Morton's  left.  Two  sections 
of  Stokes'  Battery  were  brought  to  the  left  of  the  First  Battalion, 
and  a  brigade  of  the  enemy  which  had  attacked  the  battalion  in  the 
thicket,  was  bitterly  repulsed.  Their  dead  were  left  within  fifty 
paces  of  Morton's  lines.  The  troops  behaved  admirably. 

The  Pioneers  slept  on  their  arms  that  night.  Early  NCAV  Year's 
morning,  the  enemy  again  appeared  on  the  left,  apparently  to  advance 
through  a  gap  between  it  and  the  Murfreesboro  turnpike.  Morton 
immediately  changed  front  and  occupied  the  gap.  A  hot  engagement 
ensued,  infantry  and  artillery  being  used  so  effectively  that  the 
enemy  could  not  push  beyond  the  edge  of  the  wood,  and  they  were 
finally  driven  back  with  severe  loss.  The  position  was  held  by  the 
Pioneers  until  after  nightfall,  when  they  were  relieved  and  formed 
in  reserve. 

On  the  morning  of  Friday,  the  second  part  of  the  Pioneers  were 
engaged  making  road-crossings  over  the  railroad,  when  the  enemy 
opened  a  severe  cannonade.  Stokes'  Battery  returned  the  fire,  and 
the  battalions  advanced,  supporting  it  under  a  fire  of  solid  shot  and 
shell,  until  the  rebel  battery  was  silenced,  when  the  Pioneers  fell 
back  to  their  position. 

In  the  afternoon,  when  Breckinridge  made  his  attack  upon  Van 
Cleve's  small  division,  which  had  been  thrown  across  the  river  on  our 
left,  General  Rosecrans,  in  person,  ordered  the  Pioneers  to  the  left  as 
reinforcements.  Morton  marched  his  command  at  double-quick,  and 
arrived  on  the  line  occupying  a  gap  in  it,  under  the  firing  of  a  rebel 
battery,  which  was  soon  silenced  by  Stokes'  Battery,  which  was 
worked  with  great  skill  and  vigor. 

General  Negley's  (Eighth)  division  was  already  tremendously 
engaged.  The  enemy  had  advanced  in  columns  of  brigades  six  deep 
without  intervals,  presenting  a  most  formidable  mass,  and  threatening 
to  carry  everything  before  them.  Our  batteries  opened  in  magnificent 
concert,  and  the  most  obstinate  combat  of  the  whole  series  of  engage 
ments  was  culminating.  General  Negley  now  requested  Morton  to  rein 
force  him,  and  the  Pioneers  were  at  once  moved  up  at  double-quick 
and  formed,  the  Third  Battalion  in  second  line  behind  the  division 
under  command  of  General  Jeif.  C.  Davis,  the  First  extending 
beyond  it,  and  throwing  out  its  own  advance,  occupying  the  space  be 
tween  it  and  the  river  ;  Stokes'  Battery  was  posted  on  a  knoll  between 
the  First  and  Second  Battalions,  the  Second  being  in  second  line  on  the 
extreme  right.  The  fighting,  meantime,  of  the  most  violent  descrip 
tion,  was  growing  slack,  and  the  enemy,  finally  defeated,  were  flying 
back  to  Murfreesboro,  darkness  preventing  pursuit. 

After  nightfall  the  Pioneers  recrossed  the  river,  and  again  assumed 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 


461 


position  in  the  reserve,  the  Second  Battalion  being  detailed  to  dig 
rifle-pits  in  the  front,  near  the  pike  and  on  the  extreme  right.  They 
labored  all  night  in  the  rain.  On  January  3d,  the  Third  Battalion 
relieved  the  First,  then  on  duty  in  the  trendies  ;  on  the  4th,  the 
Second  and  Third  Battalions  began  the  construction  of  two  lunettes  on 
the  north  bank  of  the  river,  and  the  First  Battalion  began  a  trestle 
bridge  across  it  ;  on  the  5th  the  work  continued,  and  the  Third 
Battalion,  with  the  advance  of  the  army,  went  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy. 
The  loss  of  the  brigade  was  as  follows  : 


OFFICERS. 

l 

IEN. 

g 

Wounded. 

Killed. 

Wounded. 

r 

First  ,.. 

3 

4 

5 

12 

Second                              ...      . 

4 

5 

9 

Third                     

4 

10 

1-1 

1 

3 

9 

13 

Total  

4 

15 

29 

•IS 

The  force  of  the  brigade  actually  engaged  was  sixteen  hundred  men 
— ninety-five  in  Stokes'  battery. 

Throughout  the  engagement  the  Pioneers  behaved  nobly,  and  upon 
requisition  worked  zealously  night  and  day,  although  insufficiently 
subsisted,  and  under  vicissitudes  of  inclement  weather  and  rebel  fire. 
Captain  Morton  euolgized  the  conduct  of  the  artillerymen  in  the 
highest  manner.  They  fought  under  the  eye  of  the  General,  and 
Avon  high  encomiums  from  him.  Captain  Morton,  in  his  report,  says  : 
"  As  the  Commanding  General  was  everywhere  present  on  the  field  with 
his  staff,  he  can  not  but  have  remarked  the  good  service  done  by  Captain 
Stokes,  who  manifested  the  greatest  zeal,  and  managed  his  battery 
with  the  utmost  decision  and  success." 

Captain  Morton  most  honorably  mentions  his  Adjutant,  Lieutenant 
Lambessen,  of  the  Nineteenth  Illinois;  his  Inspectors,  Lieutenants  Clark 
of  the  Sixteenth  United  States  Infantry,  and  Murphy  of  the  Tvvent}'- 
First  Wisconsin  ;  his  Aids,  Lieutenant  Reeve  of  the  Thirty-Seventh 
Indiana,  and  Assistant  Engineer  Pearsall ;  "  all  of  whom  exhibited,, 
the  utmost  ardor  and  alacrity  in  the  performance  of  their  duty." 

Captain  Hood,  Captain  Clements  and  Captain  Bridges,  commanding 
the  battalions,  are  highly  extolled.  The  latter,  though  wounded  on  the 
31st  remained  in  command  of  his  battalion. 


462  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 


CAPTAIN  JOHN    MENDENHALL'S    REPORT. 

HEADQUARTERS  LEFT  WIXG, 

January  10,  1803. 
Major  L.  Starling,  Chief  of  Staff  : 

MAJOR — I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  of  the  oper 
ations  of  the  artillery  in  the  Left  Wing  from  December  20,  1802,  to 
January  2,  1803.  This  army  marched  from  camp  near  Nashville, 
December  20th;  the  Left  Wing  marching  on  the  Murfreesboro  pike. 

December  26. — About  three  P.  M.,  our  advance  was  brought  to  a 
stand-still  near  Lavergne,  by  a  rebel  battery.  It  was  opposed  by  a 
section  of  artillery  serving  with  the  cavalry,  which  being  unable  to 
dislodge  the  enemy,  our  advance  battery  (Captain  Standart,  Battery 
B,  First  Ohio)  was,  after  a  little  delay,  put  in  position  and  opened  fire, 
soon  silencing  the  enemy. 

December  27. — General  Hascall  took  the  advance  with  his  brigade, 
and  Lieutenant  Estep's  Eighth  Indiana  Battery.  They  marched  stead 
ily  forward  till  the  enemy  were  driven  across  Stewart's  Creek;  the  bat 
tery  halting  only  when  it  was  necessary  to  fire  ;  two  pieces  were 
posted  near,  covering  the  bridge. 

December  28. — Some  artillery  was  so  disposed  as  to  check  the  enemy, 
should  they  attempt  to  desti-oy  or  retake  the  bridge. 

December  29. — Lieutenant  Parsons,  commanding  Batteries  H  and 
M,  Fourth  Artillery,  being  in  a  commanding  position,  threw  a  few 
shells  about  nine  A.  M.,  driving  the  enemy's  picket  from  the  opposite 
woods.  Our  column  advanced  across  the  bridge  at  ten  A.  M.,  meet 
ing  with  little  resistance  till  within  about  three  miles  of  Murfrees 
boro.  Our  troops  were  placed  in  line  of  battle  as  they  came  up,  the 
artillery  remaining  with  their  divisions. 

December  30. — About  nine  A.  M.,  the  enemy  opened  fire  upon  Cap 
tain  Cox's  Tenth  Indiana  Battery  (which  was  between  the  pike  and 
the  railroad,  and  in  front  partially  covered  by  woods).  Captain  Brad- 
ley's  Sixth  Ohio  Battery,  at  once  took  a  position  to  the  left  of  the  woods 
and  in  a  cornfield.  The  two  batteries  soon  silenced  that  of  the  ene 
my's.  One  shot  killed  a  man  near  where  a  number  of  General  and 
Staff  officers  were  standing,  and  another  passing  through  Battery  II, 
Fourth  Artillery,  killing  one  man,  wounding  another,  besides  disabling 
a  horse. 

December  31. — The  Left  Wing  started  to  cross  Stone  River,  about 
eight  A.  M.,  but  before  a  division  had  crossed,  intelligence  was  received 
that  the  Right  was  falling  back.  Colonel  Fyffe's  brigade,  which  was 
about  crossing,  was  ordered  to  counter-march  and  move  at  double- 
quick  to  the  Right.  Captain  Swallow's  Seventh  Indiana  Battery 
operated  for  a  time  with  this  brigade,  shelling  the  rebel  cavalry  from 
the  brick  hospital.  Colonel  Beatty's  brigade,  having  recrossed  the 
river,  advanced  to  the  support  of  the  Right  Wing  ;  but  the  Twenty- 
Sixth  Pennsylvania  Battery,  Lieutenant  Stevens  commanding,  being 
unable  to  follow  the  brigade  through  the  woods,  took  a  position  near 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS.  463 

the  pike,  and  received  the  enemy  with  shot  and  shell  as  they  advanced 
after  our  retreating  columns,  and  I  think  done  his  part  in  checking 
them.  He  advanced  as  they  retreated,  and  took  a  position  in  a  corn 
field  on  the  right,  of  the  pike  near  the  three-mile  post,  and  again 
opened  upon  the  enemy.  The  position  of  this  battery  under  went  sev 
eral  changes  during  the  rest,  of  the  day,  but  remained  in  the  same 
immediate  vicinity.  The  Third  Wisconsin  Battery,  having  recrosscd 
the  river  with  the  brigade,  took  a  position  commanding  the  ford  and 
about  twelve  M.,  opened  upon  the  enemy's  cavalry,  while  attempting 
to  drive  off  some  of  our  wagons  which  had  crossed  the  river,  and  were 
near  a  hospital  we  had  established  on  the  other  side,  driving  them 
away  with  very  little  booty.  The  batteries  of  General  Wood's  division 
(Cox's  Tenth  Indiana,  Estep's  Eighth  Indiana,  and  Bradley's  Sixth  Ohio, 
all  under  command  of  Major  Race,  of  the  First  Ohio  Artillery)  fought 
with  the  brigades  with  which  they  were  serving.  I  had  no  occasion  to 
give  special  orders  to  them  during  the  day.  The  batteries  of  General 
Palmer's  division  served  with  it  during  the  morning,  rendering  good 
service.  Captain  Standart's  Battery  fell  back  with  General  Cruft's 
brigade,  and  was  not  again  engaged  during  the  day.  Captain  Cock- 
erell,  during  the  afternoon,  was  ordered  to  the  front,  taking  a  position 
in  the  cornfield  on  the  left  of  the  woods  where  the  enemy  were  mak 
ing  such  desperate  attempts  to  force  back  the  Left.  At  this  place, 
Captain  Cockerell  was  severely  wounded  in  the  foot,  and  the  command 
of  his  battery  devolved  upon  Lieutenant  Osburn.  Two  guns  of  this  bat 
tery  were  disabled  from  their  own  firing,  the  axles  being  too  weak.  One 
of  the  limbers  of  this  battery  was  blown  up  during  the  day.  Lieuten 
ant  Parsons,  commanding  Batteries  H  and  M,  Fourth  Artillery,  was 
ordered  up  to  support  the  Left,  about  four  P.  M.,  and  took  a  position 
near  the  railroad.  After  he  had  expended  all  his  ammunition, 
I  sent  Captain  Swallow's  Seventh  Indiana  Battery  to  replace  him. 
These  batteries  did  much  to  repel  the  enemy  as  they  advanced  with 
the  evident  determination  to  drive  us  back  at  all  hazards  if  possible. 
During  the  night,  the  batteries  were  resupplied  with  ammunition,  and 
I  dii-ected  them  to  take  positions,  as  follows,  before  daylight,  viz.: 
Lieutenant  Livingston,  commanding  ford  on  the  extreme  left  ;  Cap 
tain  Swallow,  on  his  right,  near  the  railroad;  Lieutenant  Stevens  also 
near  the  railroad,  but  on  the  left  of  Captain  Swallow.  The  batteries 
of  the  First  Division  between  the  railroad  and  the  pike.  Captain 
Bradley  on  the  Left,  Captain  Cox  on  the  Right,  and  Lieutenant 
Estep,  in  the  Center.  The  Second  Division  batteries  near  the  pike  in 
reserve. 

During  the  morning,  Lieutenant  Livingston  was  directed  to  cross  the 
river  (he  was  assigned  a  position  by  Colonel  Bcatty),  and  Captain 
Swallow  took  his  place  commanding  the  ford;  Lieutenant  Parsons  was 
ordered  to  a  position  on  General  Rousseau's  front  by  General  Rose- 
crans,  and  Captain  Cox  was  moved  across  the  pike  near  Stokes1  Bat 
tery,  to  support  the  right  of  his  division,  which  had  moved  its  right  to 
that  point.  After  dark,  Captain  Standart  was  ordered  to  relieve  Stokes' 
Battery.  No  firing,  except  now  and  then  a  shell  at  the  enemy's  pick 
ets,  during  the  day. 

January  2. — Early  in  the  forenoon,  the  enemy  opened  fire  first  upon 


464  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

our  Left,  which  was  not  responded  to,  their  shot  and  shell  doing  no 
harm.  They  were  opened  more  furiously  upon  the  troops  and  batter 
ies  near  the  railroad  and  pike,  several  of  our  batteries  replying  and 
soon  silencing  them.  When  the  enemy  had  nearly  ceased  firing, 
Stokes'  Battery  opened  with  canister  upon  Captain  Bradley's  Battery 
and  Colonel  Marker's  brigade  wounding  several  men  and  horses. 

Captain  Standart,  with  three  pieces,  Captain  Bradley's  nnd  Lieu 
tenant  Estep's  Batteries,  retired  a  short  distance  to  lit  up,  they  hav 
ing  received  more  or  less  injury  from  the  enemy.  Captain  Bradley 
fell  back  on  account  of  being  fired  into  by  Captain  Stokes.  He 
returned  to  his  former  position,  after  a  little  while,  but  Captain  Stand- 
art  and  Lieutenant  Estep  remained  in  reserve.  I  then  ordered  Lieu 
tenant  Parsons  with  Batteries  H  and  M,  Fourth  Artillery,  to  a 
position  on  the  ridge  to  the  right  of  Captain  Swallows  (who  was  on 
the  highest  point-ridge,  covering  the  ford)  and  Lieutenant  Osburn, 
Battery  F,  First  Ohio,  to  a  position  perhaps  a  hundred  yards  to  the 
right  of  Lieutenant  Parsons.  During  the  afternoon  Colonel  Beatty 
changed  the  position  of  Lieutenant  Livingston's  Battery  to  near  the 
the  hospital  (across  the  river). 

About  four  P.  M.,  while  riding  along  the  pike  with  General  Critten- 
den,  we  heard  heavy  firing  of  artillery  and  musketry  on  the  Left.  We 
at  once  rode  briskly  over,  and  arriving  upon  the.  hill  near  the  fords 
saw  our  infantry  retiring  before  the  enemy.  The  General  asked  me 
if  I  could  not  do  something  to  relieve  Colonel  Beatty  with  my  guns — 
Captain  Swallow  had  already  opened  with  his  battery.  I  ordered 
Lieutenant  Parsons  to  move  a  little  forward  with  his  guns;  then 
rode  back  to  bring  up  Lieutenant  Estep  with  his  Eight  Indiana  Bat 
tery;  meeting  Captain  Morton  with  his  brigade  of  Pioneers,  he 
asked  for  advice  and  I  told  him  to  move  briskly  forward  with  his 
brigade,  and  send  his  battery  to  the  crest  of  the  hill  near  the  batteries 
engaged;  the  Eighth  Indiana  Battery  took  position  to  the  right  of 
Lieutenant  Parsons.  Seeing  that  Lieutenant  Osburn  was  in  position 
(between  Lieutenant  Parsons  and  Estep)  I  rode  to  Lieutenant  Stevens' 
Twenty-Sixth  Pennsylvania  Battery,  and  directed  him  to  change  front 
to  fire*  to  the  left,  and  open  fire;  and  then  to  Captain  Standart's, 
and  directed  him  to  move  to  the  left  with  his  pieces,  and  take  position 
covering  the  ford.  I  found  that  Captain  Bradley  had  anticipated  my 
wishes,  and  had  changed  front  to  fire  to  the  left,  and  opened  upon  the 
enemy.  This  battery  was  near  the  railroad.  Lieutenant  Livingston's 
Battery  (which  was  across  the  river)  opened  upon  the  advancing 
enemy  and  continued  to  fire  until  he  thought  he  could  no  longer  main 
tain  his  position  when  he  crossed  over,  one  section  at  a  time,  and 
opened  fire  again.  The  firing  ceased  about  dark.  During  this  ter 
rible  encounter  of  little  more  than  an  hour  in  duration,  forty-three 
pieces  of  artillery  belonging  to  the  Left  Wing.  Captain  Stokes'  Bat 
tery  of  six  guns  and  the  batteries  of  General  Negley's  division  about 
nine  guns,  making  a  total  of  about  fifty-eight  pieces,  opened  fire  upon 
the  enemy.  The  enemy  soon  retired;  our  troops  following.  Throe 
batteries  of  the  Left  Wing,  besides  those  of  General  Davis,  crossed 
the  river  in  pursuit.  During  this  engagement,  Lieutenant  Parsons 
had  one  of  his  howitzers  dismounted  by  a  shot  from  the  enemy,  but  it 


OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 


465 


•was  almost  immediately  replaced  by  one  captured  from  the  enemy 
and  brought  over  by  the  Nineteenth  Illinois.  * 

Captain  Cockerell  and  Lieutenant  Buckmar  were  both  wounded  on 
the  31st.  The  former  commanded  Battery  F,  First  Ohio,  and  the  lat 
ter  belonged  to  the  Seventh  Indiana  Battery.  Major  Race,  First  Ohio 
Artillery,  Chief  of  Artillery,  in  the  First  Division,  and  the  several 
battery  commanders  with  their  officers  and  men  all,  with  one  exception, 
deserves  most  grateful  mention  for  their  coolness  and  bravery 
throughout  the  battle.  Lieutenant  Parsons,  commanding  Batteries 
H  and  M,  Fourth  Artillery,  and  his  officers,  Lieutenants  Gushing 
and  Huntington,  deserve  great  credit  for  their  courage  under  the  hot 
test  of  the  enemy's  fire.  They  were  probably  under  closer  fire  and 
more  of  it  than  any  other  battery  in  the  Left,  Wing,  and  perhaps  in 
the  army.  I  am  more  than  pleased  with  the  way  they  behaved,  ns 
well  as  the  brave  men  under  them.  Captain  Bradley,  Sixth  Ohio 
Battery,  deserves  particular  notice  for  the  manner  in  which  he 
handled  his  battery.  The  one  exception  above  referred  to,  is  Lieuten 
ant  Richard  Jervis,  of  the  Eighth  Indiana,  who  is  represented  to  have 
acted  in  a  very  cowardly  manner,  by  retiring  a  section  of  the  battery 
at  a  critical  moment  without  orders,  or  notifying  his  battery  com 
mander. 

The  following  are  the  casualties,  etc.,  in  the  several  batteries  : 


O 

3? 

JH  E  N  . 

BATTERIES   AND    COMMANDERS. 

cers  wounded. 

~ 

r 

Missing  

H  and  M   Fourth  Artillery   Lieutenant  Parsons  .. 

2 

14 

ft 

B   First  Ohio   Captain  Standart 

3 

13 

3 

F   First  Ohio   Captain  Cockerell                        

1 

2 

12 

Seventh   Indiana   Captain  Swallow          .          

1 

4 

7 

4 

Twenty-Sixth  Pennsylvania,  Lieutenant  Stevens.. 
Eighth  Indiana   Lieutenant  Estep 

2 

7 
6 

G 

Tenth  Indiana,  Captain  Cox  ,  

1 

4 

Sixth  Ohio.  Captain  Bradley  ,  

2 

2 

1 

Total... 

2 

16 

69 

10 

I  am,  Major,  very  respectfully, 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  MENDENHALL, 

Chief  of  Artillery. 


OFFICIAL    REPORT 


OP 


GENERAL  BRAXTON  BRAGG. 


HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  TENNESSEE,  | 

TULLAHOMA,  February  23,  18G3.  j 

SIR — On  the  26th  of  December  last  the  enemy  advanced,  in  force, 
from  Nashville,  to  attack  us  at  Murfreesboro.  It  had  been  well  ascer 
tained  that  his  effective  force  was  over  sixty  thousand  effective  men. 
Before  night,  on  that  day,  the  object  of  the  movement  was  developed, 
by  our  dispositions  in  front,  and  orders  were  given  for  the  necessary 
concentration  of  our  forces  there  distributed,  as  follows: 

Folk's  corps  and  three  brigades  of  Breckinridge's  division,  Hardee's 
corps,  at  Murfreesboro;  the  balance  of  Hardee's  corps,  near  Eaglcville, 
about  twenty  miles  west  of  Murfreesboro;  McCown's  division  (which, 
with  Stevenson's  division  removed,  constituted  Smith's  corps)  at 
Ready ville,  twelve  miles  east  of  Murfreesboro;  the  three  cavalry  bri 
gades  of  Wheeler,  Wharton,  and  Pegram,  occupying  the  entire  front 
of  our  infantry,  and  covering  all  approaches  to  within  ten  miles  of 
Nashville  ;  Buford's  small  cavalry  brigade,  of  about  six  hundred, 
at  McMinnville.  The  brigades  of  Forrest  and  Morgan,  about  five  thou 
sand  effective  cavalry,  were  absent,  on  special  service,  in  West  Ten 
nessee  and  Northern  Kentucky,  as  will  be  more  fully  noted  hereafter. 
Jackson's  small  infantry  brigade  was  in  the  rear,  guarding  the  rail 
road  from  Bridgeport,  Alabama,  to  the  mountains.  On  Sunday,  the 
28th,  our  main  force  of  infantry  and  artillery  was  concentrated  in 
front  of  Murfreesboro;  while  the  cavalry,  supported  by  three  brigades 
of  infantry  and  three  batteries  of  artillery,  impeded  the  advance  of  the 
enemy  by  constant  skirmishing  and  sudden  and  unexpected  attacks. 
To  the  skillful  manner  in  which  the  cavalry,  thus  ably  supported,  was 
handled,  and  to  the  exceeding  gallantry  of  its  officers  and  men,  must 
be  attributed  the  four  days'  time  consumed  by  the  enemy  in  reaching 
the  battle-field,  a  distance  of  only  twenty  miles  from  his  encampment, 
over  fine  macadamized  roads. 

(46G) 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS.  467 

Fully  aware  of  the  greatly  superior  numbers  of  the  enemy,  as  indi 
cated  in  my  early  reports  from  this  quarter,  it  was  our  policy  to  await 
attack.  The  position  was  selected  and  line  developed  with  this  inten 
tion.  Owing  to  the  convergence  upon  our  depot  of  so  many  fine 
roads,  by  which  the  enemy  could  approach,  we  were  confined  in 
our  selection  to  a  line  near  enough  to  the  point  of  juncture  to  enable  us 
to  successfully  cover  them  all  until  the  real  point  of  attack  should  be" 
developed. 

On  Monday,  the  29th,  it  was  reported  that  heavy  columns  moved  on 
both  the  direct  road  from  Lavergne  and  on  the  one  leading  into  the 
Lebanon  road,  by  way  of  Jefferson.  But  on  Tuesday,  the  30th,  it  was 
ascertained  that  the  Jefferson  pike  was  abandoned  by  a  countermarch, 
and  the  whole  forces  of  the  enemy  were  concentrated  on  and  near  the 
direct  road  on  the  west  of  Stone  River. 

Our  arrangements  were  all  completed  before  the  enemy  crossed  Stew 
art's  Creek,  nine  miles  out,  and  the  infantry  brigades  were  at  once 
called  in;  and  the  cavalry  was  ordered  to  fall  back  more  rapidly,  hav 
ing  most  gallantly  discharged  its  duty  and  fully  accomplished  the  objects 
desired.  Late  on  Monday  it  became  apparent  the  enemy  was  extend 
ing  to  his  right  to  flank  us  on  the  left.  McCown's  division,  in  reserve, 
was  promptly  thrown  to  that  flank,  and  added  to  the  command  of 
Lieutenant  General  Polk.  The  enemy  not  meeting  our  expectations 
of  making  an  attack  on  Tuesday — which  was  consumed  in  artillery 
firing  and  heavy  skirmishing,  with  the  exception  of  a  dash  late  in  the 
evening  on  the  left  of  Withers'  division,  which  was  repulsed  and 
severely  punished — It  was  determined  to  assail  him  on  Wednesday 
morning,  the  1st. 

For  this  purpose  Cleborne's  division,  Hardee;s  corps,  was  moved 
from  the  second  line  on  the  right  to  the  corresponding  position  on  ^he 
left,  and  Lieutenant  General  Hardee  was  ordered  to  that  point,  a'iid 
assigned  to  the  command  of  that  and  McCown's  division.  This  dispo 
sition,  the  result  of  necessity,  left  me  110  reserve;  but  Breckinridge's 
command  on  the  right,  not  now  threatened,  was  regarded  as  a  source  of 
supply  for  any  reinforcements  absolutely  necessary  to  other  parts  of 
the  field.  Stone  River,  at  its  low  stage,  was  fordable  at  any  point 
for  infantry,  and,  at  short  intervals,  perfectly  practicable  for  artil 
lery. 

These  dispositions  completed,  General  Hardee  was  ordered  to  assail 
the  enemy  at  daylight  on  Wednesday,  the  31st,  the  attack  to  be  taken 
up  by  Polk  s  command  in  succession,  to  the  right  flank  ;  the  move  to 
be  made  by  a  constant  wheel  to  the  right — on  Polk's  right,  as  a  point; 
the  object  being  to  force  the  enemy  back  on  Stone  River,  and,  if  prac 
ticable,  by  the  aid  of  cavalry,  cut  him  off  from  his  base  of  operations 
and  supplies  by  the  Nashville  pike. 

The  lines  were  now  bivouacked  at  a  distance,  in  places  of  not  more 
than  five  hundred  yards,  the  camp  fires  of  the  two  being  within 
distinct  view.  General  Whartoivs  cavalry  brigade  had  been  kept  on 
oar  left  to  watch  and  check  the  movements  of  the  enemy  in  that 
direction,  and  to  prevent  his  gaining  the  railroad  in  our  rear,  the 
preservation  of  which  was  of  vital  importance.  In  this  he  was  aided 
by  Brigadier  General  A.  Buford,  who  had  a  small  command  of  six 


468  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

hundred  new  cavalry.  The  duty  was  most  ably,  gallantly,  and  suc 
cessfully  performed. 

On  Monday  night  Brigadier  General  Wheeler  proceeded  with  his 
cavalry  brigade  and  one  regiment  from  Pegram's,  as  ordered,  to  gain 
the  enemy's  rear.  By  Tuesday  morning,  moving  on  the  Jefferson 
pike,  around  the  enemy's  left  flank,  he  had  gained  the  rear  of  their 
whole  army,  and  soon  attacked  their  trains,  their  guards,  and  the 
numerous  stragglers. 

He  succeeded  in  capturing  several  hundred  prisoners  and  destroy 
ing  hundreds  of  wagons  loaded  with  supplies  and  baggage.  After 
clearing  the  road  he  made  his  way  entirely  around,  and  joined  the 
cavalry  on  our  left. 

The  failure  of  General  McCown  to  execute,  during  the  night,  an 
order  for  a  slight  change  in  the  line  of  his  division,  and  Avhich  had  to 
be  done  the  next  morning,  caused  some  delay  in  the  general  and 
vigorous  assault  by  Lieutenant  General  Hardee.  But  about  seven 
o'clock  the  rattle  of  musketry  and  the  roar  of  artillery  announced  the 
beginning  of  the  conflict.  The  enemy  was  taken  completely  by  sur 
prise  ;  general  and  staff  officers  were  not  mounted,  artillery  horses  not 
hitched,  and  infantry  not  formed.  A  hot  and  inviting  breakfast  of 
coffee  and  other  luxuries,  to  which  our  gallant  and  hardy  men  had 
long  been  strangers,  was  found  upon  the  fire,  unserved,  and  was  left 
while  we  pushed  on  to  a  more  inviting  feast,  that  of  captured  artillery, 
flying  battalions,  and  hosts  of  craven  prisoners,  begging  for  their  lives 
they  had  forfeited  by  their  acts  of  brutality  and  atrocity.  While  thus 
routing  and  pushing  the  enemy  on  his  front,  Lieutenant  General 
Hardee  announced  to  me,  by  a  messenger,  that  the  movement  was  not 
being  as  promptly  executed  by  Major  General  Cheathanrs  command 
on  his  right — the  left  of  General  Folk's  corps — as  he  expected,  and 
that  his  line  was  consequently  exposed  to  an  enfilading  fire  from  the 
enemy's  artillei'y  in  that  front.  The  necessary  instructions  for  prompt 
movement  at  that  point  were  immediately  dispatched,  and  in  a  short 
time  our  whole  line,  except  Breckinridge's  command,  was  warmly 
engaged.  From  this  time  we  continued  to  drive  the  enemy  more  or 
less  rapidly,  until  his  line  was  thrown  entirely  back  at  right  angles 
to  his  first  position,  and  occupied  the  cut  of  the  railroad  along  which 
he  had  massed  his  reserves  and  posted  very  strong  batteries.  The 
enemy's  loss  was  very  heavy  in  killed  and  wounded — far  exceeding 
our  own,  as  appeared  from  a  critical  examination  of  the  field,  now 
almost  entirely  in  our  possession.  Of  artillery  alone  we  had  secured 
more  than  twenty-five  pieces. 

While  the  infantry  and  artillery  were  engaged  in  this  successful 
work,  Brigadier  General  Wharton,  with  his  cavalry  command,  was 
most  actively  and  gallantly  engaged  on  the  enemy's  right  and  rear, 
where  he  inflicted  a  heavy  loss  in  killed  and  wounded,  captured  a  full 
buttery  of  artillery  attempting  to  escape,  and  secured  and  sent  in  near 
two  thousand  prisoners. 

These  important  successes  and  results  had  not  been  achieved  with 
out,  heavy  sacrifices  on  our  part,  as  the  resistance  of  the  enemy,  after 
the  first  surprise,  was  most  gallant  and  obstinate. 

Finding  Lieutenant  General  Hardee  so  formidably  opposed  by  the 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS.  469 

movement  of  the  enemy  to  his  front,  reinforcements  for  him  were 
ordered  from  Major  General  Breckinridge,  but  the  orders  were  counter 
manded,  as  will  hereafter  appear,  and  Folk's  corps  was  pressed  forward 
with  vigor,  hoping  to  draw  the  enemy  back  or  rout  him  on  (lie  right, 
as  he  had  already  been  on  the  left.  We  succeeded  in  driving  him  from 
every  position  except  the  strong  one  held  by  his  extreme  left  flank, 
resting  on  Stone  River,  and  covered  by  a  concentration  of  artillery  of 
superior  range  and  caliber,  which  seemed  to  bid  us  defiance.  The 
difficulties  of  our  general  advance  had  been  greatly  enhanced  by  the 
topography  of  the  country.  All  parts  of  our  line  had  to  pass  in  their 
progress  over  ground  of  the  roughest  character,  covered  with  huge 
stones,  and  studded  with  the  densest  growth  of  cedar,  the  branches 
reaching  the  gixmnd,  and  forming  an  almost  impassable  "brake.'''  .Our 
artillery  could  rarely  be  used;  while  the  enemy,  holding  defensive 
lines,  had  selected  formidable  positions  for  his  batteries,  and  this  dense 
cover  for  his  infantry,  from  both  of  which  he  had  to  be  dislodged  by 
our  infantry  alone.  The  determined  and  unvarying  gallantry  of  our 
troops,  and  the  uninterrupted  success  which  attended  their  repeated 
charges  against  these  strongholds,  defended  by  double  their  numbers, 
fully  justified  the  unbounded  confidence  I  had  ever  reposed  in  them, 
and  have  so  often  expressed. 

To  meet  our  successful  advances,  and  to  retrieve  his  hopes  in  the 
front  of  his  left,  the  enemy  early  transferred  a  portion  of  his  reserve 
from  his  left  to  that  flank,  and  by  two  o'clock  had  succeeded  in  con 
centrating  such  a  force  in  Lieutenant  General  Hardee's  front  as  to 
check  his  further  progress.  Our  two  lines  had,  by  this  time,  become 
almost  blended,  so  weakened  were  they  by  losses,  exhaustion,  and 
extension  to  cover  the  enemy's  whole  front. 

As  early  as  ten  o'clock  A.  M.,  Major  General  Breckinridge  was 
called  on  for  one  brigade,  and,  soon  after,  for  a  second,  to  reinforce  or 
act  as  a  reserve  to  Lieutenant  General  Hardee.  His  reply  to  the  first 
call  represented  the  enemy  crossing  Stone  River  in  heavy  force,  in  his 
immediate  front ;  and  on  receiving  the  second  order,  he  informed  me 
that  they  had  already  crossed  in  heavy  force,  and  were  advancing  to 
attack  his  lines.  He  was  immediately  ordered  not  to  await  attack,  but 
to  advance  and  meet  them.  About  this  same  time  a  report  reached  me 
that  a  heavy  force  of  the  enemy's  infantry  was  advancing  on  the 
Lebanon  road,  about  five  miles  in  Breckinridge's  front,  Brigadier 
General  Pegram,  who  had  been  sent  to  that  road,  to  cover  the  flank  of 
the  infantry  with  his  cavalry  brigade — save  two  regiments  detached 
with  Wheeler  and  Wharton — was  ordered  forward  immediately  to 
develop  any  such  movement.  The  orders  for  the  two  brigades  from 
Breckinridge  were  countermanded,  while  dispositions  were  made,  at 
his  request,  to  reinforce  him.  Before  they  could  be  carried  out.  the 
movement  ordered  disclosed  the  fact  that  no  force  had  crossed  Stone 
River,  that  the  only  enemy  in  our  immediate  front  there  was  a  small 
body  of  sharpshooters,  and  that  there  was  no  advance  on  tho  Lebanon 
road.  These  unfortunate  misapprehensions  on  that  part  of  the  field, 
which,  with  proper  precaution,  could  not  have  existed,  withheld  from 
active  operation  three  fine  brigades,  until  the  enemy  had  succeeded  in 


470  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

checking  our  progress,  had  reestablished  his  lines,  and  had  collected 
many  of  his  broken  battalions. 

Having  now  settled  the  question  that  no  movement  was  being  made 
against  our  right,  and  none  even  to  be  apprehended,  Breckinridge  was 
ordered  to  leave  two  brigades  to  support  the  batteries  at  "  A,"  on  his 
side  of  Stone  River,  and  with  the  balance  of  the  force  to  cross  to  the 
left  and  report  to  Lieutenant  General  Polk.  By  the  time  this  could  be 
accomplished  it  was  too  late  to  send  this  force  to  Lieutenant  General 
Hardee's  support,  who  was  unable  to  make  further  progress,  and  he 
was  directed  to  maintain  his  position.  Polk  was  directed,  with  these 
reinforcements,  to  throw  all  the  force  he  could  collect  upon  the  enemy's 
extreme  left,  and  thereby  either  carry  that  strong  point,  which  had  so 
far  resisted  us  successfully,  or,  failing  in  that,  at  least  to  draw  off  from 
Hardee's  front  the  formidable  opposition  there  concentrated. 

The  three  brigades  of  Jackson,  Preston  and  Adams,  were  successively 
reported  for  this  work.  How  gallantly  they  moved  to  their  work,  and 
how  much  they  suffered  in  the  determined  effort  to  accomplish  it,  will 
best  appear  from  the  reports  of  subordinate  commanders,  and  the  state 
ment  of  losses  therewith.  Upon  this  flank — their  strongest  defensive 
position  resting  on  the  river  bank — the  enemy  had  concentrated  not 
less  than  twenty  pieces  of  artillery,  masked  almost  entirely  from  view, 
but  covering  an  open  space  in  front  of  several  hundred  yards,  sup 
ported  right,  left  and  rear  by  heavy  masses  of  infantry. 

The  position  proved  impenetrable,  and,  after  two  unsuccessful  efforts, 
the  attempt  to  carry  it  by  infantry  was  abandoned.  Our  heaviest  bat 
teries  of  artillery  and  rifled  guns  of  long  range  were  now  concentrated 
in  front,  and  their  fires  opened  on  this  position.  After  a  cannonade  of 
some  time,  the  enemy's  fire  slackened,  and  finally  closed  near  night 
fall.  Lieutenant  General  Hardee  had  slightly  retired  his  line  from  the 
furthest  point  he  had  attained,  for  better  position  and  cover,  without 
molestation  from  the  enemy. 

Lieutenant  General  Polk's  infantry,  including  the  three  reinforced 
brigades,  uniting  their  front  with  Hardee's  right,  and  extending  to 
our  extreme  right  flank,  formed  a  continuous  line,  very  nearly  perpen 
dicular  to  the  original  line  of  battle,  thus  leaving  nearly  the  Avhole 
field,  with  all  its  trophies,  the  enemy's  dead  and  many  of  his  wounded, 
his  hospitals  and  stores,  in  our  possession.  The  body  of  Brigadier 
General  Sill,  one  of  their  division  commanders,  was  found  where  he  had 
fallen,  and  was  sent  to  town  and  decently  interred,  although  he  had 
forfeited  all  claim  to  such  consideration  by  the  acts  of  cruelty,  barbarity 
and  atrocity  but  a  few  days  before  committed,  under  his  authority,  on 
the  women  and  children  and  old  men  living  near  the  road  on  which  he 
had  made  a  reconnoissance. 

During  the  afternoon  Brigadier  General  Pegram,  discovering  a 
hospital  and  large  numbers  of  stragglers  in  the  rear  of  the  enemy's 
lines  and  across  Stone  River,  charged  them  with  his  cavalry,  and 
captured  about  one  hundred  and  seventy  prisoners. 

Both  armies,  exhausted  by  a  conflict  of  full  ten  hours  duration, 
rarely  surpassed  for  its  continued  intensity  and  heavy  losses  sustained, 
sank  to  rest  with  the  sun,  and  perfect  quiet  prevailed  for  the  night. 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS.  471 

At  dawn  on  Thursday  morning,  the  first  of  January,  orders  were  sent 
to  the  several  commanders  to  press  forward  their  skirmishers,  feel  the 
enemy,  and  report  any  change  in  his  position.  Major  General  Breck- 
inridge  had  been  transferred  to  the  right  of  Stone  River,  to  resume  the 
command  of  that  position,  now  held  by  two  of  his  brigades.  It  was 
soon  reported  that  no  change  had  occurred,  except  the  withdrawal  of 
the  enemy  from  the  advanced  position  occupied  by  his  left  flank. 
Finding,  upon  further  examination,  that  this  was  the  case,  the  right 
flank  of  Lieutenant  General  Folk's  corps  was  thrown  forward  to  occupy 
the  ground  for  which  we  had  so  obstinately  contended  the  evening 
before.  This  shortened  our  lines  considerably,  and  gave  us  possession 
of  the  center  battle-field,  from  which  we  gleaned  the  spoils  and  trophies 
throughout  the  day,  and  transferred  them  rapidly  to  the  rear. 

A  careful  reconnoissance  of  the  enemy's  position  was  ordered,  and 
the  most  of  the  cavalry  was  put  in  motion  for  the  roads  in  his  rear^  to 
cut  off  his  trains  and  develop  any  movement.  It  was  soon  ascertained 
that  he  was  still  in  very  heavy  force  all  along  our  front,  occupying  a 
position  strong  by  nature  and  improved  by  such  work  as  could  be 
done  by  night  by  his  reserves. 

In  a  short  time  reports  from  the  cavalry  informed  me  that  heavy 
trains  were  moving  toward  Nashville,  some  of  the  wagons  loaded,  and 
all  the  ambulances  filled  with  wounded.  These  were  attacked  at 
different  places,  many  wagons  destroyed,  and  hundreds  of  prisoners 
paroled.  No  doubt  this  induced  the  enemy  to  send  large  escorts  of 
cavalry,  and  artillery  and  infantry  with  later  trains,  and  thus  the 
impression  was  made  on  our  ablest  commanders  that  a  retrograde 
movement  was  going  on. 

Our  forces,  greatly  wearied  and  much  reduced  by  heavy  losses,  were 
held  ready  to  avail  themselves  of  any  change  in  the  enemy's  position  ; 
but  it  was  deemed  unadvisable  to  assail  him  as  there  established.  The 
whole  day,  after  these  dispositions,  was  passed  without  an  important 
movement  on  either  side,  and  was  consumed  by  us  in  gleaning  the 
battle-field,  burying  the  dead,  and  replenishing  ammunition. 

At  daylight  on  Friday,  the  2d,  orders  to  feel  the  enemy  and  ascer 
tain  his  position  were  repeated  with  the  same  result.  The  cavalry 
brigades  of  Wheeler  and  Wharton  had  returned  during  the  night, 
greatly  exhausted  from  long  continued  service,  with  but  little  rest  or 
food  to  either  man  or  horse.  Both  the  commanders  reported  the  indi 
cations  from  the  enemy's  movements  the  same.  Allowing  them  only  a 
few  hours  to  feed  and  rest,  and  sending  the  two  detached  regiments 
back  to  Pegram's  brigade,  Wharton  was  ordered  to  the  right  bank 
across  Stone  River,  immediately  in  Brcckinridge's  front.  Reconnois- 
sances  by  several  staff  officers  soon  developed  the  fact  that  a  division 
had  quietly  crossed  unopposed,  and  established  themselves  on  and 
under  cover  of  an  eminence  from  which  Lieutenant  General  Folk's  line 
was  commanded  and  enfiladed.  The  dislodgement  of  this  force  or  the 
withdrawal  of  Folk's  line,  was  an  evident  necessity.  The  latter 
involved  consequences  not  to  be  entertained.  Orders  were  conse 
quently  given  for  the  concentration  of  the  whole  of  General  Breckin- 
ridge's  division,  in  front  of  the  position  to  be  taken,  the  addition  to  his 
command  of  the  ten  Napoleon  guns,  twelve-pounders,  under  Captain 


472  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

F.  H.  Robertson,  an  able  and  accomplished  artillery  officer,  and  for  the 
cavalry  forces  of  Wharton  and  Pegram,  about  two  thousand  men,  to  join 
in  his  attack  on  the  right.  Major  General  Breckinridgc  was  sent  for,  and 
advised  of  the  movement  and  its  objects,  the  securing  and  holding  the 
position  which  protected  Polk  s  flank,  and  gave  us  command  of  the 
enemy's,  by  which  to  enfilade  him.  He  was  informed  of  the  disposi 
tion  of  the  forces  placed  at  his  disposal,  and  instructed  with  them  to 
drive  the  enemy  back,  crown  the  hill,  intrench  his  artillery,  and  hold 
the  position. 

To  distract  their  attention  from  our  real  object,  a  heavy  fire  was 
ordered  to  be  opened  from  Folk's  front,  at  the  exact  hour  at  which  the 
movement  was  to  begin.  At  other  points,  throughout  both  lines,  all 
was  quiet.  General  Breckinridge,  at  three  P.  M.,  reported  he  would 
advance  at  four.  Folk's  batteries  promptly  opened  fire,  and  were  soon 
answered  by  the  enemy.  A  heavy  cannonade  of  some  fifteen  minutes 
was  succeeded  by  the  musketry,  which  soon  became  general.  The  con 
test  was  short  and  severe;  the  enemy  was  driven  back,  and  the  emi 
nence  gained;  but  the  movement,  as  a  whole,  was  a  failure,  and  the 
position  was  again  yielded.  Our  forces  were  moved,  unfortunately, 
to  the  left  so  far  as  to  throw  a  portion  of  them  into  and  over  Stone 
River,  where  they  encountered  heavy  masses  of  the  enemy,  while  those 
against  whom  they  were  intended  to  operate  on  our  side  of  the  river 
had  a  destructive  enfilade  on  ovir  whole  line.  Our  reserved  line  was 
so  close  to  the  front  as  to  receive  the  enemy's  fire,  and,  returning  it, 
took  their  friends  in  the  rear.  The  cavalry  force  was  left  entirely  out 
of  the  action. 

Learning  from  my  own  staff  officers,  sent  to  the  scene,  of  the  dis 
orderly  retreat  being  made  by  General  Breckinridge's  division,  Brig- 
dier  General  Patton  Anderson's  fine  brigade  of  Mississippians,  the 
nearest  body  of  troops,  was  promptly  ordered  to  the  relief.  On  reach 
ing  the  field  and  moving  forward,  Anderson  found  himself  in  front  of 
Breckinridge's  infantry,  and  soon  encountered  the  enemy's  light  troops 
close  upon  our  artillery,  which  had  been  left  without  support.  This 
noble  brigade,  under  its  cool  and  gallant  chief,  drove  the  enemy  back, 
and  saved  all  the  guns  not  captured  before  its  arrival,  Captain  F.  H. 
Robertson,  after  the  disabling  wound  received  by  Major  Graves,  General 
Breckinridge's  gallant  and  efficient  Chief  of  Artillery,  took  the  entire 
charge  of  the  artillery  of  the  division,  in  addition  to  his  own.  To  his 
gallantry,  energy  and  fearlessness,  is  due  the  smallness  of  our  loss 
sustained  before  the  arrival  of  support — only  three  guns.  His  report 
will  show  the  important  part  he  played  in  this  attack  and  repulse. 
Before  the  end  of  the  whole  movement,  it  was  quite  dark.  Anderson's 
command  held  a  position  next  the  enemy,  corresponding  nearly  with 
our  original  line,  while  Breckinridge's  brigade  commanders  collected 
their  men,  as  far  as  practicable  in  the  darkness,  and  took  irregular 
positions  on  Anderson's  left  and  rear.  At  daylight  in  the  morning 
they  were  moved  forward  to  the  front,  and  the  whole  line  was  reestab- 
lished  without  opposition.  During  the  night  Major  General  Cleborne's 
division  was  re-transferred  to  its  original  position  on  the  right,  and 
Lieutenant  General  Hardee  directed  to  resume  his  command  there,  and 
restore  our  line. 


OFFICIAL   REPORTS.  473 

On  Saturday  morning,  the  3d,  our  forces  had  been  in  line  of  battle 
five  days  and  nights,  with  but  little  rest.  Having  no  reserves,  their 
baggage  and  tents  had  been  loaded,  and  the  wagons  were  four  miles 
off;  their  provisions,  if  cooked  at  all,  were  most  improperly  prepared 
with  scanty  means;  the  weather  had  been  severe  from  cold  and  alrno-t 
constant  rain,  and  we  had  no  change  of  clothing,  and  in  many  places 
could  not  have  fire.  The  necessary  consequence  was  the  great 
exhaustion  of  both  officers  and  men,  many  having,  to  be  sent  to  the  hos 
pitals  in  the  rear,  and  more  still  were  beginning  to  straggle  from  their 
commands,  an  evil  from  which  we  had  so  far  suffered  but  little.  Dur 
ing  the  whole  of  this  day  the  rain  continued  to  fall  with  little  inter 
mission,  and  the  rapid  rise  in  Stone  River  indicated  that  it  soon  would 
be  unfoi-dable.  Late  on  Tuesday  night  I  had  received  the  captured 
papers  of  Major  General  McCook,  commanding  one  corps  d'armee  of  the 
enemy,  showing  their  effective  strength  to  have  been  very  nearly,  if 
not  quite,  seventy  thousand  men.  Before  noon,  reports  from  Brigadier 
General  Wheeler  satisfied  me  that  the  enemy,  instead  of  retiring,  was 
receiving  reinforcements. 

Common  prudence  and  the  safety  of  my  army,  upon  which  even  the 
safety  of  our  cause  depended,  left  no  doubt  in  my  mind  as  to  the 
necessity  of  my  withdrawal  from  so  unequal  a  contest.  My  orders 
were  accordingly  given  about  noon  for  the  movement  of  the  trains  and 
for  the  necessary  preparations  of  troops. 

Under  the  efficient  management  of  the  different  staff  departments, 
everything  had  been  secured  and  transfei*red  to  the  rear,  including 
prisoners,  captured  artillery,  small  arms,  subsistence,  means  of  trans 
portation,  and  nearly  all  of  our  wounded  able  to  bear  moving.  No 
movements  were  made  by  the  troops  on  either  side  during  this  most 
inclement  day,  save  just  at  night,  when  a  sharp  skirmish  occurred 
between  Folk's  right  and  the  enemy's  left  flank,  resulting  in  nothing 
decisive.  The  only  question  with  me  was,  whether  the  movements 
should  be  made  at  once  or  delayed  twenty-four  hours  to  save  a  few  of 
our  wounded.  As  it  was  probable  we  should  lose  by  exhaustion  as 
many  as  we  should  remove  of  the  wounded,  my  inclination  to  remain 
was  yielded.  The  whole  force,  except  the  cavalry,  was  put  in  motion 
at  eleven  o'clock  P.  M.,  and  the  army  retired  in  perfect  order  to  its 
present  position,  behind  Duck  River,  without  receiving  or  giving  a 
shot.  Our  cavalry  held  the  position  before  Murfreesboro  until  Mon- 
da}r  morning,  the  5th,  when  it  quietly  retired,  as  ordered,  to  cover  our 
front. 

We  left  about  one  thousand  two  hundred  badly  wounded,  one-half 
of  whom,  we  learn,  have  since  died  from  the  severity  of  their  injuries; 
about  three  hundred  sick,  too  feeble  to  bear  transportation;  and  about 
two  hundred  well  men  and  medical  officers  as  their  attendants.  [The 
real  number  was  two  thousand  eight  hundred. — Author  of  Rosecrans' 
Campaign.]  In  addition  to  this,  the  enemy  had  captured  about  eight 
hundred  prisoners  from  us.  As  the  one  thousand  two  hundred  wounded 
are  counted  once  under  that  head  among  our  losses,  they  should  be 
excluded  from  the  general  total. 

As  an  offset  to  this  loss," we  had  secured,  as  will  appear  from  the 
report  of  my  Inspector  General,  considerably  over  six  thousand  prison- 

40 


474  OFFICIAL    REPORTS. 

ers  ;  had  captured  over  thirty  pieces  of  artillery,  six  thousand  stand 
of  small  arms,  ambulances,  mules,  and  harness,  with  a  lai-ge  amount 
of  valuable  property,  all  of  which  was  secured  and  appropriated  to 
proper  uses.  Beside  all  this  secured,  we  had  burned  not  less  than 
eight  hundred  wagons,  mostly  laden  with  various  articles,  such  as 
arms,  ammunition,  provisions,  baggage,  clothing,  medicines  and 
hospital  stores.  We  had  lost  three  pieces  of  artillery  only,  all  in 
Breckinridge's  repulse.  A  number  of  stands  of  colors — nine  of  which 
are  forwarded  with  this  report — were  also  captured  on  the  field.  Others 
known  to  have  been  taken  were  not  sent  in. 

The  number  of  fighting  men  we  had  on  the  field,  on  the  morning 
of  the  31st  of  December,  was  less  than  thirty-five  thousand,  of  which 
about  thirty  thousand  were  infantry  and  artillery. 

Among  the  gallant  dead  the  nation  is  called  to  mourn,  none  could 
have  fallen  more  honored  or  regretted  than  Brigadier  Generals  James 
E.  Rains  and  R.  W.  Hanson.  They  yielded  their  lives  in  the  heroic 
discharge  of  duty,  and  leave  their  honored  names  as  a  rich  legacy  to 
their  descendants.  Brigadier  General  James  R.  Chalmers  and  D.  W. 
Adams  received  disabling  wounds  on  Wednesday,  I  arn  happy  to  say 
not  serious,  but  which  deprived  us  of  their  valuable  services.  Having 
been  under  my  immediate  command  since  the  beginning  of  the  war,  I 
can  bear  evidence  to  their  devotion  and  to  the  conspicuous  gallantry 
which  has  marked  their  services  on  every  field. 

For  the  sacred  names  of  other  heroes  and  patriots  of  lower  grades, 
who  gave  their  lives,  illustrating  the  character  of  the  Confederate 
soldier  on  this  bloody  field,  I  must  refer  to  the  reports  of  subordinate 
commanders,  and  to  the  list  which  will  be  submitted.  Our  loss,  it  will 
be  seen,  exceeded  ten  thousand,  nine  thousand  of  ivhom  were  killed  and 
wounded. 

The  enemy's  loss  we  have  no  means  of  knowing  with  certainty.  One 
corps,  commanded  by  Major  General  Thomas  J.  Crittenden,  which  was 
least  exposed  in  the  engagement,  reports  over  five  thousand  killed  and 
wounded.  As  they  had  two  other  corps  and  a  separate  division,  third 
of'a  corps,  and  their  cavalry,  it  is  safely  estimated  at  three  thousand 
killed  and  sixteen  thousand  wounded  ;  adding  six  thousand  two 
hundred  and  seventy-three  prisoners,  and  we  have  a  total  of  twenty-five 
thousand  two  hundred  and  seventy-three. 

Lieutenant  Generals  L.  Polk  and  W.  J.  Hardee,  commanding  corps, 
Major  Generals  J.  M.  Withers  and  P.  R.  Cleborne,  commanding  divi 
sions,  are  especially  commended  to  the  Government  for  the  valor,  skill 
and  ability  displayed  by  them  throughout  the  engagement. 

Brigadier  General  J.  Pat  ton  Anderson,  for  the  coolness,  judgment, 
and  courage  with  which  he  interposed  his  brigade  between  our  retreat 
ing  forces  and  the  enemy,  largely  superior  to  him,  on  Friday  evening, 
and  saved  our  artillery,  is  justly  entitled  to  special  mention. 

Brigadier  Generals  Joseph  Wheeler  and  John  II.  Wharton,  com 
manding  cavalry  brigades,  were  preeminently  distinguished  through 
out  the  action,  as  they  had  been  for  a  month  previous,  in  many 
successive  actions  writh  the  enemy.  Under  their  skillful  and  gallant 
lead,  the  reputation  of  our  cavalry  has  been  greatly  enhanced. 


OFFICIAL  REPORTS.  475 

For  the  just  commendation  of  many  other  officers,  many  of  whom 
were  preeminently  distinguished,  I  must  refer  to  the  reports  of  their 
more  immediate  commanders. 

To  the  private  soldier  a  fair  meed  of  praise  is  due;  and,  though  it  is 
seldom  given,  and  so  rarely  expected  that  it  may  be  considered  out 
of  place,  I  can  not,  in  justice  to  myself,  withhold  the  opinion  ever 
entertained,  and  so  often  expressed,  during  our  struggle  for  independ 
ence.  In  the  absence  of  the  instruction  and  discipline  of  old  armies, 
and  of  the  confidence  which  long  association  produces  between  vet 
erans,  we  have,  in  a  great  measure,  to  trust  to  the  individuality  and 
self-reliance  of  the  private  soMier.  Without  the  incentive  or  the 
motive  which  controls  the  officer,  who  hopes  to  live  in  history, 
without  the  hope  of  reward,  and  actuated  only  by  a  sense  of  duty  and 
patriotism,  he  has,  in  this  great  contest,  justly  judged  that  the  cause 
was  his  own,  and  gone  into  it  with  a  determination  to  conquer  or  die, 
to  be  free  or  not  to  be  at  all.  No  enconium  is  too  high,  no  honor  too 
great  for  such  a  soldiery.  However  much  of  credit  and  glory  may  be 
given,  and  probably  justly  given  to  the  leaders  in  our  struggle,  history 
will  yet  award  the  main  honor  where  it  is  due — to  the  private  soldier, 
who,  without  hope  of  reward,  and  with  no  other  incentive  than  a  con 
sciousness  of  rectitude,  has  encountered  all  the  hardships  and  suffered 
all  the  privations.  Well  has  it  been  said:  "The  first  monument  our 
Confederacy  rears  when  our  independence  shall  have  been  won,  should 
be  a  lofty  shaft,  pure  and  spotless,  bearing  this  inscription,  'To  the 
unknown  and  unrecorded  dead."' 

The  members  of  my  staff  arduously  engaged  in  their  several  duties 
before,  during  and  since  the  prolonged  engagement,  are  deserving  a 
mention  in  this  report. 

Lieutenant  Colonels  George  G.  Gardner  and  G.  W.  Brent  and  Captain 
P.  Thompson,  Adjutant  Inspector  General  s  department;  First  Lieu 
tenants  Towson  Ellis  and  F.  S.  Parker,  regular  Airldecamps;  Lieuten 
ant  Colonel  Beard,  Inspector  General;  Lieutenant  Colonels  A.  J.  Hay? 
and  P.  A.  May;  Major  James  Stainbridge,  Louisiana  Infantry,  and 
Major  Wm.  Clarelate,  Seventh  Alabama  Volunteers.  Adjutant  Assistant 
Inspector  Generals;  Lieutenant  Colonel  L.  W.  O'Bannow,  Chief  Quar 
termaster;  Major  J.  J.  Walker,  Chief  Commissary;  Majors  F.  Molloy 
and  G.  M.  Hillyer,  Assistants;  Lieutenant  Colonel  H.  Aladowski,  Chief 
of  Ordnance;  Captain  W.  H.  Warren  and  0.  T.  Gibbs  and  Lieutenant 
W.  F.  Johnson,  Assistants;  Captain  S.  W.  Steelc,  Assistant  Chief  Engi 
neer,  and  Lieutenants  H.  C.  Forie,  and  II.  II.  Buchanan,  and  J.  R.  P. 
McFall;  Lieutenant  Colonel  J.  H.  Ilollinquist,  Acting  Chief  of  Artil- 
tery;  First  Lieutenant  R.  II.  Thompson,  Assistant  Surgeon;  A.  J. 
Foard,  Medical  Director;  Surgeon  E.  A.  Llewcllen.  Assistant  Medical 
Director;  Acting  Surgeon  T.  G.  Richardson,  attendant  on  myself,  staff 
and  esc/ort;  Colonel  David  Urquhart,  of  Louisiana:  J.  Stoddard  John 
ston,  of  Kentucky;  and  St.  Leger  Grenfel,  of  England,  the  two  former 
vo'unteer  aids,  long  on  my  staff,  serving  me  most  effectively;  Ahijor  K. 
W.  Baylor,  A.  Q.  M.;  Major  B.  0.  Kennedy,  A.  C.  S.,  and  Lieutenant 
William  M.  Bridges,  aiddecamp  to  the  late  Brigadier  General  Duncan, 
reported  just  before  the  engagement,  and  joined  my  staff,  on  which 


476  OFFICIAL   REPORTS. 

they  served  through  the  battle;  Colonel  M.  L.  Clark,  of  the  Artillery 
P.  A.,  did  me  the  favor  to  join  and  serve  on  my  staff  during  the 
engagement. 

His  Excellency  William  G.  Harris,  Governor  of  Tennessee,  and  the 
Hon.  Andrew  Ewing,  member  of  the  Military  Court,  volunteered  their 
services  and  rendered  me  efficient  aid,  especially  with  the  Tennessee 
troops,  largely  in  the  ascendant  in  the  army.  It  is  but  due  to  a  zealous  and 
efficient  laborer  in  our  cause,  that  I  here  bear  testimony  to  the  cordial 
support  given  me  at  all  times,  since  meeting  him  a  year  ago  in  West 
Tennessee,  by  His  Excellency  Governor  Harris.  From  the  field  of 
Shiloh,  where  he  received  in  his  arms  the  dying  form  of  the  lamented 
Johnson,  to  the  last  struggle  at  Murfreesboro,  he  has  been  one  of  us, 
and  has  shared  all  our  privations  and  dangers,  while  giving  us  his  per 
sonal  and  political  influence  with  all  the  power  he  possessed  at  the 
head  of  the  State  Government.  To  the  medical  department  of  the 
army,  under  the  able  administration  of  Surgeon  Foard.  great  credit  is 
due  for  the  success  which  attended  their  labors.  Sharing  none  of  the 
excitement  and  glory  of  the  field,  these  officers,  in  their  labor  of  love, 
devoted  themselves  assiduously  in  attending  the  sufferings  of  their 
brother  soldiers  at  war,  when  others  are  seeking  repose.  The  reports 
of  subordinate  commanders  have  been  specially  called  for,  and  are 
soon  expected,  when  they  will  be  promptly  forwarded. 

During  the  time  the  operations  at  Murfreesboro  were  being  con 
ducted,  important  expeditions  under  Brigadier  Generals  Forrest  and 
Morgan  were  absent  in  Wrest  Tennessee  and  Northern  Kentucky.  The 
reports  already  forwarded  show  the  complete  success  which  attended 
these  gallant  Brigadiers,  and  commend  them  to  the  confidence  of  the 
Government,  and  gratitude  of  the  country. 

I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

BRAXTON  BRAGG, 

General   Commanding. 
GENERAL  S.  COOPER,  Adjutant  General,  Richmond,  Va. 


Publications  of  Moore,    Witstach,  Keys  £   Co. 


:R,:D 

CYCLOPEDIA  OP  MODERN  TRAVEL. 

A  Record  of  Adventure,  Exploration  and  discovery  for  (he  past  fifty  years.  Comprising 
Narratives  of  the  most  distini/uished  Trawlers  since  the  bei/inning  of  this  Century.  Prepared 
and  arranged  by  Bayard  Taylor.  1  vol.  royal  8vo.  10.°.4  pp.  Embellished  with  fine  por 
traits  on  sti'el  by  BvJttre,  and  illustrated  bi/  over  si^ty  wood  engravings  by  Orr,  and  thirteen 
authentic  Naps  by  Schonberg.  Sold  by  canvassing  agents  only. 

A  magnificent  octavo  volume,  which  for  general  interest  and  value,  is  worthy  of  th< 
diotinguished  compiler,  and  equally  worthy  of  universal  patronage.  The  volume  reallj 
contains  the  value  of  a  whole  library,  reliable  as  a  book  of  reference,  and  as  interesting 
us  a  book  of  romance. — Springfield  (Mass.)  R»publican. 

The  popular  lectures  and  writings  of  Bayard  Taylor,  have  awakened  in  the  United 
States  a  thirst  for  information  respecting  foreign  countries  and  nations.  A  striking 
proof  of  this  is  given  in  the  fact  that  a  publishing  house  in  Cincinnati,  have  issued 
under  the  auspices  of  Bayard  Taylor,  a  volume  of  nearly  one  thousand  pp.,  devoted 
exclusively  to  records  of  travel.  These  Reports  are  perfectly  reliable;  the  matters  ot 
fact  of  each  explorer,  often  in  his  own  language,  are  condensed  into  a  consecutive  narra 
tive,  by  the  most  competent  living  author  in  the  same  department. — N.  Y.  Independent. 

TheVeading  public  owes  to  Bayard  Taylor  many  a  debt  for  rare  and  valuable  instruc 
tion,  most  agreeably  conveyed  ;  but  we  doubt  if  he  ever  performed  a  more  useful  service 
than  in  compiling  this  massive,  varied  and  most  valuable  volume.  The  entire  circle  of 
books  of  which  he  has  given  the  spirit  and  juice,  would  form  a  library ;  and  many  of 
them  are  now  almost  inaccessible.  Mr.  Taylor's  part  has  been  conscientiously  done.  It 
is  not  merely  a  work  of  selection  and  groupings ;  much  of  it  is  his  own  statement  of  the 
results  more  voluminously  given,  and  written  in  a  clear  and  elegant  style.  We  can  not 
but  regard  it  as  a  very  useful  as  well  as  entertaining  work,  well  adapted  to  communicate 
accurate  and  comprehensive  views  of  the  world,  and  supplying  for  families  an  almost 
inexhaustible  fund  of  pleasant  reading. — XT.  Y.  Evangelist. 

No  writer  of  the  present  age  can  be  found  so  admirably  qualified  for  such  an  under 
taking. — Louisville  Journal. 

Such  is  the  full  title-page  of  a  magnificent  octavo  volume  of  1034  pages,  just  issued. 
<t  $  *  \Vesaid  "a  magnificent  octavo."  It  is  so  whether  we  consider  its  contents,  or 
the  superb  style  in  which  the  publishers  have  gotten  it  up.  It  is  just  the  book  for  the 
family  library ;  all  classes  will  be  interested  in  its  perusal. — Ladies  Repository. 

The  conception  of  this  work  is  admirable ;  and  its  execution  is  what  might  be  expected 
from  one  of  the  most  accomplished  and  intelligent  travelers  of  the  age.  *  *  *  It  IB 
remarkable  for  compactness,  condensation  and  symmetry ;  and  whoever  will  take  the 
time  to  read  it  through,  will  possess  himself  of  an  amount  of  information,  in  respect  to 
the  physical,  intellectual,  and  moral  condition  of  almost  every  portion  of  the  globe, 
which  he  can  scarcely  expect  to  find  elsewhere.  The  work  is  illustrated  with  a  large 
number  of  maps  and  engravings,  which  are  executed  with  great  skill  and  care,  and  add 
much  to  the  interest  of  the  narratives  to  which  they  are  prefixed. — Puritan  Recorder. 

Mr.  Bayard  Taylor  is  the  very  Ulysses  of  modern  tourists,  and  Emperor  Adrian  of 
living  ramblers— and  so  is  qualified  to  edit,  or  compile  from  the  works  of  other  travelers. 
*  *  *  It  is  but  the  merest  justice  to  say,  that  Mr.  Taylor  has  done  all  that  even  an 
uneasily  satisfied  reader  could  expect,  to  produce  a  capital  book. — Boston  Chronicle. 

Apart  from  the  confidence  inspired  by  the  name  of  the  writer,  it  needs  but  a  brief 
explanation  of  its  contents  to  show  that  it  forms  a  highly  important  addition  to  the 
family  library.  Its  pages  are  crowded  with  interesting  information. — N.  Y.  Trilmne. 

From  Professor  G.  C.  Fulton  of  Harvard  University. 

A  scholar,  traveler  and  writer,  having  a' reputation  so  deservedly  high  in  this  three 
fold  relation  as  Bayard  Taylor,  may  be  presumed  to  give  his  name  only  to  works  worthy 
of  it.  The  present  volume  I  have  examined  carefully,  and  have  read  a  considerable  part 
of  it;  and  I  have  found  it  prepared  and  arranged  with  excellent  judgment,  and  filled 
with  matter  of  the  highest  intei-est  and  value.  Both  the  plan  and  execution  are  in  my 
judgment  marked  by  ability,  extensive  knowledge,  good  taste,  and  good  sense. 
From  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes,  M.  D.,  Author  of  "Tlie  Autocrat  of  the  Breakfast  Table,'"  etc. 
Mr.  Bayard  Taylor  has  done  the  reading  public  a  great  favor  in  bringing  together  the 
most  essential  and  interesting  portions  of  so  many  narratives  within  a  very  moderate 
compass,  and  in  such  a  form  as  to  be  accessible  to  multitudes  whose  libraries  must  take 
little  room  and  cost  but  moderate  expenditure.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  no  man's  selection 
would  be  accepted  so  unhesitatingly  in  America  as  those  of  our  own  favorite  travel 
Btory-teller. 

From  Hon.  Robert  C.  Winlhrop,  of  Boston,  formerly  Speaker  House  of  Representatives,  U.  8 
I  have  examined  it  with  great  interest.     It  contains  a  large  amount  of  entertaining 
aud  instructive  matter,  very  conveniently  and  carefully  arranged ;  and  I  shall  value  it 
as  a  work  both  for  present  reading  aud  future  reference. 


Publications  of  Moore,   Wilstach,  Keys  &  Co. 

THE  SCIENCE  OF  EDUCATION; 

AND  ART  OF  TEACHING.     IN  Two  PARTS.    BY  JOHN  OGDEN,  A.  M. 

1  Vol.,  12mo.  480  pp.     Price,  SI. 25. 

It  is  proper  to  say  that  Mr.  Ogden  has,  for  the  last  six  or  seven  years,  been  engaged 
almost  exclusively  with  Teachers  and  in  Normal  Schools. 

NOTICES. 

From  the  Rev.  Wm.  Russell,  State  Educational  Lecturer,  Massachusetts. 
The  truly  philosophical  and  thoroughly  practical  methods  of  early  culture,  suggested 
to  the  primary  teacher,  if  faithfully  acted   on,  would   make   our  elementary  schools 
scenes  of  the  most  attractive  and  delightful,  as  well  aa  instructive,   occupation   for 
childhood. 

From  Wm.  F.  Phelps,  A.  M.,  Principal  of  the  N.  J.  Slate  Normal  School. 

MY  DEAR  SIR: — Allow  me  to  say  that,  in  my  humble  judgment,  you  have  struck  the 
right  vein,  both  in  the  conception  and  execution  of  your  ideas  regarding  the  Philosophy  ol 
Teaching.  You  afford  a  splendid  contribution  to  our  limited  means  for  the  training  of 
Teachers.  A  good  scholar  merely  has  fulfilled  only  one  of  the  conditions  essential  to  a 
good  educator.  What  we  most  need  is  a  clear  elucidation  and  a  scientific  classification 
of  the  principles  of  education,  so  that  they  may  be  mastered  and  applied  to  the  rearing 
and  training  of  rational  and  immortal  beings.  I  need  not  assure  you  that  this  task  you 
have,  according  to  my  notions,  most  happily  executed.  The  application  of  diagrams  to 
the  work  seems  to  mo  to  be  a  happy  thought,  addressing  the  subject  to  that  most  perfect 
of  all  senses,  the  sense  of  sight. 

From  Cyrus  Knowlton,  Esq.,  Principal  of  Hughes  Hiyh  School,  Cincinnati. 

It  is  by  far  the  best  work  of  the  kind  with  which  I  am  acquainted. 

From  A.  J.  Eickoff,  late  Superintendent  of  Cincinnati  Public  Schools. 
MESSRS.  MOORE,  WILSTACH,  KEYS  &  Co.  : 

I  have  given  attention  to  every  work  announced  in  England  or  this  country,  treating 
upon  this  subject  ;  and  I  may  say,  without  hesitation,  that  Mr.  Ogden's  treatise  is,  in 
its  conception  and  arrangement,  the  most  scientific  among  them  all.  It  can  not  be  read 
by  the  teacher  without  great  practical  advantage;  it  will  prepare  him  for  the  business 
of  the  schoolroom;  it  \\ill  give  new  direction  to  his  speculations;  it  will,  I  believe, 
greatly  assist  to  establish  the  business  of  teaching  as  a  profession. 

Schoolmasters  owe  it  to  themselves  and  their  profession,  to  give  this  book  a  circula 
tion  never  yet  reached  by  any  of  a  similar  character.     Its  use  should  not  be  confined  to 
teachers  alone.     It  should  find  a  place  in  the  library  of  every  family,  as  the  most  valua 
ble  contribution  yet  made  in  our  language  for  the  advancement  of  education. 
OGDEN  ON   EDUCATION, 

Is  a  very  full  and  systematic  work  on  the  general  subject  of  education,  full  of  sug 
gestive  thoughts,  tersely  expressed.  They  deserve  and  demand  proper  consideration, 
seasoned  by  that  confidence  in  their  author  which  his  evident  carefulness  and  experience 
beget. — Rhode  Island  Schoolmaster. 

Is  just  the  hand-book  for  teachers  who  intend  to  be  thorough  and  foremost  in  their 
profession.  Intelligent  parents  would  find  it  an  interesting  and  valuable  aid  in  the 
hours  when  they  "ponder  in  their  hearts"  how  to  bring  up  children. — Toronto  (G.  W.) 
Colonist. 

A  very  elaborate,  philosophical,  and  thorough  work  on  a  great  subject,  too  much 
overlooked  by  thinking  men.  *  *  *  Must  be  immensely  valuable  to  every  parent 
and  teacher. — N.  Y.  Observer. 

Contains,  in  a  single  volume,  a  great  deal  of  valuable  material.  The  whole  subject  of 
human  culture  is  laid  before  the  reader,  and  treated  in  simple  yet  comprehensive  Ian 
guage.  .*  *  *  Parents  and  teachers  should  be  induced  to  study  this-excellent  work.— 
Mass.  Teacher. 

Has  many  features,  both  novel  and  ingenious,  which  entitle  it  to  consideration  as  an 
original  work. — New  York  Century. 

Enters  very  fully  and  closely  into  the  Philosophy  of  teaching.— Philadelphia  Press. 

Is  a  sound,  judicious  and  original  work.  It  does  not  deal  in  commonly-received 
notions,  but  really  enters  into  the  profound  themes,  upon  which  it  treats  with  great 
strength  of  thought,  keenness  of  perception,  and  practical  skill. — Zion's  Herald,  Boston. 

It  is  the  only  work  extant  that  can  pretend  to  a  full  and  complete  system  of  instruc 
tion.  Much  has  previously  been  written  on  the  subject  that  is  valuable,  which  had 
failed,  however,  in  a  great  measure,  to  become  available,  because  of  the  absence  of  sys 
tem,  and  a  failure  even  to  recognize  a  systematic  arrangement  as  a  desideratum.  Mr. 
Ogcleu  approximates  more  nearly  a  scientific  treatment  of  his  subject  than  any  author 
wo  have  met. — loiva  Instructor  and  School  Journal. 


Publications  of  Moore,  Wilstach,  Keys  &  Co. 


We  recommend  all  the  boys  in  the  land  to  get  these  books  and  read  them.— 
Pittsburg  Gazette. 

MAN-OF-WAR  LIFE, 

A  Boy's  Experience  in  the  United  States  Navy.    By  CHARLES   NORDHOFF.    fkventh 
Edition.     One  volume,  lG??io.,  illustrated.     Muslin,  75  cents.    Muslin,  gilt,  $1. 

THE  MERCHANT  VESSEL, 

A  Sailor  Boy's  Voyage  to  ffte  the  World.     By  CHARLES  NORDHOFF.     Seventh  Edition. 
One  volume,  ICmo.,  illustrated.     Muslin,  75  cents.     Muslin,  gilt,  $1. 

WHALING  AND  FISHING, 

By  CHARLES  NORDHOFF,  Author  of  "  Man-of-  War  Li/*."  "T fie  Merchant  Vessel,"  etc. 
One  volume,  IQmo.,  illustrated.    Muslin,  15  cents. 

A  writer  who  is  destined  to  cheer  the  family  circle  in  _•  any  thousand  houses  on 
many  a  winter  night.  He  writes  well — admirably;  that  is,  fiimply  and  truthfully, 
and  in  a  very  interesting  way  indeed.  He  tells  the  story  of  the  vicissitudes,  as  well 
as  the  pleasures,  of  the  Tile  of  the  boy  or  man  before  the  mast,  EO  that  no  youth  who 
longs  to  be  on  the  "deep  blue  sea"  may  hereafter  say  that  it  was  out  of  his  power 
.o  learn  precisely  what  he  would  have  to  encounter  on  becoming  a  sailor.  The  moral 
•f  the  work  is  excellent,  and  its  style  pithy  and  descriptive. — Washington  Star. 

Full  of  variety,  and  adapted  to  awaken  the  interest  of  young  people  in  traveling 
adventure,  while  it  must  greatly  extend  their  geographical  knowledge. — N.  Y.  Times. 

Very  striking  and  graphic  pictures  of  the  life  at  sea,  evidently  authentic  and  very 

instructive lias  adventure  enough  to  please,  yet  truth  enough  to  dissipate 

the  charm  of  a  sailor's  life. — N.  Y.  Evangelist. 

There  is  in  them  a  vast  amount  of  information  respecting  the  commerce  of  the 
world. — Presbyterian  Witness. 

These  books  are  not  for  mere  children,  but  for  lads  of  some  years  and  discretion. 
They  are  remarkably  well  written. — N.  Y.  Independent. 

One  of  the  best  and  truest  descriptions  of  seamen  and  of  a  seaman's  life  eve 
given  tc  the  public,  and  the  reader  is  only  left  to  wonder  why  one  who  can  write  so 

remarkably  well,  had  ever  any  thing  to  do  with  the  rigging He  describes  the 

various  countries  which  he  visited  so  far  only,  be  it  remembered,  as  they  fell  under 
his  own  observation — and  this  careful  restriction  and  regard  to  the  truth  forms  one 
of  the  principal  charms  of  the  works. — Boston  Traveler. 

Has  a  flue  eye  for  observation  and  excellent  descriptive  powers. — Louisville  Cour. 

Multitudes  of  young  readers  will  delight  in  these  books. — Presbyterian  Banner. 

Since  Dana's  "Two  Years  Bulb  re  the  Ma^t,"  we  do  not  call  to  mind  anymore 
admirable  descriptions  of  a  sailor's  life  at  sea  than  are  contained  in  these  graphic 
volumes.  Herman  Melville's  nautical  narratives  are  more  highly  spiced  with 
piquant  descriptive  scenes,  it  is  true,  but  for  quiet,  absorbing,  and,  as  far  as  lands 
men  can  judge,  faithful  accounts  of  life  on  shipboard,  commend  us  to  this  anony 
mous  author.  He  somewhat  resembles  Capt.  Basil  Hall  in  his  lively  pictures  of  the 
routine  of  sea  service,  but  he  is  not  so  rambling  nor  so  flippant  as  that  celebrated 
"old  salt."— N.  Y.  Tribune. 

It  (Man-of- War  Life)  is  excellently  well  written,  is  characterized  by  a  high  moral 
tone,  and  impresses  the  reader  with  the  truthfulness  of  its  sketches,  while  it  has  all. 
the  fascination  of  a  romance.  It  is  by  far  the  best  book  for  boys  that  we  have  ever 
Been.  It  both  instructs  and  amuses  them.  Indeed,  there  are  few  men  who  win 
commence  this  book  and  lay  it  down  unfinished. — Lexington  Ky.,  Statesman. 

Mr.  Nordhoff  is  a  young  writer  who  has  seen  every  variety  of  sea  life,  from  the 
artistic  organization  of  the  Man-of-War  to  the  rough  and  tumble  arrangements  of  a 
Nantuoket  whaler;  and  without  assuming  any  of  the  airs  of  authorship,  has  given 
a  strait-forward  account  of  his  adventures,  which,  in  frank  confiding  naturalness, 
are  not  without  something  of  the  secret  charm  which  so  bewilders  all  classes  of 
readers  in  the  perusal  of  works  like  Robinson  Crusoe.  Not  that  lie  makes  use  of 
any  imaginary  touches  to  add  to  the  piquancy  of  his  autobiographical  confessions, 
but  he  lias  the  rare  gift  of  investing  every  day  realities  with  an  atmosphere  of  hu 
man  sympathy  which  is  more  effective  than  the  most  dazzling  colors  of  romance.— 
Harper's  Magazine. 


HUGH 

SCENES  AND  LEGENDS  OF  THE  NORTH  OF  SCOTLAND 
By  Hugh  Miller,  author  of  "  Footprints  of  the  Creator."  1  vol. 
12  mo.  Pp.  436.  Price  $1. 

"  A  delightful  book  by  one  of  the  most  delightful  of  living  authors."  — 
#.  Y.  Cour.  and  Enq. 

"In  this  book  Hugh  Miller  appears  as  the  simple  dramatist,  reproducing 
home  stories  and  legends  in  their  native  costume,  and  in  full  life.  The  vol 
ume  is  rich  in  entertainment  for  all  lovers  of  the  genuine  Scotch  character." 
JV.  Y.  Independent. 

"Fascinating  portraits  of  quaint  original  characters  and  charming  tales  of 
the  old  faded  superstitions  of  Scotland,  make  up  the  '  Scenes  and  Legends.' 
Purity  of  diction  and  thoughtful  earnestness,  with  a  vein  of  easy,  half-con 
cealed  humor  pervading  it,  are  the  characteristics  of  the  author's  style.  Ad 
ded  to  these,  in  the  present  volume,  are  frequent  touches  of  the  most  elegantly 
wrought  fancy ;  passages  of  sorrowful  tenderness  that  change  the  opening 
smile  into  a  tear,  and  exalted  sentiment  that  brings  reflection  to  the  heart." 
Citizen. 

"This  is  a  book  which  will  be  read  by  those  who  have  read  the  other  works 
of  this  distinguished  author.  His  beautiful  style,  his  powers  of  description, 
his  pathos,  his  quiet  humor  and  manly  good  sense  would  give  interest  to 
any  subject.  *  *  There  is  no  part  of  the  book  that  is  not  interesting." — 
Louisville  Journal. 

"  This  is  one  of  the  most  unique  and  original  books  that  has  been  written 
for  many  years,  uniting  in  a  singularly  happy  manner  all  the  charms  of  fic 
tion  to  the  more  substantial  and  enduring  graces  of  truth.  The  author  is  a 
capital  story  teller,  prefacing  what  he  has  to  say  with  no  learned  circumlo 
cutions.  We  cannot  now  call  to  mind  any  other  style  that  so  admirably  com 
bines  every  requisite  for  this  kind  of  writing,  with  the  exception  of  that  of 
his  mort  illustrious  countryman,  Scott,  as  the  one  Hugh  Miller  possesses." — 
Columbian. 

"  The  contents  of  the  book  will  be  as  instructive  and  entertaining,  as  the 
exterior  is  elegant  and  attractive.  Hugh  Miller  writes  like  a  living  man,  who 
has  eyes,  and  ears,  and  intellect,  and  a  heart  of  his  own,  and  not  like  a  gal 
vanized  skeleton,  who  inflicts  his  dull  repetitions  of  what  other  men  have 
seen  and  felt  in  stately  stupidity  upon  their  unfortunate  readers.  His  obser 
vation  is  keen,  and  his  powers  of  description  unrivaled.  His  style  is  like  a 
mountain-stream,  that  flows  on  in  beauty  and  freshness,  imparting  enliven 
ing  influences  all  around.  His  reflections,  when  he  indulges  in  them,  are 
just  and  impressive." — Christian  Herald. 

"  Tales  so  romantic,  yet  so  natural,  and  told  in  a  vein  of  unaffected  sim 
plicity  and  graphic  delineation,  rivaling  Hogg  and  Scott,  of  the  same  land, 
will  command  avast  number  of  admiring  readers." — N.  Y.  Christ.  Intel. 

"  The  interest  of  its  facts  far  exceeds  romance." — N.  Y.  Evan. 
"  This  book  is  worthy  of  a  place  by  the  side  of  the  world-renowned  vol 
umes  which  have  already  proceeded  from  the  same  pen." — Pfdl.  Chronicle. 


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