CHAPTER XXXVII.

CONCLUSION OF THE YEAR 1862-THE ARMIES OF ROSECRANS AND BRAGG APPROACH EACH OTHER AT MURFREESBORO, TENNESSEE-POSITION OF THEIR RESPECTIVE FORCES-NUMBER OF TROOPS ENGAGED-BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE-INCIDENTS OF THE FIRST DAY-THE FEDERAL RIGHT WING DRIVEN BACK-PURSUIT BY THE CONFEDERATES-THE RETREAT STOPPED-END OF THE FIRST DAY'S COMBAT-THE ENGAGEMENT RESUMED ARTILLERY DUEL-FURIOUS CHARGE BY THE REBELS-HEROISM OF GENERALS NEGLEY AND DAVISTHE REBELS FINALLY OVERPOWERED-A GENERAL CHARGE ON THEIR LINES-ITS RESULT-COMPLETE DEFEAT OF THE REBEL ARMY-REVOLT OF THE ANDERSON CAVALRY-ITS ALLEGED CAUSES THE LOYAL THREE HUNDRED-FEDERAL LOSS IN THE BATTLES AT MURFREESBOROLOSSES OF THE CONFEDERATES-FIELD ORDER OF GENERAL ROSECRANS RESPECTING THE ANDERSON CAVALRY.

THE Conclusion of the year 1862, and the commencement of 1863, were signalized by the occurrence of one of the most protracted and desperate struggles of the war, for during that period was fought the battle of Murfreesboro, in Tennessee. The Federal forces were under the orders of General Rosecrans. The Rebel host was led by Braxton Bragg. These commanders had been approaching each other for some time, and assiduously preparing for a combat which should tell effectually one way or the other on the fortunes of the rival Republics under whose banners they respectively fought. The Federal army numbered about forty-seven thousand men; that of the Rebels, fifty thousand. Among their officers were many on both sides whose names had already become renowned, or notorious, in the annals of the Rebellion. The enemy, after having been driven from Nolansville, had taken a strong position in and around Murfreesboro; had fortified it with admirable skill, and they awaited the attack of the Federal troops, who were now advancing from Nashville. The last day of the expiring year, 1862, found the two armies at last in presence of each other; and on Wednesday, the 31st of December, this memorable engagement of several days' duration commenced.

The Confederate army was drawn up in line of battle on Stone river, extending from Murfreesboro on their right to the Franklin road on their left. Hardee commanded their left wing. Here were posted the divisions of Cheatham, McCoun, Wither, and Cleburne. General Polk led the right wing of the foe, which included the divisions of Breckinridge and Preston Smith. General Kirby Smith was posted in the centre. On the Federal side, General McCook commanded the right wing, consisting of the divis ions of Davis, Sheridan, and Johnson. The right centre was commanded by General Thomas, under whom were Generals Rousseau and Negley. Rousseau's division constituted the reserve of the centre. The left wing

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was placed under the orders of General Crittenden, in whose column Palmer occupied the right, Wood the centre, Van Cleve the left. The battlefield consisted of an extensive plain, three miles in extent, for the most part cleared, but with occasional patches of woodland. It was traversed by a turnpike, on both sides of which there were gentle elevations. The lines of the Rebels reached across the Stone river, a stream which, taking its rise in Rutherford county, and traversing Campbell county, emptied into the Cumberland, ten miles below Davidson. A western branch of this river flows by Murfreesboro, and bisected the Rebel lines on this occasion.

The contest began at break of day on Wednesday, on the right of the Federal forces. There the whole mass of the foe, under McCoun, Cheatham, and Cleburne, had advanced with great impetuosity, and charged the lines of Johnson and Davis. A part of Johnson's infantry gave way and retreated. In vain did the Federal officers endeavor to stop the flight. A panic soon spread through the whole division, and a disgraceful flight commenced. The enemy now succeeded in surrounding the right flank. The confusion became complete and overwhelming. General Rosecrans, perceiving the peril of the moment and of the disaster, despatched one brigade and battery after another from the divisions of Palmer and Negley, to the assistance of the overpowered and shattered troops; but these reinforcements were in their turn crushed by the impetuous onsets of the now triumphant enemy, and carried away in the whelming torrent of the fugitives. The panic then spread from the division of Johnson to that of Davis, and the whole right wing was soon involved in an unmitigated and disastrous rout. They were driven two miles by the enemy with great slaughter, and the fortunes of the day seemed already to have been irretrievably lost.

But the misfortune did not terminate here. The retreat of the divisions of Johnson and Davis left that of Sheridan exposed to the onset of the foe. The Rebel commanders followed up their advantage promptly, and charged with fury on this division, whose flank was unprotected. The troops which composed it resisted the terrible battle-shock of the enemy for some time; but at length they also gave way, and were driven, though not in much confusion, with heavy losses, to join in the tumultuous flight of their comrades. Before they thus yielded, one fourth of their number lay either dead or wounded on the ensanguined field, proving how determined their resistance had been. The result of this rout of the Federal right wing was that they were hurled back in their flight toward the centre and left of the Federal army, which remained firm and immovable in its position, facing the woods through which the Rebels were advancing. In the interval which yet existed between them, a turnpike and railroad ran, which was the key of the whole Federal position. There the immense trains of wagons which belonged to the Federal army were placed. If

that were lost all would be ruined. And now the horrible spectacle was presented of thousands of retreating soldiers, who were running in the utmost confusion before the pursuing foe, through the woods and over the plains, making both resound with their maniac yells, either of exultation or of despair. Thus the chaotic mass of fugitives and of pursuers rapidly approached within range of the guns of that wing of the Federal army which remained unbroken, and which was waiting in stern and determined fortitude to receive the enemy with an annihilating salute as soon as their serried masses came within range. It was a moment decisive of the des tinies of thousands-pregnant with the fate of an empire. With admirable skill General Rosecrans now prepared to confront and repel the on-rolling deluge. He posted his regiments and batteries along the turnpike which fronted his line, so that when the Rebels emerged from the woods in pursuit of the flying and scattered Federals, they should receive such a hailstorm of shot and shell as might check their advance, break their power, and turn the tide of victory. At length that vast sea of discordant fugitives appeared in view. So complete had become their confusion and chaos that all distinctions of regiments and divisions, of horse and foot, had been lost. Closer and closer the deluge approached, with the exulting foe pursuing hard upon them. General Thomas commanded that portion of the Federal army to whose skill and valor the salvation of the day had been entrusted. Calmly and firmly he rode along the ranks, cheering and encouraging his men to confront the coming storm with steadiness. Silence as of the grave pervaded his steady columns, while frantic yells resounded from the advancing hordes of the foe. The critical moment had at last arrived. The stern word of command was given. Instantly a dazzling sheet of flame burst from the firm ranks of the Federal heroes, which penetrated the masses of the enemy. It was quickly followed by the roar of their numerous and well served artillery, which shook the very earth, and crushed into flying fragments the thick masses of the enemy. Then came the awful confusion, the sudden recoil, the broken flight of the Confederates, who had till then exulted in the fancied success of the day. Whole ranks were swept from the field by the terrific fire of the Federals. Entire regiments were battered to pieces. When the heavy mantle of smoke arose, after a few minutes, from the scene, it displayed an appalling spectacle. The ground was literally covered with piles of killed and wounded, so terrible had been the destruction. The Federals were then ordered to advance. The enemy gave way and retired through the woods, and were in turn driven over a small portion of the ground which had just witnessed the ignominious rout and flight of the Federal right wing. The artillery pursued them with inexorable and destructive vengeance along the scenes of their marvelous success, and followed them as they retired toward the position which the Federals occupied at the commencement of the engagement. Thus ended the first day of this great battle. During its progress Gen

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eral Rosecrans had superintended in person the operations of his army, and rode bravely over the field amid hailstorms of bullets. It was while thus engaged that Colonel Garesché, his chief of staff, a valuable and accomplished officer, was killed close at his side, and his orderlies fell rapidly around him. Nevertheless, the general results of this day were not very favorable to the Federal forces. The shock given by the defeat of the right wing had been too terrible not to be severely felt. It was evident that a desperate blow must be struck on a later day, before a complete triumph could be claimed by the champions of the Union.*

Neither party seemed disposed to renew the engagement on Thursday. Both were exhausted, both had many dead to bury and wounded to provide for, so that it was not until Friday, January 2d, that the contest was resumed. During the interval some changes had been made in the positions of the Federal forces. General Van Cleve's division of Crittenden's corps was transferred, so that its left wing rested on the Lebanon road, with its right on Lytle's creek. General Palmer's troops were placed east of the Nashville road, Rousseau's were posted between the turnpike and the railroad, McCook's corps lay on the right of Rousseau, and Negley's was held as reserves in the rear.

The battle commenced on Friday morning by an attack from the enemy upon the batteries of Rousseau's division, commanded by Colonel Loomis. A furious artillery duel ensued. The deafening reverberation of the guns aroused the whole of both armies, who now seemed eager for the contest. But as yet the strife was confined exclusively to the artillery. In a short time several of the Rebel batteries were disabled and silenced, and it was evident that the advantage was with the Federals. As soon as this result became apparent the enemy withdrew the rest of their guns from the contest, and an interval of several hours took place, which was employed by the enemy in reconnoitering the position of the Union forces. It was nearly four o'clock in the afternoon when they renewed the engagement.

At that time they advanced in immense columns, under the command of General Breckinridge, and attacked Van Cleve's division, which was then commanded by Colonel Beatty, of the nineteenth Ohio. General Van Cleve had been wounded and disabled on Wednesday. This division made a gallant resistance for half an hour; but the troops of Breckinridge were reinforced successively by those of Anderson and Cleburne, so that they

* General Bragg claimed in his official report to the Confederate Secretary of War, respecting the fight on the 31st of December, that he had captured two brigadiergenerals, four thousand prisoners, thirty-one pieces of artillery, and two hundred wagons and teams. But he ingenuously admits that his own losses were very heavy. His estimate of the number and value of his prizes was made too soon to permit him to arrive at any thing like even an approximation to the truth; hence it was characterized by great exaggeration and ludicrous fallacy.

were soon overpowered by a resistless superiority of numbers. The Rebels here fought with unusual determination. Soon two brigades of Beatty's troops gave way and retired slowly. They were charged upon by the pursuing foe, and driven as far as the banks of Lytle's creek. A third brigade was about to follow in retreat, when Negley's divison was opportunely sent to their assistance. This division had been placed by Rosecrans with great wisdom and prudence as a reserve, and now it came to the rescue at a critical moment, and with most propitious effect. His troops rushed forward with loud shouts of enthusiasm, and having reached the banks of the creek, opened a fire upon the enemy which completely decimated and destroyed their close masses. They were soon so much broken that they retired in confusion. At that crisis the troops of Jefferson C. Davis arrived on the scene, to complete the triumph of Negley. They rushed forward, plunged into the stream, reached the opposite side, and charged furiously on the confused enemy. The seventyeighth Pennsylvania, led by Colonel Sirwell, was the first to cross the stream. That officer then ordered his men to charge up the hill. The order was obeyed with enthusiasm. A desperate fight ensued between the seventy-eighth and the twenty-sixth Tennessee infantry. At its conclusion a large portion of the latter were captured, and their colors fell into the hands of the victors. But the latter had paid dearly for their advantage, for many of their bravest comrades had fallen on the bloody field. Colonel Scott and Major Guthrie were severely wounded, Captains Chandler and Camseller were killed. The nineteenth Illinois had lost nearly fifty men. The sixty-eighth Ohio and seventy-eighth Pennsylvania suffered heavily. But the Federals were the conquerors. They drove the enemy out of the woods and across the corn-fields, which were covered with their dead and wounded over an area of a mile and a-half in extent until they reached the vicinity of Mufreesboro. Several of their colors were captured, together with a battery and a large number of prisoners. While General Negley was achieving this grand success against the enemy before him, General Rosecrans was perfecting the victory throughout the remainder of his columns. He now ordered the whole line to advance. Then came a terrific and resistless charge. Hope and enthusiasm had given fresh power to the Federal troops. As their grim and stern battle-line advanced upon the foe, a far extending sheet of deadly fire and flame issued from them, which melted down the serried columns of the enemy like frost-work. In their centre and on their left, which were now assaulted, they made a desperate resistance. But their right wing was broken and pursued by Negley. The distant cheers of the victors came floating on the breeze to their unwilling ears, and seemed the knell of their own inevitable doom. They gave way at length, and retired slowly, until they reached their intrenchments beyond Lytle's creek, close to Mufreesboro. At that moment night descended upon the