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heavily on his front. The next day, McCook advanced on Triune, but his movement was retarded by a dense fog. On reaching Triune, he found that Hardee had retreated, and sent a division in pursuit. Crittenden began his advance about eleven, A.M., driving the enemy before him, and by a gallant charge upon the rear guard of the enemy, saving the bridge over Stewart's Creek. This, and another bridge across the same creek on the Murfreesborough turnpike, came into possession of our troops, and by night the columns were all closed up.

On Sunday, December 28th, the main body of the troops rested, and the next morning McCook moved to within seven miles of Murfreesborough, which he reached at the close of the day. Crittenden crossed Stewart's Creek and moved within three miles of Murfreesborough, having had several brisk skirmishes, and forced the rebels back into their entrenchments. Negley advanced to the centre, and Rousseau's division was placed in reserve, on the right of Crittenden.

On Tuesday morning, December 30th, McCook moved forward, slowly and steadily fighting his way into position with considerable loss. Our cavalry force, about 3,000 in number, did good service, but met with heavy resistance. McCook joined Thomas on the Wilkinson's pike in the afternoon; Sheridan was in position near Greison's; and Hardee's corps, with a part of Polk's, was in McCook's front. The rebels had the advantage of strong natural fortifications, and their centre was effectually masked by the dense cedar

forests. During the night, it became evident that they were massing on the right of Rosecrans, who made at once the best preparation in his power to meet the impending struggle. His plan was to hold the right wing, giv ing ground a little if necessary, and meanwhile to push forward his left, so as not only to occupy Murfreesborough, but to get into the flank and rear of the rebels. At daylight the next morning, December 31st, the attack was begun by the rebels. The weather was foggy, and our troops appear to have been taken somewhat by surprise. The entire front was assaulted at once, the rebels rapidly advancing in double columns; and so determined and energetic was their fighting, that, despite the efforts of the division commanders, Davis, Sheridan, and Johnson, in an hour's time they captured two batteries and compelled our troops to give way. Their object was to turn Rosecrans's right flank, but they did not succeed in this.

In this posture of affairs, Rousseau was ordered into the cedar brakes to the right and rear of Sheridan. Van Cleve's and Wood's movements were suspended, and these, together with Harker and his brigade, hurried to McCook's help. The pioneer brigade meanwhile occupied the knoll of ground west of Murfreesborough pike, and about 400 or 500 yards in rear of Palmer's centre, supporting Stokes's battery. Sheridan, after sustaining four successive attacks, gradually swung his right from a south-easterly to northwesterly direction, repulsing the enemy four times. After desperate fighting

CH. XXIV.]

BATTLE OF MURFREESBOROUGH.

his brigades fell back from the position held at the commencement, through the cedar woods, in which Rousseau's division, with a portion of Negley's and Sheridan's, met the advancing enemy and checked his movements. The ammunition train of the right wing, endangered by its sudden discomfiture, was safely brought through the woods to the rear of the left wing, thus enabling Sheridan's troops to replenish their empty cartridge boxes. During all this time, Palmer's front had been in action, the enemy having made several attempts to advance upon it.

The line of battle was readjusted to meet the new condition of affairs. The right and centre of the line were now extended from Hazen to the Murfreesborough pike in a north-westerly direction. An attack by infantry and cavalry of the enemy on our extreme right was repulsed by Van Cleve's division, with Harker's brigade and the cavalry. After several attempts of the rebels to advance on this new line, which were thoroughly repulsed, as also their attempts on the left, the day closed, leaving the Union troops masters of the original ground on the left, and the new line advantageously posted, with open ground in front swept at all points by our artillery.*

Our loss in killed and wounded was

* “On the day succeeding the fight, Gen. Bragg

telegraphed to Richmond the news of a great victory, presented his compliments to the authorities, and wrote 'God has granted us a happy new year.' His exultations were over hasty, for though we had routed on

253

very heavy; we had also lost twentyeight pieces of artillery, the horses having been killed, and the troops being unable, in the position of affairs, to withdraw them by hand over the rough ground. But the rebels had been severely handled, and had not obtain. ed any success which did not depend on the original driving in of our right wing. Orders were given for the issue of all the spare ammunition; and Rose crans determined to rest his extreme left on Stone River, above the lower ford, and extending to Stokes's battery McCook was posted on the left of Sheridan near the Murfreesborough pike, relieving Van Cleve, who, the next morning, returned to his position in the left wing. Rosecrans resolved to wait the enemy's attack in this posi tion, to send for the provision train, and to order up fresh supplies of ammunition, on the arrival of which, should the rebels not attack, offensive operatious should be resumed.

On Thursday morning, January 1st, 1863, Crittenden was ordered to occupy the points opposite the ford on his left with a brigade. In the course of the afternoon, the rebels showed signs of massing on our right, but noting the strength of our position, the movement resulted in nothing. On Friday morn ing, sharp demonstrations were made by the enemy along the whole line; but no movement of importance occurred till three o'clock in the afternoon. At that time, there was a rush

the morning of the preceding day the right wing of ing mass hurled upon the division of the enemy, the final contest was yet to be decided." Van Cleve across Stone River, consistVan Dorn, also, it will be remembered, had been in a

barry to claim a victory over Rosecrans (see p. 224). ing of the entire rebel right wing. Advancing rapidly, a short and fierce

Pollard's "Second Year of the War," p. 210.

contest ensued, when Van Cleve's divi- The day passed off quietly, excepting sion giving way, the enemy followed a sharp contest, which resulted in putclosely across the river. Crittenden ting a stop to the rebel picket firing, immediately disposed his artillery so and in capturing a small breastwork as to open on the rebels, while two together with some seventy or eighty brigades of Negley's division, from the prisoners. reserve, and the pioneer brigade, Early on Sunday, January 4th, news were ordered up to meet the onset. was brought to Rosecrans that the The firing was was terrific, and the enemy had fled from Murfreesborough. havoc terrible. The enemy retreated On Monday morning, Thomas advanc more rapidly than they had advanced. In forty minutes they lost 2,000 men.* Our troops 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 the enemy would have been pursued into Murfreesborough. As it was, Crittenden's corps passed over, and, with Davis, occupied the crests, which were entrenched in a few hours. Rosecrans thought it advisable to make a demonstration on the right, by a heavy division of camp fires, and by laying out a line of battle with torches.

The following day, January 3d, was very stormy; the ploughed ground over which the left would be obliged to advance, was impassable for artillery; and the ammunition train did not arrive until ten o'clock. It was not, therefore, deemed expedient to advance; but batteries were put in position on the left, by which the ground could be swept, and even Murfreesborough reached by the Parrott guns.

* Pollard and others censure Bragg for want of generalship in not securing the hillocks in the bend of Stone River, and in allowing the Union troops to occupy them. Breckenridge was here badly repulsed, and the vivid recollections of the "bloody crossing of

Stone River" long survived in the memories of the rebel army.

ed, driving the rear guard of rebel cav alry before him six or seven miles towards Manchester. McCook's and Crittenden's corps took position in front of the town, occupying Murfreesborough. Bragg took up his position at Tullahoma, a strong point thirty-two miles distant from Murfreesborough and seventy-one from Nashville.

In giving a summary of the opera tions and results of the series of skir mishes and encounters, closing with the battle of Stone River and occupa tion of Murfreesborough, Rosecrans stated, that the force he brought into battle numbered 43,400 men. Of these, there were killed 1,533, and wounded 7,245; total, 8,778; the missing numbered between 3,000 and 4,000. He also estimated Bragg's force at 62,490 men, and his entire loss at 14,560. On the other hand, Bragg said in his report, that he learned from some captured papers of McCook's, that the Union army numbered 70,000 men, and therefore he did not deem it pru. dent or proper to continue the contest. His own force in the field, he stated, was less than 35,000, and his loss in all about 10,000. He claimed to have taken more than 6,000 prisoners, over thirty pieces of artillery, 6,000 stand

CH. XXIV.]

CARTER'S AND FOSTER'S MOVEMENTS.

of small arms, and a vast amount of other valuable property; in addition, Bragg stated that his force succeeded in destroying not less than 800 wagons, mostly laden with various articles, such as arms, ammunition, provisions, baggage, clothing, medicine and hospital stores.*

Such, in substance, is the military narrative of the battle of Murfreesborough, one of the most determined and equally sustained battles of the war, and one which will be for ever memorable among the great conflicts of the struggle for the Union in the West. Although it fell short of a decisive victory, it was, nevertheless, a very serious blow to the rebels, and was justly and generally hailed as a triumph to the North, securing, as it did, possession of a vast and important frontier, menaced by an active and resolute foe.

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1862, Gen. Wright sent out from his department in Kentucky an expedition to cut off the rebel communications, and to prevent Bragg from being reinforced from Richmond, by destroying the East Tennessee Railroad. A force of about 1,000 men, all told, composed of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan cavalry, was collected on the southeastern corner of Kentucky, and placed under the command of Gen. Carter. On the 28th of December they crossed the Cumberland Mountains into Virginia, and thence across Powell's Mountain into Tennessee. On the 30th, they reached Union Station, where they captured 150 prison ers and destroyed the railroad bridge. over the Holston River. They also de stroyed the bridge over the Watauga River, and nearly a hundred miles of rails, almost to Jonesborough, and then made their way back into Kentucky. Carter, in a congratulatory order issued a few days after his return, spoke in the highest terms of the courage, endurance, and uniformly good conduct of both officers and men in this daring expedition.

On receipt of the intelligence at Washington, the president expressed the sentiment of the loyal states in a brief telegram to Gen. Rosecrans : "God bless you, and all with you. Please tender to all, and accept for yourself, the nation's gratitude for your Gen. J. G. Foster, an able and ener and their skill, endurance, and daunt-getic officer, in command of the departless courage." ment of North Carolina, undertook a movement having an object in view similar to that just described, viz, cutting the rebel line of communication between Richmond and the south-western states. It was a highly important movement and was made simultaneously with the attack of Burnside upon Lee at Fredericksburg. Foster's force consisted of four brigades, four batteries and the 3d New

During the latter part of December, * Jeff. Davis vʼsited Mississippi at this date, review. ed the troops at Murfreesborough, and made a speech at Jackson, on the 26th of December. In this speech he indulged in unusual fierceness of language, spoke of "the malignant ferocity" of the northern and west

ern people, scorned all "association with such mis

creants," and poured forth a tirade so bitter and un

scrupulous, that it was not only disgraceful to himself,

but led one to suspect that disappointment and ill suc cess had stricken deep into his very soul. If words

could have destroyed his hated enemies, Davis would have annihilated them long before this date.

1862.

York cavalry, and left Newbern on the 11th of December, having Goldsborough, fifty miles northwest of Newbern, as the point aimed at. Fourteen miles were made the first day on the main road to Kinston, where further progress was found to be obstructed by felled trees for more than half a mile. At daylight, the next morning, an advance was made on the Vine Swamp road, and some sharp skirmishing took place. Some delay occurred in rebuilding the bridge over Beaver Creek, where a force sufficient to hold it was left; and the main column advanced four or five miles. The next day, Saturday, Foster continued his advance, turning to the left and leaving the road he was on to the right. Having reached South-west Creek, he found the rebels posted on the opposite bank, some 400 strong, and with three pieces of artillery. The creek was not fordable, and ran at the foot of a deep ravine. Our troops, however, under the protection of a battery, swam the creek and drove the enemy from the ground, after some sharp skirmishing. An attack was made by Foster the next day, near Kinston, and after a brief struggle, the rebels retreated across the Neuse River, firing the bridge as they did so, and losing some 400 men as prisoners. The bridge was saved, and the column took possession of Kinston. The two following days

were occupied in continual skirmishing, driving the enemy from various points, destroying railroad and other property, etc.

On Wednesday, December 17th, Foster advanced upon and reached Goldsborough. The enemy made every possible resistance, but so skilfully were Foster's plans laid, and so successfully were they carried out, that he accomplished his purpose. Two trestlework culverts were burned, a train of four railroad cars, water station, depots, etc., were destroyed, the railroad bridge over the Neuse was fired by the gallant Lieut. Graham, and other bridges were burned. With a strong cavalry rear guard, Foster started on his return, and reached Newbern in safety. Our entire loss in this expedition was less than 100 killed and nearly 500 wounded. The rebel loss was reported at about 700.

These expeditions under Carter and Foster, although successful in themselves, resulted in no special or lasting advantage, as the great movement upon Richmond had in the meantime been suspended. The principal gain was the developing the importance to the rebel authorities of these great lines of communication, and what serious embarrassment would result to their plans and purposes, in case the railroads were effectively cut and secured by our troops.

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