USA > Tennessee > The Annals of the Army of Tennessee and early western history, including a chronological summary of battles and engagements in the western armies of the Confederacy > Part 41
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AND EARLY WESTERN HISTORY.
The new position which my command now occupied is embraced in the angle between the Salem Turnpike and the Triune Road. About half a mile from Murfreesboro, on the Nashville Road, the Wilkerson Turnpike diverges to the left, passing nearly equidistant between it and he Triune Road. Each of these three roads crosses Stone's River about a mile and a half west of the town. The river makes a bend in the shape of a horse-shoe to the west, and the roads cross at the bases of the bends. The enemy's right was about three-quarters of a mile beyond the river, with their line south of the Triune Road, and extending almost north- wardly toward the Nolensville Pike and the Nashville Road. The force under my immediate command Wednesday morning was 10, 045 infantry and artillery, under McCown and Cleburne, and 2,000 cavalry, under Wharton. I ordered Wharton to make a detour of the enemy's right, and to fall upon their flank and rear, while the infantry and artillery moved upon them in front. He dashed forward at a gallop at daybreak, and soon reached the Wilkerson Turnpike, two miles and a half in the rear. With Colonel Cox's command he charged with great impetuosity, and took prisoners the Seventy-fifth Illinois Regi- ment. Captain Christian, of the Texas Rangers, with four companies, at the same time charged and took a complete battery of the enemy, with all its guns, caisons, horses and artillerists. By these dashes 1500 prisoners fell into our hands. Wharton afterwards swept around to- wards the Nashville Turnpike, and found the enemy's cavalry in posi- tion to defend their menaced trains. Harrison, Ashby and Hardie were ordered to charge. This was met by a counter charge of the enemy-supposed to be the Fourth Regular Cavalry-which was routed in confusion. The entire cavalry force of the enemy was de- ployed beyond this point. Wharton's entire Brigade was now ordered to charge. Two thousand horsemen dashed forward to the assault. The field was favorable, the charge irresistible, the conflict short. The enemy fled in wild dismay two miles beyond Overall's Creek, leaving in our hands several hundred wagons, four hundred additional. prisoners and several pieces of artillery. The conduct of Wharton's Brigade cannot be too highly commended. After a day of brilliant achievements, he covered the left of our infantry at night.
Major-General McCown having failed to get McNair's Brigade on the line of battle Tuesday night, as directed by me," the brigade was
* General McCown's explanation of this was afterwards forwarded to be an- nexed to his official report.
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moved into position early next morning, and McCown advanced with his division against the enemy about six hundred yards distant, with McNair on the right of Ector, and with Rains's Brigade on the left. The Division of Major-General Cleburne was about five hundred yards in the rear of McCown, as a second line. The two divisions were posted on the left of Lieutenant-General Polk's command. The troops advanced with animation, and soon became hotly engaged. The en- emy were broken, and driven through a cedar brake, after a rapid and successful charge by McCown's command, in which Brigadier-General Willich and many prisoners were taken. A signal instance of courage was shown by Captain J. C. Burks, of the Eleventh Texas, who, see- ing a Federal flag-bearer endeavoring to rally his regiment, sprang for- ward, seized the standard, and in the struggle, both were shot down waving their flags with their last breath. The Federal flag was cap- tured.
I had ordered Mccown and Cleburne, as they crushed the lines of the enemy, to swing round by a continuous change of direction to the right, with Polk's left as a pivot, while Wharton was to make a diver- sion on their flank and rear. This was done by Cleburne, but was not so promptly executed by McCown, on account of the position of the en- emy in his front.
McCown continued westwardly, fighting towards Overall's Creek, while Cleburne, executing the maneuvre, changed his direction north- westwardly, towards the Wilkerson Pike, which placed him on the right of McCown, and filled the interval between Mccown and Polk. The line, now single and without support, engaged and drove the en- emy, with great damage, through the fields and cedar brakes which lie between the Triune and Wilkerson Roads. Before this gap in the line was filled by Cleburne, McCown's right flank was exposed; McNair halted his brigade, while Liddell advanced gallantly, filling the inter- val, covered McNair's unprotected right, and engaged a superior force of the enemy posted behind a rail fence. These two brigades charged the enemy with impetuosity, took their battery, and pursued their broken and flying regiments, before Ector's and Rains's Brigades could be brought into action. General McNair left a sick bed to enter the battle, and, after conducting his brigade with gallantry, becoming ex- hausted, was ordered to retire from the field. The command then devolved upon Colonel Harper.
By this time Liddell, who was upon the left of Johnson's Brigade,
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had become separated from Cleburne's Division, by following the move- ments of McCown. The command was near the Wilkerson Turnpike, at a point where the enemy had established a hospital. They had driven them nearly two miles. The men were greatly fatigued, and the ammunition exhausted. As soon as this was replenished, I ordered them again to advance. Rains's Brigade, being fresh, was brought forward to the right to attack a battery, while Ector's, McNair's and Liddell's Brigades moved forward in the direction of the Nashville Road. Ector and Harper, though enfiladed by a battery, forced their way through a cedar brake in which the enemy were posted, while Rains advanced upon the battery. Unfortunately, this brave officer and accomplished gentleman fell, shot through the heart, and his brig- ade recoiled in confusion. Ector and Harper were ordered to fall back under cover, while Humphrey's Battery bravely engaged sixteen pieces of the enemy until our infantry were sheltered.
The Divisions of McCowan and Cleburne, in single line, had now driven the enemy, with great slaughter, for several miles through the cedar brakes, towards the Nashville Turnpike.
Cleburne, originally formed with Brigadier-General Polk's Brigade on the right, Johnson's in the centre, and Liddell's on the left, with Woods's in reserve, had engaged the enemy shortly after Mccown commenced the attack. He encountered the first line posted behind fences and dense thickets, a little north of the Triune Road. In the open ground beyond were other lines and batteries. Limestone rocks in the thickets furnished the enemy admirable natural defenses. The division dashed forward, and after a bloody struggle of half an hour, hurled the first line back upon the second, which in turn was broken, and the mingled lines were driven in disorder towards the Wilkerson Turnpike. Woods's Brigade dispersed the One Hundred and First Ohio and the brigade com- posed of the Twenty-eighth Illinois, the Twenty-first, Eighty-first and Fifteenth Wisconsin. The Seventeenth Tennessee captured a Michi- gan battery, while the Second Arkansas again routed the Twenty-sec- ond Indiana, capturing its colonel. This regiment is the same that the Second Arkansas had routed at Perryville, and which, during the can- paign of last year, had behaved with such barbarity to the people of Arkansas. It was in this conflict that Colonel Albert S. Marks, of the Seventeenth Tennessee Regiment, was severely wounded while gal- lantly leading and encouraging his men. It was also in this conflict that Liddell's and Johnson's Brigades suffered their greatest loss. The
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enemy several times attempted to make a stand, but were each time forced back. Our troops were vigorously pressing forward, when a third line, strongly supported by artillery, stood revealed on the south side of the turnpike. The cannonade was fierce, but could not check our advance. After a stubborn combat, the enemy were broken, and fled to the cedar brakes between the Nashville and Wilkerson Turn- pikes.
Cleburne was now in advance of Cheatham and Withers, and as he crossed the open ground near the turnpike, he was enfiladed by a bat- tery posted on an eminence directly on his right flank. Captain Hotchkiss, acting Chief of Artillery of Cleburne's Division, placed Caivert's and Darden's Batteries in position near the Wilkerson Turn- pike, and boldly engaged some heavy rifled batteries of the enemy. This officer nobly discharged his duty, and was twice wounded. The First Arkansas and Fifth Confederate charged the batteries, and cap- . tured four of the guns. Several colors, more than a thousand prison- ers, medical stores, hospitals, ammunition trains and caisons were cap- tured in this conflict. The battle at this point was bloody. Here General Sill, of the Federal army, was slain.
Cleburne had now driven back all the forces of the enemy beyond the Wilkerson Road, when another line was displayed in the cover of the cedar woods, between the Wilkerson and Nashville Turnpikes. Wood, Polk and Johnson charged this line, receiving a heavy fire. Here Lieutenant-Colonel McGregor, of the First Arkansas, and Major McReynolds, of the Thirty-seventh Tennessee, two brave officers, fell mortally wounded. Brigadier-General Liddell attacked the enemy near the left of Brigadier-General Johnson, whom he had rejoined, and, after an obstinate conflict, threw them into confusion. Here Colonel Sam. Smith, of the Sixth and Seventh Arkansas, and Colonel Kelly, of the Eighth Arkansas, both gallant officers, were wounded ; and here Lieutenant-Colonel Murray, of the Fifth Arkansas, courage- ously bore the colors of his regiment to the front, while Private J. K. Lester, of the same regiment, captured the colors of the enemy with his own hands. A portion of Cleburne's Division was repulsed, but, after a bloody contest, the enemy were dislodged. On our right, their lines remained unbroken. With our inferior numbers, no further ad- vance could be hazarded until all my forces were collected. Wood having fallen back for ammunition, was detained to protect the ord- nance trains. The remaining brigades occupied the cedar brakes and
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fields near the Nashville Road. The command of Cleburne was now reformed, and about three o'clock he essayed again to rout a fresh line of the enemy near the Nashville Turnpike. The enemy were again broken, with heavy loss. Johnson's Brigade was conspicuous in the conflict, in which the Brigade of Preston Smith also shared. It was past three o'clock. In moving through the open grounds to drive the enemy from the last positions they held near the railroad, a fierce and destructive enfilading fire of artillery was poured upon the right of Cleburne's Division from batteries masked near the railroad embank- ments. At this critical moment the enemy brought up a fresh line to oppose our wearied troops. Our ammunition was exhausted. Smith's Brigade recoiled in confusion; Johnson and Polk followed, and the division was repulsed. It was rallied and reformed in the edge of the cedar woods, about four hundred yards in rear of the most advanced position we had won. Brigadier-General Polk in this conflict suffered severely ; but while we sustained, we also inflicted great loss.
When I withdrew from the extreme right Tuesday evening, Major- General Breckenridge's Division was left in its original position on the Lebanon Road. Brigadier-General Jackson having reported to me with his brigade, it was posted on the east side of the Lebanon Road, to the right of Adams's Brigade. These five brigades, under Major- General Breckenridge, remained in position from Sunday until Wednes- day, without any material event, except a skirmish for an artillery position already mentioned. About eleven o'clock Wednesday, the Brigades of Adams and Jackson were, in obedience to orders of the Commanding General, sent across the rear to the assistance of Lieuten- ant-General Polk, who was reported to be hard pressed. Crossing the ford about midday, they were formed near the intersection of the Nashville Railroad and Turnpike, with their right stretching to the river, and were moved down the Nashville Turnpike and Railroad against the center of the enemy, passing in the direction of the burned brick building known as the Cowan House. The Brigade of Jackson passed by those of Chalmers and Donelson, in the direction of the Cowan House, while Adams's, extending towards the river, attacked the enemy between one and two o'clock. A desperate struggle for a passage down the Nashville Road ensued. Just before, Cleburne be- came engaged against their right two miles further on. The force was unequal to the task. It recoiled, after a loss of one-third of the com- mand.
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A short time after, Preston and Palmer were ordered to cross the ford, to continue the same movement, and Hanson's Brigade alone re- mained on the east side of Stone's River. They reached the ground just after Jackson and Adams were repulsed-General Adams having been wounded while gallantly commanding his brigade. They were quickly formed under the immediate command of Major-General Breckenridge, and moved across the plain in fine order, under the fire of the enemy's artillery. Many men and officers were killed along the line, the principal loss falling on Preston's Brigade. The Twentieth Tennessee, of Preston's Brigade, vainly endeavored, near the river, to carry a battery ; and after a heavy loss-including their gallant com- mander, Colonel Smith, who was severely wounded-was compelled to fall back under cover. Palmer being further on the left, suffered but little. The remaining regiments of Preston's Brigade encountered great difficulty in passing the fences and pickets at the Cowan House, and being exposed to an enfilading fire of infantry and artillery at short range, were thrown into confusion. They were soon rallied, and rushing forward with cheers across the intervening space, entered the cedar brakes in front.
At four o'clock our line was almost parallel with the Nashville Turn- pike for about two miles, stretching from the point of woods near the Cowan House, towards Overall's Creek. Preston occupied the extreme right of my line, and the Divisions of Cleburne and Mccown extended northwest almost parallel with the railroad. Liddell's Brig- ade formed the extreme left. The enemy occupied the ground north- west of the railroad, lying between it and Stone's River towards Nash- ville. Here they had massed a vast strength of artillery and infantry. Their right had been completely turned, crushed and beaten back for more than three miles. Great confusion prevailed, but their strength was still such that we could not undertake to force the position without unwise hazard. We had lost nearly a third of the commands en- gaged. If, at the moment when the enemy were driven from the thick woods north of the Wilkerson Turnpike, a fresh division could have replaced Cleburne's exhausted troops, and followed up the victo- ry, the route of Rosecranz's Army would have been complete. The interval required to collect and reform our lines, now shattered by four successive conflicts, was occupied by the enemy in planting heavy batteries, and massing fresh columns of infantry to oppose our further advance. I sent for reinforcements. The Commanding General
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replied, he had none to give me. Hanson's Brigade alone remained fresh and unfought. The enemy lay beyond the range of our guns, securely sheltered behind the strong defense of the railroad embank- ment, with wide, open fields intervening which were swept by their artillery. It would have been folly, not valor, to assail them in this position. I gave the order to hold the wood, four hundred yards in rear of the advance position we had won, and to bivouac for the night.
During the day, the men and officers of my command had dis- played the most splendid courage. Twenty-three pieces of cannon and more than four thousand prisoners, with a corresponding number of small arms rewarded their valor. With twelve thousand men of all arms, we had driven back and utterly routed McCook's Corps, ascer- tained by his captured returns to have been eighteen thousand strong, and several brigades and divisions which, it was known, were sent to his support.
For three miles in our rear, amid the thick cedars and the open fields where the Federal line had been originally formed, their dead and their dying, their hospitals and the wreck of that portion of their army, marked our victorious advance. Our bivouac fires were lighted at night within five hundred yards of the railroad embankment behind which their disordered battalions sought shelter.
Wednesday night was clear and cold. The armies maintained their relative positions. Some picket skirmishing occurred during the night. No action of importance, nor material change of position occurred until about two o'clock in the afternoon of Friday, the 2nd of January. The Commanding General anxious to secure a position on the east bank of the river, from which he could enfilade the lines of the enemy, ordered Major-General Breckenridge, with his entire division, to seize a hill about sixteen hundred yards in front of the position occupied by Hanson's Brigade. At four o'clock the division moved forward. It swept over the crest of the hill, routing a division of the enemy, who fled in disorder across the stream, after leaving many killed, wounded and prisoners. Our men pursued them with great ardor. A division, reported to be that of General Negley, with a brigade under General Porter, held the opposite side of the river. This fresh force poured a withering fire from an advantageous position upon our men. Brecken- ridge's Division, after a bloody struggle not exceeding forty minutes, in which at least twelve hundred men were killed and wounded, was
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repulsed. Many brave men and officers fell in the attack ; among the latter Brigadier-General Hanson, a spirited and intrepid officer, was mortally wounded early in the action. As this movement was made without my knowledge, and under the immediate supervision of Gen- eral Breckenridge, I refer to his report for details.
Friday night the Commanding General, apprehending an attack on our right east of Stone's River, ordered me to withdraw Cleburne's and McCown's Divisions from the left, and to place them in their original positions : the former in the rear of Breckenridge's line, the latter in reserve. These divisions did not get into position until late that night. Cold and drenching rains set in, and continued throughout the succeed- ing day. The enemy manifested no disposition to attack, but our troops being worn down by the hardships of their winter bivouacs, and the exhaustion of battle, and the Commanding General having received information that the enemy were being largely reinforced, determined to retire. In obedience to his orders, on the morning of the 4th of January, I withdrew my command by the Manchester road to Tulla- homa, in good order and without molestation.
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It is worthy of remark that at Murfreesboro, whenever the fight was confined principally to musketry, and the enemy had no advantage in artillery, we were successful. It was only when they had masked heavy batteries under cover of the railroad embankments that we were repulsed. In every form of contest, in which mechanical instru- ments, requiring skill and heavy machinery to make them, can be used, the Federals are our superiors. In every form of contest in which manly courage, patient endurance and brave impulse are the qualities and conditions necessary to success, we have invariably been successful. Long range cannon and improved projectiles can be made only by great mechanical skill, heavy machinery and abundant re- sources. The enemy is therefore superior in artillery. Infantry con- stitutes the great arm of the service ; and its appointments and equip- ments are simple. The Federal infantry, unsupported by artillery, has not in a single instance fought successfully with ours, when the odds were less than three to two.
I herewith enclose a tabular statement (A) which exhibits the losses sustained by the Divisions of McCown, Breckenridge and Cleburne, and the Brigades of Jackson and Wharton, amounting to 5, 663 in killed, wounded and missing.
To the officers and men of my command I return my heartfelt
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thanks for the ability and striking courage displayed by them at Mur- freesboro. The field required that much should be confided to the commanders of divisions, brigades and regiments, and it is to me a grateful duty to acknowledge how well these officers merited my con- fidence. The men illustrated the day by a discipline, courage and devotion never surpassed. In the reports of my subordinate comman- ders will be found many instances of individual heroism which the limits of this report will not permit me to record.
My thanks are due to the members of my staff, viz : Major T. B. Roy, Chief of Staff; Captain D. H. Poole, A. A. General; Captain D. G. White, A. A. A. General; Major U. D. Pickett, A. I. General ; Captain S. L. Black, A. I. General; Lieutenant T. W. Hunt, A. I. General ; Lieutenant W. W. Wilkins, Aid-de-Camp; Major L. Hox- ton, Chief of Artillery; Major I. M. Kennard, Chief of Ordnance ; Surgeon A. L. Braysacker, Medical Inspector; Major C. W. Gassett, Chief Quartermaster; Major W. E. Moore, Chief of Subsistance, and General W. C. Whitthorne, Adjutant General State of Tennessee, and Captain Thomas Claiborne, C. S. A., who volunteered their services. My thanks are also especially due to Captain S. W. Prestman, and I. W. Green of the Engineer Corps, for active and efficient services, and to Surgeon D. W. Yandell, my Medical Director, to whose good management I am indebted for having both my own and the Federal wounded in the Wednesday's fight rapidly removed from the field, and cared for before midnight.
I am, Colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
W. J. HARDEE, Lieutenant-General. To Lieutenant-Colonel Geo. W. BRENT, A. A. General.
WHEELER'S CAVALRY.
Memoranda of the Strength and Operations of Major-General Joseph Wheeler's Cavalry Corps, Army of Tennessee, during the Year 1864.
[Concluded.]
O N the 19th General Wheeler had a severe skirmish , and learned from prisoners and also from the direction of their columns, that all of Sherman's force was crossing the river. He therefore moved to Macon with all his force, arriving there about eleven o'clock at night ..
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At daylight on the 20th, he (General Wheeler) placed pickets upon all roads by which the enemy could approach Macon, and with the bulk of his command marched rapidly towards Clinton, defeating their cav. alry and warmly attacking the flank of the enemy's marching column. This involved a warm engagement, in which several very pretty cavalry dashes were made by each of the contending forces. During this engagement a column moved toward Macon by the Milledgeville Road, which was only guarded by a small picket. General Wheeler marched rapidly by a cross-road and struck this column when quite near the city. He charged upon this force and drove them back in confusion. Its advance guard, of four men, was cut off, and dashed towards our in- fantry pickets-two of whom surrendered, and the others escaped to the woods. With the exception of this column, no other troops of General Sherman came within six miles of the city of Macon.
General Wheeler received the following dispatches :
FLORENCE, ALABAMA, November 19, 1864.
MAJOR-GENERAL WHEELER :- Your dispatch of the 17th received. It is very important that you should not allow any portion of your mounted forces to be shut up in a besieged city, but keep them con- stantly harrassing the enemy, destroying his trains and cutting off his forage parties.
J. B. HOOD, General.
WEST POINT, MISSISSIPPI, November 20, 1864.
GENERAL WHEELER :- General Hardee will, for the present, give or- ders for the defense of Georgia east of the Chattahoochie. My views are, that positions should be defended only so long as not to risk safety of troops and materials required for active operations in the field; meanwhile remove to safe locality all government property on line of enemy's march, and consume or destroy all supplies within his reach. G. T. BEAUREGARD, General.
Late at night General Wheeler moved with most of his command, brushing away the enemy; and, on the morning of the 21st, attacked and drove them out of Griswoldville, capturing sixty prisoners.
On the morning of the 22nd, General Wheeler attacked Kilpat- rick, charging over his lines, killing a considerable number, and cap- turing eighty prisoners and one stand of colors. In the evening we had another engagement with about the same results.
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