The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-10-18

A Rebel account of the Lavargne
Rout.
The following letter from Murfressboro,
which appears in the Chattanooga Rebel
Of the 18th inst, gives us some valuable
information respecting the force of Gen.
Anderson at the time of his defeat.
This correspondent admits his force to
have been from 1000 to 5000 (of course
$1,000 cavalry and 400 infantry which
with the dismounted cavalry made the
rebel infantry one thousand strong. He
puts their loss at from so to 80 prisoners,
which we all know to be a s.wilfull false
hood, the actual number being about five
times that number.
MURFREEsBoRo, Tenn. Oct, 8th 1862.
Editor Rebel The Yankee force in
/ Middle Tennessee is now massed at
Nashville and consists of seventeen regi-
ments of cavalry, with several batteries
and large number of siege guns. They
are fully fortified on all the commanding
approaches to the city, having circle of
rife pits engirting the Southern and
| Southeastern surburbs, with many hOus-
es fayorably located .barricaded and pro-
vided with loopholes for musketry. Since
the movement of BUELL. into Kentucky,
the garrison at Nashville has been exceed
mgly active in strengthening the posi-
ton and preparing for a desperate resis-
tance to any attack that may be made
upon it. Their communication with
Kentucky is difficult and uncertain and
their supplies of cOmmissary stores and
! forage have run quite low Tn eke ont a
scanty subsistence they have resorted to
pillaging and elundering the country
around For two weeks past they have
sent out daily large plundering parties,
under the name of fOraging parties, to
the neighbOring farms, taking and carry
ing off bacon, corn, hay, oats, cattle
hogs, sheep &C., generally stripping the
farms of the last vestige of subsistence
and leaving families without particle
of food. The circuits of these expedi-
tions are gradually enlarging, and are
becoming more and more destructive t
the country.
In this condition of things many O
the citizens of the surrounding counties
have formed cavalry companies and bat.
talions, which have been lowering on al
the turnpikes leading to the city, anC
repressing as far as practicable the foray
of the marauders; but of course, witt
partial success. They now carry ol
these excursions two or three regiment
t of infantry, several hundred cavalry an,
, at least one battery of artillery. Som
, two weeks ago Gen. S. r. Anderson wa
8 ordered by the Governor to take charg
:, of all our cavalry organizations, and di
l. rect their movements so as most ettectu
e ally TO repress these predatory forays {
Q the enemy. He, accordingly proceede
I to Green Hill, in Wilson county, wheI
= he remained about a week, collecting
d force of several hundred men. A wee
Il ago he removed his quarters TO Lavergn
l, in this county, half way between tn
q place and Nashville, where he gathere
d together a force of from 1000 to SOC
It cavalry, composed Of squads, companie
= battalions and regiments, of all arm
re and many with no arms, while all ma
q be said 20 have been without sabres an
y pistols. In addition to these troops thei
y arrived at Layergne on Monday the 81
s, Alabama regiment, numbering about AZ
/ effective men, which was all the infantl
'e in the command. Col John Z. Morgan
re Alabama cavalry had brought up one
n pound rife piece.
IL With this force Gen. Anderson W
l. attacked on Tuesday morning at daylig
ps by force of the enemy consisting Of t'
0e regiments of cavalry, five regiments
infantry and three sections Of artiller
r comprising six pieces. To meet
ng attack Gen. Anderson dismOlutsa a port
ch Of his caUaby, thus smelling his infantry
he neayly thousand, placed his one gun SO
on TO command the turnpike and dispos
in judiciously the rest of his armed cayal
nv placing his wagon train and horses
charge of the unarmed and sent them
n the rear. The fight was opened by
of enemy's batteries, which were replied
nv by our piece for a few moments, VIII
ow unfortunately after a few rounds, one
their shells struck our magazine VIII
ith exploded il, destroyed our ammunition q
,s- rendered our gun useless. His batter
of continued to play upon our men W
BE / grape and shell most vigorously, wi
ia- the overwhelming force Of infantry pre-
: t ed upon three sides of us, which CC
D.. ,.'f.1 Car ga fq11 hpck He dif