Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-01-14

S0A
1T HE GREAT BATTLE
NEAR MURFREESBORO.
The following description of this ter.
rife battle, and our ultimate victory, is
condensed from dispatches to the Cincin-
natl Gazette and Commercial:
On the 30th, there was sharp skirmish-
ing all day, principally by McCook's right.
Headquarters were established in a tent,
under a cluster of trees in the field.
Might was approaching without battle,
when Captain Fisher, of General McCook's
staff, dashed up on a foaming steed, bear
ing information that Kirby Smith, sup
ported by Breckenridge, had concentra-
ted on u right. Tel General McCook'
said General Rosecrans, that if he is as
sured 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 around and
take Murfreesboro'. Let Rardee attack,
if he desires. 1t will suit exactly
General Rosecrans was in high spirits
with the progress OF affairs and confident
of success. He remained awake nearly
all night, and at five o'clock aroused the
staff. At daylight he attended mass in a
tent adjoining his own, and with Lieut..
colonel Garesche partook of communion,
Father Cooley, of the 35th Indiana, ofici-
ating.
Early on the morning of the 3Ist, the
enemy attacked in force ON our right
General RoSecrans sent word to McCook
that he would help him. He galloped 10
the left, and sent forward Bently's brig
ade, The rebels discovered him, and
opened q battery on him.
The General directed Colonel Barnet,
his Chief of Artillery, to post a battery to
shell the enemy, waiting to see it DONE
The Colonel galloped coolly forward, UNI
der fire, and soon had Cox's 10th Indiana
battery numbering toward a commanding
point. The officer in command wheeled
INTO position at a point apparently unfa-
vorable for sharp work. The General
shouted, ION the crest on the crest of
the hill" On the crest it went, and in
five minutes the rebels closed their mu-
sic.
H BATTLE on THE RIGHT.
Meantime the battle was going against
US on McCook's front. General Sill was
killed, and the divisions of johnson, Da-
Wis and Sheridan were driven back.
"AH these divisions were now hurled
back together into the immense series of
cedar thickets which skirt the turnpike.
and extend far over to the right. Brigade
after brigade, battery after battery, from
Palmer's, Negley's and Rosseau's diyis-
sions, were sent into the midst of the
thickets to check the progress of the foe
and rally the fugitives; but all in turn
were either crushed outright by the fly
ing crowds, broken by the impetuosity of
the foe. and put to confused fight, or
compelled to retire and extricate them
selves in the best manner that seemed to
offer.
The history of the combat in those
dark cedar thickets will never be known.
No man could see the whole of his own
regiment, and no one will ever be able to
tell who they were that fought the bra
vest, and they who proved recreant to
their trust. l know that there was some
cowardice displayed, but l know, too, that
there vas shown by many officers and
regiments as lofty a heroism as that which
distinguished and immortalized the fol-
lowers of Godfrey or the Cid.
I RIGHT STILL PRESSED BACK.
But in spite of heroism and devotion
in spite of desperate struggles which
marked every advance of the foe in spite
of an awful sacrifice of life on the part of
the officers and soldiers of the Union ar
my, the rebels still steadily pushed on
ward, and came nearer and nearer to the
turnpike.
Nearly two miles and a half the right
wing of our army had been driven. and a
of heart came over me as the
destruction of our entire army seemed to
stare US in the face.
But the word went forth from Rose
the flower of the left wing and
were hurried over toward the right
and massed, rank behind rank, in an i'm
posing array of grandeur, along the turn
pike, and facing the woods, through
which the rebels were advancing.
AND AWFUL SCENE.
The scene at this time was grand and
as anything that / ever expect to
till the day of judemgent. I stood
IN the midst and upon the highest point
Of the somewhat elevated space. BEING
between the turnpike and the railroad
forming the key to our entire posi-.
ion. Let the rebels once obtain possess /
ion Of it, and of the immenee train of F,
wagons parked along the turnpike, and /
he Union army was irretrievabIy ruined. 1
Even its line of retreat would be cut off 8
md nothing could save it from utter rout {
slaughter, and capture. f
And yet each minute it became mora I
md more plainly evident that all the re- /
which had been hurried in /
o the woods to sustain and rally the bro '
zen right wing and check the progress of g
enemy in that direction, had proved a
Inadequate to the task, and had in turn h
cen o%Verthrown by the great mass which Fl
Ias struggling in inextricable disorder Ii
trough b woods. Such sounds as pro- n
eeded from the gloomy forest of pines Ia
nd cedars, was enough to sppal with ter G
Or the stoutest hearts. The roar of can S
on, the crashing of shot through the T
'ees, the whizzing and bursting of shell. W
ne uninterrupted rattle of thirty thou, b
md uskets, all mingled in one Drolonc- ii
4 and tremendous volume of sound ss b
lough all the thunders of heaven had M
rolled together, and each individual fiji
urst of celestial artillery had been made m
erpetual. Above it all could be heard
wild cheers of the traitorous hosts, as CT
ody after body OF our troops gave way al
were pushed back toward the turn. of
Ike.
A PANIC. III
Nearer and nearer came the storm 81 y
n louder resounded the tumult os
6attle; The immense train of wagons
along the road suddenly seemed y
lstinct with struggling life, and every nj
'ecIes OF army vehicle preceded by fright re
mules and horses, rolled and ratified W.
way pell mel, in an opposite direction re
ON that in which the victorious foe was
onward. The shouts and cries of "
lie terrified teamsters urging their teams ca