Washington telegraph., 1863-03-25
For the Washington Telegraph.
The Battle Of Murfreesboro. Tenn.

! On the night Of the Goth of December, Gent
/ Bragg, ordered Maj. Gen. McCOwn to move his
Division, composed Of the brigade--Gan Ell
! tors Texas, Gen. Rain's North Carolinl ana
Georgia, and Gen. McNair's Arkansas. from
the little village of Readyville to AIurfreesboro
distance of twelve miles, ana il direction
| from the former. nearly due west The Divis-
ION took up the line o! march after midnight
and arrived the next day at 4 point two miles
north east OF Murfrees5oro, on the Lebanon
| Turnpike road, aud there encamped. In the
mean time, the ''eorps d'armie" of Lieut. Gen.
! Hardee was withdrawn from Triune. village
several miles northeast Of Murfrees5oro. The
whole army of Gen. Bragg was thus concer-
trated around MurireesborO, and Immediately
preparations began which eliminated ia the
/ grand battle of the 3 lst December
! Murtreesboro is situated ia the Nashville
/ and Chattanooga railroad about Is Or 30 miles
/ from the former IN a southerly direction. One
| mile west of the town runs Stones river. in a
| direction a little east III north, ami nua1ly
emptes into the Cumberland river above the
/ city Of Nashville. From Murireesboro several
roads diyerge: The first, towards Lebanon; the
4 second, nearly north towards Nashville; the
! third, rthwest towards Nolensvlle and the
fourth. due west in the direction of Franklin
The Murfreesboro and NashvilI. road run
nearly parallel to the railroad, aud generally
at distance Of about 800 yards
The country round Murfree-byru il generally
level, without those abrupt hills, 70 be seen in
many portions of Middle Tennessee. Extern
sive forms Of well cultivated fields separate
by woodland skirts and checked od Uy nEmyf-
GUS rail fences, presented u the Observer an
appearance of taste and neatnes-.
The plan Of the battle AT fr-t w. the flu
lowing: Lcut-Geu. HArdees corps forming
I -f- I .rif of Ha "a 20.
double column, extending from a point ul th1
Lebanon Turnpike, Two miles north 0r Mu.-
.reeshor1. In d direction due west. ului its
left TANKS cached the point at which thr rtiI-
road crosses Stones river NaI.-Gcn. Breeze
euridre's Division formed the advance. AMI
Mai.-Gen. Cleburne's Division tie reset re crI-
gma OF this corps.
Lieut. Gen. Po.a's corps, III tlc same Order.
was formed on the lea Of Cen. Harle-
slightly iucliuing it, lett ., tue south. tnt
crossing stones river. auI Formed he Ir.t
wing OF the army. 5'aj. Gen. McCown's d.
I yisi-n OF Lieut--Gen. L. Kirby Smiths corps,
and the only division oil th4t rlrp- under GrH.
Bragg. was ordered rs special reserve 1t
tie whole army. 10 take position directly iu
the rear Of the centre. I'm the evening Nd tAr
/ 18th, IL was ascertaiued tEAt tMc enemy intend
! ed 10 MAKE the lrinciI III attack ou the leii
wlug, and It thus became necessary tl alter
materially the original plan nd battle Mai.
/ Gen. Metowu's division was moved from t
position iu reserve and formed on tIe extreme
. left lu tDo columns; the uuEalrs maj Generals
Ec;or and Rains forming thr advance, au-
. us.ro. Gen. ll.Ntir the reserve, column. ~.
the ..tI. during ts. c.t.r, dav. .g.th .l.afs 5t-
! 1eruii-.l.us. "a brisk ssirrrf-l rrr WIN kanr u-
. along tae lines 60 Lieut-t1er. PulA. aul ln tn.
} eveuu- r.. enemy made uu aJ;cluY T. capture
t I..Igr,'- "a ;cis oi Napoleon gums, planted u
i.ult Gen. P'lA., l,t, Gn Osa. A-ClwH. VI
NJ -.I. ..rr al. r.asI-.l .g ! r,- .Aeht III Cen.
b, .u.. s' .. l. ... Y. Geu. Clratbhm'- dIvi- "a.
. This l.e-.I uu au artillery 4us. which rHu-
q a-uc4 a.,I sJ.4e sy...t .s. more than al hour.
F AND gradually ended IN "a random Gre, evidently
-a9".r.- .ur iu.e..,ilu OF each aI-lg fI Hni Ha-
. .... Ie....,e position %. tla uular- Lt.a .H
ice esrUll- llaj Gen. 'leburuc. HIg.-i1n E.-s
moved tr"'H IT, position wa tA' extreme r.-I-
al. ..I.a.i a reserve io raA. M11a"n.s u.v.--
,u.. '..... IA ihe meantime. was formed 'H
...n: Gen. Mc-a.-a tae rigIt. pan.
l.. .. 3d.. -entrc, anu Gel- AA.As tAe ltii
. Dr-....
/ Inr . ops slept on iaeF arms during the
+ night ...1 Notwithstanding iIe Ai.h1s ph-re WA
cod a..., -aIliy, were para!tleI ~ mhke DHl
+ few aua -".bu nres.
We recEeI orders 10 bring ~ the engage
ment 81 daylight IA tag mornings anA before
The r.f faA iui! da"Htu- "h tue morning M
iUe 'i-I. .icC'"n 5 division was IN line ana
aI'aa.."- 20 attack the enemy several nun
.utt +Hs IN 'front.' LAe enemy sharp
shooters peneo uP"u us oTer pace OF Two OF
three hU"ifeo yaras' 5ia4da-y 'a-An5 BAG
upon tne nam mes, winch EXTENDED hehlhl N
RAN renee Ia He iee celaf thleAet- me Ai-
hs soon becoming general, Sc we're ordeie
10 el'tes, AMI ia 80 Villa sllrlL Ant aIacFiiIr
r"uu. tHt enemy from AIs po-iuoA, cAptlI-
tur.ng A.s az liiery anu leaving the he!d COW
cred N.th Lis dead aul Wounded. \ running
fgHt was u,S continued over the space t haLi
"a mile. sL-a oy some PORTIONS Oh The division,
Two or. tDree miles. @en- McAair.s brigade
however, was matted, anl' "aluh5 unul nrh.
tiehnr- DIVISION came up united "lA N on
ala. ielt. and then moved Forward lnchning %
the right. soon after tuls, one brigade m
Gen. C.eDdrne's DIVISION commanded My 6ra.
Lidlel. was attacked by an oveFNheinIu2
force Of the enemy posted behind a double rsW
OF fencing but Gen. McNairs brigade made
70 spirited charge from the leIt ana again rnui
ed the enemy and captured his artillery. The
two last named brlsades are composed entire \
oil Arkausians. In this engagement the. eAr-
my's less was very great, having to retreli
through an open iic!d, bis lines we're Trimmed