American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1863-01-16
From the Marsscesboro Rebel. Extra. gan 2d.l
TIE BATTLE AT MyRFREEsB0RO,

THE BATFLE AT MURPREESB0R0,.
The enemy commenced the advance from
Nashville on Friday, by several different
routes Of march, driving in our cavalry nm
der Generals Wheeler and Wharton who
slowiy-fel back, CALAMITY coatesting every
foot of the way.
Ga Sunday our line of battle WIS formed
about Two miles from Wurfrecsboro, aud
stretching sransversely arross stones river
from the Lebanon pike, on the right. to the
Franklin road, on the left. On Tuesday the
enemy had dePIoyea into line of battle upon
the ridge Wherein stands the residence of
Mr.. Cowan. nj a distance Of something more
than fifteen hundred yards from our first line,
aud considerably overlapping our left flank.
Daring Noniay, they opened with artillery at
long range, aud on Tuesday heavy skirmish-
Jag ran up and down the line from The left to
the centre, swelling almost into a battle at
one period when the enemy attempted two
charges upon Robinson's battery
On the night of Tuesday il had become
evident that the attack in force would be
upon our left, aud Cleburr's Division was
detached from the right for The purpose of
strengthening that point, and extending our
line. which gave to the left wing four Divis-
:ons-Cheathams Withers', McCown's and
Cieburue's.
About o'clock, A. NJ, the divisions of Nc
Gown, Cleburne and Cheatham were ordered
TO charge. The enemy were strongly planted
in a dense thicket where the outcroppipg of
the limestone rock formed natural fortifi-
catioa- Swiftly but with perfect line our
troops emerged from the skirt of timber in
which they had been sheltered, and moved
across the open plain which interviewed The
battle now became terrific; crash upon crash
Of musketry stunned the ear the ground
trembied with the thunder of artillery; the
cedars rocked and quivered in the fiery blast.
ftx..s. tftx
smells. The enemy seemed determined to
stake the fortunes of the day upon holding
the position which they occupied, and offer
ed II most gallant resistance, but nothing
human could withstand the impetuosity of
the charge. A spirit of fury seemed to pos
sess our men, from the commander down to
the common soldiers, and on they swept shot
and shell, canister, grape and bullets tearing
through their ranks until the way could be
traced by The dead and dying. Still on they
went, overturniug infantry and artillery
alike, driving the Enemy like the hurricane
scatters the leaves upon its course, capturing
hundreds of prisoners, and literally biacken-
ing the ground with dead. Such a charge
was never before Witnessed For two miles,
through fields aud forests, over bitches,
fences and ravines, they swept. Brigade
after brigade battery after battery were
thrown forward to stay their onward march,
bat another volley of musketry, another
EteaufhR Oh tue DdyOntt, anu ike tDelr pred
ecessors they were crushed into one common
ruin.
Meantime the brave old Withers was not
idle. His line of battle ran diagonally across
an extended field, and the enemy had been
pouring murderous fire into his POSITION,
until, driven almost to the verge of madness
By the destruction of his men, he threw his
division forward upon the ridge occupied by
the enemy. Here was perhaps the bloodiest
struggle of the day. The enemy was strong
er at this point than anywhere else upon the
field, and long and fercely contested the po-
stion. Directly in front was wide area of
cleared land, and across this il was necessary
10 advance, under The sweeping fire of six
batteries, but with dauntIess hearts, and
steps as proud as though upon parade, his
men sprang forward at the word aud march,
ed on into the face of death. Once they
wayered as the enemy poured a perfect hail
of iron through their ranks, but at this mo-
ment Bragg dashed by, the battle fires burn
ing in his eyes, and the fate of nations in his
hands-again they rushed upon the foe shot
down the gunners at their pieces, and drove
the supporting divisions far back to the rear.
In our yesterdays necessarily brief and
imperfect account of the sanguinary battle of
Wednesday, December 3Ist, we brought the
engagement up to nightfall Our left had
driven the enemy's right for several miles,
occupying the field of battle, capturing the
hospitals and most of the wounded, and rest
ing within two hundred yards of the Yankee
pickets. Our right was not actively en-
gagged, the enemy concentrating and massing
his troops in a strong position Byrne' 5
battery of seven pieces, and Cobb's Kentucky
battery. were very actively engaged during
the afternoon with the batteries of the enc
n.y. but the casualties on our part were
small
Yesterday the New Year dawned upon us
4 with bright, smiling and propitious face.
The previous night was intensely cold, and
I must have seriously affected the condition of
the wounded on the field. But the genial
sun soon dispelled the white rhine of frost
that covered the landscape and changed the
icy air into pleasant spring-like atmos-
phere.
Everything was perfectly quiet in front
until about eight o'clock, when the cannon :
aiding opened the right aud centre, and was
kept up spiritedly for short while. There
was another lulI. The enemy seemed indis-
II posed to show himself, and under the cover
of heavy timber it appeared was making
preparations for retreat.
IN Yesterday presented the usual horrible.
S sad, heart-appalling scenes. The dead lay
81 scattered in every direction-the CoIfeder-
ate gray uniform and the Yankee blue in
fearful proximity, "after life's ftful fever"
At points where our braves had charged and
taken the batteries of the foe there were
plain evidences of desper tie struggles But
IL was quite evident that tue uead ol tue enc
nv outnumbered ours two to one. This
proportion may seem unreal and improbable,
but it was the opinion of every one who Wis
tied the field Upon every hand were the
common debris of battle-broken gun
carriages, dismantied wagons, piles OF dead
horses, scattered accoutrements-ail lndi-
eating the fearfulness and desperation of the
contest
Our loss in killed, wounded and missing,
will sum up 5000. That of the enemy IS
ripple, il not five fold our own We captured
orty pieces of artillery, and up to last night
bad parcled forty-seveu hundred prisoners.
Df small arms, ordnance, camp e9uipage,
Ptc.. we captured vast quantities. The pris-
ners are being rapidly sent South to Vicks-
nrg for exchange. that being in accordance
nth the previous agreement between Gems
Bragg and Rosecranz The wounded pris-
'ners. Of whom there are a great number.
re comfortably housed and being well cared
hr.