, 1863-01-23
The MuRFREEsB0Ro FIGHT.
OFFICIAL REPORT OF GENERAL
NASCALL,
Complete List of Killed and Wounded
in Seventeen Illinois Regiments
and Two Batteries.
Lists Of Michigan and Wisconsin
Killed and Wounded.
from Our Own Correspondent.


January 9th, 1862,
cnpt n P. Bcstow, A. A.A- G.:
S1R-I have the honor to submit the follow
ing report ofthe operations Of my brigade, ,{for-
merly the 18th brigade, 9th division, bnt un-
der the new nomenclature, the LIST brigade, 1st
Of December, 1859: During the night Of the
Goth, I had received notice through Gen.
Wood, our division commander, thaf the left
wing, Critenden's corps, would Cross Stone
River md attack the enemy on their right.
My brigade Was posted on the extreme left Of
and overlooking the ford over which we were
to cross. On the morning OF the 3lst, heavy
firing was heard on the extreme right Of our
line, (McCook's corps), bnt us they had been
fighting their way all the distance from
Nolinsyillcs as VIC had from Layefg1eet E IT, no M par
wos getting my brigade into position Ie2uy 70
cross as soon as Gen. Van CleVc's diy1sion,
which was then crossing, Mas over. A. tnas
time the firing on the right became heavier
to be aroused that the right wing was being,
driven rapidly back upon us. At this iuncture,
Van Glcye halted his division, and the most
terrible state Of suspense peryaded the entire
lefb, rs it became more and more evident that
the right was bei1g bel driven rap3 M M ask upon
fire was getting nearly around to the Pike
leading to Nashville, when Gen. Rosccrans
appeared in person, and ordered me to 70 with
my brigade at once to the support Of the
right, pointing towards our rear,
!TEers ths s heaviest M ars T vas raging Gen. Van
our division received the same order. at
once changed the front OF my brigade to The
rear, preparatory to starting in the same di-
rcction, but had not proceeded more than 200
yards in the new direction before the crowd
Of fngitives from. the right wing became so
hn md
horscmen SO thick, that it wac Impossible for
ME to 20 forward with my command without
it becoming confused mass: I therefore
halted and awaited developments. Gen. Van
Clcye and Colonel Harker not meeting with
much opposition pressed forward and got into
on the enemy as soon as our >fugitiycs were
out Of tic way. They soon opened fire, joined
by some batteries and troops belonging to the
centre {Gen. Tlomas' corps), md Estep's Bat
tery Of my brigade, and after about an hours
| firing along this new line, during which time
I was moving my command from point to
point, ready to support any troops that most
needed 1t. The onslaught Of the enemy seemed
| to be in great measure checked, and we had
reasonable probability Of maintaining this line
u severe fire Of shot and shell from a battery
on the other side Of the river, and several men
killed. About this time IN aid Of General
Falmcr's came galloping up to me and said
that unless he could be supported his division
would have to give way. Palmer's division
battle on the morning Of the 31st. After con-
| su1ting with Gen. Wood, he ordered me to
] send regiment to support General Palmer.
| Accordingly, sent the Sd Kentucky regi-
| ment, commanded by Lieut.. Col. Samuel Nc
utes in its new position, Capt Kerstetter, my
Adjutant General, reported to INC that
| Colonel Mckee had been killed, and the regi-
ment badly cut np. Therefore moved at once
with the other three regiments Of my COM
mand, to their relief !. The line they were
line Of battle lying Immediately to the tight
| of the railroad, and forming On acute angle
| with the same. This portion of our original
line, about two regimental fronts, together
| with two fronts to the left held by Col. Wag-
ncr's brigade, vas all Of our original line Of
battle but what our troops had been driven
| FROM and if they succeeded In carrying this
| they would have turned our left, and q total
| route Of our forces could not then hnye been
avoided. Seeing the Importance Of the posi-
tlon, told my men that it must behcld even
| sent IN the goth Ohio. commanded by the gall
! liant Major VIM. Il. Squires, to take position
| on the right Of the Sd Kentucky and support
| 1t, and dispatched an aid for the 18th Indiana
battery to come to this, point aud open on
| the enemy. No sooner had the 26th Ohio got
into position than they became hotly engaged,
and the numerous dead and wounded fhat
were Immediately brought to the rear told
how desperate was the contest. The gallant
Lieut., Mcclellan, Of that regiment, wua
expired by my side in less than five minutes
from the time the regiment took position.
Still the fight went on, and still brave mon
went down. THO 90 Kentucky, now reduced
with ten ont Of its fourteen remaining officers
baaly wounded, were still brarc1y.- at work.
In less than ten minutes after tile fall Of Lieut.
Col. Mckee, the gallant Major Daniel r. Col
lier, Of TINT regiment, received two severe
wounds, one in tle leg md the other in the
from under him, but nothing could induce
either Of them to leave the flcld. Equally
conspicuous and meritorious was the conduct
Of Major squires and Adjutant Franklin Of
tue 2Gth Ohio. Ma}or squires' horse was
three times shot through the neck; ncyertAe,
less, he and al his officers stood by through.
ont and most CALAMITY sustained and cuconr.
aged their men. Estcp's battery came up in
due time, and taking position on Il little rise
Of ground in the rear Of the 20ta Ohio and Sd
shell over the heads Of our infantry. IN about
one hour after the 2Gth Ohio got into position
this terrible attack Of the enemy was rcpnlsed
and they drew back into the wood and uudcl
cover Of an intervening bill to reform thci,
shattered columns and renew the attack.
|
that nlong the entire line, to the right and
left Of tile rallroad, which had not ret beer
carried by the enemy, was the only General
officer present, and was, therefore, in com
mnnd and responsible for the conduct o.
afairs. Col. uazcn, commanding brigade
in Gen. Palmer's division, was present with
his brigade to the left Of the r:.ilroad; and
Col. Goss, commanding another brigade in
the same division. was also present with what
there was left Of his brigade, and most nobly
IrSt< r.
24th Ohio to the right of tl,c railroad, while
Col. Wagner, commanding the I'd brigade III
| the 1st division, Cleft wing,) nobly sustained
his front, assisted BY Col. nazcn to the left oi
the railroad. now relieved the Sd Kentucky
out Of ammunition, with the 5sth Indiana
regiment Of my brigade, commanded BY Col
| Geo. P. Buell.; and this being much larger
regiment than the Sd Kentucky, filled up The
entire space from where the right Of the Sd
threw forward the right of the 9th Ohio
regiment Of Col. Gross brigade, which
was On the right of the s6td Ohio
60 that its line of battle was more nearly per
pcndicnlar to thc railroad and 50 its fire would
sweep the front Of the 26th Ohio and SSH IN
tep's Battery on a little eminence to its right
and brought up the 9th Ohio, Col. Lane
from Wagncr's brigade to still further
strengthen the right. These dispositions BE-
ing made, gallopcd little to the rear and
| found Gen. Rosccrans and called lis attention
to the Importance of the position was hold
ing, and tho necessity Of keeping it well sup
ported. He rode to the front with inc, ap
proved of the dispositions had made, spoke
few words Of encouragement to tile men
cautioning them to hold their fire until tht
enemy Lad got well up, and had no sooner re
tired than the enemy emerged from the woods
and over the hill, and were moving upou III
| again in splendid style and In great force A.
soon as they came in sight, the 9TH and 96tf
Ohio and Estep's Battery opened on them ani
did splendid execution, hut on they cauc till
within 100 yards Of our line, when Col. Buel
Of the 5Sth Indiana, who had lost three men
but had not fired gan, ordered his men tt
fire. The effect was indiscribable, the enemy
fell in winrows and went staggering back from
( The effects Of this unexpected yolley. Soon
however, they came up again and assaulted u:
furiouslv for about one and half hours. bu
the men all stood their ground nob}y aud nj
the end of that time compelled the enemy tt
retire as before. During the heat Of this at
tack heavy cross fire was brought to bear OF
the position occupied, and Corporal Franl
Mayer Of the Sd Ohio volunteer cavalry in com
maud Of my escort, Was shot through the leg
, and my Adjutant General, Capt.. Ed. r
keIstettcr, wGs shot through his coat, grazing
his bacl. The regiments all behaved splendidli
again and tile 5sth Ind. won immortal houors
Lieut. Blackford Of that regiment was sho
dead and several Of the officers, iacludin!
Capte. Downey and Alexander, badly wound
ed. Estep's Battery was compelled to rerirt
from the position assigned it, after firing hal
, a dozen rounds. Int it did terrible execution