The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1863-02-06
The Great Battle Of stones River, Tenn.
The 10th Brigade and 4lst Ohio.
s Correspondence q the Cleveland Herald !



bo able 10 writo. propose 10 give you an
account OF tho part taken in tho great battle
Of Stones River, BY the 18Th Dtigado and
4lst Ohio, within my own personal knowl.
edge; aud will ondcavor TO r,cito faithful
". telling "tho truth. tho whole truth, aud
nothing but the truth"
o. Sunday, Dec. 2Stb. / wrote you from
S,oworts Greek, beyond i.avcrguo, bri,fy
royiowiug cur tction Up TO llat tiino. On
Monday, tho 29lh ult.. wo lefi tho J, flursop
pike at S.ewarl's Greek. aud moved across
! TO the Murfrcesboio pike, at neon rejoining
our Division ard lcft wing, under Major
General Crittcnden- Goneral NrgIey's Dr.
vision, Of tho centro corps.took the advance,
and we were soon on tho Iuoyo towards
Murfreesboro. The advance was constantly
skirmishing With tho enemy. Jut they gayo
way as fast as they woro closely pressed -
! Now across Stowaris Creek, wo moved on
at rapid pace, reaching second crossing
Of tho same Creek at about 8 O'Clock Pm I,
on tho 29lh. 0nco over NO moved into
field to the righ, Of the pike. Each rcgi
mont of tho Brigade doubled column on tho
center. tho bpglo sounded ..forirdrd," aud,
ready for action. wo moved on, tho artillery
! keoping tho pike. Constant cannonading
was going on in ftont, and Il was SAID the
enemy had CONC to s.and-still, determined
upou stubborn resistahcc. To reinforce
General Ncgley, We buried on, halting not
until wo came to largo cornheld, in froni
Of which was skirt. of cedars, where the
enemy we're posted, Soon as darkness camo
! on tho Grng ceased, dispositions wero made
against surprise, and we moved 10 tho
right, bisouaeking for the night in largo
thicket OF cedars,--tho thickot made memo.
rable and historical by the events OF Dec.
/ 81. Although il was a gloomy,wet and dis
agreeable hight. with CEDAR boughs for a
couch and single blapkct over us, wo slept
Isoundly, in droam-land copjurng ur scenes
of homo. and tho noxt day's- expected con
fct. On tho mornlng of tho 30th wo arose
iu good spirits. counted our numbers, and
wondered whose would be the lot to fall
AT s A Al. VIC moved out i,,o tho open field
nearer tho front, close TO the pike, the l9fh
Brigade as Reserve Of orr Division. G,n.
McCooks CORPS bad not OF moved mp TO
our line. aud, for Developments form the
Right Wng.we tarricd. sSkrmishing began
carly on tho right, and II was soon evidci
that McCotk was engaged. WLie Ne stood
lastour skirmshcrs constantly pick 'ng away
at tho enemy, who al~ays returned tho sa-
luto. tho baltic ragged on tho right, aud by
nightfall of The 30th. McCook Lad advanced
to line with Us, baying driven the enemy
back Wle or moro. Night ugain threw
her sable mantlo DER tho earth, and VIC
moved hack to tho cedar thcket. that our
cnmr.fros might he masked, Snpor over,
we called "thc rolf carly, and lay down to
sleep and dream oncc more ,.
But this pleasant bivouac was doomed 10
be disturbed. Tor. about p. m, tho order
came for the 10Th to move out and relieve
the 10Th Brigade. on tho front picket line
IL had boen raining more or less all day and
: our loaded arms were IN a bad condition.
: Balls ,wero soon drawn. however, and our
old muskets put in shooting order. Wo re-
loaded. and IN an hour or more found our.
selvos within gun-shot of'tho enemy picket
! f,cs. Twas biltnr cold and tho night wind
I wailod mournfuly through the cedars.--
Seemingly regardless of tho. hostility bo;
tween the two armies, each picket kiDdled
bis fire and slept. except the lone sentinel,
Who stood faithfully at his ost. keeping the
vgils Of tho night. Cos. "a" and L" took
the picket liuo litte in our advance, and
tho rost OF tho regiment lay 10 reserve. Our
brigade was disposed ms follows. 4lsl Ohit
and 9th Kentucky ip front line, 9Th Ken
tucky on our right. We wore supporte,
: by the ll0lh Illinois, the 9th Indiana sup
$ porting the 9th Kentucky. Cockerilps Bat
r terry "F," LIST Ohio Artillery, occupying ,
Il little rise OF ground on our extreme right
q We wrapped our blankets around us. In,
:, down, but too cold TO sleep. Long bofoi'
daybrenk of tho 3lst wo we're in line, arm
in hand, ready FOR any emergency. As th'
first gray streak of dawn broke in the East
we began birds eye view rcconnosapce 0
our position, Gradually the darkness lifted
and we saw before us largo. open cottor
fold, to our front and right, of gradual,
, descending ground towards US, Its crest ap
rearing 10 terminate in skirt of wood e
our front about one half mile.
To tho loft OF the pike, and yet to ou!
! front was on open pastnro or common.skirt
: cd on either side by timber. and a prolorga
? > ton of this ridge, behind which twas osi
dent tho ouemy were lying In strong force
|. their batteries plainly visible from our posi-
= tion, At early dawn the skirmishers open
!, cd upon each other, each maintaining hi
: position. without material injury, boing ou
: OF musket range. The rebel out-posts wcr,
: stationed in The cotton feld in our front
but kept themselves behind carth-work
q : they had thrown up. Their position wa
!, only developed by the smoke of their rifles
= Sill we stood in lire. expecting to NOV
!. forward every moment, we'll knowing III
DAY OF carnage anu Dattlo was oeioie u.s. =
!, Soon tho skirmishing on tho right Increased
= and erc long nothing saluted our ears cav
. the incessant rattle Of muskotry aud deaf
!, cning roar of artillery. Presently the new
? came that our right bad been surprised ans
q was being rapidly driven back. Our eye
: and oars soon Convinced Us of the truth o
! Tho statement. But The left wing stoo'
y fast.
? ? Il was now 81 o'clock. Presently the bu
70 Gle sounded "atteniion, our coIors wer
!. thrown 10 the broeze, muskets we're firml
y grasped and sabres rang their steel as the
. wore unsheathed. Ahl but what is tha
I. just appearing above yonder crest TO ou
= 'front.' Look again. and you see the ensig
; of rebellion, with It's long line of battle o.
: eithor side, Haunting in the brccze,aud NOV
v ing down upon US, On they come steadily
firmly, till three lines Of battle, connectin
With their lines on Onr right and heir lefl
q the intervals between battalIons filed wit
n artillery. are closing in upon us, wbiio on
q right is falling back in disorder. As the
approached, our brigade WAS faced to th
I. left, and ordored TO take position just O
= = the loft Of the pike (botween tho pike an
. the railroad) in the edge OF q little wood :
Y This wo did, and then tho 4lst change
a front to rear on tho tenth company with a