Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-02-13

| p'y uouetHSc anu o1Fclaceu imposition upoT
those who are expected to believe it S indus
Ky Register.
CAMP OF THE 26TH REG, ONO Vols, !
MURFREE> BoRo, Tenn, Jan. 29, h, 'G3.
Mr.. Editor Through some irregularity O
our mails l did not receive any number of thu
Gazette since the battle, until had one hand
| ed me to-day by one Of the boys, stating thai
you had not learned the casualties Of the COM
pany from Delaware County in this regiment
which participated in the late battle near tbi.
place, and came to the conclusion that nv
communication was one of the unlucky ones
and failed TO reach the destination Intended
and thus conclude to again communicate. ]
being at the city of Nashville on duty. was
not in the action, hut the following is what is
related to me by Sergeant Shotwell, command
ing company e., (now Lieut,) Capt Ross
having been left sick at Nashville, aud Lieut..
Clark being detached to command detach-
! nent of prisoners. He thus describes the
part taken by the 26b. Our corps, (Critten-
dens) left camp, near Nashville on the morn
ing of the 10Th of December and advanced
slowly along the Nashville Sc Murfreesboro
pike. Skirmishing commenced Immediately
after leaving the outposts of the old camD.
aud continued jneessautly nuti ght, but as
we were some distance from the head of the
column, we could only listen to the muskelry
aud occasional booming of piece OF artil-
cry, used to keep the roul clear The enemy
also had piece with which they replied from
the top of every hill, and would then dsap-
4 4l,fa ~, al.
though, we were destined to take more ac-
tive part. The column having reached LAYER
gne late in the afternoon, and finding it strong
ly garrisoncd by rebel sharpshooters, the corps
halted for the night. Next morning. Dec
9th, after drinking our coffee and enioyinq
the luxury of an army cracker with IA small
slice OF bacon, the regiment was formed and
marched out of the wood in which il had lain
during the night, Gen. Wood having selected
the Goth to charge through the village. Two
companies, a and B, were thrown forward as
skirmishers, and proceeded the regiment about
seventy five yards. We were then ordered
forward at double quick, with fixed bayOnets.
the enemy were sccreled behind houses. fences
and piles OF railroad ties and pouring into us
raking fire from every direction. During
five minutes, the time consumed in going
through the village, five per cent of the whole
regiment was shot down. Nothing of inter
est occurred after leaving Lavergne until we
had again halted for the night, at Stcwart's
Greek, where eighteen rebel cavalry were cap
tured by the l00Ih Illinois regiment, one of
the regiments of this brigade We remained
at this place until the 29th of December. when
the column again moved forward, the skirln-
ishing continually growing heavier, until near
night, when We arrived at point on Stone
river two miles from Murfrees5oro where we
again halted and formed in line of battle
About O'Clock p. NJ, our division was or
dered TO cross the river and enter Murfrees-
borO. The 2lst brigade, Col. Harker's, did
cross, but finding the enemy in position with
artillery, the project was abandoned and be
fell back during the night. The Beth was
spent by both parties in preliminaries and but
little fighting took place during the day The
26;h remaining on the reserve of the left wing
until the morning of the 3lst, when at about
o'clock A. NJ, to the utter surprise of NIL.
the most terrific firing opened upon the extreme
right, voley succeeding volly so rapidly as to
make the din iuceSsaut We were Immediate
ly called to attention and moved in line OF
battle in the direction Of the firing; after pass
ing through Ihich underground OF cedar for
nearly half mile we emerged into an open
cornheld, Immediately in the rear Of the bat
teries of the right wing, which we were order
dered to support, amidst a perfect hail storm
Of shot, shell, canister ana grape. Here we
had an opportunity to form some idea of
stamPcde as the shattered regiments of the
right wing came rushing through our ranks in
terrible disorder, each individual firm in The
belief that his officers were ali killed, that he
was almost the hast survivor OF the whole reg
iment. The towards, of whom we are happ7
to say there were but few in our regiment, en-
bruced the opportunity to leave our ranks and
went skulking TO the rear with the wounded.
We soon left this position, as the enemy had
commenced forcing our center back, aud rein
lorcements were sent for to check their advance.
This brigade was thrown forward, the 26th
forming the right of the brigade in 'front.'
When we arrived on the line there were
two lines still III our front which were fast
falling back, and despite the efforts Of their
officers had all passed TO our rear in less than
Il quarter of AN hour from the time we arr-
we'd Oh the line. As soon as our front was
upmasked, the 26Ih, although it has served
nearly two years, fired its first volley in the
face of the foe, and in my opinion ii deserved
much credit for the gallant manner in which
ii held its position, exposed "a it was to fire
of musketry and artillery so terrific as TO have
driven back in disorder soldiers who had re-
pealedly faced the foe in battle. We held
this position for two hours, during which time
the enemy were repulsed three times aud re.
treated lIom our front once in complete
stampede, as we afterwards learned from pris-
oners captured. We could not see them after
they had relreated few steps, as they foughl
in the skirt Of drnse cedar Ihicket, still they
were unwilling to yield the position, for the
new troops were Immediately upon the ground
again. About this time our ammunition be-
gan to fail, many Of the men having fired sixty
rounds, and were unable to replenish since
the ammunition wagons were several hundred
yards in the rear As soon as our condition
was known to Gen. Rosecrans, who during
great part of the time was calmly seated upon
his horse watching events, from position
some fifty yards to the rear. We were order
ed TO fall back, which the enemy taking for a
retreat, began cheering vocilorousy; their ar
dor was soon dampened however, when the