The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-03-05
THRBATTLEOF STONE RIVER.
General ROseorans' Official Report.
HElDQuARTERs DEPARTMENT OF tbs CruByHLAND,
Mmrfrnashoro. Tenn.. EahrnarN l1Lh. lsua-


for the information of the General-in-
Chief, the subjOined report, with the &C
companying sub-reports, maps, and sta.
tistical rolls of
THE BATTLE OF STONE RIVER.
To proper understanding of the bat
tie, it will be necessary to state the
PRELIMINARY MOVEMENTS AND PREPABA-
TIoNs.
Assuming command of the army, at
Louisville, on the 9th of October, it was
found concentrated at Bowling Green
and Glasgow, distant about 1l3 miles
from Louisville, from whence, after re-
plenishing with ammunition, supplies and
clothing, they moved on to Nashville, the
advance corps reaching that place on the
morning of the 9TH of November, a dis
lance of 1873 miles from Louisville.
At this distance from my base of sup
plies, the first thing to be done was TO
provide for the subsistence of the troops,
and open the Louisville and Nashville
Railroad. The cars commenced running
through on the 26th of November, previ-
Gus to which time our supplies had been
brought by rail to Mitchelville, thirty
Eve miles north of Nashville, and from
thence, by constant labor, we had been
able to haul enough to replenish the ex-
hausted stores foi the garrison at Nash
vile, and subsist the troops of the NOV
ing army. r.
From the 26th Of November to the Goth
of December every effort was bent TO
complete the clothing of the army, 10
provide it with ammunition and replen-
ish the depot at Nashville with needful
supplies to insure US against want from
the largest possible detention likely 10
occur by the breaking of the Louisville
and Nashville Railroad and to insure
the work, the road was guarded by a
heavy force posted atGallatin.
The enormous superiority in numbers
Of the rebel cavalry, kept our little cav
airy force almost within the infantry
lines, and gave the enemy control of the
entire country around us. 1t was obvi-
Gus, from the beginning, that we should
be confronted by Bragg's army, recruit
ed by an memorable CONSUMPTION, and
aided by clouds of mounted men, formed
into a guerrilla cavalry TO avoid the
hardships of CONSUMPTION and infantry
service. The evident difficulties and la
bors of an advance into this country, and
against such force, and at such distance
from our base of operations, with which
we connected by a single precarious
thread, made it manifest that our policy
was to induce the enemy TO travel over as
much as possible of the space that separ-
ated us; thus avoiding for us the wear
and tear and dimuniton of our forces,
and subjecting the enemy to all these
inconvenience, besides increasing for
him and diminishing for,us, the dangerous
consequence of retreat.
The means taken to obtain this end
were eminently Successful. The enemy
expecting us to so into winter quarters
at Nashville, had prepared his own
winter quarters at Murfreessboro', with
the hope of possibly making them at
Nashville; and had sent large cavalry
force into West Tennessee to annoy
Grant, and another large force into Ken
lucky to break up the railroad. In the
absence of these forces, and with ade-
quate supplies in Nashville, the moment
was juged Opportune for an advance on
the rebels. Folks and Kirby Smiths
forces were at Murfreesboro', and Har-
dee's corps ON the Shelbyville and No
! lensville pike, between Triune and Gag
lesVille, while our troops lay in front OF
Nashville, on the Franklin, Nolensville
,, and Murfreesboro' turnpike.
THE PLAN OF THE MOVEMENTS.
Was as follows:
McCook, with three divisions, was tC
advance by the NolensVille pike "a
Triune.
Thomas, with two divisions, (Negley'E
and Rousseau's) TO advance on his right
by the Franklin and Wilson pixies
, threatening Hardee's right, and then Il
fall in by the cross roads TO Nolensvile
Crittenden, with Woods, Palmer's anC
Van Cleve's divisions, TO advance by the
MurfreesbOro pike to Lavergne.
With Thomas's two divisions at No.
lensville, McCook was to attack Hardet
at Triune, and if the enemy reinforcsC
! Hardee, Thomas to support McCook.
) If McCook beat Hardee, or Hardee re
treated, and the enemy met US at Stew,
arts Creek, five miles south Of Lavergne
Crittenden was TO attack him; Thoma
was to come in on his left flank, aud Nc
Cook, after detaching a division to pur
sue or observe Hardee, If retreating south
was 10 move, with the remainder Of hi
force, on their rear
THE MOVEMENT
began on the morning of the Goth o
December McCook advanced o.
, the Nolensville Pike, skirmishing hi
way all day, meeting with stiff resistance
from cavalry and artillery, and closin
:, the day by brisk fight, which gave hin
possession of NolensVille and the hill
one and half miles in 'front.' capturin
one gun, by the l0lst Ohio and 10Th Wis
consin Regiments, his loss this day bein
about seventy five killed and wounded
Thomas followed on the right, an
u closed Negley's division on Nolensvill,
:, leaving the other (Rousseau's) diyisio
b on the right flank
Crittenden advanced to Lavergn,
diminishing heavily on his front, over
- rough country, intersected by forest an
cedar brakes, with but slight loss
F.. On the 26th, Gen. McCOok advance
on Triune, bat his movement was retard
ed by dense fog.
Cnttenden had orders 10 DELAY hi
movements until McCook had reache
. Triune, and developed the intentions
n she enemy at that point, so that Il coul
N be determined which Thomas was
10 support.
McCOok arrived at Triune, and repor
ed that Hardee had retreated, and that I
k.H cent q Ifwfafor fv. ..s.--..st