Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-05-07


charges against these stronghods defended by donb
their Numbers fully justified the unbounded confidenc
bad ever reposed in them, and had so often exDress
ed.
To meet our Iccessful advance aud retriev. hi
losses in the front of his left the enemy eariy transfer
red portion OF bis reserve, from his left to that aanE
and by two o'clock had succeeded n concentrating sue
force in LII Gen. Hardees front as to check his furtt
er progress Our two lines had by this time becom
almost blended, 30 weakened were they by lcsses ez
baustlon aud extension to covcr the enemy's Who'll
front. AS early as 10 O'clock, A M Moi Gen. Breck
lnridge was called for brigade ind soon ATE
tor sec6Cd to reinforce act q reserve to Lieu
Gen. Hardee His reply to the first call representa-
the enemy crossing Stones river 10 htavy force hi
immediate 'front.' and On receiving the secord order b.
Informed me that they bad already crossed 10 keay
force and advancing 10 attack his lines II Wa
Immediately ordered not await attack but to advanc
and meet him. About this same time report reachct
me that heavy force OF the enomy's infantry ad
Vancng on The Lebanon road about tive miles in Breck
Drdges front. Brig. Gen. Pegrafn, who had bten
TO II at road to the faux OF tie infantry with b
cavalry brigade, save two regiments detached witt
Wheeler and Wharton oldtred forward immedi
ately 10 develop any such The order for tn
two brlgades from breckenridge were couDtGrmandeG
Whilst dispositions we're made, at bis request to reE
orce him. Before they could be carried the move
meat Ordcrtd disclosed The ct that force had
ed Stones river that the only enemy immediate
front tnen was small body OF sharEsbOOters, AID tha
fortunate misAFPrehcnsions the part Of the f;ld
which with proper rtcautiOu could have * sed
whhtl Id from active operations three fine brigades
I'll the crcmy had succeeded 10 checking progress
hsd re-tsabI sled bis LINES and had collected many
his broken battallOns.
Having settled the question that no movement
was blDg made against right, and uone 10 be
apprehended breckenridge ordered 10 leave two
brigaCes to support the battery at A. bis side oil
Stones river and with the balance OF the force to
to the lett and report to Lieut. Gen. Polk. By the
lime tns could be accomplished it too late to send
the force to Lieut.. Gen Hardees support who Was u-
able to make further progress, and be directed
nalltuln his position. Lieut.. Gen. Polk was directed
with these elntOcemens to throw al the force he could
collect upon the enemys lett, and thereby
either that strong point which has far resisted
US successfully, failing in that, ct least to dtaw CT
from Hairless frCnt the 10 miGabie opposition there
concentrated.
/ he three brigades of Jackson, reston and Adams
were successfully reported for this work. How gal
lantly they moved to their task, aud how much they
suffered III the determined effort accomplish it, will
best appear from reports OF subordinate commanders,
and lie statement OF Losses herewith, Upon this flank
their strongest defensive position resting the river
b%nk, the enemy had concentrated not less than 20
but covering open space in front OF several hundred
yards, supported right lett and by heavy misses
OF Infantry.
This position proved impracticable aud after two
unsuccessful thUrts the attempt TO carry by infantry
was abandoned. Our heaviest batteries of artillery
and rlted guns OF long range concentrated in
front Of tier fires opened upon bis position. After
cannOnade of time the enemys FIRE slackened and
finally ceased near nightfalI Lieut. Gen Hardee had
slightly retired his line from the urhcst point be had
attained for better position aud cover without moIee
tatOn from the enemy.
Lieut. Gen. Folks infantry, including the three re-
intorcng brgades, uniting their front with Hardees
right and extending 10 extreme right flank termed
continuous line very nearly perpendicular to the orig
iDa line OF battle thus leaving nearly the whole field,
with all is Trophies the euemys dead and many of his
wounded his hospitals and stores in full possession
The body OF Brig Gen. SILL one of their division com
manders, found where be bad fallen, and was sent
to tOY and decenY Inferred though be had forfeited
all clamto such corsid ration by the acts of cruelty
barbarty and afro city, but few days fore commit
ted under the authority the I'D children and
old men living near the ROAD on which he had made
During the afternoon Brig. Cen Pcgram, discover
ing hospital and large number OF gtragglers in
rear Of the enemys lines and across Stones river,
charged them with bis cavalry, and c2ptured about
ITO prisoners.
Beta armies, exhausted by conflict Of fall ten
hours duration, rarely surpassed for its continued
intensity and heavy losses sustained, sunk to rest
with tie sun, and perfect quet prevailed Tor the
night.
At dawn Thursday III )rnDg, the first of January,
orders were to the several commanders to press
any change in his position Major Gen. Breckenridge
had been transferred to the right Of Stones river to
resume the command Of that position, now he'd by two
of Bis brigadcs 1t reported that no change
had occurred except the withdrawal Of the enemy tcom
the advanced position occupied by his lc flank Find
ing, upon further examination that this the cAse,
the right flank of 1t. Gen. Folks corps was thrown
forward to occupy tie ground for which we had OBJ
stnatey commended the evening before. This shorten
ed line considerably ard gave us possession of the
fire hat fell xUh oil th1
and trophies throughout the day. and transferred them
rapidly to the rear.
A careful reconnaissance of the enemys position
ordered and the most of the cavalry put in motion
tor the roads in bis rear 10 cut eff his trains and de-
yelope any movement. 1t was soon asccrtained that
be still in very heavy force ell along 'front.'
cup" az position strong by nature ard improv-
I'd such work csud be done at night by bis re-
serves.
N a short time reports from the cavalry informed
me that heavy trains were moving towards Nashville
some OF the wagons loaded, and all the ambulances fill
ed with wounded. These were attacked at dfsrent
places many wagons were destroyed, and hundreds OF
prisoners paroIed No doubt this induced the enemy
send large escorts of cavalry aDd artillery and in
tantry with later trains ami thus the impression
made On our ablst commanders that retrOgrade move
ment was going on.
Our forces, greatly Wearicd and much reduced, by
heavy losses, were held ready to avail thense yes OF
any change In the enemy position but 1t was deemed
unadviSabe to asslil him there esta bIished. The
whole day after these dispositions pass. withour
an important movement either sd, aud was CO.
sumed by in cleaning the battle field, buryng the
dead and replenisblng ammunition.
At daylight on Friday the 3D. orders to feel the enc
my and ascertain his position repeated with The
same result The cavalry brigades OF Wheeler and
Wharton had returned during the night greatly ex-
hausted from long continued service, with but little
rest or food to either man horse Both commanders
reported the indications from the enemys movements
The same lowing them only few hours to feed and