Litchfield enquirer., 1863-01-08
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THE BATTLEWEEK. IN TENNESSEE

THE BATTLE WEEK. IN TENNESSEE. ss SuccIseT HISTORY OF EVENTS. That our readers may understand the course of events in Tennessee, during the last momen- tous week, we subjoin brief history of events there
 General Roseerans began his advance on the ! morning Of December 26, with about 45, 900 ef- | fective infantry. and twenty four batteries of about one hundred and twenty pieces The ar. my was organized into the right, centre and left grand divisions, respectively commanded by Major Generals McCook, Thomas and Critten den. The right consisted of the divisions of Generals Johnson, Sheridan and Jefferson C.. Davis the centre of those of Generals Negiey and Rosseau, and the left of those of Generals Wood andF Palmer. The army advanced in columns; General McCook and General Thom as over the Nolinsviile Pike, and General Crit tendeD over Main Pike, from Nashville to Mur freesboro.'
 There was skirmishing on the 26ih and 27th, the army constantly advancing On the 18th, Sunday, the troops rested, bur at daylight, on Monday, 18th. the army was in motion. The Headquarters of General Rosecrans were within six miles of Murfreesboro on Monday evening, and on Tuesday, S0th, there was heavier skir mishing, but still no engagement in force. On that day .Rosecrans had a narrow escape-a shell bursting within ten feet of him, and killing Eohe of his ordsrlies.
 On Tuesday, too, the rebel cavalry made a dash on our rear, on Lavergne, burned a few wagons. and captured thirty-fve prisoners That night dispositions were made, to attack the ene- my next m rning. After dark the rebels were reported massing near McCook, obviously to turn our right wing.
 l. This eorrespended with the wishes of Gene- n ,,,l. nJ ,fN fN,,,I- to hold him in check stubbornly, while the left w;ng should be thrown into MurfreesborO' be- hind the enemy.
 Early on "Wednesday morning, December 3l. the battle opened. It was furiou ly contested on both sides, the enemy trying every part of our lines, and making the most vigorous at tacks. Our troops were on several occasions driven back from their positions, aud mean time. an attack was made by the rebel cavalry on our subsistence and ammunition trains, which caused ammunition tobecome atone time alarm ingly scarce.
 Between five and six o'clock, the enemy, ap- parently exhausted by his rapid and incessant assaults, took up position not assaiable with out abundant artillery, and th4 fire on both sides sackened, and finally ceased at dark. When the battle closed, the enemy occupied the ground which was ours in the morning, and the advantage was theirs. At dark they had a heavy force on our right. Their cavalry, mean time. was excessively troublesome, cutting deep I ly into our trains behind us, and we had not cavalry enough to protect ourselves. | General Rosecrans, under these circumstan- ces, determinedto begin the attack early next morning; January lst. Our left opened at dawn The rebels fought tenaciously and furi- ousy At l2 our batteries eceived new sup plies of ammunition, were massed, and terri ble fire was opened. The enemy began to give way, General Thomas pressing on their centre and Criuenden advancing on their left.
 Both sides spent the remainder of the day in sharp skirmishing and maneuvering for posi- tion. ''# fsses s~'
 On January 2d, (Friday,) the battle was not begun till afternoon. General Rosecrans, in the morning, threw brigade across Stone river on our left, with supports this force was fierce y attacked between three and four in the after noon, aud forced back across the river. At the same time an attack was made upon our centre, i but without effect. The battle on this day grew hot ill front oi Negley's and Davis's divisions, and was decided by charge of the first named, in which the gallant Seventy eighth Pennsylva. mia charged home on the Twenty sixth Tennes see, and captured it's colors. Another regiment rushed upon a battery, drove away the gunners md seized the guns..
 es The river crossing was carried, and our forces
 were by this movement established firmly on the other side. At this decisive success, great shout of victory rose along the whole line, and was carried in magnificent volumes from left to right and back again.
 General Rosecrans now ordered an advance of the whole line iast bsfore dark. The line swept forward with loud enthusiasm, but dark ness soon made it impossible to press our ad- vantage to conclusion,
 The net result of the days st ugge was that our left was fairly established on the east bank of the river, the centxe advanced to a position l heretofore held by the enemy, and the right gagain occupied that portion of our original line from which it had been driven on Wednesday. E.Ihe moral tone and confidence of our troops was restored and improved. They felt them selves successful. The magnificent conduct of their eommander did much to sustain the sol diers.1 General Rosecrans Was constantly where the battle was hottest, he personally directed all important operations at a critical moment of the second days battle he led his own corps Eagaiust the enemy and ill the hottest part of the decisive fight of Friday, he personally took command of the Fourth United States cavalry, I and attacked General Wheeler rebel cavalry, who were cut to pieces and utterly routed. Of Saturday, January 3d. we have as yet but
 meagre accounts. The day was rainy; there
 was heavy cannonading until noon, when the rehels attacked our left wing, and were terribly repulse,l. stsse
 A despatch from Colonel Anderson to head quarters at Louisville, sass;
 We have whipped the rebels decidedly, and are at Christiana. nine miles south of Murfrees- bo.o,' on the railroad"
 It is reported that the rebel forces were rein, forced from Richmond. The rebel cavalry has been indefatigable in it's attempts upon our rear. in all this eventful struggle, and its efforts have 1 been no little embarrassing.
 Lavergne, where there was on Saturday a spirited engagement between our mechanics and engineers under Colonel Innis, and General
 Wheaton's rebel cavalry, is station on the Nashville and Murfreesboro' Railroad, sixteen miles insthe. rear of Murfreesboro.' The rebel horsemen were badly beaten; but no doubt they returned'to the charge.
 I The losses of the week are nowhere certainly given but it it is reported that up to Friday, Q killed and wounded numbered four thousand. With our superior artillery. no doubt the ene- my's loss is much greater than ours. I ! The following is from the Associated Press