The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-17
HISTORICAL RECOLLECTlONS.
ny G. WASHINGTON JONES.

BY G. WASHINGTON JONES.
When Buell. was relieved by Rose
Grams, the name of the department was
changed from "Department of the
Ohio to the Department of the Cum
berland, and the troops operating
therein were designated as the 18th
Army Corps. Gen. Rosecrans subdi'
yided it into the Centre under Major
General Geo II. Thomas, the Right
Wing under Major A. Med.
McCook and the Left Wing under Maj
Gen. r. l.. Crittenden.
Each of these subdivisions was COM
posed of three divisions, each division
of three brigades and each brigade of
four regiments.
Thus organized, on the morning of
December &c, 1862, forward move
ment was made in three columns in &C.
cordance with the following instruc-
tions.
McCook with his three divisions was
ordered to advance by the Nolensville
pike to Triune Thomas to advance on
McCook's right, threatening Hardee's
left, and then to fall in by the cross
roads to Nolensville. Crittenden was
ordered to move out on the Murfrees-
boro pike to La Vergne.
The rebel force at Triune was COM
manded by Gen. Hardee, and as
soon as he became aware of the gen
eral advance of the Federal army, he
fell back by the crossroads to Muir
freesboro, as did also all of Braggs
outposts. 1t thus appeared that Rose
Grams did not desire to take any unfair
advantage of his adversary, but in
order that the fight should be a fair
one, he gave Bragg every opportunity
to concentrate his scattered forces to
give us a hospitable reception.
Had Crittenden been ordered to
move so as to cut off Hardee's retreat
to Murfreesboro, and McCook, support
ed on the right by Thomas, been or
dered to move rapidly and attack Har-
dee in front. the rebel troops at Triune
could have been badly demoraliZed, or
captured, when a combined and rapid
movement OH Murfreesboro would
have secured the defeat of Bragg and
given the Union army 4 grand, glo-
rious and complete victory. Hardee
retired in the direction of Murfrees-
boro on the advance of McCook and as
rapidly as the condition of the roads
would permit, the Union troops fol-
lowed him up.
On the 3Oth we skirmished all day
with the enemy and by nightfall had
forced him to develop his entire po-
sition from right to left. Both armies
slept on their arms in two parallel lines,
with McCook on the right, Crittenden
on the left and Thomas in reserve.
Early in the evening Rosecrans issued
an order which was furnished to wing
commanders, who in turn commune
Gated it to division commanders. In
this order it was stated that the army
was on the. eve of q great battle, which
was to be fought at an early hour on
the following morning eff our right
was attacked it was to fall back, dis
putting every inch of ground. and SIM
ultaneously the left was to move for
ward. cross Stone river and take pos
session of Murfreesboro, and occupy
the enemy's works. If the enemy
failed to attack, our army was to as
sumo the offensive on the right while
the left was to accomplish the crossing
OF the river and the capture of Muir
freeSboro.'
AS before stated the left was under
the immediate command of Gen. 7. L..
Crittenden, a brave and accomplished
officer, to whose energy and resolute
courage the country at large owes a
debt Of gratitude as we'll as his native
State, Kentucky.
Early in the evening of the 30th,
Davis became apprehensive in regard
to the safety of his right flank, and
called for brigade to take it's place in
that vicinity, refusing it's right. One
OF Johnson's brigades was sent to oc.
cupy the position. The commander of
this brigade in his turn felt uneasy in
regard to his right flank and another
brigade was taken from Johnson di.
vision and placed on the right, refus.