Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-01-14

l. Total ......... ............ 40 J4J
/ There were actually engaged, how
ever, only IS, 400 men. Ninety-twO
! commissioned officers were killed and
! | AL enlisted men, making total
killed of 1888 men. There Were
wounded 3S4 com missiOned officers
/ and SSl enlisted men. Total, 7,245.
! The Federais also lost in captured,
/ $500 men, making total loss in
! billed, wounded and taken prisoners
! Of II SIS men. OF those who fell were
! Col. GarascAe. of Rosecrauz's Siaft {;
! Mai. Carpenter and Capt. James Nor
ris, of the Second Cavalry. Capt.
/ Morris was citizen of Knox
county. He came out boldly for
/ the Union cause, as soon as
! the issue was made, and
attesled his devotion to principle by
day. He was 3 brave man, good Off
Ger, and fell with his face to the foe.
General Bragg's subordinate Gen-
eIal officers were Generals Polk, With
er5, CIebUTue, Breckenridge, McCOwn,
Cheatham, BUfOTd, Wheeler, Pc
gram, Jackson, Preston, Adams,
Raipes, Hanson and Chalmers. He
had 50 600 men engaged, and lost TO-
600 in killed and wounded. From the
reports OF the two commanding off,
GERS, il appears that the killed on both
sides We're about 10000. The battle
lasted seven days, during which time
the weather WIS very cold. 1t was
raining, sleeting or showing nearly all
the time, and the sulferiugs of the
troops were intense Bragg had the
advantage Of Rosecrans in that his
cavalry force was superior and better
acquainted with the topography of the
country. His cavalry would dash in
TO our rear, destroy our supply trains,
carry off what they could and burn what
they could not. Our regiment drew
ratiCns on Tuesday. The same even
ing our wagon train was captured, and
we drew no more ratiOns until Thurs
day night. We were on duty all
that time, bOtn day and night. AL
though the weather was freezing cold,
we were not permitted to have fires at
night, and in daylight there was no
time for making them or standing
around them. We dashed from one
point to another over the battlefield,
with no time to pay respects 70 the
dead, who lay everywhere. The
cedar thickets were almost impen-
etrable to infantry and worse for the
cavalry. Our regiment was in sight
of the terrific struggle between Gen.
Breckinridge's command and the OPP
posing forces on the other side, OF
which so much has been said and writ
ten. l. resulted in fearful loss of
life. The Confederates under Brock
inridge undertook to capture a Federal
battery, supported 10y Gen. Van Cleve's
Division. A charge was made and
Van CIeve driven. The battery was
captured. Gen. Rosecrans witnessed
the struggle in person, and ordered
Gen. Negley's Division to Van Cleye's
rescue, which order was promptly exc
cuted. Gen. Negley charged upon the
Confederate column, gall
lantIy repulsed them, recaptured the
Federal battery, and, in addi-
ton, four pieces of Confederate
Ia forty minutes the
lost ia killed and cap
tured about 1000 men. The scene was
a thrilling one. The hostile columns
met each other with fixed bayOnets. |
The roar of artillery and musketry |
was deafening. Above all could be
heard the shouts Of the troops on both
sides. The fighting on both sides was
desperate, and The men of both armies
displayed gallantry and courage
never eXcelled on any battlefield. Du-
ring this terrible conflict, Gen. Bragg's
N Ell CAD-ul ei SttllS pHBIaS OCAvh - - :
to Gen. McCook, which, it is said,
showed that Rpsecraus had rs, 900 men
aBd was continually receiving rein
forcements. These papers were for
arded To Bragg, and il has been said
caused him to retire.
The battle field at the close Of this
battle of Stone river, on the 2d day of
January, 1858, showed how well the
engines of destruction had been
played. Dead men aud dead animals
were laying thick over the ground.
Disabled batteries and artillery
wagons torn to pieces by the shot and
shell of the opposite sides were num-
erous. The timber was torn literally
to pieces in many places, and the
wonder is how any one escaped. 1t
was our first battle, and conflict cal
culated 10 appals the stoutest hearts,
but the Second Tennessee Cavalry
came ont of it with record for gall
lantry, courage and general efficiency,
that neither officers nor men had any
reason TO be ashamed Of