The National tribune., 1884-11-13
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
STONES RIVER.
The Assault on the Unprepared Right Wing-The
Pretended Re-en9orcemen;s-The Final Struggle
On the East Bank OF the River.


Pretended Re-ensorcemen;s-The Final Struggle
On the East Bank OF the River.
To THE EDITOR: In "Carleton's" history of
the battle Of Stones River there are a few
errors, as saw it. Without pointing out the
special contrast between his account and as
saw il, would. with your permission, make
few statements which shall cover the main
points Of difference
After reaching tie field on which the great
struggle was 10 occur. the J0th of December,
(Tuesday,) was occupied in manuvering for
position. The diminishing was so general all
along the lines that il would be difficult; to &C.
terElne which was The most vulnerable or
which the strongest part of the enemy's lines
Skirmishing was brisk all along the lines, es-
pecially along the left and center; but at every
point where our lines were advanced the
enemy stubbornly gave way.
AS NIGHT SETTLED DOWN
upon us the soldiers lay down TO rest, weary
from hard marches, in a good position for de-
Tense should an attack come from the front, with
our eyes open. Our right was TOO attenuated,
without sufficient support, as we were expected
to act on the offensive instead of defensive,
and The main movements were to be made by
the Left Wing.
Long before daylight our pickets reported
the sound of moving troops in our front from
left TO right. As day began TO dawn the troops
we're aroused to prepare for the days duties
The artillery horses
WERE SENT TO WATER,
not TO the rear as Carleton Gays, but to the
front, to our right, but directly to the front of
Wiliich's Brigade, which faced west The
horses were taken about one-fourth OF mile,
to a small brook which flows into Overalfs
Greek. While the horses were being wateTed
and the men preparing breakfast, the guns yet
stacked in line, the enemy made rapid ad-
fan without
mishers, so that their lines were not observed
IN the fog and haze of the early morning. They
came with such force and SO precipitately that
eur men were confuscd-they were taken by
complete surprise. Some fled so precipitately
from the first attack that they did not even
wait to take their guns from where they were
stacked.
GEN. MeCoOK
was far away He had not needed the warn
inss of the early hours. Even when he heard
Che roar and rattle he could not believe the
battle was on. 30 confident was he that Crit
tenden and Thomas were to do this battle.
After the first onslaught and the first excite
nent was past our forces rallied, changed their
front to repel the enemy from the new direct
ion. and resisted with q stubborness which is
truly commendable. Attacking the army in
the flank brought to bear an overwhelmingly
superior force of the enemy TO any troops OF
surs which could be adjusted to The new posi-
ton. Regiment after regiment and brigade
after brigade were
TORN From THEIR wELL-TAKEN POSITIONS
and obliged to change front either to right or
rear to repel the still advancing and victorious
Jbe. will not follow them in detail-only
give you note of what our regiment had to
do, which can be taken as sample of what
others did. We were in the Second Brigade
Of Negley's Division. Several times our posi-
tion was changed to meet the advancing foe
At last, when we were compelled to retire from
the original line of battle, the Right Wing had
been crumbled little by little until not an
organized body of troops was left on our right.
The fighting was as heavy in our rear as IN
eur front; our ammunition was nearly ex-
kausted and the bayonet the only resource for
safety. We changed front to right On first
company, then front to rear and
WITH FIXED BAYoNETs
started through that memorable cedar forest.
The forest was thick with killed and wounded
Of both rebel and Union soldiers, showing that
the fighting here bad been desperate and the
same ground had been fought over by friend
and foe. The enemy was in our front and
rear. Several times we changed front to rear
and charged back upon the advancing foe. Our
brigade was the list to leave the cedars, and
when half way across the open field toward
the pike, the enemy showing disposition to
follow, We again charged back into the cedars,
checked the advance of the enemy by the sud
den coutercharge. and after delivering the few
ycmaining rounds. fell back in good order to
the left of the Murfreesboro pike. This closed
The active operations of the day; not at IL
o'clock, as Carleton" would infer, but rather
Bear 2 p. m. 1t was O'Clock before the new
Hines had been thoroughly adjusted and ready
10 again face the foe. Gen. Rosecrsns had
been in the saddle all day, and present on every
part of the field regardless of danger. This
ended the day and ended the year.
AN EPISODE.
Now occurred an episode which have seen
% where else mentioned, which will account, to
some degree at least, why on Jan. / Thursday
the enemy did not follow up their well-earned
advantage. During the day Q number of rebel
prisoners had been taken. After both armies
had settled down quietly to rest for the night
these prisoners were lying about q few isolated
camp fires, under guard, of course. few of
eur officers approached near them and began
talking of the fortunes of the day, saying:
The enemy would have met with far differ
snt reception had our re-enforcements arrived
- were expected" "There would be ct least
10000 fresh troops to 60 into the fight when it
should be renewed" 1t certainly could be
% later than midnight before they should
arrive" and other like expressions This
their friends should know. 1t was then
thought necessary to remove the prisoners to q
Afer place, and in their movements from place
- place in the darkness of the night few
made their escape" and probably carried the
news" to their friends.
PHANTOM REINFORCEMENT.
In the meantime quite q large detail had
been made from various reRiments-a number
from the 18th Mich. and 18th Ul.,-placed un-
der Q competent officer, and marched away mp
the Hurfreesboro pike beyond the right of the
ofmy. Here were extensive open fields lying
east Of Overall's Creek and reaching away to the
south. The night was still and of that MUIR
Ky condition when voices may be heard at 8
great distance. Upon arriving upon this open
plain each soldier in the detail became Q Brig
odier-General, Colonel, or some active officer,
end each worked very industriously for half
hour or more nanuyering and commanding in
cloud voice his imaginary battalions into COM
{ortsble and secure positions for the night.
When this was done each resigned his high
rank, was . private again, and went ct work
very assiduously building camp-fres of the
1ne cedar rails which they found in abund-
ence. When all the fences which could be
6und were converted into blazing. cracking
eamp-fres, the detail returned to their respect
I've commands, and at low IL all was quiet.
The day had ended not in disaster nor In de-
Ssst, bat sadly to our cost, with
TIE ADVANTAGE WITH THE ENEMY.
True, his advantage had been dearly bought.
end 90 had our sacrifice been great.
The night was a gloomy one. The rain
poured upon the unprotected armies like nature
Weeping over the awful carnage The clay
soil was made muddy, and in Q fearful con-