Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-02-25
STONE RIVER.
I he Battle and the Events
Immediately Preced-
ing lit
Rosenorars' sanguinary confiotwith
Bragg in the Fall Of 1852,

AS SEEN BY AN ARTILLERY MAN OF THE 9TH
WISCONSIN, BATTERY AND WRITTEN FOR
THE PRESS AND DAKoTAIAN.
The battle Of Perryvllle was fought on
the 9Th day OF October, 1862, on my 22d
birthday, and l am free to say, it was
to me the mos5 important celebration Of
any n of my life.
On the 9th General Bragg began o
rapid retreat out OF the state Of Kantuo.
by by way of Damp Dick Robinson, Lam
caster, Grab Orchard aud Cumberland
Gap. OF course, we joined in the pur-
suit, and gave him a few parting shots ut
Lancaster.
I believe Bragg carried out his
plans almost to the very letter. I be-
lleve he wished to forage on a grand
scale: Kentucky was rich 10 all the sup
plies an army needed. He had but to
go in force and help himself. He did 80
with an audaclty that was both astonish.
ing and Illuminating to us.
In the face OF en- army that was in
every respect stronger than his W he
captured 200 prisoners, swept the cen-
trial part: OF the state of its best horses
drove off 5000 head of fat cattle of the
finest breeds, robbed all the stores in
every town his forces passed through,
and conducted n safety through the
mountain passes nm immense wagon
train loaded with -four. bacon, and other
supplies n6edod by his soldiers.
That he ever expected to take either
Louisville or Cincinnati I never be-
lieyed. With the Ohio river pasrolled
by our Runboats, and a powerful army
in his rear, he could have done nothing
more than to sack. burn and abandon
them at best. The5main body OF our
army under Buell. abandoned the direct
pursuit Of Bragg's forces at Grab Or
'chard. Kentucky, on the 9th I the some
month. The morning of the 10th found
Us an route for Nashville; we marched
by easy stages by way of Lancaster,
Dsnvilie. Bowling Green and Franklin.
The night NE encamped at DanvilIe
she weather changed, and quite a severe
snow storm prevailed. We awoke the
next morning and found four inches OF
snow piled on top of ua. The warm
rays OF the sun melted it in two hours.
Upon reaching Bowling Green General
Buell. was relieved of the command OF our
army, and wss succeeded by General
Roseerans, who had Just won q brilliant
victory yer the combined forces of Price,
Van Dorm and Loyel at Corinth, Mis-
siseippi.
When General Rosecrans assumed
command OF the army, two corps OF the
army en- rodte for Nashville were stretch
ed between Danville and Bowling Green,
the third having continued the chase
after the fleeing enemy.
Ii behooyed the commander to lcck
about him ard ascertain the condition of
affairs in his department--the position
number and efficiency OF the troops un-
der his control. He found Nashville to
lbs the only foothold We possessed in the
department OF the Cumberland, and all
middle Tennessee, that we once held,
had been lost by the retreat OF General
Bnell to Louisville. His large army was
in an enemy's country depending for its
supplies and provisions, clothing, equip
raenfs and ammunition, on o single line
OF railroad $50 miles long, every mile
OF which had to be guarded from the
assaults OF Rucrrillas. Even this line
Was o~bStructsd by the rebels filing the
II. r. tunnel near GRllatin, Tennessee,
and BY the destruction Of bridges along
the line so that several weeks after the
army reached Nashville. supplies had to
be hauled by wagon trains from Mitchell.
vile, . Distance of thirty five miles.
The wagon trains had to be strongly
guarded to proYent thsm.from falling
into the hands of Morgan.
Our sroops were sadly in want
OF fonts TO shelter them from
the cold and driving rains of winter.
Many were In need Of blankets, cloth
ing. end equipments which must be sup.
piled, Nearly oil Of the old regiments
had not besn paid off for Eve, six, and
seven months. These must be paid. 30
that the soldier might buy many nesdful
thinKs for himself and send money to
the loved ones at home to make them
comfortable during the impending win.
tor.
Ihese sturdy regiments and batteries,
ZOO, mao been marching almoas inces-