The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-04-23
STONE RIVER.
Days Of Hard Fighting with Little Actual
Gain 70 the Union Arms.

Gain 70 the Union Arms.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: On
Christmas Day, 1862, the Union army
lay encircling Nashville, Tenn, and the
rebel army was posted on Stone River,
Goth, at the call Of the bugle, we marched
by various roads to reach the enemy. A
heavy rain, commencing at 10 o'clock,
gave us thorough drenching. Our divi-
sion reached Nolansville, 10 miles out,
driving the enemy's outposts before us.
Our company was on picket guard during
the night, and suffered much from the rain
and lack of fire and sleep.
On the 9th we moved across the
country on n dirt road to the Murfrees-
boro pike, and it proved to be the muddiest
day in all of our soldering. In places
where the road ran along hillside the
mud would cover the slope to the foot.
being pushed off the road by the feet of
men and horses. In the night the snow
covered us to the depth Of five inches
During all of this Winter campaign we
| had no shelter from the weather, but
marched and fought and slept in wet
! clothes.
By the evening of the 3Oth we had ar
rived at Stone River and fought our way
into the desired position, and both armies
were formed into lines more than two
miles long and with $4,000 men and 100
| cannOns on each side. Neither of the
commanding Generals possessed the mill
! itary genius that wins decisive battles, and
| it turned out that each had exactly the
same plan of battle, which was to hold the
| right wing in position and to advance and
deliver the full force of his blow with the
left wing of his army.
On Wednesday, 31st, the enemy made
the forward movement first and struck
our right wing with such weight and
caused so much disaster that all thought
| of our advance was dropped and we stood
| on the defensive. Our regiment was on a
wooded crest on the battle line of the
center of the army. And although the
bullets and shells whistled and shrieked
| loudly through our ranks we did not hre
shot until nearly o'clock. And all this
| while we could see the enemy forcing the
right wing into our rear. oh. God! how
our hearts and brains thrObbed with vary
ing emotions during those trying hours!
glanced along our lines and every face was
gray with anxiety, fear and anticipation.
| may say that the fear of death fell upon
all.
Now the moment had come for which
we had been training for so many months,
and one of the best regiments in the OPP
posing army (the list Tenn advanced
against u.s. When they had marched up
within 100 feet of us we gave them such
n well-aimed volley that they recoi!ed in
confusion, but soon came pluckily to the
| attack again, and then we played q deadly
game of kill or be killed.
After an hour or more of alternate hrlne
and resting. we were compelled to with.
draw, as the disaster to the right wing
had made our position perilOus. We re-
turned through thick cedar woods, fight,
ing, for n half mile to n new line of. de-
Tense, and the day closed without further
loss. We were so exhausted by the eX
citement and fatigue of the day that those
not on duty slept soundly through snow
storm that ragged all night
On New Years Day both armies
strengthened their lines by building earth
works and our General sent small force
across the river against the enemy's right
wing This move proved to be the turn
ing point of the battle. There was mucl
skirmishing and artillery firing.
Afternoon on Friday, Jan. 2, the righ
wing of the enemy, under Gen. Breckln
ridge, moved forward to drive the sinai
Union force back across the river, ant
our division was advanced to their sup
port, my company occupying part of thu
river bank The enemy's line came down tt
the other shore in splendid array, and WI
fred fast and long to keep them from
crossing.
After losing heavily the enemy gave
way, and then, en- masse and withOu
command, we pushed through the marrow
stream Only to find that the fight grew
faster and more furious. We were in thu
midst of sudden storm blasts of death. Th'
air seemed full of bullets and the enem!
showered us with grapeshOt. Thes'
sounded like quails flying past. When ;
ball or grapeshot struck man the SCUM,
was like striking an AK into soft wood
Bullets striking trees OIL s;.,!s TTad5 yer!
sharp report, like frost in timber.
. After two hours of hard work we hat
, driven the enemy several hundred yard
from the river, and they then retreatet
across an open field, leaving several piece
of artillery. One Of our men. running u!
to one of these cannon, gave 1t resound
ing slap. and exclaimed: ''This is mine
| by gollyv' This is the only place wher
have seen the dead heaped up. Behin'
one of these guns five men were lying II
heap, with two others nearly touching
them. A heavy rain fell all night, and,
we were completely soaked, we passe'
some miserable hours.
: Saturday, Jan. 3, there was the usua
skirmish and artillery firing, but no gen
eral engagement Ny company was Oh
|
r rain In the evening part of the Uniol
! force moved up against the rebel line AM
{ there was a sharp engagement for al
hour. AS the nearest of the battiln
forces was not more than 100 yards frOn
2 where we lay on the firing line, we ha
n fair opportunity of seeing night battle
g 1t finally died out in spluttering rifle fire
Sunday dawned clear. l was awakene
. from my sleep on the muddy ground b
g cheers, and found that the enemy had re
e treated during the early hours as resul
4 Of our crossing the river on Friday, an
7 the great battle was ended. This da
most of the dead were buried in trenche
dug seven feet wide and about two fee
! deep. Afterward they were gathered int
the National Cemetery.
Monday morning we marched thre
miles beyond the river and halted, and i
q few days our baggage wagons came an
we again put up our tents and settle
down to camp life after three weeks eA
posure to severe Winter weather.
: Stone River was really drawn battle
: like most of the conflicts of the war, an
!, decided nothing save proving the couras
/. and steadiness Of the American soldier:
- Each side lost 10000 men, killed Q
wounded. The 18th Ohio had 81 kille
+ and 200 wounded. The best leadership
n the Union side was shown by Gen'
q Thomas, Rousseau and Palmer, and tn
a best Generals on the Confederate sid
r were Cleburne, Hardee and Polk. Late