The National tribune., 1906-06-07


front. and sent hack for orders. Gen.
Crittendsn suspended the movement
until he could hear FROM Gen. Rose
Grams, and presently orders were sent to
Col. Harker recalling him. which was
q delicate ana dangerous operation, but
succeeded, with Harker losing but two
men killed and three wounded. The
Left Wing thereupon went into biv-
ouac In line Of battle, without fires,
some 700 yards distant from the enc
my's position.
On the Right.
From the right Gen. McCook report
ed that he was in sight Of Murfrees-
boro, with the enemy in his front In
line OF battle, and receiving reinforce
ments by the Shelbyville Pike. Dur
Ing the day his cavalry, commanded by
Gen. Stanley and Col. Zahm, had had a
number OF spirited skirmishes with the
enemy. In one Of these the Anderson
Cavalry (15th Pa. Cav.) had pushed the
enemys cavalry back six miles, but had
run into an ambush Of two regiments
OF infantry, in which they lost Maj.
Rosengarten and six men killed and
MAJ. Ward and five men severely
wounded.
Gen. Rosecrans was now satisfied
that the enemy intended to give battle,
and he remained at Bridges house all
day bringing up his men, forming his
lines and preparing for the conflict.
Orders were sent to McCook to form
two OF his divisions In two lines with
one division In reserve and make q
reconnaissance toward Salem, on his
right. Negley was ordered to form in
two lines in the center with Rousseau
supporting him and Crittenden was 10
form his corps like McCook's. with
two divisions in front and one in re-
serve. Stanley and Kennett were sent
to the TANKS with their cavalry and
Gen. Rosecrans established his head
quarters in a little rickety house on
knoll near a graveyard and the Muir
freesboro Pike. He was attended
Acknowledgement Lieut.. Kirby, LieuT.
Bond, Col. Barnet. Chief of Artillery,
Maj. Skinner. Judge-Advocate, and
Father Trecy. Gen. Crittenden and
his staff also established themselves IN
the same cabin. Capt st. Clair Nor
ton brought up his Pioneer Brigade to
Stewards Creek and during the night
had 1t hard at work constructing two
bridges across that stream.
The whole army lay down in the mud
without fires, and took with patient en-
durance the heavy rain which lasted
nearly all night.
Tuesday, Dee. 80.
Tuesday, Dec. 30, 1862, dawned
drearily, with the whole surface Of the
little triangle between Stone River and
Oyerall's Creek a sea Of mud through
which the teams fioundered and the
men plodded laboriously. The troops
were aroused before daybreak and
stood to arms, shivering in their soaked
clothing. No fires had been allowed,
and groups which had dared to dis
obey orders and start little blaZes here
and there provoked a she'll from the
ever-ready guns of the enemy, only a
co. Ii or1c 10
comfort of the men was that they had
plenty to eat, but breakfast without hot
coffee was meager indeed. At $3.50 in
the morning Gen. McCoOk reported to
Gen. Rosecrans and was ordered to rest
the left of his line upon Negley's right
and push forward his own right until
1T was parallel, Or nearly so, with Stone
River, the extreme right to rest on or
near the Franklin Road. The Center
and Left Wing were to remain sub
stantially as placed the night before,
but pushed forward wherever needed
to rectify their lines. Negley's Divi-l
sion had hard work in cutting passages
through the heavy cedar thickets to-
gain position. and the Pioneers spent
the whole night at this toll. What
work was done after daylight had to be
under the fire of the enemy, who d.
rected his artillery wherever he saw
movements. Rosecrans's headquarters
and shot took away the head of Nc
Donald, 4th u. S. Cav, one of HIS or
derlies. The General then changed his
quarters to less exposed spot and took
up position I'm a fence corner under
three young trees 100 yards to the left
of the pike. Over this corner other
rails were thrown and a shelter made of
india rubber blankets for AdJt-Gen.
Garesche and the staff to write orders
1t rained drearily throughout the fore
noon. A fire was built in front of the
field quarters and rails placed around 1t
for seats. This point became the re-
sort of officers coming in from the
front with reports and there was con-
stantly a group of men in ponchos
or sitting around the cheerful
blaze as they made their reports, waited
for orders and discussed the events and
possibilities. The 4th U. s. Cav. stood
behind the shelter of the knoll. and at
times during the gloomy day its superb
band cheered up the soldiers with the
Star Spangled Banner and other pa
triotic airs. A little after noon the
skies began to clear under stiff, chill
northwest wind and the sun shone at
intervals.
McCook Fighting for Position.
McCook was seeking all day to gain
position on a wooded ridge parallel tt
the enemy's front, SO as to connect his
leIt Win NeXlcy ana reIuSe his TlSul
along the Franklin Pike. He was in
structed to feel his way cautiously but
firmly, and in doing so met stubborn
and continued resistance. The resist
ance in front Of Negley also rose at
times to the proportion of battle.
Rousseau came into position as reserve
for the Center about 4 o'clock, leaving
Brigade OH the Jeffer-
son Pike. On the Left Crittenden's
and artillery kept UP a |
noisy exchange of shots with Breckin- |
ridges men across the river.
Cavalry RaidinE the Rear.
In the meanwhile the Confederate
cavalry was getting very busy and strik
ing at the long line of communication
back to Nashville. Wheeler with about
$500 men and two pieces Of artillery
swept around our right and his first at
tack was upon so wagons on the Jeffer-
SON Pike. Starkweather's Brigade was
handy, however, and after a sharp
fight of two hours drove them off. but
not until Wheeler had destroyed about
90 OF the wagons. Later they cut off a
train on the Murfreesboro Pike. but the
10th Ohio succeeded in driving them
back and rescuing the train. Wheeler
then swung farther to the rear, recap
tured Lavergns, and took some trains