The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-11-15
During the Battle of MUIR
freesborO In
A GIGANTIC STRUGGLE IN WHICH
Many Kentuckians Including
General Roger W.. Hanson, I
Lost their Lives.
UNWRITTEN HISTORY MADE

The part DR.. Pendletons Compa-
ny played in that gigantic struggle
"a bit of unwritten history after
the hard camaign our Company,
with the Orphan Brigade, had en-
Cured in the South in Ocobcr, 1862,
VIC came back to Murfrecsboro,
Tenn, as we had the vain hope that
ere many days we would get march
ing orders to Kentucky we were in
good spirits, having new uniforms
and in good comfortable quarters;
having good times generally.
Things went well until Christmas
week and my recollection is Christ
mas came that year on Friday and
Monday after Christmas We received
orders to cook five days rations and
get ready to march. So Monday at
noon the entire army began to march
out the Nashville pike, and just
where the pike crosses Stone river
we halted in line of battle. We re-
NAMED there all night and Tuesday
afternoon the cavalry came in and as
they passed through our lines the
Yankees opened on them with bat
terry that plainly tod Rosecran's
AMY ~ns advancing. Our army was
pat r. nation to be ready for the
fray. Our Brigadc was moved up
Stone river to the right of the pike.
Jus. in front of us was a hill that
the Union army was trying to get
possession of but our commander
saw the situation and ordered Gen.
Hanson to take possession of the
hill, He ordered the 9th Ky. for
ward and our company was deploycd
on the skirmish line and after
sharp fight drove them off and plant
ed q battery on the hill. 1t was now
night and our company was deployed~
on the skirmish line on the bank of
the river and the Yankee line on the
north side of the river in gun shot
of us; but we had orders not to fire
gun unless they advanced.
That night there was a cold rain
and sleet, which froze to our clothes.
Next morning before day our COM
pany moved to our right in front of
the hill we had taken the evening
before, and at daylight the LETT wing
of our army made furious attack
on their right, which lasted all day
Wednesday, driving them about five
miles. We did nothing but skirmish
that day and support our batteries,
which were engaged all day. ~
Thursday passed with nothing
more than artillery dueling and
skirmishing.
Friday morning greeted us with a
clear day and at noon that day Gen.
Bragg ordered Gen. Breckenridge
with his division to move forward
on our right to crush the left wing
of the Federal army and drive them
back to Nashville. Our company was
again deployed on the skirmish line
and was ordered to drive the Fed
erals out of a house that they occu-
pied in front of where the advance
was to be made. After furious
attack we drove them out and John
Chinn ran in and set the house on
fire. After that our company moved
to the right and then the most des-
perate struggle of the battle began
Gen. Breckenridge lost about one
third of his fine division, in that
charge and after driving them across
the river wasn't able to hold his
ground and had to retreat back
across the river. The noble Gen.
Roger w. Hanson gave up his life
in that charge and many other good
Kentuckians were left on that
bloody field. There was no fighting
on Saturday. Saturday night our
army left the field; gave up MUIR
freesboro and fell back to Tulihoma
where We spent the balance of the
winter. Our regiment was left at
Manchester which was little in ad-
vance of the main army.
w. r. G.
Beaver Dam. Ky.