Year: 1863

pared by the pioneers during the night We
supposed it to be the beginning Of q general
movement of the left wing across the river
and so it was, doubtless. We stood watching
the co!urnn-pass until 8 or 9 regiments and 2
batteries had passed and till we heard some
firing in the direction the head of the column
had taksn-(between their advance and the
enemy's pickets, I supposed, when an orderly
came with an oFderto the Major to form the
regimenta


q viii just state here BY way Of parenthe-
sis that Just at this point the Adjutaut came
in with rordersto get ready to go on picket
Immediately, the whole regiment. As i has
been raining for the last a hours, have
been cougratulating myself at escaping pick
ct yesterday; and shaking in my boots at the
prospect of having to leave my warm quar-
ters and gortO day. It was getting so late
in the afternoon, was in hope we were
going to escape to-day but there is no such
good luck. 1t has stopped raining but looks
like snow or more rain before long, so that
the prospect for the night is not very agree
able. Wen as the boys say by way Of con
soliug each other when things are particular
lF- rOngh-"serFes you right-had no bust
ness to be a soldier.r)


Sunday suening-Got in from picket Friday
evening, with my feet nearly frozen. Snow
ed all day and all night with hardly an inter-
mission and was pretty cold, so we didn't get
much sleep you may suppose but once back
10 camp with warm tent and supper we
soon dismissed our troubles. Yesterday all
day I was at work making out muster rolls.
I now come back to the letter with the in
tentioh Of finishing it before the next mail,


Before going on with what was saying
about the battle, however, may as well say
word about the field on which It was fought.
The turnpike and railroad from Nashville to
Murlreesboro, cross Stone River (Which is
about such stream as Mad River about 2
miles north of NJ. The creek, or river, is
very crooked, and on the right Of the turn
pike as you go south, runs almost parallel
with it and then sweeping round across the
The road, runs back towards our left, leaving
large area Of slightly rolling ground, some
thing in the shape of horse shoe with the
railroad and turnpike running through it,
from the north or open end of the horse shoe,
to the south. On this ground, which was
partly timbered, and partly cleared, our army
was postedin a line of battle fallowing the gen
erai course Of the creek, and Of which we oc-
eupied the left The enemy occupied the
other side Of the creek


Wei, Just as we were falling in in pursu-
anee- Of the order I spOke-of, where left of
the other evening, rapid musketry freing was
heard directly in our rear. The enemy's cav
airy had got clear round rright-they had
been driving our right wing back for several
hours and were attacking ouriwagon train
which was parked in our rear. This put an
entirely different face on the matter. It look
ed very much as if we were surrounded.
Van Gleve's division came running back on a
double quick from the left, ard went back
towards the rear. We were in for it now,
evidently, and forming in column of COM
panies, we marched back towards the rear,
where it was now necessary to form new
line fronting just the other way and drive the
wagons and ambulances back behind it, fol
protection. ,-z..


r|Hs.r


It was about half past nine when we start
ed out, and after taking two or three posi-
tons we began 10 get into the battle by about
ten. Things looked very blue, and very crit
ical, I can tell you. The wagons were driv-
ing about to getin our rear, in the greatest
confusion, apparently obstrueting our move
ments at every turn. The firing continued
on our late right and rear, and every minute
stragglers and wounded kept coming back re-
peatng that their regiment belonging to the
right wing were all broken up and scattered
It looked as if ali that we could hope to ac-
complsh was to avoid either rout and defeat
Still we moved on and were finally placed in
position--the irst. one we took up after get
ting engaged, and ordered to lie down. We
had hardly been here five minutes when we
were ordered to go double quick to support
a battery on the railroad which was threat
ened by the enemy. We kept down one
side Of the railroad embankment which was
quite high, while the battery and its infantry
supports on the other side Of the bank kept
up a tremendous Ere on the advancing enemy.
I don't know what battery it was, but it was
splendidly served The embanknent kept us
from seeing, but 1 never heard such FIRE. The
reports of the cannon came as fast as the
ticking Of watch, while the rattle Of oul
musl,etry was like the continuous cracking
of FIRE. By the time we got fairly into po,
sltion behind the battery, the enemy were
repulsed and the Ere ceased. But so com,
pletsly had the enemy encircled US that there
seemed hardly any place that their BALI
didn't come from.


While we lay directly behind the battery
which had Just been attacked, rebel battery
opened a flank FIRE away OF to our left ant
rear which kept Us dOdging balls as we lay
along the ground, until we were moved to
new position which we very soon were. Gen
RoseCrans came riding up, asking "Wherei
4 Crittenden2 Where's Crittenden 2" No on,
answering, told him we were part of hi
corps just then an officer came mp on horse
back and took him of, I suppose to Gen. Crit
tenden. Almost Immediately, we were moved