Year: 1863

The following is from the Tribune c5r-
respondent, of the battle on


WEDNESDAY.


With cool, calm courage Gen. Crttenden
awaited The coming storm. and conspicuous
among all the rest was the well built form
of the Commanding General, his counte-
nance unmoved by the tumult around hlaa
and his thoughtful and animated features
expressing high and patriotic hope, hich
acted like an inspiration upon every one
that brheld him as he cast his eye over the
grand array which he had mustered to re-
pei the foe. He already felt himself mas
ter of the situation.


AT last the long lines Of the enemy
emerged from the woods, rank behind rank,
and, with a demoniac yen, intended to strike
terror into The souls of the Yankees ,
who stood before them, charged with fear
full energy almost to the very muzzles of the
cannon, whose dark mouths yawned upon
them. A dazzling sheet of fame burst
from the ranks of the Union forces, an aw-
full roar shook the earth, a crash rent the
air, the foremost lines of the rebel host
were literally swept from the field, and
seemed TO melt away like snow flakes be-
fore fame; and then both armies were
nveloped in vast cloud of smoke which
hid everything from the eye.


On the still visible ground between the
pike and the railroad the tumult redoubled.
| Not knowing what would he the result of
the strife which was raging under the grea,
canopy of smoke that concealed the cont
batants, the flight of those in charge Of
wagons and ambulances became still more
rapid and disordered. Thousands of fugi-
tves from the broken right wing mingled
with the teams, and frequently mass Of
m-n, horses and wagons would be crushed
and ground together. Every conceivable
form of deadly missile whizzed and whirled
and burst amid the crowd, and terror and
dsmay ruled uncontrolably.


| The whole disordered mass rushed down
as fast as possible toward the river, into
which it plunged, pushing and struggling
to the other side. The combat under that
| great cloud of smoke was somewhat similar
to that in the woods. No one Knows ex
acly what command there was. A shout
charge, rush Of fire, a recoil, and ther
all for a time disappeared.


For ten minutes the thunder of battle
burst forth from the cloud. When our bat
taIions advanced they found no rebels be.
tween the woods and turnpike except the
dead, the dying, and the disabled. There
we're hundreds of these and their blood
soaked and REDEEMED the ground.


Since the annihilation of the Old Guard
ia their charge at Waterloo, there has prob
ably not been an instance of so great &
slaughter in so short time as during the
repulse Of the rebel left at Murfreesboro
and it will hereafter be celebrated in hsto
ry as much as is the fierce combat which
crushed forever the power and prospects o
Napoleon.


The rebel left was now thoroughly re
4 pulsed, and our troops, emboldened by theiI
success, pushed after them into the woods
driving them back in turn over a considera.
BILE portion of the ground which we at frs
occupied. The roar Of our artillery sound
ed further and further off, as the different
batteries moved on srowry urr-r riro rvr,pa,-
ing foe, and hostile cannon-balls no longer
plowed up the earth around me.


But while the enemy was thus retiring
from this portion of the field his cavalry
made most impudeut dash upon another
part of our lines. 1t will be recoilecteo
that when the great struggle was going on
the wagon and ammunition trains had been
hurried over the railroad toward Stone
River


A part of them were collected in low
piece of ground upon our side of the stream
but large number were driven across and
placed together upon the higher ground be-
yond.


This presented an opportunity which the
vigiant rebels could by no means neglect
the wagons on the o'her side were within
range of the rifles of whole brigade which
was guarding those on the hither side, and
point blank range of a dozen pieces of ar
Itillery which were near the river.


But nothing daunted by this display oi
force, about 500 rebel horsemen came gal
lopiue around the bend of the river from