On the 31st, these batteries, after holding their position under a murderous fire for four hours, having a large proportion of their horses killed, and being out of ammunition, were compelled to retire with the loss of six guns in getting through the cedars.

On January 1, Company M was posted on the left side of the railroad; changed position about 1 o'clock to the right of Murfreesborough pike, where it remained until night.

On January 2, these batteries were posted on the hill at the ford of Stone's River, to resist the attack on the left, which proved successful.

Left Wing.-The batteries of the left wing are the following: Company M, Fourth U. S. Artillery, Lieutenant Parsons; Company H, Fourth Artillery, Lieutenant Throckmorton; Company B, First Ohio Artillery, Captain Standart, attached to the Second Division; Tenth Indiana, Captain Cox; Eighth Indiana, Lieutenant Estep; Sixth Ohio, Captain Bradley, attached to the First Division; Seventh Indiana Battery, Captain Swallow; Third Wisconsin, Lieutenant Livingston; Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania [Battery B, Pennsylvania Light Artillery], Lieutenant Stevens, attached to the third Division, with the following guns: Four 3-inch rifles, ten 12-pounder howitzers, six James rifles, twelve 6-pounder smooth-bores, and sixteen 10-pounder Parrotts.

The first position taken by Batteries H and M, under command of Lieutenant Parsons, was just to the right of the Mufreesborough pike, 2 1/2 miles from Murfreesborough. During the morning they retired for ammunition, and took a second position between the railroad and pike, and, after firing away all their ammunition, they again retired. On January 2 they were moved to the front, and soon after took position at the hill near the ford, and participated in repulsing the enemy from our left.

Company B, First Ohio Artillery, Captain Standart, on the 31st was posted on the right of Lieutenant Parsons. After firing away his ammunition, he retired for the day. On the 2nd he was put in position on the hill on the right of the pike, commanding the corn-field occupied by Stokes' battery the day before. Being under a very heavy cannonading, three pieces were retired to a position under cover, in reserve, to the left of the pike. These three guns were, in the afternoon, moved to the left, to resist the attack of the enemy.

Company F, First Ohio, Captain Cockerill, on the 31st, was placed in position on the left of Parsons' battery, and on the right of the pike; but during the morning retired and took position on the left of the railroad and about 400 yards from it, which position they held until the attack on the left, to which point Lieutenant Osburn moved four pieces, the captain having been wounded.

Captain Bradley, on the morning of the 31st, moved with Colonel Harker's brigade in its advance, to check the enemy on the right, and held with it its position through the day. On the 2nd he held with it its position through the day. On the 2nd he held a position on commanding ground near to the right of the railroad. When the attack was made on the left, he changed front to fire to the left.

The Seventeenth Indiana Battery, Captain Swallow, on the 31st, went into battery a short distance to the right of the pike, 2 1/2 miles from Murfreesborough, and in the afternoon moved to the left of the railroad, going into battery on the right of Cockerill's battery. On the 2nd this battery also was placed on the high ground to resist the enemy's attack at the ford.

The Eighth Indiana Battery, Lieutenant Estep, was placed on the opposite side of the pike (left) and rear of Captain Swallow's battery.