Today in History:

295 Series I Volume XX-I Serial 29 - Murfreesborough Part I

Page 295 Chapter XXXII. THE STONE'S RIVER CAMPAIGN.

Lieutenant-Colonel Jones; Thirty-second Indiana, Lieutenant-Colonel Erdelmeyer; Eighty-ninth Illinois, Lieutenant-Colonel Hotchkiss, and Goodspeed's battery, First Ohio Artillery.

Second Brigade, Brig. Gen. E. N. Kirk commanding: Twenty-ninth Indiana, Lieutenant-Colonel Dunn; Thirtieth Indiana, Colonel Dodge;

Seventy-seventh Pennsylvania, Lieutenant-Colonel Housum;

Thirty-fourth Illinois, Lieutenant-Colonel Bristol; Seventy-ninth Illinois, Colonel Read, and Edgarton's battery, Ohio Artillery.

Third Brigade, Col. P. P. Baldwin commanding: Sixth Indiana, Lieutenant-Colonel Tripp; Fifth Kentucky (Louisville Legion), Lieutenant-Colonel Berry; First Ohio, Major Stafford; Ninety-third Ohio, Colonel Anderson, and Simonson's (Indiana) battery.

Major Klein's battalion, of Third Indiana Cavalry, was assigned to duty with the Second Division.

Agreeably to orders, the three divisions constituting the right wing of the Fourteenth Army Corps marched from their camp, near Nashville, taking the Nolensville pike, and arrived in that village the same day at 4 p.m.

On the following day the same divisions, with mine in advance, marched to Triune. The rebel rear guard contested the ground inch by inch, and the day was passed constantly skirmishing with them, with no loss on our side, but several casualties on their part. Triune was occupied by my division about 4 p.m.

The following day, December 29, the command remained in Triune. A reconnaissance to ascertain the direction the enemy had retreated was made by a brigade of my command, commanded by Brig. Gen. A. Willich. It having been ascertained that the enemy had retreated toward Murfreesborough, I was ordered to leave a brigade at Triune, and on the 29th to march on Murfreesborough, on what is known as the Bole Jack road. Col. P. P. Baldwin's (Third) brigade was left at Triune.

The command arrived at Wilkinson's Cross-Roads about 8 p.m. on the 29th, and an order was sent at once to Colonel Baldwin to move forward his brigade, which arrived early on the afternoon of the 30th. My division was in reserve on the 29th.

On the following morning, December 30, General Sheridan's division was ordered to advance in line of battle, covering the Wilkinson pike, while General Davis' division marched in the same order on the right of General Sheridan. My division, being held in reserve, was marched in column on the pike. There being no troops on General Davis' right, and General Sheridan's left being guarded by General Crittenden's left wing, I was ordered to oblique to the right, covering the right of General Davis' division.

About 2 p.m. I received an order from Major-General McCook to look well to my right, as General Hardee (rebel), with his corps, was on the right flank of our column. I ordered Brigadier-General Kirk, commanding the Second Brigade, to take position with his brigade, his left resting against the right of General Davis, his right refused, so as to cover our right flank.

About dark I placed General Willich's brigade on the right of Kirk's, refusing his right, and directing a heavy line of skirmishers to be thrown forward, connecting on the left with those of General Davis, and extending to the right and rear, near the Wilkinson pike. This line of skirmishers was thrown forward about 600 yards, and near those of the enemy. My Third Brigade, Colonel Baldwin commanding, was held in reserve.


Page 295 Chapter XXXII. THE STONE'S RIVER CAMPAIGN.