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

Page 334 KY.,MID.AND E.TENN.,N.ALA.,AND SW.VA. Chapter XXXII.

camp, near Mill Creek, Tenn., December 26, 1862, to January 3, 1863, viz:

We broke up our camp, near Mill Creek, December 26; sent our wagon train to Nashville, and took up our line of march in the direction of Shelbyville, on the Nolensville turnpike, and encamped in the evening a short distance beyond Nolensville.

December 27, we continued our march in the same direction and on the same road. At 8 a.m. we encountered the enemy within 2 miles of Triune. We were immediately placed in position with the balance of our brigade on the left of the road. Our front line was composed of the Twenty-ninth Indiana Volunteers on the left, the Thirty-fourth Illinois Volunteers on the right, and the Thirtieth Indiana Volunteers in the center. Our regiment and the Seventy-ninth Regiment Illinois Volunteers were held in reserve, but advanced with the brigade, our regiment covering the Twenty-ninth Indiana Volunteers. Skirmishers were thrown forward by each of the three first-named regiments, as also were two companies of the Seventy-seventh Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, which occupied the extreme left of the line. In this manner we advanced toward Triune, driving the enemy from his position, and took possession of the town, the enemy retreating toward Shelbyville. We encamped about 1 mile beyond Triune, near the turnpike.

December 28, we remained in camp, where we stopped the evening before.

December 29, we retraced our march on the same road for 2 miles, and turned off on a dirt road running in an easterly course into the Salem turnpike, at the junction of which two roads we, silently and without fires, encamped for the night.

December 30, we marched toward Murfreesborough, on the Salem turnpike, for about 3 miles, when we were thrown into column, by division, into the woods on the right of the road, with the balance of our brigade and division. At this time heavy skirmishing was going on our left and in front. We advanced for a short distance, when our regiment and the Thirtieth Regiment Indiana Volunteers were ordered to change front to the right, deploy column, and throw out skirmishers. We then advanced, moving toward the right of the general line of battle for about a quarter of a mile. We then changed front to the left, and occupied a dense cedar grove. The position of our regiment was now on the right of the Twenty-second Regiment Indiana Volunteers, of General Davis' division. It was here that we received a heavy fire from a rebel battery that was stationed to the right and in front of us in an open field by the edge of a woods, at a distance of 500 yards. After a sharp skirmish it was silenced, when we threw out our pickets and remained for the night. Our position was now on the left of our brigade and on the right of Davis' division.

December 31, we were under arms at 4 a.m., and at daylight we discovered the enemy in large force within 60 yards of our pickets, who immediately commenced firing, when the enemy advanced to a furious attack. As the pickets retired, our regiment advanced to meet the enemy, and resisted their attack with desperate valor, repulsing the forces immediately in front, with great slaughter, and compelling them to retire across the brook, where we first found them posted, into a cornfield beyond. This was the first attack that was made on our lines; but almost at the same time the enemy's columns on our left, which were directed on those regiments on our right, pressed furiously onward, bearing down everything before them. Those regiments on our right fell back after a short but desperate resistance, as was shown by


Page 334 KY.,MID.AND E.TENN.,N.ALA.,AND SW.VA. Chapter XXXII.