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

Page 390 KY.,MID. AND E.TENN.,N.ALA.,AND SW.VA. Chapter XXXII.

moved on the pike toward Murfreesborough about one half mile. We then moved toward the wood on the right, and soon engaged the enemy. After some hot work they gradually retired, followed up by our brigade. About this time the Second Ohio and Thirty-third Ohio were detached, and my regiment, with the Thirty-eighth Indiana and Ninety-fourth Ohio, continued to advance under a pretty hot skirmish fire. After having advanced some distance, we were attacked by a strong force, which we held for some time, until we began to receive a flank fire from the right. Orders were received to retire behind the line of the Seventeenth Brigade, which we did; and as I was about to get my regiment into line I saw that the Seventeenth Brigade was also retiring. I moved to the rear with them, and formed my line on their right and the left of Loomis' battery. There I remained until retired by your order, about daylight the next morning.

On the morning of January 1, at about 7 o'clock, we were again moved rapidly forward on the pike to near our old position, where we remained all through the battle, but did not have any general engagement with the enemy after December 31.

I went into the battle with 11 officers and 250 men. My loss is 3 killed, 1 officer slightly wounded, 15 enlisted men wounded, and 6 missing.

My loss would probably have been larger, but the nature of the ground where we were engaged in the woods was such that the men had some protection.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. R. CHAPIN,

Colonel Tenth Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry.

ACTING ASSISTANT ADJUTANT-GENERAL,

Ninth Brigade.


No. 70. Report of Col. John Beatty, Third Ohio Infantry, commanding Second Brigade.


HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE, FIRST DIVISION,
Murfreesborough, Tenn., january 9, 1863.

SIR: In the recent engagement before Murfreesborough the casualties in my brigade were as follows:

Colonel Forman, Fifteenth Kentucky, was killed in the cedar woods on the morning of the 31st ultimo. He was a brave man and an excellent officer. Captain Bayne, of same regiment, fell at the same time, while urging his men forward.

Lieutenant Colonel Shanklin, Forty-second Indiana Volunteer Infantry, was surrounded by a superior force on the morning of January 3, and taken by the enemy. Col. George Humphrey, Eighty-eighth Indiana,was wounded on the night of January 3, in expelling the the enemy from the woods in our front. He behaved gallantly throughout the fight. Capt. L. S. Bell, Third Ohio Infantry, wounded at the same time,conducted himself with great courage.

Lieutenant Colonels Lawson, Third Ohio, and Briant, Eighty-eighth Indiana; Capt. J. H. Bryant, Forty-second Indiana;Lieutenants Du-Barry and Wildman, Eighty-eighth Indiana; J. B. McRoberts, Third

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*Embodied in revised statement, p. 210

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Page 390 KY.,MID. AND E.TENN.,N.ALA.,AND SW.VA. Chapter XXXII.