Today in History:

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

Page 429 Chapter XXXII. THE STONE'S RIVER CAMPAIGN.

my men to move double-quick to a point covered from the enemy's fire, where I rallied my men and reformed my ranks, which has become somewhat broken in the retreat.

Just as I had accomplished this, General Rousseau ordered me to charge the woods again, encouraging the men to charge by taking the lead in person. The men, already breathless from fatigue, approached the close woods, but slowly, yet in perfect order, notwithstanding the enemy from the cover of the woods met us with a withering fire. My men bravely charged upon the hidden enemy and drove them back into the woods, where they held them at bay for some twenty minutes. Seeing that I was unsupported, and standing against a much stronger force, and that some 50 of my command had already fallen, I ordered a retreat, returning to the same place from which I had started under General Rousseau's order.

In this engagement Captain P. E. Taylor fell, mortally wounded; also Lieutenant Minear, adjutant, fell, severely wounded. I was then, with the balance of the brigade, withdrawn from the field for that day.

My command was not actually engaged again until the afternoon of the 2nd instant. I took position in rear of the battery in our center about 4 o'clock, when the enemy appeared to our left. I was ordered by General Negley to move to the support of the battery on the left, and to take covering behind the buildings near the position. When I arrived there, I saw the enemy's columns advancing under cover of the woods to our left, the head of his column almost to the creek. I immediately deployed my column and moved my line forward to a fence, from which my men sent a well-directed fire against the enemy.

At this point Captain J. M. Welch, who was acting major, was carried from the field, severely wounded; also Sergt. L. D. Carter, aiding me as adjutant. Seeing that our fire brought the enemy to a halt, and that our forces were advancing, I ordered my men forward across the stream, which was promptly under execution when I discovered the enemy moving on our right in the woods in heavy force, evidently intending to attack us on our flank. I immediately ordered a halt, and rallied my men who had not already crossed the stream, leaving those who had crossed, as I supposed, to the command of Captain Welch, of whose wounds I was not informed. I rallied my men, getting many men from other regiments, and moved toward the woods on the right. Finding my ranks very imperfectly formed, I called a halt to allow the men a moment's rest, and to prepare my ranks for a change bayonet. Just as I halted, a regiment arrived in my rear and passed on. Just then I received an order from General Palmer to move forward, which I did, taking position on the right of the other regiment. The line soon pressed the enemy back, discovering which I moved my line forward; but finding that the other regiment did not advance, I caused my bugler to sound a retreat, so as to align my forces with the other regiment. Just as the line was moving to the rear, a man on the right called out, "They are flanking us from the woods on the right." This caused some of the men to retreat hastily. I hastened to the open ground, from which I saw that the report was false, when I rallied those that had fled, and returned to the woods again. We continued to reply to the enemy's fire until darkness set in, when I withdrew, other forces having arrived to hold the ground.

In this charge Captain George Stivers, a most valuable officer, fell, mortally wounded. The behavior of all my officers in these various engagements was such as that I may only say every one did all that he could, or that any one in his position could have done, and as to my men, I can


Page 429 Chapter XXXII. THE STONE'S RIVER CAMPAIGN.