Today in History:

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

Page 487 Chapter XXXII. THE STONE'S RIVER CAMPAIGN.

right flank of the regiment, while the regiment was being moved to a new position, which it had been ordered to occupy. The front of the regiment was immediately changed, and skirmishers thrown forward to meet the skirmishers of the enemy, and soon succeeded in driving the enemy from the field without loss to the regiment. At 9 p.m., January 2, the regiment, in pursuance of orders received, crossed the river on the left, and took position on the front line of the left wing of our army, which position it held until the morning of January 4, when it was moved to its present position in the field, in the rear of the army.

During the time the regiment held position south of Stone's River-the night of the 2nd and the day and night of January 3-the regiment was not engaged in action.

The loss of the regiment during the time covered by this report was but 2 enlisted men, wounded.

Respectfully,

JAMES T. EMBREE,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Comdg. Fifty-eighth Regiment Indiana Vols.


No. 105. Report of Colonel Samuel McKee, Third Kentucky Infantry,

of skirmishes near La Vergne and Stewart's Creek Bridge, December 27.


HEADQUARTERS THIRD KENTUCKY INFANTRY,
Stewart's Creek, Tenn., December 28, 1862.

SIR: In obedience to the command of Brigadier General Milo S. Hascall, commanding Fifteenth Brigade, about 10 o'clock a.m. on yesterday, at a point about one-half mile west of the town of La Vergne, I posted my regiment in the rear of the Fifty-eighth Indiana Volunteers, forming the right of the rear line of the Fifteenth Brigade. In this position I moved forward through the town to a point about 1 1/2 miles east, along the right of the Murfreesborough pike. Here my regiment was ordered forward thereby becoming the right of the front line, Companies A (Lieutenant Powell), B (Lieutenant Hogan), and C (Captain Ralston), all under the command of Major Collier, were deployed, and at once thrown forward to relieve the skirmishers of the Fifty-eighth Indiana. These companies had no sooner taken their positions and commenced to advance than they were met by a galling fire from the rebels, ambuscaded behind a dense thicket of cedar. Their fire was promptly returned with such effect as to drive the enemy at once in confusion from their hiding place. But they being mounted, whilst we were afoot, were enabled readily [to avail themselves] of every advantage of position that presented itself from the time we first met them until we reached this place. Driven from one shelter they quickly sought another, but at no point tarried longer than to receive one or two rounds from their pursuers.

Major Collier was constantly, and with great gallantry, riding from one end of the line to the other, encouraging the skirmishers forward, and to him is attributable the fact that we were enabled to steadily [press] forward, though the ground over which we had to pass was a continuous succession of dense thickets and soft corn ground, both rendered almost entirely impassable, except by the most devious routes, by a drenching


Page 487 Chapter XXXII. THE STONE'S RIVER CAMPAIGN.