Today in History:

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

Page 494 KY.,MID. AND E.TENN.,N.ALA.,AND SW.VA. Chapter XXXII.

gave them the last shot they had in the locker, thereby making the rout complete.

The Fifteenth Indiana lost in this charge about 30 killed and near 100 wounded; but the rebels were not yet whipped, as they returned again in force, my infantry slowly retiring and fighting their way back. By this time we were prepared for their reception, as Captain Cox had procured some ammunition, and I ordered Lieutenant Estep's Eighth Indiana Battery into position with four guns; when the enemy came within canister range, they were literally swept away and driven back in utter confusion. The artillery was supported at this time by the Twenty-sixth Ohio, under command of the gallant Major Squires.

Night coming on put an end to the conflict; and allow me to say I found my command as far to the front as they were in the morning, and the noble dead of this brigade lay nearer the enemy's position than that of any other. It must be remembered that during the entire day the enemy's guns directly in my front, at 1,000 yards distant, and defended by earthworks from the effect of our artillery, kept up a continual fire of shot and shell, and every movement of my troops had to be made under this fearful fire. And I desire thus publicly to state of the men of my command that in this trying ordeal they proved themselves soldiers of the highest order. They remained in this position during the night without fire, shivering with cold as they lay upon the bloody field, yet not a murmur escaped them.

To Captain Cox's battery, officers and men, I am greatly indebted for the result of this day; they were under a continual fire, and much of it a cross-fire from the enemy's artillery, which was securely protected, while Captain Cox was in an open field, without even a tree to screen him from view; yet when their ammunition was exhausted the only cry of the captain and his men was for more ammunition.

The morning of the 1st, in accordance with orders from General Hascall, I formed my command on the right of Colonel Beatty's division, whose left rested upon the river, some half a mile to the rear of the position of the day before, with Colonel Harker upon my right. Soon after daylight the enemy attacked us warmly, but were soon driven off by the artillery.

My advance still held the grove on the left of my position of the 31st ultimo, which the enemy seemed determined to drive me from. I re-enforced this point and held it during the day, although repeatedly attacked by the enemy.

Things remained in this position until the morning of the 2nd. The enemy having, during the night, thrown across the river in our front a large force, they opened upon our lines with a fearful storm of artillery, which, however, did but little execution on my lines, but was directed to Colonel Harker's command, on my right. They were soon silenced and driven off by our artillery. The enemy again attempted to drive my men from the woods on the left. I obtained re-enforcements for that position from General Cruft, which enabled us to hold that position until the attack in the evening, made upon Colonel Beatty, when I was ordered by General Hascall to cross the river to his support. When we arrived on the opposite side the enemy were already repulsed.

Night coming on, we lay upon the field. The troops under my command were not engaged on the 4th.

Allow me, in closing this report, to say that, with one single exception, the commanders of regiments and field officers showed themselves worthy of the positions they hold. Lieutenant-Colonel Wood, Fifteenth Indiana, had his horse shot under him; Colonel Lane, Ninety-seventh Ohio, behaved with the coolness of a veteran; Lieutenant-Colonel Neff,


Page 494 KY.,MID. AND E.TENN.,N.ALA.,AND SW.VA. Chapter XXXII.