Today in History:

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

Page 571 Chapter XXXII. THE STONE'S RIVER CAMPAIGN.

On Friday, the 2nd, my regiment was ordered with the brigade across the river, and placed in position on a slight eminence to the rear of and as a support to Van Cleve's division.

All was quiet until about 3.30 p.m, when tremendous fire was heard along our front, and whole masses of the enemy were hurled against Van Cleve's division, which soon gave way. The enemy came down boldly, when I brought my regiment into action, simultaneously with the Eighty-fourth Illinois, and we opened a severe cross-fire the enemy. For more than an hour we held the hill, and under our heavy fire, and that of a battery from the other side of the river, the enemy soon gave way, and when re-enforcements poured in for us they were already in full retreat.

We held our position without further molestation till Sunday morning, when were ordered across the river into camp, the enemy having retreated.

My regiment, both officers and men, behaved throughout with energy, courage, and discipline. The loss was 177 killed, wounded, and missing. Among the former was Adjutant Williams, who fell cheering the men on, regardless of all personal danger. Accompanying is a correct list of the casualties.*

Respectfully,

N. L. ANDERSON,

Colonel, Commanding Sixth Ohio Volunteers.

Colonel GROSE,

Commanding Tenth Brigade.


Numbers 142. Report of Captain Armistead T. M. Cockerill, Twenty-fourth Ohio Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS TWENTY-FOURTH OHIO REGIMENT.

January 6, 1863

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Twenty-fourth Ohio Regiment in the recent battles before Murfreesborough, Tenn., of December 31, 1862, and January 2, 1863:

Our regiment being one of the five regiments composing the Tenth Brigade, commanded by Colonel William Grose, of the Thirty-sixth Indiana Regiment, numbered on the morning of December 31, 1862, 314 enlisted men and 14 commissioned officers (Company A being detached, and was not with the regiment), Colonel Frederick C. Jones commanding, Major Henry Terry acting lieutenant-colonel, Captain Enoch Weller acting major, Adjt. H. Y. Graham, Captain A. T. M. Cockerill, commanding Company D; Captain George M. Bacon, commanding Company E; Lieutenant Charles R. Harman, commanding Company F; Lieut. Benjamin J. Horton, commanding Company I; Lieutenant D. W. C. Wadsworth commanding Company C; Lieutenant William C. Beck, Company C; Lieutenant Jacob Diehl, commanding Company H; Lieutenant August Draeger, Company H; Lieutenant John Acker, commanding Company G, and Lieutenant Isaac N. Dryden, commanding Company B.

Early in the morning of the 31st ultimo heavy artillery and musketry firing was distinctly heard on our right, and as the sound neared our position it was evident that our forces were falling back, and our position in danger of being flanked, when our front was immediately changed

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*Embodied in revised statement, p. 213.

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Page 571 Chapter XXXII. THE STONE'S RIVER CAMPAIGN.