Today in History:

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

Page 713 Chapter XXXII. THE STONE'S RIVER CAMPAIGN.

The field officers-Colonels Savage, Carter, Chester, Anderson, and Major [H. W.] Cotter-all distinguished themselves by the coolness and courage they displayed upon the field, and greatly contributed to the successes achieved by their respective commands by the skill and resolution with which they managed and maneuvering them. Colonel Stanton's regiment was not seriously engaged, though I do not doubt, if an opportunity had presented itself, that both he and his men would have fought most gallantly. Captain Carnes' battery was separated from my brigade in consequence of the impossibility of its obtaining a suitable position in that part of the field from which to operate, and, therefore, it acted under other orders than my own. A report from Lieutenant [L. G.] Marshall, herewith transmitted, will show its operations.

We have to mourn the loss of many gallant officers and brave men, who fell in the faithful discharge of their duty on the field of battle. Captain L. N. Savage, acting lieutenant-colonel, and Captain [J. J.] Womack, acting major of the Sixteenth Regiment, most efficient officers, were severely, if not mortally, wounded, and Captain [D. C.] Spurlock, of the same regiment, an excellent officer and most estimable gentleman, was killed. Captain B. H. Holland, of the Thirty-eighth Regiment, was killed while gallantly bearing the colors of his regiment, and Acting Lieutenant Colonel R. A. Burford, of the Fifty-first, was wounded. These are but a part of those who were either killed or wounded, but I must refer for further details to the regimental reports, which I herewith transmit and beg to make a part of my own. The Eighth Regiment lost most heavily both in officers and men. In Company D, the gallant Captain [M. C.] Shook was killed and the lists that out of 12 commissioned and noncommissioned officers and 62 men who went into the fight only 1 corporal and 20 men escaped. Other companies suffered almost as heavily.

Of the general conduct of the officers and men of the brigade, I find it difficult to employ terms of too high commendation. Cool, brave, and prompt in obeying every command upon the battle-field, they exhibited, during the week of hardships they were called upon the endure before Murfreesborough, a patience, fortitude, and cheerfulness worthy of the highest praise. The long list of killed and wounded, herewith transmitted, is a sad but a glorious testimony not only to their gallantry and courage, but also to their patriotic devotion to their country and its righteous cause. Entering the field with only about 1,400 men, I have to deplore a loss of 691 in killed, wounded, and missing, with only 19 missing, and a majority, if not all, of those prisoners of war.

I cannot conclude this report without expressing my appreciation of the services of my staff. I was attended on the battle-field by the following staff officers: Captain John Bradford, my brigade inspector, acting as assistant adjutant-general; James H. Wilkes, my clerk, acting as aide-de-camp, my assistant adjutant-general, Major James G. Martin, and Lieutenant Samuel Donelson, my aide-de-camp, being absent on leave. My volunteer aides-de-camp were Captain J. L. Rice, formerly of Colonel Battle's [Twentieth Tennessee] regiment; Colonel Granville Lewis, of Texas, and Henry Lindsley, of Lebanon, Tenn. I feel that I am doing but sheer justice to express my entire satisfaction with the conduct of every member of my staff, for they rendered efficient services in carrying orders with promptness in the hottest of the conflict, particularly to that part of the field, on the right of my brigade, which the enemy was attempting to turn during the entire day, but where he was gallantly repulsed by the determined bravery of my troops. Mr. Lindsley had his horse killed by a cannon ball early in the action, and was so severely wounded himself that he had to retire from the field during the remainder of the


Page 713 Chapter XXXII. THE STONE'S RIVER CAMPAIGN.