Today in History:

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

Page 889 Chapter XXXII. THE STONE'S RIVER CAMPAIGN.

before the battle, its position was in an open field, the left resting upon the road leading to the McCulloch house. On the morning of the battle, the brigade and division made a right-wheel, in doing which it passed the house above referred to and continued to wheel and march until its course was almost at right angles with the one it held the evening before, marching in its wheel through a large corn-field and a meadow. Down on the edge of the meadow and to our right before we completed the wheel were stationed some of the enemy's sharpshooters, who opened upon us, doing, however, no damage. Having completed the wheel, we marched forward, obliquing to the right to avoid lapping General Liddell; we marched through a hedge-field grown up with cedar undergrowth until we reached a large corn-field. Here we received a most terrific fire from the enemy of canister, grape, and small-arms. The enemy [from where we received this fire, which lasted some time, and wounded [several] of the regiment] were within a thicket beyond the corn-field, considerably to my left into an open wood, under fire of the enemy's battery, to our left, and small-arms. During all this time the enemy were concealed in the bushes, and but little, if any, firing was done on our part. Having gotten down into the woods, I was told by General Johnson that I was too far to the right, when I moved by the left flank across a road into an open field, faced to the front, and, forming with the rest of the brigade, marched through a skirt of wood across a road, leaving a hospital and old gin-house to our left. Here a change of front was made upon the First Battalion. When this was done we marched into an open field, then by the left flank across a road and into another open field. The enemy were evidently within this field, upon the brow of the hill; their battery was throwing shells upon us from there. From this field we moved by the left flank into the open woods opposite a cedar glade. We here halted and faced the cedar glade, marched into it a piece, and had a sharp brush with the enemy, who were beyond the cedar glade in a field, and marched by the flank toward our left. General Polk's brigade in the mean time had fallen back and taken position on our left. We then moved farther to the left, and, again facing to the front, marched through an open corn-field, fighting the enemy during the time. We of the glade. Here the action continued for about an hour, when the enemy fled into the glade. I immediately advanced to his battery which he had left, when we received a heavy fire from them, concealed in the midst of the glade. It was here that Captain [N. R.] Allen, who deserves to be especially noted for his bravery, gallantry, and coolness, fell, mortally wounded. While they were firing upon us, and we were unable to get to them or see them on account of the [under]growth, my attention was called to the fact that our right had fallen back. We then fell back also, intending to reform at our old position at the fence, which, however, we found occupied by a portion of General Liddell's command [I think]. We then fell back to the skirt of woods and reformed. The firing soon after ceased, and nothing else occurred.

Most respectfully,

R. H. KEEBLE,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Twenty-third Tennessee.


Page 889 Chapter XXXII. THE STONE'S RIVER CAMPAIGN.