Today in History:

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

Page 896 KY.,MID.AND E.TENN.,N.ALA.,AND SW.VA. Chapter XXXII.

TULLAHOMA, TENN., January 23, 1863.

DEAR SIR: I have the honor to make the following report of arms, ammunition, and equipments captured at battle of Murfreesborough, viz:

1st. I removed seven pieces of artillery from the field to Murfreesborough; caliber unknown.

2nd. I captured about 300 rounds of fixed ammunition for 12-pounder howitzer, about 100 rounds of which I used in the fight.

3rd. I captured about 500 friction-primers, a portion of which I used in the fight.

4th. The gunners captured ganges, rammers, priming-wires, &c., the exact number of which I cannot state, as some were lost.

5th. I captured 8 battery horses and some few pieces of harness.

The pole was shot out of one of my howitzers. I sent it to Murfreesborough and replaced it with a piece we captured from a Michigan battery.

I lost 9 horses killed and disabled.

Respectfully submitted.

PUT. DARDEN,

Captain, Commanding Battery.

Capt. R. B. SNOWDEN.


No. 273. Reports of Brig. Gen. S. A. M. Wood, C. S. Army, commanding Fourth Brigade,

including skirmish on the Nolensville road, December 27.

HDQRS. WOOD'S BRIGADE, CLEBURNE'S DIVISION, HARDEE'S CORPS, ARMY OF TENNESSEE, Tullahoma, Tenn., January 11, 1863.

SIR: In obedience to orders from division headquarters, I submit the following report of the part taken by my brigade in the recent battles before Murfreesborough, Tenn.:

On the morning of December 27 last, Lieutenant-General Hardee, who was then in person at our advanced post at Triune, ordered me, in conjunction with Brigadier-General [John A.] Wharton, whose command was then within 2 miles of that place, to skirmish with the advancing columns of the enemy.

My brigade consisted of two companies of sharpshooters, the Sixteenth Alabama, the Thirty-third Alabama, and the Forty-fifth Mississippi Regiments; in all, about 950 men and officers.

The Forty-fifth Mississippi was posted at daylight about 1 1/2 miles from Triune, on the Nolensville pike; four companies deployed as skirmishers on the right of the road, three supporting a section of Darden's battery on the left, and one deployed as skirmishers on the left flank.

The enemy appeared at 9 a.m.; our battery opened on him. The enemy attempted three times to place a battery in position on a hill 500 yards from us, but was driven away by our fire. His cavalry now appeared in large numbers on both our right and left flanks, Brigadier-General Wharton, with his command, holding him in check. It was found necessary to retire our guns, which I did, and caused our skirmishers to assemble and fall back under the protection of our cavalry in return to our second line, consisting of the Sixteenth Alabama, deployed as skirmishers on the left of the pike in rear of Triune, the skirmishers, thrown forward on the left behind a stone wall, near the Franklin road; Darden's battery and Captain White's battery, of two pieces, of Brigadier-General Wharton's command, were massed near the turnpike. The enemy soon possessed themselves of the heights near Triune.


Page 896 KY.,MID.AND E.TENN.,N.ALA.,AND SW.VA. Chapter XXXII.