WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN,--AND WHAT WAS
The Battle of Stone's River produced profound disappointment both in the
North and in the South. Claimed as a victory by both sides, the first
fruits fell to the Army of the Cumberland, which had not only held the
field but had compelled the retirement of its adversary and the
relinquishment by the latter of strategic positions and domination over
considerable areas. But as the weeks passed without developments of other
striking results, the Northern people felt that the victory had been
little more than technical, and that the battle was another of the
practically indecisive contests so frequent at that period.
On the other hand, the Southern people were mortified and chagrined at a
defeat suffered when their cause was prospering in almost all other
quarters. They were not more given to analyzing strategic and tactical
features than their Northern enemies, but they were able to realize that
their second army in size and importance had lost thousands of soldiers,
and that it has been driven out of Middle Tennessee, and away from the
vicinity of the State capital, the recovery of which had always been a
cherished object of their hearts. The opposition to Bragg, both in and out
of the Army of the Tennessee, became intensified from the time the
retirement from Murfreesboro was ordered.
It was perhaps natural that the outcome was thus viewed in the two
sections, for it is in the light of what it might have been,--rather than
what it was,--that Stone's River must be judged. Union victory upon that
field did not, it is true, reveal results of transcendent importance, but
Confederate victory,--at one time so near,--would have been followed by
the weightiest and most far-reaching consequences. Had Bragg been able to
drive his infantry across the Nashville pike on the last day of 1862, or
had he been able to crush the Union left on the second of January, 1863,
the capture or destruction,--whole or partial,--of his enemy would have
been one of the least of these consequences. For the way to the Ohio would
then have been open, and Cincinnati and other opulent Northern cities
would have been at the mercy of Confederate arms. Vicksburg would not have
been an historic name, for overwhelming forces could have been turned
against Grant to crush him, or drive him from Mississippi.
Tennessee,--second State in population below Mason and Dixon's line, and
first in such food as armies consume,--would have been held to furnish the
vital recruits and supplies to the Confederacy. East Tennessee would have
waited in vain for the relieving Northern forces. Kentucky and Missouri
might have been wrested from Union control, and Arkansas freed from the
presence of the invader. Finally, Europe's recognition, with the manifold
complexities for the North that must have ensued therefrom, could have
been no longer logically denied to the Richmond government.
After Stone's River, Bragg's battered battalions retired 30 to 40 miles
away,--to the line of Duck Diver,--and there maintained an attitude of
defiance for 6 months. It took that period for Rosecrans to restore the
ravages of battle in his army. Wheeler, Morgan, and Forrest,--the cavalry
chieftans,--meanwhile, kept up a series of raids upon Rosecrans's long
line of communications,--raids that sorely tried that commander, pestered
as he was by constant injunctions from Washington to move forward. But in
June, 1863, having at length accumulated sufficient supplies, the Army of
the Cumberland started the campaign that was to drive the Army of the
Tennessee out of the State from which it took its name. Then came another
halt; but in September the Union forces again advanced and the
Confederates again retired.
At Chickamauga the Army of the Tennessee, reinforced by Longstreet and
Buckner, turned, and, inflicting a bloody defeat upon the Army of the
Cumberland, locked it up in the fastness of Chattanooga. But Bragg was
unable to gather substantial fruits from his victory. At Missionary Ridge,
in December, the Army of the Cumberland led in the movement that broke the
battle-front of its historic adversary. Thenceforth the Army of the
Tennessee,--fighting bravely at every turn,--was obliged by the weight of
opposing numbers to retire further and further into the South. At Resaca,
at Dalton, at Kenesaw Mountain, at Atlanta, and at a score of other places
it showed the qualities of valor and endurance that had already won it
deserved renown. But it never looked to the North again until the latter
days of 1864, when Hood summoned it for its last great adventure,--that
desperate leap past Sherman, which was to end in utter rout before the
ramparts of Nashville.
The Army of the Cumberland lost in the Stone's River campaign 1,730
killed, 7,802 wounded, 3,717 captured and missing; a total of 13,249.
The Army of the Tennessee lost 1,294 killed, 7,945 wounded, 1,027 captured
or missing; a total of 10,266.
APPENDIX
APPENDIX
NOTES TO INTRODUCTION
"In the second half of this year (1862) the Confederates failed to gain
control of Maryland and Kentucky, but made head strongly and at the end of
it were at the height of their power, with the North badly defeated at all
points save one. The writer considers that the battle of Stone's River, or
Murfreesboro, on December 31st, was the military turning-point of the war,
though the Confederates made various strokes at different times for
political purposes, which, had they succeeded, might have attained their
end, the chief of which was the campaign of Gettysburg. From a purely
military point of view, however, nothing could save the Confederacy unless
the results of Stone's River were undone. The year 1863 opened with the
Confederates fought out; they had made their effort but could not maintain
it, and had failed to secure the centre of the strategical line which was
vital for both sides."--"The American Civil War," Formby; London, John
Murray, 1910.
NOTES TO CHAPTER II.
"... That my opinion was founded upon a false estimate of the facts was
the very least part of my fault. I did not perceive the gross impropriety
of such an utterance from a cabinet minister, of a power united in blood
and language, and bound to loyal neutrality; the case being further
exaggerated by the fact that we were already, so to speak, under
indictment before the world, for not--as was alleged--having strictly
enforced the laws of neutrality in the matter of the cruisers. My offence
was indeed only a mistake, but one of incredible grossness, and with such
consequences of offence and alarm attached to it, that my failing to
perceive them justly exposed me to very severe blame...."--Gladstonian
fragment, "Life of Gladstone," Morley; New York. The Macmillan Company,
1911.
NOTES TO CHAPTER III.
"Further to mislead the enemy as to the point from which the attack was to
be made, long lines of camp-fires were started on McCook's right and
commands given by staff-officers to imaginary regiments in tones loud
enough to be heard by the enemy's skirmishers, to induce the Confederates
to think that our line extended much further to the right than it actually
did. I have always doubted whether Bragg was misled or deceived by this
subterfuge; and not unlikely he considered it a confession of weakness on
our right and formed his own plans accordingly."--"The Murfreesboro
Campaign," Otis; Boston. Papers of the Military Historical Society of
Massachusetts, Vol. VII, 1908.
NOTES TO CHAPTER VI.
"At this juncture, Colonel John F. Miller, followed by a portion of
Stanley's brigade, charged with his brigade across the river.
Disregarding an order from a general officer, not his immediate commander,
to desist from so hazardous an adventure, he dashed over and fell
furiously upon the foe, already in rapid retreat. The right of Miller's
line was supported by the Eighteenth Ohio, and portions of the
Thirty-seventh Indiana and Seventy-eighth Pennsylvania, of Stanley's
Brigade. Moving on the opposite bank, his left, was Grose's brigade, which
had changed front and resisted the enemy, when Price and Grider gave
ground, and in his rear were Hazen's brigade and portions of Beatly's
division. Miller reached a battery in position and, charging with the
Seventy-eighth Pennsylvania, Sixty-ninth and Seventy-fourth Ohio, and
Nineteenth Illinois, the Twenty-first Ohio, striking opportunely on the
left, captured four guns and the colors of the Twenty-sixth Tennessee
Regiment...."--"History of the Army of the Cumberland," Van Home;
Cincinnati, Robert Clarke & Co., 1875.
"Miller sent his staff officers and orderlies, Lieutenant (afterward
Brigadier-General) Henry Chiney, Lieutenant Ayers, and Major A. B.
Bonnaffin (I repeat that I am writing now what I saw with my own eyes and
heard with my own ears) to scour the field and ask permission to cross the
stream to Van Cleve's relief. Only one such officer could be found,
General John M. Palmer (of Illinois) and from him came instead of the
desired permission a positive prohibition--an order not to cross. The
other two brigade commanders, belonging to the division, General Spear of
Tennessee and Colonel T. R. Stanley, of the Eighteenth Ohio, were not
present. General Negley, the division commander, was not to be found....
"Miller found himself the ranking officer present with the division and
realized that the decision fraught with so much importance lay with him.
He was surrounded by a group of regimental commanders who alternately
studied the field and his face.... He turned to the officers around him
saying quietly:
"'I will charge them.'
"'And I'll follow you,' exclaimed the gallant Scott, wheeling and plunging
his spurs into his steed to hasten back to his regiment (the Nineteenth
Illinois). Colonel Stoughton of the Eleventh Michigan and other regimental
commanders belonging to the Twenty-ninth brigade echoed Scott's
enthusiastic adherence and they, too, started for their troops."--"God's
War," Vance. London, New York. F. Tennyson Neely, 1899.
Transcriber's Notes:
Passages in italics are indicated by _underscore_.
The following misprints have been corrected:
"Crittendon's" corrected to "Crittenden's" (page 44)
"Rosecran's" corrected to "Rosecrans's" (page 53)
Other than the corrections listed above, printer's spelling
inconsistencies have been retained.