The fall months of 1862 had been spent by Generals Bragg and Buell in
racing across Kentucky, each at the head of a large army. Buell had
saved Louisville from the hands of the Confederates, while on the other
hand Bragg had succeeded in carrying away a large amount of plunder and
supplies for his army which he had gathered from the country through
which he passed, and of which his army was in great need.
The authorities at Washington became impatient with Buell on account
of his permitting the Confederate army to escape intact, and decided
to relieve him of the command of the army, which was handed to General
W. S. Rosecrans, who had won considerable distinction by his victories
at Corinth and other engagements in the West. The Union army was now
designated as the Army of the Cumberland.
Bragg was concentrating his army at Murfreesboro, in central Tennessee,
which was near Stone's River, a tributary of the Cumberland River.
On the last days of December General Bragg was advised of the Federals'
advance from Nashville, which is about thirty miles from Murfreesboro,
and he lost no time in taking position and getting his army into
well-drawn battle lines. His left wing under General Hardee, the
center Polk, and his right wing under Breckenridge, his cavalry
division was commanded by Generals Wheeler, Forrest and Morgan. His
lines were three miles in length. On December 30th the Federals came up
from Nashville and took position directly opposite in a parallel line.
The Federal left was commanded by Thos. L. Crittenden, whose brother
was a commander in the Confederate army, and were sons of a famous
United States senator from Kentucky. The Federal center was in command
of General George H. Thomas, and the right wing under General McCook.
Rosecrans had under his command about 43,000 men, while the strength of
the Confederates was about 38,000.
The two armies bivouacked within musket range of each other, and the
camp-fires of each were clearly seen by the other, as they shown
through the groves of trees.
It was plain to be seen that a deadly combat would begin with the
coming of the morning.
Rosecrans had planned to attack the Confederate right under
Breckinridge, while on the other hand Bragg had planned to attack the
Federal left under McCook, and to seize the Nashville turnpike and
thereby cut off Rosecrans' retreat. Neither, of course, knew of the
other's plan.
At the break of day, on December 31st, the Confederate left moved
forward in a magnificent battle-line, about a mile in length and two
columns deep. At the same time the Confederate artillery opened with
their cannon. The Federals were astonished at so fierce and sudden a
charge and were ill prepared. Before McCook could arrange them several
batteries were overpowered and several heavy guns fell into the hands
of the Confederates. The Union troops fell back in confusion and seemed
to have no power to check the impetuous charge of the onrushing foe.
Only one division, under General Philip H. Sheridan, held its ground.
Sill's brigade of Sheridan's division drove the Confederates in front
of its back to their entrenchments, but in this charge the brave
commander lost his life.
While the battle raged with tremendous fury on the Union right,
Rosecrans was three miles away, throwing his left across the river.
Hearing the terrific roar of the cannon and rattle of the musketry,
he hastened to attack Breckinridge, hoping to draw a portion of the
Confederate force away from the attack on his right. Ere long the
sound of battle was coming nearer, and he rightly divined that his
right wing was being rapidly driven upon his center by the dashing
soldiers of the South. He ordered McCook to dispute every inch of the
ground; but McCook's command was torn to pieces except the division
of Sheridan, which stood firm against the overwhelming numbers, which
stand attracted the attention of the country and brought military
fame to Sheridan. He checked the onrushing foe at the point of the
bayonet, and re-formed his lines under a heavy fire. Rosecrans ordered
up the reserves to the support of the Union center and right. Here for
two hours longer the battle raged with unabated fury. Three times the
Confederate left and center were thrown against the Union lines, but
failed to break them. At length it was discovered that the ammunition
was exhausted in Sheridan's division and he withdrew in good order to a
plain near the Nashville road. The Confederates' advance was checked by
the division of Thomas.
It was now in the afternoon, and still the battle raged in the woods
and on the hills about Murfreesboro.
The Federal right and center had been forced back to Stone's River,
while Bragg's right was on the same stream close to the Federal line.
In the meantime Rosecrans had massed his artillery on a hill
overlooking the field. He had also re-formed his broken lines, and
had called 12,000 fresh troops from his left into action. The battle
re-opened with utmost fury, and the ranks of both armies were torn with
grape and canister and bursting shells.
General Breckinridge brought all of his division excepting one brigade
into the action. They had for some time been inactive and were
refreshed by a short rest. The Confederates now began a vigorous attack
upon the Federal columns, but were swept by a raking artillery fire.
They rallied again to the attack, but their ranks were again swept by
Rosecrans' artillery and the assault was abandoned.
Darkness was now drawing over the scene of battle, and the firing
abated slowly and died away. It had been a bloody day, the dead and
dying lay upon the field and in the hospitals in great numbers, and
with the awful gloom and suffering of that night ended the first day's
battle at Murfreesboro.
The next day was the first of the new year, and both armies remained
inactive during the entire day, except to quietly prepare to renew the
conflict on the morrow. The renewal of the battle on January 2d was
fully expected, but there was but little fighting until late in the
afternoon. Rosecrans had sent General Van Cleve across the river to
occupy an elevation from which he could shell the town of Murfreesboro.
Bragg sent Breckinridge to dislodge this division, which he did with
splendid effect. But Breckinridge's men became exposed to the raking
fire of the Federal artillery across the stream and retreated to a
place of safety with a loss of 1,700 men killed and wounded.
The next day brought no further conflict. On the night of January
3d General Bragg began to move his army away to winter quarters at
Shelbyville.
Murfreesboro was one of the great battles of the war, and, except at
Antietam, had not thus far been surpassed. The losses were about 13,000
to the Federals, and about 10,000 to the Confederates. Both sides
claimed the victory--the South because of Bragg's decided success on
the first day; the North because of Breckinridge's fearful repulse
on the last day's battle, and of Bragg's retiring in the night and
refusing to fight again.