he would be pursued and destroyed, delayed the cloudy night was closing in. Their guns seemed attack until four o'clock in the afternoon. Then to vomit flame and death upon the rebels in a suddenly little gray dots could be seen to emerge continuous stream. At a signal, the cannonadfrom the ground held by the enemy and to ad- ing ceased, skirmishers were deployed at doublevance in the direction in which their skirmishers quick, and both skirmishers and the line dashed had been deployed. The enemy were doubling forward at double-quick into the woods. The their skirmishers. The line of skirmishers thus enemy were taken by surprise, and one regiment doubled advanced in quick time but without fir- captured or destroyed entirely. Our men carried ing a shot. Suddenly up rose behind them the the first line of the rebel works. Sixty yards whole rebel line with vast masses in columns beyond was a second line. From behind these doubled on the centre in rear of the wings. A the enemy poured a fearful stream of fire into fence ran across the field in front of our position. our troops through the darkness, but could not The rebel line reached it, coolly laid it down to dislodge them. The firing gradually subsided as the ground throughout its whole extent, and then the night deepened, and we awaited the dawn of marched on. Our skirmishers fired at them, but Monday morning to drive the rebels from their they paid no heed to them. Their skirmishers second line; for Gen. Rosecrans felt too sacred a pressed on without firing a gun until they were regard for the Sabbath to attack on that day. almost upon our line, then opened a galling and But when Monday came, the rebels were gone, murderous fire to stagger our line, so that the and we were undisputed possessors of the bloody rebel avalanche might the more utterly over- field. whelm it, then at a command from their officers rallied on the rebel line and became a part of it. Our front line was overwhelmed and swept away. The second, fighting bravely as the first had done, was dashed to pieces in like manner. Large masses of our troops detached from the right wing were hurried across the river. Batteries posted on the right ploughed down the rebel ranks as they pressed up to the ford. Still they rushed up to the very edge of the stream and shot down our men in the water. But their doom was sealed and their destruction certain. A force attacked them in their right flank as they pressed up to the stream, our fresh troops crossed over and charged them in front, while our batteries on their left enfiladed their whole line and swept whole ranks at every discharge. Driven from the bank in disorder, they fled across the field in the wildest confusion, our batteries mowing them down and our infantry pursuing them a mile and a half. The enemy had calculated well. It was now too dark to continue the pursuit, and the rebels had time to recover from their panic. At the time that the enemy were being hardest pressed on the left, they began a furious assault on our right centre to create a diversion in favor of their shattered right, but they were soon repulsed, and accomplished nothing.

Such was the battle of Stone River, a name at which a thousand hearts will ache and floods of sorrow flow, but which to others is the thrilling sound, the prophet's word, which delivers their own names to fame and history forever. The name of Rosecrans, already famous, has now be come immortal. Even when worsted, he clung to the ground and his purpose with a tenacity which wrung victory from the hands of unwilling fate. Of all our commanding generals, he is the only one that knows how to fight a battle. Gen. Thomas too deserves a large meed of praise. In every quality that constitutes the perfect soldier and then adorns him, he is without a superior. Of the heroism and capacity displayed by Rous seau, language is powerless to convey an adequate idea. Not Ney himself, the bravest of the brave, ever bore himself more nobly. Important as was the service he rendered at Chaplin Hills, I think it trifling by the side of what he has done here. With a single eagle glance he detected the key to the position, and then with the contagion of his heroism inspired his men to hold it. As he rode along the line, after getting it posted, and just as the tempest of death burst upon us, repeating to his men the words, "I am going to stay here, right here—will you stay with me through death or life?" and was answered with a Saturday the third, passed much as Thursday cheer, I thought I had seen the culminating point the first had done, except that the rebel fire was of the magnanimous sublime. The most stolid visibly feebler and less in both volume and ex- face in all that line was lighted up with a radiant tent. The day was spent principally in rationing enthusiasm caught from their heroic General our suffering troops. After this had been done, His manner of posting the centre entitled him to Gen. Rousseau obtained leave from Gen. Thomas a place among the best military minds of the age; and Gen. Rosecrans to drive the rebels from the woods in our front on the left of the road. Just before dark, Loomis and Guenther were ordered to open on the woods with shells. Two regiments of Col. Beatty's brigade were advanced to the extreme front to charge into the woods at double-quick time at the proper moment. The rest of the division was held in readiness to support them as circumstances might require. Guenther and Loomis opened a terrific fire on the woods. Nothing in this whole bloody drama was more sublime than this terrific fire just as the

his manner of maintaining the position placed him forever by the side of Ney, Bozzaris, and Leonidas. Lieut.-Col. Berry, of the Louisville Legion, acquitted himself nobly, as all who know him always knew he would. Major King, of the Fifteenth infantry, won the admiration of all who saw the grand and perilous movement, by his manner of handling his battalion in the terrible fight in the cedars. He fell severely wounded It is to be hoped that the Government will, after a while, open its eyes to his rare qualifications for a high commander. A soldier of twenty-five

years' experience, and with no superior as an administrative officer, it is an outrage nay, it is a pitiful meanness-to send him into battle with a little battalion, simply because he has too much noble pride to seek promotion by the means that alone succeed nowadays. I would speak of others, but my letter is already too long. Perhaps I may write again. WAPELLO.

CINCINNATI "COMMERCIAL" ACCOUNT.

BATTLE-FIELD of Stone River, Tenn., Į Saturday, Jan. 3, 1863. A week of horrors, a week of carnage, a week of tremendous conflict- and battle still raging! At this moment there is angry rattle of musketry and deep, sullen roar of cannon, echoing in the forest within Minie range of our marquee. My God, when will it end! A thousand gallant dead slumber in their bloody graves; four thousand wounded and mangled patriots are moaning on this sanguinary field. God knows how many rebel lives have spent during this fearful week, or how many desperate traitors suffer the agony of dreadful wounds.

In the rage of conflict the human heart expresses little sympathy with human suffering. Your best friend is lifted from the saddle by the fatal shaft, and plunges wildly to the earth. -a corpse. One convulsive leap of your heart, you dash onward in the stormy field, and the dead is forgotten until the furious frenzy of battle is spent. "Never mind," said our great-hearted General, when the death of the noble Sill was announced; "brave men must die in battle! We must seek results." When Gares he's headless trunk fell at his feet, a shock thrilled him, and he dashed again into the fray. He was told that McCook was killed. "We cannot help it; men who fight must be killed. Never mind; let us fight this battle."

On Friday, December twenty-sixth, the army advanced in three columns, Major-General McCook's corps down the Nolinsville pike, driving Hardee before him a mile and a half beyond Nolinsville. Major-General Thomas's corps, from its encampment on the Franklin pike via the Wilson pike; Crittenden on the Murfreesboro pike. The right and left met with considerable resistance in a rolling and hilly country, with rocky bluffs and dense cedar thickets, affording cover for the enemy's skirmishers. Crittenden moved to a point within a mile and a half of La Vergne, skirmishing with the enemy sharply. Gen. Thomas met with but little opposition.

seemed that the enemy would make a stand on
Stewart's Creek, that being a good line of defence.
That night General Thomas, with the divisions of
Rousseau and Negley, occupied Nolinsville.

On the twenty-eighth General McCook completed his reconnoissance of Hardee's movements, and General Crittenden awaited results, while General Thomas moved his corps across to Stewart's Creek, executing a fatiguing march with great energy, General Rosecrans deeming his junction with the left of great importance at that time.

On the twenty-ninth, General McCook moved to Wilkinson's cross-roads, within seven miles of Murfreesboro, at the end of a short road through a rough, rolling country, skirted by bluffs and dense cedar thickets. General Crittenden moved forward with some resistance to a point within three miles of Murfreesboro, and found the enemy in force. General Negley was moved forward to the centre, Rousseau's division in reserve on the right of Crittenden's corps. General Rosecrans's headquarters advanced to the east side of Stewart's Creek, and after a hasty supper he proceeded to the front and remained on the field all night. He was accompanied by Lieutenant-Colonel Garesche, his Chief of Staff; Colonel Barnett, Chief of Artillery, Major Goddard, A. A.G.; Major Skinner, Lieutenant Byron Kirby, Lieutenant Bond, and Father Tracy, who remained faithfully with him, and at no time, from the beginning of the action, deserted him.

On the thirtieth, General McCook advanced on the Wilkinson pike, through heavy thickets, stubbornly resisted by the enemy, General Sheridan's division being in advance, General Sill's brigade constituting his right. The enemy developed such strength that Gen. McCook directed Sheridan to form in line of battle, and the division of Gen. Jeff. C. Davis was thrown out upon his right. It was now discovered that Hardee's corps was in front, on the west side of the river, in line of battle, his front crossing our right obliquely, in position, if extended, to flank us. Our left stood fast, in line corresponding with the course of Stone River, mainly upon undulating fields. The centre under Negley, slightly advanced into a cedar thicket, and was engaged, with great difficulty, in reconnoitring, under sharp resistance, and in cutting roads through the almost impenetrable forest, to open communication with the right. The contest had brought forward McCook's right division, facing strongly south-east, with the reserve division between the centre and right, and sufficiently far in the rear to support, and if necessary, to extend it the consequences which were developed next day. Two brigades of Johnson's division - Kirk's and Willich's- - were ultimately thrown out on the extreme right, facing south, and somewhat in reserve, to make every thing secure.

On the twenty-seventh McCook drove Hardee from a point beyond Nolinsville, and pushed a reconnoitring division six miles toward Shelbyville, discovering that Hardee had retreated to Murfreesboro. This indicated intention on the part of the enemy to make a stand; otherwise, Hardee would have fallen back upon Shelbyville. General Crittenden fought all the way to Stew- We were as confident that day that there would art's Creek, with small loss, and rested on its be battle on the next, as we were conscious of banks, rebel pickets appearing on the opposite existence. A good many men indeed had albanks. General Rosecrans's headquarters were ready fallen. Rebels in considerable numbers then at a point twelve miles from Nashville. It were already visible across the plains, on the VOL. VI.-Doc. 11

crumble at the flanks. Two of his batteries-Edgarton's and Goodspeed's- were taken before a gun was fired; the horses had not been harnessed, and some were even then going to water. This, I understand, was not the fault of Johnson, who, I am told, had issued prudent orders.

opposite side of the river. We watched them through our glasses with excited interest. Reports of menacing movements came in constantly. At last heavy guns were heard on the left, away in the distance, and two hours later the General was annoyed by official report that rebel cavalry had captured some of our wagons on the Jefferson The enemy's line, obliquely to ours originally, pike. Still later the daring rascals captured an- had worked around until it flanked us almost other train directly in our rear, on the Murfrees- tranversely, giving them a direct, enfilading and boro pike. A strong cavalry force was despatch- rear fire. Johnson's division melted away like a ed after them, but gallant Colonel Burke, posted snowbank in spring-time-thus imperilling Davis's at Stonard Creek with his Thirteenth Ohio, had division, which was also obliged to break. Sheralready sent one hundred and fifty of his men to idan immediately changed front to the rear, and intercept the marauders, and he recaptured most his left, adjoining Negley, was forced into an anof the property. gle, which gave the enemy the decisive advantage Night was approaching without battle, when of a cross-fire. Sill rallied his men again most Captain Fisher, of General McCook's staff, dashed gallantly, and while leading them in a charge was up on a foaming steed, bearing information that fatally struck, and died at the head of his line, a Kirby Smith, supported by Breckinridge, had concentrated on our left. Tell Gen. McCook," said General Rosecrans, "that if he is assured that such is the fact, he may drive Hardee sharply if he is ready. At all events, tell him to prepare for battle to-morrow morning. Tell him to fight as if the fate of a great battle depended upon him. While he holds Hardee, the left, under Crittenden, will swing around and take Murfreesboro. Let Hardee attack, if he desires. It will suit us exactly."

Just now a report came in that the rebel cavalry had captured a little squad of thirty men at La Vergne, with the telegraph operator, besides wounding Mr. Todd, the telegraph reporter. The rascals were at their old tricks, and we had no cavalry to spare to attend to them.

musket-ball entering his upper lip and ranging upward through his brain. General Willich, at about the same time, was captured. BrigadierGeneral Kirk was seriously wounded, and the gallant Colonel Roberts, of the Forty-second Illinois, while repulsing a fierce attack at the angle, was killed at the head of his brigade. Sheridan had thus lost two brigade commanders and Hotaling's battery. His almost orphaned division was left to protect Negley's left, in the centre, both Davis and Johnson being sent off from him. But Sheridan, by his own noble exertions, held his division firmly, and the Eighth division, under Negley, by desperate valor, checked the powerful masses of the enemy until succor could be thrown in from the left and the reserves. Sheridan having repulsed the enemy four times, and changed his front completely in face of the enemy, retired toward the Murfreesboro pike, bringing back his gallant command in perfect order. There has been no time to inquire into the causes of the disaster on the right, but obviously there was something wrong.

At seven o'clock I started through the woods to watch the progress of the engagement. A mile from quarters I met a stream of stragglers pouring through the thickets, reporting disaster"General Sill is killed-General Johnson had lost three batteries - McCook's line is broken the enemy is driving us--rebel cavalry is in the Meantime, while this losing battle was going rear capturing our trains." The stragglers gen- on, the General Commanding had galloped into erally were not panic-stricken. Most of them the field, followed by his staff and escort. He had their arms; but the negroes, servants and teamsters were frantic.

The report being made to the General, he dismissed it summarily, remarking: "All rightwe will rectify it." Soon after, official reports were received confirming the tidings of disaster. The prospect was gloomy but the cheering demeanor of the General restored confidence.

had sent a reply to McCook's application for aid: "Tell General McCook I will help him." In an instant he galloped to the left and sent forward Beatty's brigade. Moving down to the extreme left, he was discovered by the enemy, and a full battery opened upon him. Solid shot and shell stormed about us furiously. The General himself was unmoved by it, but his staff generally were The roar of battle approached alarmingly near more sensitive. The inclination to dodge was ir and rapidly. It was now ascertained that the en-resistible. Directly one poor fellow of the escort emy had massed on our right and attacked along its entire line. Hardee and McCook had formed their lines on opposite sides of a valley, which narrowed toward McCook's left.

The enemy advanced upon him in columns of regiments massed six lines deep-sufficient to break any ordinary line; but Sill gallantly received the shock and drove the foe clear back to his original position, where they re-formed. Schæffer and Roberts were equally successful. But Johnson's division, taken somewhat by surprise, was swung back like a gate, and began to

was dismounted, and his horse galloped frantically over the fields. The General directed Col. Barnett, his chief of artillery, to post a battery to shell the enemy, waiting to see it done. The Colonel galloped forward coolly under fire, and soon had Cox's Tenth Indiana battery lumbering away toward a commanding point. The officer in command wheeled into position at a point apparently unfavorable for sharp work. The General shouted: "On the crest; on the crest of the hill." On the crest it went, and in five minutes the rebels closed their music. Beatty's brigade

66

disregarding them utterly. The Nineteenth Illinois, under gallant young Scott, and the Eleventh Michigan, led by brave Stoughton, charged in advance, and drove back a division. The enemy, far outnumbering the splendid Eighth, swarmed in front, on both flanks, and finally burst upon its rear, reaching a point within fifty yards of Negley's quarters before they were discovered, Negley being unaware of the extent of the disaster on the right. Rousseau's division had been sent into the woods to support the Eighth, but was withdrawn before the Eighth got out. Negley had found his brigades in echelon, and seeing the critical nature of his position, he was obliged to order a retrograde movement. But even after that the Nineteenth Illinois and Eleventh Michigan made another dash to the front, driving the enemy again, then wheeling abruptly, pushed steadily out of the cedars.

Rousseau, one of the most magnificent men on the field, with the port of Ajax and the fire of Achilles-no wonder his gallant lads adore him

was now double-quicking under fire obliquely day, and the enemy was dreadfully punished. from left to right, as coolly as if on parade. In- Still they came on like famished wolves, in colquiring who held the extreme left, the General umns, by divisions, sweeping over skirmishers, was answered, Colonel Wagner's brigade. "Tell Wagner to hold his position at all hazards." Soon after Colonel Wagner replied, laconically: Say to the General I will." Down at the tollgate, on the pike, we got another "blizzard," with an interlude of Minies, which whistled about with an admonitory slit. The shifting scene of the battle now carried the General back to the centre of the field. The enemy were streaming through the woods a few hundred yards in front. The forest was populous with them. Our batteries were dashing across the plain with frightful vehemence, wheeling into position and firing with terrific rapidity. The rebel artillery played upon us remorselessly, tearing men and horses to pieces. The sharp-shooters were still more vicious. A flight of bullets passed through the staff. I heard an insinuating thud! and saw a poor orderly within sabre distance topple from his saddle and tumble headlong to mother earth. One convulsive shudder, and he was no more. His bridle-hand clutched the reins in death. A comrade loosened his grasp, and his faithful gray-did not fancy this retrograde movement. The stood quietly beside the corps. Another bullet went through the jaw of Lieut. Benton's beautiful chestnut. Smarting with pain, he struck violently with his hoofs at the invisible tormentor. Benton dismounted and awaited the anticipated catastrophe-but he rode his horse again, all through that fiery day. One or two other horses were hit, and the cavalcade rushed from that line fire to another, just in time to be splashed with mud from the spat of a six-pound shot. It seemed that there was not a square yard on the field free from fire. The rattle of musketry and roar of artillery was deafening. Still the General charged through it as if it had been harmless rain. It was wonderful that he escaped-fortunate that his uniform was covered by an overcoat. Galloping down again to the extreme front, an officer in range with the General was suddenly dismounted. A round-shot struck his horse squarely on the thigh, knocking him a rod, and tumbling the rider all in a heap over the soil. Pushing out to the cedar forest, where Negley's gallant division was struggling against great odds, trusty Sheridan was met, bringing out his tried division in superb order. Negley was still fighting desperately, against odds. Johnson, too, appeared soon after, but his command was temporarily shattered.

regulars, Twenty-fifth, Sixteenth, Eighteenth, and Nineteenth, under Col. Shepherd, on his right, liked it no better. Youthful Beatty, Third Ohio, commanding the Seventeenth brigade, and Scribner with the Ninth, were also in ill-humor about it, but there was no help for it. After debouching from the cedars, Loomis and Guenther could find no good position at hand for their batteries, and the whole line fell back under severe fighting, the left lying flat upon the ground, the right covered by a crest. The two batteries now swiftly wheeled into favorable positions and poured double-shotted canister into the enemy. The Twenty-third Arkansas was literally swept away by their devouring fire. Loomis and Guenther were wild with delight at their success. The baffled enemy came no further. The field was red with the blood of their slain. Rousseau had sent word that he had fallen back to the position he then occupied. "Tell the General," said he, "I'll stay right here, right here; I won't budge an inch." He did stay "right" there.

The enemy had compelled us to change front completely. Gen. Rosecrans himself executed it at awful personal hazard. There was not a point in the very front of battle, which he did not visit. Taking advantage of a commanding crest, on the left of the pike, he posted the batteries, and some During all this period Negley's two gallant twenty or thirty guns opened with prodigious brigades, under valiant old Stanley, (of the Eigh-volume. Solid shot and shell crashed through teenth Ohio,) and brave John F. Miller, were hold- the populous forest in a tumult of destructive ing their line against fearful odds. When the fury. The cloud of smoke for some minutes comright broke, Negley had pushed in clean ahead pletely enveloped the gunners, and obscured them of the left of the right wing, and was driving the from view. Now, then, we charge. Down through enemy. The Seventy-eighth Pennsylvania, Thir- the field and across the road, the General in the ty-seventh Indiana, Twenty-first, Seventy-fourth, lead. Bitterly whistled the leaden hail. A solEighteenth, and Sixty-ninth Ohio, the famous Nineteenth Illinois, and Eleventh Michigan, with Knell's, Marshall's, Shultz's, and Bush's batteries, sustained one of the fiercest assaults of the

dier falls dead under the very hoofs of the Commander's horse. "Advance the line-charge them," and our gallant lads, fired with the wild enthusiasm of the moment, madly push up the

confusion, under a shattered limber. A solid shot crashed against a gun-carriage and glanced off the head of another horse. One battery lost twenty-eight horses, another thirty-two. Hundreds of their carcasses are strewn upon the field. Gen. McCook's horse was killed under him; Major Caleb Bates lost his also. Negley's staff lost three or four. Every staff suffered in some degree.

hill. The forests are splintered with the furious three noble beasts, and piled them, in dreadful volumes of fire. On they go. Yon line of gray and steel halts, staggers, reels. "There they go," shouts the gallant leader. "Now drive them home!" Great God, what tumult in the brain. Sense reels with the intoxicating frenzy. There was a line of dead blue coats where the charge was so gallantly made; but the corpses of the foe were scattered thickly through those woods. Beatty's brigade-Old Rich Mountain Beatty-made that glorious charge. It was the first encouraging event of that gloomy morn.

The hostile array on the other side imparted an awful sublimity to the spectacle. Great masses of rebel troops moved steadily over the field, careless of our battery play, which tore upon their ranks and scattered them bleeding upon the soil. But they marched up through the destroying storm dauntlessly. Their batteries wheeled into position splendidly, and were worked with telling effect. There was a point, however, beyond which even their desperadoes could not be urged. Battle raged two hours with horrid slaughter, and neither side receded until nearly five o'clock, when the nearly exhausted armies suspended operations for the night, excepting the play of a few batteries.

Sweeping rapidly from that point to our left, the whole line was put in motion, and the batteries advanced. A few hundred yards on left of Beatty's line the enemy were still advancing, boldly driving a small brigade down a little valley before them, As the head of the retreating column debouched from a thicket, it was interrupted by the General, and re-formed by members of his staff. Stokes's battery advanced rapidly across the road, supported by Capt. St. Clair Morton's battalions of pioneers-men selected from all regiments for their vigor and mechanical skill. The fire was desperately hot, but the General saw only a broken line which he de- It was a most desperate contest and undecided. termined to rally. The battery was planted on The advantage was with the enemy. He had a little knoll, with its flanks protected by thick-driven our right almost upon our left, compelling ets, and Morton deployed his pioneers on either us to change front under fire, and he occupied side. The battery opened briskly, and Morton that part of the field. He also held territory oc led his battalion beautifully to the front. The cupied that morning by our pickets on the left, enemy, suddenly checked by the murderous fire, but we had receded from that ground to draw staggered and fell back swiftly, sheltering them- him out. No battle was ever more fiercely selves in friendly forests. And so, along the fought. Desperate valor had been displayed on whole line, the enemy was pressed backward. either side. Victory had been promised to the The day was saved. No man disputes that the foe, but the tenacity of our General, the skill personal exertions of General Rosecrans retrieved with which he turned the tide of battle, his cheerthe fortunes of the morning. fulness in the midst of adversity; the steadiness of Gens. Thomas's and Crittenden's corps, the dauntless courage of Rousseau's and Negley's glorious divisions gave promise of triumph in the end. But the situation was extremely critical. The enemy still evinced determination to turn our right and cut us off from Nashville.

At about two o'clock the enemy were discovered right and left of the Murfreesboro pike, advancing in heavy masses to attack our left wing. Such a field of battle is rarely witnessed. It was a scene of appalling grandeur. Every feature was keenly cut and clearly defined. The day was one of surprising beauty. The blazing sun shone kindly through the canopy of smoke which expanded over the dreadful combat. The pomp of battalions in martial panoply, loomed up grandly in their staunch array. At regular intervals there were bold figures of solitary horsemen standing out in sharp relief, faithful guardians of our brave soldiers and shining targets for the infernal marksmen of the foe. Gallant officers, defiantly inviting the murderous skill of sharpshooters ambushed behind every covert on the plains. Oh! vain, sad sacrifice! It thrills the soul with anguish to scan the bloody record of that gory day. Behind them, crowning commanding crests, our own fine batteries distributed over the field in unstudied picturesqueness, were clothed in thunder and robed in sheets of smoke and flame. Horses, frantic with anguish of wounds, and wild with the furious tumult, were bounding in their leashes with desperate energy, seeking to fly the field. Dozens of them were torn to shreds. A single shell crashed through

The carnage of that day was terrible. It was underrated that night. Our killed and wounded on the first day reached three thousand. The enemy confessed a loss of five thousand. But they captured about twenty-five pieces of artillery from us and a large number of prisoners. We captured, probably, four hundred prisoners, and no guns. The Murfreesboro Rebel Banner of yesterday estimates our casualties at twenty thousand! and claims that they captured three thousand five hundred prisoners up to Saturday morning.

At dawn Thursday morning we renewed the battle, but the enemy were not disposed to ac cept the challenge, and they were posted in such a manner that a general attack was not deemed prudent. An hour or two later, they moved out of position and assaulted us furiously on the left of the centre, and right of the left wing. After a severe engagement they were handsomely repulsed. That evening Van Cleve's division, then under the command of Col. Beatty, of the Nine