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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/24653-h.zip b/24653-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e84513e --- /dev/null +++ b/24653-h.zip diff --git a/24653-h/24653-h.htm b/24653-h/24653-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ba1a05a --- /dev/null +++ b/24653-h/24653-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1274 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Personal Recollections and Experience concerning the Battle of Stone River, by Milo S. Hascall. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + + + .bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + .bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + .bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + .br {border-right: solid 2px;} + .bbox {border: solid 2px;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Personal recollections and experiences +concerning the Battle of Stone River, by Milo S. Hascall + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Personal recollections and experiences concerning the Battle of Stone River + +Author: Milo S. Hascall + +Release Date: February 20, 2008 [EBook #24653] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS *** + + + + +Produced by Graeme Mackreth andThe Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + + + + + +<h3>Personal Recollections and Experiences</h3> + +<h4>CONCERNING THE</h4> + +<h1>Battle of Stone River.</h1> + + +<p class='center'>A Paper Read by Request before the Illinois Commandery of the Military +Order of the Loyal Legion of the U.S., at Chicago, Ill., Feb. 14, 1889.</p> + +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h2>MILO S. HASCALL,</h2> + +<p class='center'>OF GOSHEN, INDIANA,</p> + +<p class='center'>Formerly a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, and Brigadier-General of +Volunteers during the War of the Rebellion.</p> + +<p class='center' style="margin-top: 5em;"><small>Times Publishing Company,<br /> Goshen,—Indiana.<br /> 1889.</small></p> + +<p class='center'>Personal Recollections and Experiences Concerning the Battle of Stone +River.</p> + + +<p>As will be perceived by the above caption to this paper, it is proposed +to relate what happened to me, and what I observed during the battle +alluded to, and might not inappropriately be styled "What I know about +the battle of Stone River."</p> + +<p>In doing so I shall not undertake to give a general account of the +battle, but shall confine myself to that portion which came under my own +observation, and to necessary inferences as to what happened elsewhere. +In setting out it will be well to give a brief account of the history of +the Army of the Cumberland, and its commanders, so far as I know, up to +the time of the memorable battle which is the subject of this paper. My +having been a cadet at West Point from June, 1848, to June, 1852, when I +graduated in the same class with Sheridan, Stanly, Slocum, Crook, +Bonaparte and others, whose names have since become so distinguished, +and my service in the regular army subsequently till the fall of 1853, +threw me in contact with, and was the means of my knowing personally, or +by reputation, most, if not all the prominent characters on both sides, +that were brought to the knowledge of the public by the War of the +Rebellion.</p> + +<p>This knowledge of the men in the army of those times served me well all +through the war, as it was seldom I came in contact with an officer on +the other side, but what I knew all his peculiar characteristics, and +idiosyncrasies. For illustration of this idea, as we were approaching +Atlanta, my division had the advance of the Army of the Ohio the morning +we came in sight of the city. My advance guard captured a rebel picket +post, and one of the men captured, had a morning paper from Atlanta, in +which was Johnston's farewell order to his troops, and Hood's order +assuming command. I had been three years at West Point with Hood, he +having graduated in 1853, in Schofield's class. I knew Hood to be a +great, large hearted, large sized man, noted a great deal more for his +fine social and fighting qualities, than for any particular scholastic +acquirements, and inferred, (correctly as the result showed) that +Johnston had been removed because Davis, and his admirers, had had +enough of the Fabian policy, and wanted a man that would take the +offensive. I immediately sent word to Gen. Sherman, who, with his staff, +was not far off, and when he came to the front, informed him of the news +I had, and the construction I put upon it, and in consequence, an +immediate concentration to resist an attack was made in the vicinity, +where we were. It was none too soon, as Hood, upon taking command +immediately moved out to Decatur with nearly his entire army, fell upon +McPherson's corps, with the besom of destruction, killing the gallant +McPherson early in the engagement, and with his vastly superior force, +beating back the Army of the Tennessee so fast, that there is no telling +what might have happened, had we not made the concentration we did, and +been prepared to give them a tremendous enfilading fire as soon as they +came opposite the flanks of the Army of the Ohio. It was my fortune to +be stationed at Ft. Adams, Newport, Rhode Island, as soon as my furlough +expired after graduating at the Military Academy, and there found Lieut. +W.S. Rosecrans, (afterward the commanding general at Stone River), and +from being stationed some ten months at the same post, became somewhat +familiarly acquainted with him and his peculiarities. I had never met +Gen. Don Carlos Buel, and knew but little of him, although he was a +regular army man, until the fall of '61, upon my return from service in +West Virginia, during the first summer of the war. I was then Colonel of +the 17th Indiana, and was assigned to the command of a brigade in +Nelson's Division of Buel's Army, which was then in and around +Louisville, Ky., and whose purpose was a forward move against Nashville.</p> + +<p>While Buel's Army, the Army of the Cumberland, was concentrating in and +about Louisville, preparing for the forward movement, Gov. Morton, of +Indiana, was frequently in Louisville, consulting with Gen. Buel, and +offering suggestions as to army movements etc., and these, after a time, +came to be regarded by Gen. Buel as meddlesome, and uncalled for, so +much so, that he finally intimated to Gov. Morton that it would be as +well for him to attend to his duties as Governor of Indiana, while he +would attend to his as Commanding General of the forces in the field. It +is important to mention this circumstance here, as it will be seen +further on, that this matter had an important bearing upon Gen. Buel's +subsequent career. It will not be necessary, nor appropriate in this +paper, to enter into a detailed account of the operations of the Army of +the Cumberland in its march upon, and capture of Nashville—in its +subsequent march to Shiloh, and the part it took in that most +unfortunate, not to say (in many respects) disgraceful battle to our +army—in its subsequent advance upon Corinth, and its operations +there—in its subsequent march into northern Alabama and the vicinity of +Chattanooga, and the forced march back to Louisville, made necessary by +Bragg's advance upon that city through the Sequatchie Valley, from +Chattanooga. All this is known to the public, and the public has arrived +at its own conclusions as to the merits or demerits of these various +operations. It is not too much to say, however, that those of us who +accompanied Gen. Buel in this remarkable march and counter-march, and +particularly those who had important commands during the same, had ample +opportunity to arrive at intelligent conclusions as to the merits and +demerits of the man. It may be inferred from what has already been said +that, Gen. Buel was not particularly popular with political soldiers, +newspaper correspondents, and others who were carrying on the war from +safe distances in the rear. He was eminently and emphatically a soldier, +with no ambition or expectations outside the line of his duty, and with +honor and integrity so entirely above suspicion, that the camp follower +and money getter did not presume to even enter into his presence. +Notwithstanding all this, by the time of the return of the Army of the +Cumberland to Louisville, though that army had then performed services +that justly entitled it to the lasting gratitude of the country, and +notwithstanding its eminent commander enjoyed, so far as I knew, the +entire confidence of the officers and men in regard to his loyalty, +patriotism and ability, yet there had sprung up a fire in the rear party +that was constantly impugning his loyalty, his ability, and his fitness +to command, and demanding his removal. In the light of what has already +been said, it can now be seen whence, and from what source this hue and +cry proceeded.</p> + +<p>On account of a contemporaneous popularity that Gen. Rosecrans had +achieved about that time, at the battle of Iuka, there arose a demand in +the press that Gen. Buel be superseded in the command of the Army of the +Cumberland by that officer. As I have said, my acquaintance with Gen. +Rosecrans previous to his assuming command of the Army of the +Cumberland, had been confined to the ten months I had been stationed +with him at Newport, R.I., in '52-3.</p> + +<p>My recollections of him were not such as to inspire me with confidence +in him as the proper person to be placed in command of an army. At that +time he seemed to be a great enthusiast in regard to the Catholic +Church; seemed to want to think of nothing else, talk of nothing else, +and in fact do nothing else, except to proselyte for it and attend upon +its ministrations. No night was ever so dark and tempestuous, that he +would not brave the boisterous seas of Newport Harbor to attend mass, +and no occasion, however inappropriate, was ever lost sight of to +advocate its cause; in fact, he was what would nowadays be called most +emphatically a crank on that subject, and might not inappropriately be +considered a one-ideaed man lacking in the breadth and poise, so +necessary to success in the commander of an army in the field. While +Buel's Army was in Louisville getting reinforcements and preparing to +renew operations against Bragg, I obtained a few days leave of absence +and had no end of inquiries on my way home and after arriving there, as +to what I thought of the propriety and necessity of relieving Buel. I +uniformly replied that as far as the Army was concerned there was not +that I knew of, any want of confidence in Buel, but on the other hand, +nothing but the most sincere confidence and respect. That the only +reason that could be assigned was the want of confidence that the fire +in the rear might have caused in the country at large, and that even if +this was thought to be necessary, it would be very bad policy to +substitute Rosecrans in his stead. How near correct I was in this +estimate the public is now prepared to judge. Of course the possibility +of Buel's removal dispirited him, and perhaps inspired some of the +officers under him, that might by possibility be selected to succeed +him, with a desire that such might be the case. At all events, shortly +after the army again took the offensive, the notorious and disastrous +affair at Perryville took place, in regard to which it was charged at +the time by Gen. Buel, and believed by others, that it was brought on by +Gen. A. McD. McCook separating himself more from the body of the army +than his orders justified, and beyond supporting distance, in order that +an engagement might be brought on, in which, if successful, he might +claim the sole credit, and thereby supersede Buel in command. However +this may be, this engagement was the culminating affair in Buel's +career. The blame was (as I think) unjustly attached to him, and he was +relieved of his command, and Gen. W.S. Rosecrans appointed in his place. +After this battle, the Army resumed offensive operations against Bragg +and in due time arrived in Nashville, when offensive operations were for +a time suspended, in order to get supplies forward, and put the army in +shape for active, and if possible, decisive operations. During the weeks +that we thus lay encamped about Nashville I had frequent opportunities +to see Gen. Rosecrans and observe his manner, characteristics and +surroundings and had hoped to be enabled to form a more favorable +opinion of the man and his fitness for the high position to which he had +been called than I had theretofore entertained. I was sorry, however, to +be forced to the conclusion that my estimate of the man had been even +more favorable than the facts would justify. His head seemed to have +been completely turned by the greatness of his promotion. Instead of the +quiet dignity, orderly and business methods that had formerly obtained +at the headquarters of the Army, the very reverse seemed to be the rule.</p> + +<p>Having by this time surrounded himself, in addition to the usual staff +and appliances ordinarily to be found at the headquarters of an army in +the field, with a numerous coterie of newspaper correspondents, and +Catholic priests, who seemed in his estimation to be vastly more +important than anyone else about him, and laid in a good supply of +crucifixes, holy water, <i>spiritus frumenti</i>, Chinese gongs, flambeaux, +jobbing presses, printers' devils, javelins, white elephants, and other +cabalistic emblems and evidences that a holy crusade was about to be +entered upon, and having daily announced through his various newspaper +correspondents, jobbing presses, and other means of reaching the public +and the Confederate Army lying immediately in our front, exactly what +was going on, one could but wonder at the sublime indifference of Bragg, +and his Army remaining in the State of Tennessee, in the midst of +preparations for their destruction such as these. As this magnificent +and resplendent cavalcade of Holy, Oriental, and gorgeous splendor moved +about from camp to camp during the weeks that we lay at Nashville making +these gigantic and awe-inspiring preparations for the advance, every +knee was bowed, and every tongue confessed, that Allah was great, and +thrice illustriously great was this Savior that had been sent to us. All +things though, however grand and glorious, must have an end, and it was +finally announced during the last days of December, 1862, that the army +was ready for a forward move. You will not be surprised to be informed +after what has preceded, that it was my opinion that the Catholic +officers having command in that army would fare well when the honors of +the campaign came to be distributed. Accordingly, I made a prediction in +writing that every one of these, consisting of Brig.-Gen. Philip H. +Sheridan, Brig.-Gen. D.S. Stanly, Brig.-Gen. James S. Negley, and Capt. +James St. Claire Morton, would all be promoted entirely regardless of +what the fortunes of war might have in store for them. This I did +without the slightest feeling of unkindness or jealousy towards these +officers, but simply on account of my belief that the Commanding +General was such a narrow-minded bigot in regard to Catholicism, that it +was impossible for him not to allow considerations of this kind to +control his estimate of men. We shall see how nearly correct I was in +this estimate further on. At the time this campaign was entered upon the +National Forces had not been divided into Army Corps and numbered. Each +Army commander divided his army as to him seemed best. Rosecrans divided +his into three grand divisions called the Right, Center, and Left, and +each of these into three ordinary divisions of four brigades each, the +Right, Center and Left commanded respectively by Generals A. McD. +McCook, George H. Thomas and Thos. L. Crittenden.</p> + +<p>At the time of this advance and for a long time previous thereto, I was +commanding a brigade in Gen. Thos. J. Wood's division of the left wing. +The advance movement all along the line finally commenced about the 26th +day of December, 1862. The first day Palmer's division of the left wing +had the advance and on the evening of that day, had reached the vicinity +of Lavergne, having had some pretty sharp skirmishing in so doing. The +next day by rotation Wood's division had the advance.</p> + +<p>It was not the place of my brigade to lead the division that day, but I +was specially requested to take the advance, however, as the progress +made the day before had not been satisfactory. I consented to do so upon +condition that the cavalry, which had been in advance the day before +should be retired to the rear of my brigade ready to be brought into use +should we succeed in routing the enemy, and should the topography of the +country admit of the successful use of cavalry. I had seen so many +disastrous results ensue from the use of squadrons of cavalry in advance +of an army under such circumstances as we were advancing, that I did not +want to run any such risks in addition to the ordinary and inevitable +risks of such advances against an army in the field. The cavalry +necessarily has to retire before any effective work can be done, and +usually comes back pell mell with a lot of riderless horses, and creates +infinitely more confusion, consternation, and even danger to the +advancing army, than anything the enemy would be likely to do at that +stage of the operations.</p> + +<p>Having thus arrived at the front and got the cavalry out of the way to +the rear, I found the enemy securely lodged in the town of Lavergne, and +masked from our view by the buildings, shrubbery and fences. My orders +contemplated an immediate advance along the main pike toward +Murfreesboro. Thus no opportunity was given for flanking them, and so +compelling them to abandon the town. The country was open between my +command and the town, and afforded no shelter whatever for the troops. I +formed the brigade in two lines about 200 yards apart, with a strong +line of skirmishers about the same distance in advance of the first +line, with a section of artillery in the interval between the infantry +lines. As these dispositions were about completed preparatory to +ordering an advance of the line a heavy infantry fire was opened upon us +from the buildings and cover the town afforded to the enemy, and their +fire was taking effect even upon the first line of infantry back of the +skirmish line. At this juncture I ordered the infantry to lie down, the +artillery to open with shot and shell upon the town, and the heavy line +of skirmishers to fix bayonets and on double quick to make the distance +between them and the town; to be immediately followed by the main lines +of infantry as soon as the skirmishers had reached the town. This +movement was entirely successful; we soon had routed the enemy from the +town, but had left some forty or fifty dead comrades behind us to be +cared for by those in our rear.</p> + +<p>As soon as we had driven the enemy beyond the town, we continued the +same order with two regiments in line of battle about 200 yards apart to +the left of the main pike, and two to the right in like manner, all +preceded by a heavy line of skirmishers, and pushed forward with all +possible dispatch. A heavy rain set in about the time we commenced the +advance beyond the town, which continued all day, so the corn-fields and +other plowed fields soon became ankle deep with mud. Nevertheless we +pressed forward continuously. If we encountered the enemy in any +considerable force, the skirmish line gradually slackened their +progress until the main line came up with them. Artillery was brought +forward and fired advancing along the road. In this manner we kept up an +almost continuous advance, our dead and wounded being cared for by those +in our rear. By night-fall we had made an advance of nearly eight miles, +to Stewart's Creek. As we approached Stewart's Creek we discovered that +the enemy had set the bridge over the same on fire. I immediately +concentrated four pieces of artillery on a little eminence to the right +of the road, and commenced shelling the enemy beyond the creek. Under +the cover of this fire the infantry was ordered forward at double quick, +and succeeded in subduing the flames before sufficient damage had been +done to prevent the use of the bridge by our army. So rapid had been our +advance that three companies of rebel cavalry that had been hovering on +our left flank during the advance, were cut off before they reached the +bridge, and were captured by us with all their horses and accoutrements. +In the evening we were congratulated by all our superior officers for +having accomplished a very satisfactory day's work.</p> + +<p>This brought us up to the evening of the 27th of December. During the +time between this and the afternoon of the 30th of the same month, all +portions of our army had pressed forward along the different lines of +march laid out for them, encountering the usual incidents of driving in +the enemy's cavalry and outposts, until finally at that time our entire +army had arrived along the left bank of Stone River, opposite the city +of Murfreesboro, some two or three miles further on. Here we encountered +the enemy in force and their fortifications were plainly visible all +along opposite us on the right bank of the river, between it and the +city of Murfreesboro, and here it was very evident Bragg intended to +make his stand and accept the gauge of battle.</p> + +<p>There was desultory firing all along the line during that memorable +afternoon, but during that time our army was finally concentrated, +McCook, with his three divisions on the right, Thomas, with his three in +the center, and Crittenden, with his three on the left. The whole line, +with the intervals for artillery and cavalry, occupying a distance of +two or three miles, more or less. Crittenden's three divisions were +formed, two divisions in line of battle, and one in reserve, as follows: +Palmer's division on the right, Wood's on the left, and Van Cleve in +reserve opposite the interval between Palmer's and Wood's, and each +division consisting likewise of three brigades, were formed in like +manner, two in line and one in reserve. In Wood's division Wagner's +brigade was on the right, my own on the left, and Harker in reserve. +This arrangement brought my brigade on the extreme left of the entire +army. During that evening we were made acquainted with the plan of the +attack which was to be made by our army under cover of the gray of the +morning the following day, the memorable 31st day of December, 1862. +This was for the left wing (Crittenden's) to cross Stone River—which +was at that time fordable at all points for all arms of the service—and +deliver a furious attack on the enemy's extreme right, this to be +followed up by a wheel to the right by other portions of our army in +case Crittenden was successful in his attack, until all portions of our +army should become engaged and the battle become general all along the +line.</p> + +<p>This plan was well conceived, and might have worked well enough perhaps, +if the enemy had waited for us. The same mistake (or a similar one +rather) was made here that was made by Grant at Shiloh, only the latter +was much more faulty. In that case Grant was moving his army up the +Tennessee River to Savannah, the object being to attack Beauregard, then +at Corinth, some twenty miles from Savannah, as soon as he should have +made a junction with Buell's army, then at Nashville, Tenn., and which +was to march from that place to Savannah. Grant's army proceeding by +boats, arrived at Savannah by detachments first, and should have all +been landed on the side of the river toward Grant's reinforcements, +instead of on the side toward the enemy—unless he considered from the +time he landed, anything more than a picket force of cavalry to keep him +advised of the enemy's movements on the side toward them—that he had +enough to successfully cope with him. If he thought the latter, he +should have been with his troops on the side of the river toward the +enemy instead of eight miles below on the other side. Thus the most +elementary principles of grand tactics and military science, that, in +case two armies are endeavoring to concentrate with a view of delivering +an attack on a superior force of the enemy, the inferior force nearest +the enemy, should be careful to oppose all natural obstructions, such as +rivers, mountains, heavy forests, impassable marshes, between it and the +enemy until a junction can be made. In this case the detachments of +Grant's army were allowed to land on the side toward the enemy, select +their locations as best they could without instructions or concert of +action of any kind, and this within fifteen to eighteen miles of the +enemy in force, in the enemy's country, where it was known to all that +he had daily and hourly opportunity from the citizens who fell back +before our forces, to find out all the time the exact locations and +strength of Grant's and Buel's armies, respectively. Under circumstances +like these, the merest tyro in military knowledge ought to have known +that an experienced, able officer, such as Beauregard was known to be, +would not wait for the concentration, before anticipating the attack. So +it was no surprise to any one except the troops on that side the river +towards Corinth, and possibly to Grant, then at Savannah, that on that +fatal Sunday morning in April, 1862, when Grant had got sufficient +troops on that side of the river to make it an object for Beauregard to +destroy or capture them, and when Buel's advance had approached within +twenty to twenty-five miles of Savannah, that Beauregard determined upon +an attack, and declared he would crush or capture the troops on that +side, and water his horse in the Tennessee river that night, and that +but for the timely arrival by forced marches of Buel's advance of two +divisions on the field about four o'clock that afternoon, he would +undoubtedly have executed his purpose. If Buel had been guilty of such +blundering (not to call it by any worse name than this) it would have +been impossible to make the country at the North believe that he did not +meditate its destruction. For this blunder Grant was promptly relieved +of his command, by the proper authorities, and it was many years +afterwards, before anyone was found, who did not think this was very +moderate punishment, under such circumstances. The fault in the case +under consideration differs in kind, but not in its disastrous effects +upon our cause and our army.</p> + +<p>The right of our army at Murfreesboro, judging from what happened (and +as I said at the outset, when I don't know personally what happened, I +speak from necessary inference) seemed to think that inasmuch as our +plan of battle contemplated an attack by the extreme left, to be +followed up by them subsequently during the day, that they had nothing +to do at that early hour in the morning, but to keep a picket force out, +send their artillery horses to a distant point for water, stack their +arms, and get breakfast. They did not seem to think possibly Bragg might +have plans of his own, and that our attack might be anticipated, and +that our right might receive a desperate attack while our left was +preparing to deliver one. This, as you all know, was what happened, and +you all know its disastrous results.</p> + +<p>Current reports at the time were to the effect that the right was found +when the attack came upon them in the condition already described, and +the prompt manner in which they were hurled from the field, corroborates +this view of the case. This, of course, caused the troops to their left +to be immediately out-flanked, and no resistance, to amount to anything, +from that portion of our line could be expected under such +circumstances. How much Gen. Rosecrans and his staff are properly to +blame for the state of things existing on the right at the time of the +attack, I have no means of knowing, and do not undertake to say but that +it was the prime cause of the very serious disaster to our arms, and to +the prestige of our army that happened at that battle, there can be no +doubt or chance for two opinions. How the battle raged, and what +happened, so far as I then knew, I cannot better describe than by +extracting from my official report of that day's proceedings, made on +the 6th of January, following, and which I do as follows:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p class='center'> +<span class="smcap">Headquarters 1st Brigade, 1st Div'n, Left Wing, near<br /> +Murfreesboro', Tenn.</span>, Jan. 6, 1863.</p> +<p> +<i>Capt. M.P. Bestow, A.A.A.G.</i>: +</p> + +<p>Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of the +operations of my brigade, (formerly the 15th Brigade, 6th Division, +but under the new nomenclature, 1st Brigade, 1st Division, left wing) +on the eventful 31st of December, 1862.—During the night of the 30th +I had received notice through Gen. Wood, our division commander, that +the left wing, Crittenden's corps, would cross Stone river and attack +the enemy on their right. My brigade was posted on the extreme left +of our entire line of battle and was guarding and overlooking the +ford over which we were to cross. On the morning of the 31st heavy +firing was heard on the extreme right of our line, (McCook's corps) +but as they had been fighting their way all the distance from +Nolensville as we had from Lavergne, no particular importance was +attached to this, and I was getting my brigade into position, ready +to cross as soon as Gen. Van Cleve's division, which was then +crossing, was over. All this time the firing on the right became +heavier, and apparently nearer to us, and our fears began to be +aroused that the right wing was being rapidly driven back upon us. At +this juncture Gen. Van Cleve halted his division and the most +terrible state of suspense pervaded the entire line, as it became +more and more evident that the right was being driven rapidly back +upon us. On and on they came till the heaviest fire was getting +nearly around to the pike leading to Nashville, when General +Rosecrans appeared in person, and ordered me to go with my brigade at +once to the support of the right, pointing toward our rear, where the +heaviest fire was raging. Gen. Van Cleve's division and Col. Harker's +brigade of our division received the same order. I at once changed +the front of my brigade to the rear, preparatory to starting in the +same direction, but had not proceeded more than 200 yards in the new +direction before the fugitives from the right became so numerous, and +the fleeing mule-teams and horsemen so thick, that it was impossible +for me to go forward with my command without its becoming a confused +mass. I therefore halted, and awaited developements. Gen. Van Cleve +and Col. Harker not meeting with so much opposition pressed forward +and got into position beyond the railroad, ready to open on the enemy +as soon as our fugitives were out of the way. They soon opened fire, +joined by some batteries and troops belonging to the center (Gen. +Thomas' corps) and Estep's battery of my brigade, and after about an +hours' fighting along this new line, during which time I was moving +my command from point to point, ready to support any troops that most +needed it. The onslaught of the enemy seemed to be in a great +measure checked, and we had reasonable probability of maintaining +this line. During all this time my men were exposed to a severe fire +of shot and shell from a battery on the other side of the river, and +several men were killed. About this time an aid of Gen. Palmer's came +galloping up to me, and said that unless he could be supported his +division would give way. Palmer's division formed the right of Gen. +Crittenden's line of battle on the morning of the 31st. After +consulting with Gen. Wood he ordered me to send a regiment to support +Gen. Palmer. Accordingly I sent the 3d Kentucky regiment, commanded +by Lieut. Col. Sam'l McKee. Before the regiment had been ten minutes +in its new position, Capt. Kerstetter, my Adjutant General, reported +to me that Col. McKee had been killed and the regiment badly cut up. +I therefore moved with the other three regiments of my command to +their relief. The line they were trying to hold was that port of our +original line of battle lying immediately to the right of the +railroad, and forming an acute angle with the same. This portion of +our original line, about two regimental fronts, together with two +fronts to the left held by Colonel Wagner's brigade, was all of our +original line of battle but what our troops had been driven from; and +if they succeeded in carrying this they would have turned our left, +and a total route of our forces could not then have been avoided. +Seeing the importance of the position, I told my men that it must be +held even if it cost the last man we had. I immediately sent in the +26th Ohio, commanded by the gallant Major Wm. H. Squires, to take +position on the right of the 3d Kentucky, and support it, and +dispatched an aid for the 18th Indiana battery to come to this point +and open on the enemy. No sooner had the 26th Ohio got in position +than they became hotly engaged, and the numerous dead and wounded +that were immediately brought to the rear told how desperate was the +contest. The gallant Lieut. McClellan of that regiment was brought to +the rear mortally wounded, and expired by my side in less than five +minutes from the time the regiment took position. Still the fight +went on, and still brave men went down. The 3d Kentucky, now reduced +to less than one-half its original number, with ten officers out of +its fourteen remaining ones, badly wounded, was still bravely at +work. In less than ten minutes after the fall of Lieut. Col. McKee, +the gallant Major Daniel R. Collier, of that regiment, received two +severe wounds, one in the leg and one in the breast. Adjutant Bullitt +had his horse shot from under him, but nothing could induce either of +them to leave the field. Equally conspicuous and meritorious was the +conduct of Major Squires and Adjutant Franklin, of the 26th Ohio. +Major Squires' horse was three times shot through the neck; +nevertheless, he and all his officers stood by throughout and most +gallantly sustained and encouraged their men.</p> + +<p>Estep's battery came up in due time, and taking a position on a +little rise of ground in the rear of the 26th Ohio, and 3d Kentucky, +opened a terrific fire of shot and shell over the heads of our +infantry. About one hour after the 26th Ohio got into position, this +terrible attack of the enemy was repulsed, and they drew back into +the woods, and under cover of an intervening hill, to reform their +shattered columns and renew the attack. I now took a survey of the +situation, and found that along the entire line to the right and left +of the railroad, which had not yet been carried by the enemy, I was +the only general officer present, and was therefore in command, and +responsible for the conduct of affairs. Col. Hazen, commanding a +brigade in Gen. Palmer's division, was present with his brigade to +the left of the railroad. Col. Gross, commanding another brigade in +the same division, was also present with what there was left of his +brigade, and most nobly did he co-operate with me, with the 6th and +25th Ohio to the right of the railroad, while Col. Wagner, commanding +the 2d brigade, 1st division, (left wing) nobly sustained his front, +assisted by Col. Hazen to the left of the railroad. I now relieved +the 3d Kentucky regiment, who were nearly annihilated, and out of +ammunition, with the 58th Indiana regiment of my brigade, commanded +by Col. Geo. P. Buell; and this being a much larger regiment than the +3d Kentucky, filled up the entire space from where the right of the +3d Kentucky rested, to the railroad. I then threw forward the right +of the 6th Ohio regiment of Col. Gross' brigade, which was on the +right of the 26th Ohio, so that its line of battle was more nearly +perpendicular to the railroad, and so its fire would sweep the front +of the 26th Ohio, and 58th Indiana, and supported the 6th Ohio with +Estep's battery on a little eminence to its right, and brought the +97th Ohio, Col. Lane, from Wagner's brigade, to still further +strengthen the right. These dispositions being made, I galloped a +little to the rear, and found Gen. Rosecrans, and called his +attention to the importance of the position I was holding, and the +necessity of keeping it well supported. He rode to the front with me, +approved of the dispositions I had made, spoke a few words of +encouragement to the men, cautioning them to hold their fire until +the enemy had got well up, and had no sooner retired than the enemy +emerged from the woods over the hill, and were moving upon us again +in splendid style, and in great force.—As soon as they came in +sight, the 6th and 26th Ohio, and Estep's battery opened on them, and +did splendid execution; but on they came, until within 100 yards of +our line, when Col. Buell, of the 58th Indiana, who had lost three +men, but had not fired a gun, ordered his men to fire. The effect +was indescribable; the enemy fell in winrows, and went staggering +back from the effects of this unexpected volley. Soon, however, they +came up again and assaulted us furiously for about one and a half +hours, but the men all stood their ground nobly, and at the end of +that time compelled the enemy to retire as before.</p> + +<p>During the heat of this attack a heavy cross fire was brought to bear +on the position I occupied, and Corporal Frank Mayer, of the 3d Ohio +Volunteer Cavalry, in command of my escort, was shot through the leg, +and my Adjt. General, Capt. Ed. R. Kerstetter, was shot through his +coat, grazing his back. The regiments all behaved splendidly again, +and the 58th Indiana won immortal honors. Lieut. Blackford, of that +regiment, was shot dead, and several of the officers, including +Capts. Downey and Alexander, badly wounded. Estep's battery was +compelled to retire from the position assigned to it after firing a +half dozen rounds, but it did terrible execution while there. The 6th +and 26th Ohio did noble service, as did the 97th, but their own +immediate commanders will no doubt allude to them more particularly. +Thus ended the third assault upon our position. I should have +remarked that the 100th Illinois, the other regiment composing my +brigade, which was in reserve during the first engagement described +above, had, under instruction of Col. Hazen, moved to the front on +the left of the railroad, and taken up a position at right angles +with the railroad, where they fought splendidly in all the actions +that took place on the left of the road. There was no formidable +attack made upon them, though they were almost constantly under fire +of greater or less severity, particularly from shot and shell, and +suffered quite severely in killed and wounded. Lieut. Morrison +Worthington, of that regiment, was killed while gallantly sustaining +his men, and six other commissioned officers, including Major +Hammond, were wounded. Their operations being to the left of the +railroad, in a wood, did not come so immediately under my personal +observation, but their conduct, from Col. Bartleson down, was such as +leaves nothing to be desired. The 58th Indiana having now been over +three hours in action, and the 26th Ohio about four hours, were +exhausted and very near out of ammunition. I therefore relieved the +58th Indiana with the 40th Indiana from Col. Wagner's brigade, and +the 26th Ohio was relieved by the 23d Kentucky. There was now not +more than an hour of the day left, and though the enemy was +constantly maneuvering in our front, no formidable attack was made +upon us, except with artillery. The enemy having been three several +times repulsed in their attack on that position, seemed satisfied to +keep at a respectful distance, and the sun set upon us, masters of +the situation. We had sustained ourselves <i>and held the only portion +of the original line of battle that was held throughout by any +portion of our army</i>. To have lost this position would have been to +lose everything, as our left would then have been turned also, and +utter rout or capture inevitable.</p> + +<p>During the evening of the 31st, I was officially notified that in +consequence of the indisposition of Gen. Wood, and a wound received +by him during the forenoon of that day, he was relieved of the +command of the division, and that the same would devolve upon myself. +I therefore turned over the command of the brigade to Col. Geo. P. +Buell, of the 58th Indiana, and assumed command of the division. All +of which is respectfully submitted.</p> + +<p style="margin-left: 5em;"> +<span class="smcap">Milo S. Hascall</span>, Brig. Gen. Vols., Com's Brigade.</p> +<p> +<span class="smcap">Ed. R. Kerstetter</span>, Capt. & A.A.G. (Official.) +</p> +</div> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>After the battle was over, during the evening, Colonel Harker's brigade +that had gone to the assistance of the right, returned to where we had +been in action during the day, and thus the division was once more +together, and on this ground we did the best we could towards getting +something to eat, and prepared to bivouac on the same ground for the +night. About eleven o'clock that night, I was visited by Capt. John +Mendenhall, Chief of Artillery on Gen. Crittenden's staff, and who +belonged to the Regular Army of the United States, and a gentleman of +first-class intelligence, and purity of character, and informed that +since the cessation of hostilities for the night, a council of war had +been held at Gen. Rosecrans' headquarters, by himself and his Grand +Division Commanders, and that a general retreat to Nashville had been +decided upon, and that all except Gen. Crittenden concurred in the +advisability of such movement, and he was overruled by the others, and +that in pursuance of such determination, I was forthwith to send all the +transportation of my division, except one wagon for each brigade, to the +rear, and when the transportation was all under way, this was to be +followed by a general retreat of our army to Nashville. Mendenhall said +that Crittenden was very much incensed at the proposition for retreat; +said his army was in position and on hand, and that if he were overruled +and if a retreat was decided upon, that he would cross the river and +retreat by way of Gallatin to Nashville. However, the retreat was +decided upon, and the baggage had been sent to the rear as above +directed, and we were laying on our arms awaiting the further order to +retreat, when a very singular circumstance caused Rosecrans to change +his mind, and conclude to fight it out where we were. A large number of +our straggling, demoralized detachments in the rear of our army, being +hungry and thirsty, had concluded to disobey orders, and make fire and +try and get something to eat. One party would make a fire, another would +go there to get a fire brand to start another, and when this became +general along our rear, Rosecrans concluded the enemy had got in our +rear, and were forming line of battle by torch lights, and hence +withdrew the order for a general retreat. After this, about one o'clock, +I was informed also by Capt. Mendenhall, that the retreat had been given +up, and that I was ordered to fall back with my division about half a +mile, and take up a position that would there be assigned me. +Accordingly I did so, and in the morning found myself occupying a +position with no advantages for offensive or defensive operations, and +very much exposed to the enemy's fire, with no chance for returning it +with any effect. The enemy were occupying the position I had fallen back +from, and at that point concentrated a large number of pieces of +artillery, with which, about nine o'clock in the morning, they opened +upon us a tremendous artillery fire, under the cover of which I supposed +their infantry would charge upon us, but for some strange reason or +other, they did not do so. Desultory firing afterwards, was kept up +during the day, until about three o'clock in the afternoon. In the +meantime we had sent a division across the river to the left, which was +occupying the high ground near where the enemy's right was resting +originally. About three o'clock Breckenridge's troops, of the rebel +army, fell furiously upon this division, and drove them rapidly from +their position, on account of their superior numbers. At this juncture +Crittenden ordered Mendenhall to concentrate his artillery on the bank +of the river to our front and left, which he promptly did, and ordered +me, with my division, to promptly cross the river in support of the +division already there in retreat. Upon our arrival on the other side of +the river, the furious fire from Mendenhall's artillery had checked the +rebel advance, and the division over there turned upon their assailants, +and with the assistance of my division, drove Breckenridge back to the +position he had occupied before making the assault. The latter part of +these operations were carried on in the darkness, and we slept upon our +arms, amidst the dead and wounded. It had been raining hard all the +night, and the river was rising very rapidly, so much so that if we had +remained there until morning, there would have been danger that the +river would become impassable, and the divisions been left there by +themselves in the presence of the whole rebel army. Accordingly, about +two o'clock at night, we were ordered to recross the river, and take up +positions where we had been during the previous day. We arrived back +there between that time and morning, thoroughly wet through, and +completely jaded out, having had no sleep, and but little to eat during +the previous forty-eight hours. Both armies continued after this during +the third day, to occupy the positions they had on that morning. It was +cold, wet, and very disagreeable weather; both armies were completely +tired out, and seemed content to do nothing more than to engage in some +desultory firing, and watch each other closely. On the morning of the +fourth day, January 3, or rather, during the forenoon of that day, the +stragglers from the right, during the first day's battle, who had not +stopped in their flight until they reached Nashville, began to return in +large numbers, in companies, and even regiments, and Bragg, observing +this, concluded we were receiving large bodies of reinforcements from +the north, and therefore concluded to fall back and give up the contest. +He accordingly did so, and on the fourth day, January 4, he took +possession of Murfreesboro without the firing of a gun. Thus ended the +great battle of Stone River. We had not made a single attack during the +whole time; were badly beaten and well nigh driven from the field the +first day, and only saved from an ignominious retreat upon Nashville by +the ridiculous misconception on the part of Rosecrans, already alluded +to on the first night after the battle commenced. As it was, we lost all +our transportation, by sending it to the rear, that night, preparatory +for the retreat, the whole having been burned by the rebels at Lavergne, +notwithstanding we were supposed to have some cavalry in our rear, under +Gen. Stanley. Where it was at the time our transportation was being +burned by the rebel cavalry, I have never heard.</p> + +<p>Finally our fugitives from the first day's battle began to return, +thereupon Bragg became very much frightened and beat a retreat, and we +thus gained Murfreesboro. After this reports were written up to praise +the men it had been determined upon in advance to promote, and these +identical men that I had predicted would be favored, were promoted; one +of them, St. Claire Morton, from Captain to Brigadier-General, while +others, upon whom rested the heat and burden of the day, and who saved +the army from utter annihilation, were not only not promoted, but in +many instances not even mentioned. It was, for instance, Sheridan's fate +to be early driven from the field, whether from his fault or not, it is +not necessary to inquire. Enough for this occasion that it was so, and +the facts of his subsequent career no more justify what was done for him +on this occasion, than would the subsequent illustrious career of Gen. +Grant justify his promotion for the terrible blunders committed by him +concerning the most unfortunate battle of Shiloh.</p> + +<p>In what I have said in this paper in regard to the Catholic Church, I do +not wish to be understood as having any desire to say anything against +that church, but simply to condemn the idea of making membership in +that, or any other particular church, a necessary concomitant to +advancement, either in a military or civil capacity, under our +government. Farther, in all that I have said nothing has been said in +malice towards any officer or person, but simply that that criticism so +necessary to the establishment of right and justice in regard to the +late war may be freely indulged in, whether it affect the highest +officer, or the lowest private that offered his life in defense of his +country. It will be seen that my estimate of the fitness of Gen. +Rosecrans to command an army was not enhanced by his career during and +preceding the battle of Stone River. When disaster came to the right, he +should have given his attention personally to that, and lent the magic +of his personal presence to rallying the fleeing troops from that +division, in place of going to the extreme left himself—instead of by a +staff officer—for ordering the movement of troops in that direction. +When the whole affair was over, and quiet restored, I made an +application to be transferred to another army on account of want of +confidence in him as the commander of an army in the field. This I +supposed would cause my arrest, and give an opportunity for me to +demonstrate the great cause that existed for my apprehensions, but +instead of doing this, he returned my application endorsed that he could +not spare the services of so useful an officer as myself, and that there +would be no forward movement of the army for six months, and detailed me +to proceed to Indianapolis, Ind., to superintend the work of returning +deserters from Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Just before my leaving +Murfreesboro for Indianapolis we saw Bragg's telegraphic account to +Richmond, of the first day's proceedings. It was as follows: "This +morning, under cover of the darkness, we attacked the enemy on his +extreme right, and have routed him from every portion of his line except +upon his extreme left, where he has successfully resisted us." As I left +there was a proposition started in Crittenden's command to raise money +to present Bragg a sword for making the above truthful statement of the +first days operations. While at Indianapolis, I was, at the request of +Gen. Burnside, transferred by the War Department, to the army of the +Ohio and given the command of a division in that army. The next that we +heard of Gen. Rosecrans was at the battle of Chickamauga, and that was +the last we heard of him in a military way, and all can now see how much +cause there was for the apprehensions I entertained. This was not the +first instance that great unfitness achieved high rank in our armies and +it was quite common for great merit to be entirely unrewarded, and +indeed entirely unknown. But time is a great healer, and let us hope +that honest merit will in the end get its recognition, trusting in the +truthfulness of the idea that</p> + +<p style="margin-left: 20em;"> +"Ever the world goes round and round,<br /> +And ever the truth comes uppermost,<br /> +And justice shall be done."<br /> +</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Personal recollections and experiences +concerning the Battle of Stone River, by Milo S. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Personal recollections and experiences concerning the Battle of Stone River + +Author: Milo S. Hascall + +Release Date: February 20, 2008 [EBook #24653] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS *** + + + + +Produced by Graeme Mackreth andThe Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + +Personal Recollections and Experiences + +CONCERNING THE + +Battle of Stone River. + + +A Paper Read by Request before the Illinois Commandery of the Military +Order of the Loyal Legion of the U.S., at Chicago, Ill., Feb. 14, 1889. + +BY + +MILO S. HASCALL, + +OF GOSHEN, INDIANA, + +Formerly a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, and Brigadier-General of +Volunteers during the War of the Rebellion. + +Times Publishing Company, Goshen,--Indiana. 1889. + +Personal Recollections and Experiences Concerning the Battle of Stone +River. + + +As will be perceived by the above caption to this paper, it is proposed +to relate what happened to me, and what I observed during the battle +alluded to, and might not inappropriately be styled "What I know about +the battle of Stone River." + +In doing so I shall not undertake to give a general account of the +battle, but shall confine myself to that portion which came under my own +observation, and to necessary inferences as to what happened elsewhere. +In setting out it will be well to give a brief account of the history of +the Army of the Cumberland, and its commanders, so far as I know, up to +the time of the memorable battle which is the subject of this paper. My +having been a cadet at West Point from June, 1848, to June, 1852, when I +graduated in the same class with Sheridan, Stanly, Slocum, Crook, +Bonaparte and others, whose names have since become so distinguished, +and my service in the regular army subsequently till the fall of 1853, +threw me in contact with, and was the means of my knowing personally, or +by reputation, most, if not all the prominent characters on both sides, +that were brought to the knowledge of the public by the War of the +Rebellion. + +This knowledge of the men in the army of those times served me well all +through the war, as it was seldom I came in contact with an officer on +the other side, but what I knew all his peculiar characteristics, and +idiosyncrasies. For illustration of this idea, as we were approaching +Atlanta, my division had the advance of the Army of the Ohio the morning +we came in sight of the city. My advance guard captured a rebel picket +post, and one of the men captured, had a morning paper from Atlanta, in +which was Johnston's farewell order to his troops, and Hood's order +assuming command. I had been three years at West Point with Hood, he +having graduated in 1853, in Schofield's class. I knew Hood to be a +great, large hearted, large sized man, noted a great deal more for his +fine social and fighting qualities, than for any particular scholastic +acquirements, and inferred, (correctly as the result showed) that +Johnston had been removed because Davis, and his admirers, had had +enough of the Fabian policy, and wanted a man that would take the +offensive. I immediately sent word to Gen. Sherman, who, with his staff, +was not far off, and when he came to the front, informed him of the news +I had, and the construction I put upon it, and in consequence, an +immediate concentration to resist an attack was made in the vicinity, +where we were. It was none too soon, as Hood, upon taking command +immediately moved out to Decatur with nearly his entire army, fell upon +McPherson's corps, with the besom of destruction, killing the gallant +McPherson early in the engagement, and with his vastly superior force, +beating back the Army of the Tennessee so fast, that there is no telling +what might have happened, had we not made the concentration we did, and +been prepared to give them a tremendous enfilading fire as soon as they +came opposite the flanks of the Army of the Ohio. It was my fortune to +be stationed at Ft. Adams, Newport, Rhode Island, as soon as my furlough +expired after graduating at the Military Academy, and there found Lieut. +W.S. Rosecrans, (afterward the commanding general at Stone River), and +from being stationed some ten months at the same post, became somewhat +familiarly acquainted with him and his peculiarities. I had never met +Gen. Don Carlos Buel, and knew but little of him, although he was a +regular army man, until the fall of '61, upon my return from service in +West Virginia, during the first summer of the war. I was then Colonel of +the 17th Indiana, and was assigned to the command of a brigade in +Nelson's Division of Buel's Army, which was then in and around +Louisville, Ky., and whose purpose was a forward move against Nashville. + +While Buel's Army, the Army of the Cumberland, was concentrating in and +about Louisville, preparing for the forward movement, Gov. Morton, of +Indiana, was frequently in Louisville, consulting with Gen. Buel, and +offering suggestions as to army movements etc., and these, after a time, +came to be regarded by Gen. Buel as meddlesome, and uncalled for, so +much so, that he finally intimated to Gov. Morton that it would be as +well for him to attend to his duties as Governor of Indiana, while he +would attend to his as Commanding General of the forces in the field. It +is important to mention this circumstance here, as it will be seen +further on, that this matter had an important bearing upon Gen. Buel's +subsequent career. It will not be necessary, nor appropriate in this +paper, to enter into a detailed account of the operations of the Army of +the Cumberland in its march upon, and capture of Nashville--in its +subsequent march to Shiloh, and the part it took in that most +unfortunate, not to say (in many respects) disgraceful battle to our +army--in its subsequent advance upon Corinth, and its operations +there--in its subsequent march into northern Alabama and the vicinity of +Chattanooga, and the forced march back to Louisville, made necessary by +Bragg's advance upon that city through the Sequatchie Valley, from +Chattanooga. All this is known to the public, and the public has arrived +at its own conclusions as to the merits or demerits of these various +operations. It is not too much to say, however, that those of us who +accompanied Gen. Buel in this remarkable march and counter-march, and +particularly those who had important commands during the same, had ample +opportunity to arrive at intelligent conclusions as to the merits and +demerits of the man. It may be inferred from what has already been said +that, Gen. Buel was not particularly popular with political soldiers, +newspaper correspondents, and others who were carrying on the war from +safe distances in the rear. He was eminently and emphatically a soldier, +with no ambition or expectations outside the line of his duty, and with +honor and integrity so entirely above suspicion, that the camp follower +and money getter did not presume to even enter into his presence. +Notwithstanding all this, by the time of the return of the Army of the +Cumberland to Louisville, though that army had then performed services +that justly entitled it to the lasting gratitude of the country, and +notwithstanding its eminent commander enjoyed, so far as I knew, the +entire confidence of the officers and men in regard to his loyalty, +patriotism and ability, yet there had sprung up a fire in the rear party +that was constantly impugning his loyalty, his ability, and his fitness +to command, and demanding his removal. In the light of what has already +been said, it can now be seen whence, and from what source this hue and +cry proceeded. + +On account of a contemporaneous popularity that Gen. Rosecrans had +achieved about that time, at the battle of Iuka, there arose a demand in +the press that Gen. Buel be superseded in the command of the Army of the +Cumberland by that officer. As I have said, my acquaintance with Gen. +Rosecrans previous to his assuming command of the Army of the +Cumberland, had been confined to the ten months I had been stationed +with him at Newport, R.I., in '52-3. + +My recollections of him were not such as to inspire me with confidence +in him as the proper person to be placed in command of an army. At that +time he seemed to be a great enthusiast in regard to the Catholic +Church; seemed to want to think of nothing else, talk of nothing else, +and in fact do nothing else, except to proselyte for it and attend upon +its ministrations. No night was ever so dark and tempestuous, that he +would not brave the boisterous seas of Newport Harbor to attend mass, +and no occasion, however inappropriate, was ever lost sight of to +advocate its cause; in fact, he was what would nowadays be called most +emphatically a crank on that subject, and might not inappropriately be +considered a one-ideaed man lacking in the breadth and poise, so +necessary to success in the commander of an army in the field. While +Buel's Army was in Louisville getting reinforcements and preparing to +renew operations against Bragg, I obtained a few days leave of absence +and had no end of inquiries on my way home and after arriving there, as +to what I thought of the propriety and necessity of relieving Buel. I +uniformly replied that as far as the Army was concerned there was not +that I knew of, any want of confidence in Buel, but on the other hand, +nothing but the most sincere confidence and respect. That the only +reason that could be assigned was the want of confidence that the fire +in the rear might have caused in the country at large, and that even if +this was thought to be necessary, it would be very bad policy to +substitute Rosecrans in his stead. How near correct I was in this +estimate the public is now prepared to judge. Of course the possibility +of Buel's removal dispirited him, and perhaps inspired some of the +officers under him, that might by possibility be selected to succeed +him, with a desire that such might be the case. At all events, shortly +after the army again took the offensive, the notorious and disastrous +affair at Perryville took place, in regard to which it was charged at +the time by Gen. Buel, and believed by others, that it was brought on by +Gen. A. McD. McCook separating himself more from the body of the army +than his orders justified, and beyond supporting distance, in order that +an engagement might be brought on, in which, if successful, he might +claim the sole credit, and thereby supersede Buel in command. However +this may be, this engagement was the culminating affair in Buel's +career. The blame was (as I think) unjustly attached to him, and he was +relieved of his command, and Gen. W.S. Rosecrans appointed in his place. +After this battle, the Army resumed offensive operations against Bragg +and in due time arrived in Nashville, when offensive operations were for +a time suspended, in order to get supplies forward, and put the army in +shape for active, and if possible, decisive operations. During the weeks +that we thus lay encamped about Nashville I had frequent opportunities +to see Gen. Rosecrans and observe his manner, characteristics and +surroundings and had hoped to be enabled to form a more favorable +opinion of the man and his fitness for the high position to which he had +been called than I had theretofore entertained. I was sorry, however, to +be forced to the conclusion that my estimate of the man had been even +more favorable than the facts would justify. His head seemed to have +been completely turned by the greatness of his promotion. Instead of the +quiet dignity, orderly and business methods that had formerly obtained +at the headquarters of the Army, the very reverse seemed to be the rule. + +Having by this time surrounded himself, in addition to the usual staff +and appliances ordinarily to be found at the headquarters of an army in +the field, with a numerous coterie of newspaper correspondents, and +Catholic priests, who seemed in his estimation to be vastly more +important than anyone else about him, and laid in a good supply of +crucifixes, holy water, _spiritus frumenti_, Chinese gongs, flambeaux, +jobbing presses, printers' devils, javelins, white elephants, and other +cabalistic emblems and evidences that a holy crusade was about to be +entered upon, and having daily announced through his various newspaper +correspondents, jobbing presses, and other means of reaching the public +and the Confederate Army lying immediately in our front, exactly what +was going on, one could but wonder at the sublime indifference of Bragg, +and his Army remaining in the State of Tennessee, in the midst of +preparations for their destruction such as these. As this magnificent +and resplendent cavalcade of Holy, Oriental, and gorgeous splendor moved +about from camp to camp during the weeks that we lay at Nashville making +these gigantic and awe-inspiring preparations for the advance, every +knee was bowed, and every tongue confessed, that Allah was great, and +thrice illustriously great was this Savior that had been sent to us. All +things though, however grand and glorious, must have an end, and it was +finally announced during the last days of December, 1862, that the army +was ready for a forward move. You will not be surprised to be informed +after what has preceded, that it was my opinion that the Catholic +officers having command in that army would fare well when the honors of +the campaign came to be distributed. Accordingly, I made a prediction in +writing that every one of these, consisting of Brig.-Gen. Philip H. +Sheridan, Brig.-Gen. D.S. Stanly, Brig.-Gen. James S. Negley, and Capt. +James St. Claire Morton, would all be promoted entirely regardless of +what the fortunes of war might have in store for them. This I did +without the slightest feeling of unkindness or jealousy towards these +officers, but simply on account of my belief that the Commanding +General was such a narrow-minded bigot in regard to Catholicism, that it +was impossible for him not to allow considerations of this kind to +control his estimate of men. We shall see how nearly correct I was in +this estimate further on. At the time this campaign was entered upon the +National Forces had not been divided into Army Corps and numbered. Each +Army commander divided his army as to him seemed best. Rosecrans divided +his into three grand divisions called the Right, Center, and Left, and +each of these into three ordinary divisions of four brigades each, the +Right, Center and Left commanded respectively by Generals A. McD. +McCook, George H. Thomas and Thos. L. Crittenden. + +At the time of this advance and for a long time previous thereto, I was +commanding a brigade in Gen. Thos. J. Wood's division of the left wing. +The advance movement all along the line finally commenced about the 26th +day of December, 1862. The first day Palmer's division of the left wing +had the advance and on the evening of that day, had reached the vicinity +of Lavergne, having had some pretty sharp skirmishing in so doing. The +next day by rotation Wood's division had the advance. + +It was not the place of my brigade to lead the division that day, but I +was specially requested to take the advance, however, as the progress +made the day before had not been satisfactory. I consented to do so upon +condition that the cavalry, which had been in advance the day before +should be retired to the rear of my brigade ready to be brought into use +should we succeed in routing the enemy, and should the topography of the +country admit of the successful use of cavalry. I had seen so many +disastrous results ensue from the use of squadrons of cavalry in advance +of an army under such circumstances as we were advancing, that I did not +want to run any such risks in addition to the ordinary and inevitable +risks of such advances against an army in the field. The cavalry +necessarily has to retire before any effective work can be done, and +usually comes back pell mell with a lot of riderless horses, and creates +infinitely more confusion, consternation, and even danger to the +advancing army, than anything the enemy would be likely to do at that +stage of the operations. + +Having thus arrived at the front and got the cavalry out of the way to +the rear, I found the enemy securely lodged in the town of Lavergne, and +masked from our view by the buildings, shrubbery and fences. My orders +contemplated an immediate advance along the main pike toward +Murfreesboro. Thus no opportunity was given for flanking them, and so +compelling them to abandon the town. The country was open between my +command and the town, and afforded no shelter whatever for the troops. I +formed the brigade in two lines about 200 yards apart, with a strong +line of skirmishers about the same distance in advance of the first +line, with a section of artillery in the interval between the infantry +lines. As these dispositions were about completed preparatory to +ordering an advance of the line a heavy infantry fire was opened upon us +from the buildings and cover the town afforded to the enemy, and their +fire was taking effect even upon the first line of infantry back of the +skirmish line. At this juncture I ordered the infantry to lie down, the +artillery to open with shot and shell upon the town, and the heavy line +of skirmishers to fix bayonets and on double quick to make the distance +between them and the town; to be immediately followed by the main lines +of infantry as soon as the skirmishers had reached the town. This +movement was entirely successful; we soon had routed the enemy from the +town, but had left some forty or fifty dead comrades behind us to be +cared for by those in our rear. + +As soon as we had driven the enemy beyond the town, we continued the +same order with two regiments in line of battle about 200 yards apart to +the left of the main pike, and two to the right in like manner, all +preceded by a heavy line of skirmishers, and pushed forward with all +possible dispatch. A heavy rain set in about the time we commenced the +advance beyond the town, which continued all day, so the corn-fields and +other plowed fields soon became ankle deep with mud. Nevertheless we +pressed forward continuously. If we encountered the enemy in any +considerable force, the skirmish line gradually slackened their +progress until the main line came up with them. Artillery was brought +forward and fired advancing along the road. In this manner we kept up an +almost continuous advance, our dead and wounded being cared for by those +in our rear. By night-fall we had made an advance of nearly eight miles, +to Stewart's Creek. As we approached Stewart's Creek we discovered that +the enemy had set the bridge over the same on fire. I immediately +concentrated four pieces of artillery on a little eminence to the right +of the road, and commenced shelling the enemy beyond the creek. Under +the cover of this fire the infantry was ordered forward at double quick, +and succeeded in subduing the flames before sufficient damage had been +done to prevent the use of the bridge by our army. So rapid had been our +advance that three companies of rebel cavalry that had been hovering on +our left flank during the advance, were cut off before they reached the +bridge, and were captured by us with all their horses and accoutrements. +In the evening we were congratulated by all our superior officers for +having accomplished a very satisfactory day's work. + +This brought us up to the evening of the 27th of December. During the +time between this and the afternoon of the 30th of the same month, all +portions of our army had pressed forward along the different lines of +march laid out for them, encountering the usual incidents of driving in +the enemy's cavalry and outposts, until finally at that time our entire +army had arrived along the left bank of Stone River, opposite the city +of Murfreesboro, some two or three miles further on. Here we encountered +the enemy in force and their fortifications were plainly visible all +along opposite us on the right bank of the river, between it and the +city of Murfreesboro, and here it was very evident Bragg intended to +make his stand and accept the gauge of battle. + +There was desultory firing all along the line during that memorable +afternoon, but during that time our army was finally concentrated, +McCook, with his three divisions on the right, Thomas, with his three in +the center, and Crittenden, with his three on the left. The whole line, +with the intervals for artillery and cavalry, occupying a distance of +two or three miles, more or less. Crittenden's three divisions were +formed, two divisions in line of battle, and one in reserve, as follows: +Palmer's division on the right, Wood's on the left, and Van Cleve in +reserve opposite the interval between Palmer's and Wood's, and each +division consisting likewise of three brigades, were formed in like +manner, two in line and one in reserve. In Wood's division Wagner's +brigade was on the right, my own on the left, and Harker in reserve. +This arrangement brought my brigade on the extreme left of the entire +army. During that evening we were made acquainted with the plan of the +attack which was to be made by our army under cover of the gray of the +morning the following day, the memorable 31st day of December, 1862. +This was for the left wing (Crittenden's) to cross Stone River--which +was at that time fordable at all points for all arms of the service--and +deliver a furious attack on the enemy's extreme right, this to be +followed up by a wheel to the right by other portions of our army in +case Crittenden was successful in his attack, until all portions of our +army should become engaged and the battle become general all along the +line. + +This plan was well conceived, and might have worked well enough perhaps, +if the enemy had waited for us. The same mistake (or a similar one +rather) was made here that was made by Grant at Shiloh, only the latter +was much more faulty. In that case Grant was moving his army up the +Tennessee River to Savannah, the object being to attack Beauregard, then +at Corinth, some twenty miles from Savannah, as soon as he should have +made a junction with Buell's army, then at Nashville, Tenn., and which +was to march from that place to Savannah. Grant's army proceeding by +boats, arrived at Savannah by detachments first, and should have all +been landed on the side of the river toward Grant's reinforcements, +instead of on the side toward the enemy--unless he considered from the +time he landed, anything more than a picket force of cavalry to keep him +advised of the enemy's movements on the side toward them--that he had +enough to successfully cope with him. If he thought the latter, he +should have been with his troops on the side of the river toward the +enemy instead of eight miles below on the other side. Thus the most +elementary principles of grand tactics and military science, that, in +case two armies are endeavoring to concentrate with a view of delivering +an attack on a superior force of the enemy, the inferior force nearest +the enemy, should be careful to oppose all natural obstructions, such as +rivers, mountains, heavy forests, impassable marshes, between it and the +enemy until a junction can be made. In this case the detachments of +Grant's army were allowed to land on the side toward the enemy, select +their locations as best they could without instructions or concert of +action of any kind, and this within fifteen to eighteen miles of the +enemy in force, in the enemy's country, where it was known to all that +he had daily and hourly opportunity from the citizens who fell back +before our forces, to find out all the time the exact locations and +strength of Grant's and Buel's armies, respectively. Under circumstances +like these, the merest tyro in military knowledge ought to have known +that an experienced, able officer, such as Beauregard was known to be, +would not wait for the concentration, before anticipating the attack. So +it was no surprise to any one except the troops on that side the river +towards Corinth, and possibly to Grant, then at Savannah, that on that +fatal Sunday morning in April, 1862, when Grant had got sufficient +troops on that side of the river to make it an object for Beauregard to +destroy or capture them, and when Buel's advance had approached within +twenty to twenty-five miles of Savannah, that Beauregard determined upon +an attack, and declared he would crush or capture the troops on that +side, and water his horse in the Tennessee river that night, and that +but for the timely arrival by forced marches of Buel's advance of two +divisions on the field about four o'clock that afternoon, he would +undoubtedly have executed his purpose. If Buel had been guilty of such +blundering (not to call it by any worse name than this) it would have +been impossible to make the country at the North believe that he did not +meditate its destruction. For this blunder Grant was promptly relieved +of his command, by the proper authorities, and it was many years +afterwards, before anyone was found, who did not think this was very +moderate punishment, under such circumstances. The fault in the case +under consideration differs in kind, but not in its disastrous effects +upon our cause and our army. + +The right of our army at Murfreesboro, judging from what happened (and +as I said at the outset, when I don't know personally what happened, I +speak from necessary inference) seemed to think that inasmuch as our +plan of battle contemplated an attack by the extreme left, to be +followed up by them subsequently during the day, that they had nothing +to do at that early hour in the morning, but to keep a picket force out, +send their artillery horses to a distant point for water, stack their +arms, and get breakfast. They did not seem to think possibly Bragg might +have plans of his own, and that our attack might be anticipated, and +that our right might receive a desperate attack while our left was +preparing to deliver one. This, as you all know, was what happened, and +you all know its disastrous results. + +Current reports at the time were to the effect that the right was found +when the attack came upon them in the condition already described, and +the prompt manner in which they were hurled from the field, corroborates +this view of the case. This, of course, caused the troops to their left +to be immediately out-flanked, and no resistance, to amount to anything, +from that portion of our line could be expected under such +circumstances. How much Gen. Rosecrans and his staff are properly to +blame for the state of things existing on the right at the time of the +attack, I have no means of knowing, and do not undertake to say but that +it was the prime cause of the very serious disaster to our arms, and to +the prestige of our army that happened at that battle, there can be no +doubt or chance for two opinions. How the battle raged, and what +happened, so far as I then knew, I cannot better describe than by +extracting from my official report of that day's proceedings, made on +the 6th of January, following, and which I do as follows: + + HEADQUARTERS 1ST BRIGADE, 1ST DIV'N, LEFT WING, NEAR + MURFREESBORO', TENN., Jan. 6, 1863. + +_Capt. M.P. Bestow, A.A.A.G._: + + Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of the + operations of my brigade, (formerly the 15th Brigade, 6th Division, + but under the new nomenclature, 1st Brigade, 1st Division, left wing) + on the eventful 31st of December, 1862.--During the night of the 30th + I had received notice through Gen. Wood, our division commander, that + the left wing, Crittenden's corps, would cross Stone river and attack + the enemy on their right. My brigade was posted on the extreme left + of our entire line of battle and was guarding and overlooking the + ford over which we were to cross. On the morning of the 31st heavy + firing was heard on the extreme right of our line, (McCook's corps) + but as they had been fighting their way all the distance from + Nolensville as we had from Lavergne, no particular importance was + attached to this, and I was getting my brigade into position, ready + to cross as soon as Gen. Van Cleve's division, which was then + crossing, was over. All this time the firing on the right became + heavier, and apparently nearer to us, and our fears began to be + aroused that the right wing was being rapidly driven back upon us. At + this juncture Gen. Van Cleve halted his division and the most + terrible state of suspense pervaded the entire line, as it became + more and more evident that the right was being driven rapidly back + upon us. On and on they came till the heaviest fire was getting + nearly around to the pike leading to Nashville, when General + Rosecrans appeared in person, and ordered me to go with my brigade at + once to the support of the right, pointing toward our rear, where the + heaviest fire was raging. Gen. Van Cleve's division and Col. Harker's + brigade of our division received the same order. I at once changed + the front of my brigade to the rear, preparatory to starting in the + same direction, but had not proceeded more than 200 yards in the new + direction before the fugitives from the right became so numerous, and + the fleeing mule-teams and horsemen so thick, that it was impossible + for me to go forward with my command without its becoming a confused + mass. I therefore halted, and awaited developements. Gen. Van Cleve + and Col. Harker not meeting with so much opposition pressed forward + and got into position beyond the railroad, ready to open on the enemy + as soon as our fugitives were out of the way. They soon opened fire, + joined by some batteries and troops belonging to the center (Gen. + Thomas' corps) and Estep's battery of my brigade, and after about an + hours' fighting along this new line, during which time I was moving + my command from point to point, ready to support any troops that most + needed it. The onslaught of the enemy seemed to be in a great + measure checked, and we had reasonable probability of maintaining + this line. During all this time my men were exposed to a severe fire + of shot and shell from a battery on the other side of the river, and + several men were killed. About this time an aid of Gen. Palmer's came + galloping up to me, and said that unless he could be supported his + division would give way. Palmer's division formed the right of Gen. + Crittenden's line of battle on the morning of the 31st. After + consulting with Gen. Wood he ordered me to send a regiment to support + Gen. Palmer. Accordingly I sent the 3d Kentucky regiment, commanded + by Lieut. Col. Sam'l McKee. Before the regiment had been ten minutes + in its new position, Capt. Kerstetter, my Adjutant General, reported + to me that Col. McKee had been killed and the regiment badly cut up. + I therefore moved with the other three regiments of my command to + their relief. The line they were trying to hold was that port of our + original line of battle lying immediately to the right of the + railroad, and forming an acute angle with the same. This portion of + our original line, about two regimental fronts, together with two + fronts to the left held by Colonel Wagner's brigade, was all of our + original line of battle but what our troops had been driven from; and + if they succeeded in carrying this they would have turned our left, + and a total route of our forces could not then have been avoided. + Seeing the importance of the position, I told my men that it must be + held even if it cost the last man we had. I immediately sent in the + 26th Ohio, commanded by the gallant Major Wm. H. Squires, to take + position on the right of the 3d Kentucky, and support it, and + dispatched an aid for the 18th Indiana battery to come to this point + and open on the enemy. No sooner had the 26th Ohio got in position + than they became hotly engaged, and the numerous dead and wounded + that were immediately brought to the rear told how desperate was the + contest. The gallant Lieut. McClellan of that regiment was brought to + the rear mortally wounded, and expired by my side in less than five + minutes from the time the regiment took position. Still the fight + went on, and still brave men went down. The 3d Kentucky, now reduced + to less than one-half its original number, with ten officers out of + its fourteen remaining ones, badly wounded, was still bravely at + work. In less than ten minutes after the fall of Lieut. Col. McKee, + the gallant Major Daniel R. Collier, of that regiment, received two + severe wounds, one in the leg and one in the breast. Adjutant Bullitt + had his horse shot from under him, but nothing could induce either of + them to leave the field. Equally conspicuous and meritorious was the + conduct of Major Squires and Adjutant Franklin, of the 26th Ohio. + Major Squires' horse was three times shot through the neck; + nevertheless, he and all his officers stood by throughout and most + gallantly sustained and encouraged their men. + + Estep's battery came up in due time, and taking a position on a + little rise of ground in the rear of the 26th Ohio, and 3d Kentucky, + opened a terrific fire of shot and shell over the heads of our + infantry. About one hour after the 26th Ohio got into position, this + terrible attack of the enemy was repulsed, and they drew back into + the woods, and under cover of an intervening hill, to reform their + shattered columns and renew the attack. I now took a survey of the + situation, and found that along the entire line to the right and left + of the railroad, which had not yet been carried by the enemy, I was + the only general officer present, and was therefore in command, and + responsible for the conduct of affairs. Col. Hazen, commanding a + brigade in Gen. Palmer's division, was present with his brigade to + the left of the railroad. Col. Gross, commanding another brigade in + the same division, was also present with what there was left of his + brigade, and most nobly did he co-operate with me, with the 6th and + 25th Ohio to the right of the railroad, while Col. Wagner, commanding + the 2d brigade, 1st division, (left wing) nobly sustained his front, + assisted by Col. Hazen to the left of the railroad. I now relieved + the 3d Kentucky regiment, who were nearly annihilated, and out of + ammunition, with the 58th Indiana regiment of my brigade, commanded + by Col. Geo. P. Buell; and this being a much larger regiment than the + 3d Kentucky, filled up the entire space from where the right of the + 3d Kentucky rested, to the railroad. I then threw forward the right + of the 6th Ohio regiment of Col. Gross' brigade, which was on the + right of the 26th Ohio, so that its line of battle was more nearly + perpendicular to the railroad, and so its fire would sweep the front + of the 26th Ohio, and 58th Indiana, and supported the 6th Ohio with + Estep's battery on a little eminence to its right, and brought the + 97th Ohio, Col. Lane, from Wagner's brigade, to still further + strengthen the right. These dispositions being made, I galloped a + little to the rear, and found Gen. Rosecrans, and called his + attention to the importance of the position I was holding, and the + necessity of keeping it well supported. He rode to the front with me, + approved of the dispositions I had made, spoke a few words of + encouragement to the men, cautioning them to hold their fire until + the enemy had got well up, and had no sooner retired than the enemy + emerged from the woods over the hill, and were moving upon us again + in splendid style, and in great force.--As soon as they came in + sight, the 6th and 26th Ohio, and Estep's battery opened on them, and + did splendid execution; but on they came, until within 100 yards of + our line, when Col. Buell, of the 58th Indiana, who had lost three + men, but had not fired a gun, ordered his men to fire. The effect + was indescribable; the enemy fell in winrows, and went staggering + back from the effects of this unexpected volley. Soon, however, they + came up again and assaulted us furiously for about one and a half + hours, but the men all stood their ground nobly, and at the end of + that time compelled the enemy to retire as before. + + During the heat of this attack a heavy cross fire was brought to bear + on the position I occupied, and Corporal Frank Mayer, of the 3d Ohio + Volunteer Cavalry, in command of my escort, was shot through the leg, + and my Adjt. General, Capt. Ed. R. Kerstetter, was shot through his + coat, grazing his back. The regiments all behaved splendidly again, + and the 58th Indiana won immortal honors. Lieut. Blackford, of that + regiment, was shot dead, and several of the officers, including + Capts. Downey and Alexander, badly wounded. Estep's battery was + compelled to retire from the position assigned to it after firing a + half dozen rounds, but it did terrible execution while there. The 6th + and 26th Ohio did noble service, as did the 97th, but their own + immediate commanders will no doubt allude to them more particularly. + Thus ended the third assault upon our position. I should have + remarked that the 100th Illinois, the other regiment composing my + brigade, which was in reserve during the first engagement described + above, had, under instruction of Col. Hazen, moved to the front on + the left of the railroad, and taken up a position at right angles + with the railroad, where they fought splendidly in all the actions + that took place on the left of the road. There was no formidable + attack made upon them, though they were almost constantly under fire + of greater or less severity, particularly from shot and shell, and + suffered quite severely in killed and wounded. Lieut. Morrison + Worthington, of that regiment, was killed while gallantly sustaining + his men, and six other commissioned officers, including Major + Hammond, were wounded. Their operations being to the left of the + railroad, in a wood, did not come so immediately under my personal + observation, but their conduct, from Col. Bartleson down, was such as + leaves nothing to be desired. The 58th Indiana having now been over + three hours in action, and the 26th Ohio about four hours, were + exhausted and very near out of ammunition. I therefore relieved the + 58th Indiana with the 40th Indiana from Col. Wagner's brigade, and + the 26th Ohio was relieved by the 23d Kentucky. There was now not + more than an hour of the day left, and though the enemy was + constantly maneuvering in our front, no formidable attack was made + upon us, except with artillery. The enemy having been three several + times repulsed in their attack on that position, seemed satisfied to + keep at a respectful distance, and the sun set upon us, masters of + the situation. We had sustained ourselves _and held the only portion + of the original line of battle that was held throughout by any + portion of our army_. To have lost this position would have been to + lose everything, as our left would then have been turned also, and + utter rout or capture inevitable. + + During the evening of the 31st, I was officially notified that in + consequence of the indisposition of Gen. Wood, and a wound received + by him during the forenoon of that day, he was relieved of the + command of the division, and that the same would devolve upon myself. + I therefore turned over the command of the brigade to Col. Geo. P. + Buell, of the 58th Indiana, and assumed command of the division. All + of which is respectfully submitted. + + MILO S. HASCALL, Brig. Gen. Vols., Com's Brigade. + + ED. R. KERSTETTER, Capt. & A.A.G. (Official.) + + * * * * * + +After the battle was over, during the evening, Colonel Harker's brigade +that had gone to the assistance of the right, returned to where we had +been in action during the day, and thus the division was once more +together, and on this ground we did the best we could towards getting +something to eat, and prepared to bivouac on the same ground for the +night. About eleven o'clock that night, I was visited by Capt. John +Mendenhall, Chief of Artillery on Gen. Crittenden's staff, and who +belonged to the Regular Army of the United States, and a gentleman of +first-class intelligence, and purity of character, and informed that +since the cessation of hostilities for the night, a council of war had +been held at Gen. Rosecrans' headquarters, by himself and his Grand +Division Commanders, and that a general retreat to Nashville had been +decided upon, and that all except Gen. Crittenden concurred in the +advisability of such movement, and he was overruled by the others, and +that in pursuance of such determination, I was forthwith to send all the +transportation of my division, except one wagon for each brigade, to the +rear, and when the transportation was all under way, this was to be +followed by a general retreat of our army to Nashville. Mendenhall said +that Crittenden was very much incensed at the proposition for retreat; +said his army was in position and on hand, and that if he were overruled +and if a retreat was decided upon, that he would cross the river and +retreat by way of Gallatin to Nashville. However, the retreat was +decided upon, and the baggage had been sent to the rear as above +directed, and we were laying on our arms awaiting the further order to +retreat, when a very singular circumstance caused Rosecrans to change +his mind, and conclude to fight it out where we were. A large number of +our straggling, demoralized detachments in the rear of our army, being +hungry and thirsty, had concluded to disobey orders, and make fire and +try and get something to eat. One party would make a fire, another would +go there to get a fire brand to start another, and when this became +general along our rear, Rosecrans concluded the enemy had got in our +rear, and were forming line of battle by torch lights, and hence +withdrew the order for a general retreat. After this, about one o'clock, +I was informed also by Capt. Mendenhall, that the retreat had been given +up, and that I was ordered to fall back with my division about half a +mile, and take up a position that would there be assigned me. +Accordingly I did so, and in the morning found myself occupying a +position with no advantages for offensive or defensive operations, and +very much exposed to the enemy's fire, with no chance for returning it +with any effect. The enemy were occupying the position I had fallen back +from, and at that point concentrated a large number of pieces of +artillery, with which, about nine o'clock in the morning, they opened +upon us a tremendous artillery fire, under the cover of which I supposed +their infantry would charge upon us, but for some strange reason or +other, they did not do so. Desultory firing afterwards, was kept up +during the day, until about three o'clock in the afternoon. In the +meantime we had sent a division across the river to the left, which was +occupying the high ground near where the enemy's right was resting +originally. About three o'clock Breckenridge's troops, of the rebel +army, fell furiously upon this division, and drove them rapidly from +their position, on account of their superior numbers. At this juncture +Crittenden ordered Mendenhall to concentrate his artillery on the bank +of the river to our front and left, which he promptly did, and ordered +me, with my division, to promptly cross the river in support of the +division already there in retreat. Upon our arrival on the other side of +the river, the furious fire from Mendenhall's artillery had checked the +rebel advance, and the division over there turned upon their assailants, +and with the assistance of my division, drove Breckenridge back to the +position he had occupied before making the assault. The latter part of +these operations were carried on in the darkness, and we slept upon our +arms, amidst the dead and wounded. It had been raining hard all the +night, and the river was rising very rapidly, so much so that if we had +remained there until morning, there would have been danger that the +river would become impassable, and the divisions been left there by +themselves in the presence of the whole rebel army. Accordingly, about +two o'clock at night, we were ordered to recross the river, and take up +positions where we had been during the previous day. We arrived back +there between that time and morning, thoroughly wet through, and +completely jaded out, having had no sleep, and but little to eat during +the previous forty-eight hours. Both armies continued after this during +the third day, to occupy the positions they had on that morning. It was +cold, wet, and very disagreeable weather; both armies were completely +tired out, and seemed content to do nothing more than to engage in some +desultory firing, and watch each other closely. On the morning of the +fourth day, January 3, or rather, during the forenoon of that day, the +stragglers from the right, during the first day's battle, who had not +stopped in their flight until they reached Nashville, began to return in +large numbers, in companies, and even regiments, and Bragg, observing +this, concluded we were receiving large bodies of reinforcements from +the north, and therefore concluded to fall back and give up the contest. +He accordingly did so, and on the fourth day, January 4, he took +possession of Murfreesboro without the firing of a gun. Thus ended the +great battle of Stone River. We had not made a single attack during the +whole time; were badly beaten and well nigh driven from the field the +first day, and only saved from an ignominious retreat upon Nashville by +the ridiculous misconception on the part of Rosecrans, already alluded +to on the first night after the battle commenced. As it was, we lost all +our transportation, by sending it to the rear, that night, preparatory +for the retreat, the whole having been burned by the rebels at Lavergne, +notwithstanding we were supposed to have some cavalry in our rear, under +Gen. Stanley. Where it was at the time our transportation was being +burned by the rebel cavalry, I have never heard. + +Finally our fugitives from the first day's battle began to return, +thereupon Bragg became very much frightened and beat a retreat, and we +thus gained Murfreesboro. After this reports were written up to praise +the men it had been determined upon in advance to promote, and these +identical men that I had predicted would be favored, were promoted; one +of them, St. Claire Morton, from Captain to Brigadier-General, while +others, upon whom rested the heat and burden of the day, and who saved +the army from utter annihilation, were not only not promoted, but in +many instances not even mentioned. It was, for instance, Sheridan's fate +to be early driven from the field, whether from his fault or not, it is +not necessary to inquire. Enough for this occasion that it was so, and +the facts of his subsequent career no more justify what was done for him +on this occasion, than would the subsequent illustrious career of Gen. +Grant justify his promotion for the terrible blunders committed by him +concerning the most unfortunate battle of Shiloh. + +In what I have said in this paper in regard to the Catholic Church, I do +not wish to be understood as having any desire to say anything against +that church, but simply to condemn the idea of making membership in +that, or any other particular church, a necessary concomitant to +advancement, either in a military or civil capacity, under our +government. Farther, in all that I have said nothing has been said in +malice towards any officer or person, but simply that that criticism so +necessary to the establishment of right and justice in regard to the +late war may be freely indulged in, whether it affect the highest +officer, or the lowest private that offered his life in defense of his +country. It will be seen that my estimate of the fitness of Gen. +Rosecrans to command an army was not enhanced by his career during and +preceding the battle of Stone River. When disaster came to the right, he +should have given his attention personally to that, and lent the magic +of his personal presence to rallying the fleeing troops from that +division, in place of going to the extreme left himself--instead of by a +staff officer--for ordering the movement of troops in that direction. +When the whole affair was over, and quiet restored, I made an +application to be transferred to another army on account of want of +confidence in him as the commander of an army in the field. This I +supposed would cause my arrest, and give an opportunity for me to +demonstrate the great cause that existed for my apprehensions, but +instead of doing this, he returned my application endorsed that he could +not spare the services of so useful an officer as myself, and that there +would be no forward movement of the army for six months, and detailed me +to proceed to Indianapolis, Ind., to superintend the work of returning +deserters from Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Just before my leaving +Murfreesboro for Indianapolis we saw Bragg's telegraphic account to +Richmond, of the first day's proceedings. It was as follows: "This +morning, under cover of the darkness, we attacked the enemy on his +extreme right, and have routed him from every portion of his line except +upon his extreme left, where he has successfully resisted us." As I left +there was a proposition started in Crittenden's command to raise money +to present Bragg a sword for making the above truthful statement of the +first days operations. While at Indianapolis, I was, at the request of +Gen. Burnside, transferred by the War Department, to the army of the +Ohio and given the command of a division in that army. The next that we +heard of Gen. Rosecrans was at the battle of Chickamauga, and that was +the last we heard of him in a military way, and all can now see how much +cause there was for the apprehensions I entertained. This was not the +first instance that great unfitness achieved high rank in our armies and +it was quite common for great merit to be entirely unrewarded, and +indeed entirely unknown. But time is a great healer, and let us hope +that honest merit will in the end get its recognition, trusting in the +truthfulness of the idea that + + "Ever the world goes round and round, + And ever the truth comes uppermost, + And justice shall be done." + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Personal recollections and experiences +concerning the Battle of Stone River, by Milo S. 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