it possible that Bragg would select it for his line, and his movements were directed accordingly; but Bragg chose to fight nearer his supplies at Murfreesboro', and so make the Union troops do all the marching.

On Friday morning the left wing, under Crittenden, marched down the Nashville pike three miles, and, Palmer's division in advance, came upon Wheeler's Confederate cavalry, which fell slowly back, skirmishing all day. The division camped at night near La Vergne, having marched fifteen miles.

General Crittenden had been ordered to move slowly, because General McCook with the right wing was marching south towards Triune, where General Hardee was supposed to be. General Rosecrans intended to keep his army well in hand. It was eleven o'clock Saturday before Crittenden started from his bivouac, with General Wood's division in the advance. The head of the column reached the little village of La Vergne when there came a scattering volley from Confederate skirmishers. General Maury, with a brigade of Cheatham's division and Wheeler's brigade of cavalry, was there-not, however, to make a bold stand, but to delay the advance of the Union troops.

General Wood ordered General Hascall to form his brigade in two lines and charge upon the enemy. The order was obeyed and the Confederates fled, reaching Stewart's Creek, and setting the bridge on fire, but the Union troops hastened forward and extinguished the flames.

The Jefferson turnpike crosses Stewart's Creek five miles farther north. General Hazen sent Captain Maxey with ninety men of the Fourth Michigan Cavalry to seize that bridge. They proceeded down the road and came upon a company of cavalry. The Confederates retreated, and there was an exciting race down the pike and across the bridge. The saving of the two bridges was of great importance, for it enabled the army to move on without fording the creek.

It was a march through rain and mire, the wheels of the cannon sinking in the mud, the horses toiling, the men becoming weary; but on the evening of the 30th most of the divisions had arrived upon the ground where they were to fight a desperate battle.

Bragg had formed his line of battle on Sunday, the 28th, and for two days had been throwing up intrenchments. Breckinridge's division was on the east side of Stone River, in a forest; Cleburne's division was behind it. Bragg suspected that Rosecrans might cross the river and attempt to seize the town from the north-east. The main part of the Confederate army was on the west side of the river, in the edge of a cedar grove. This line was nearly three miles in length, with the cavalry out

upon the left flank. We see fields, fences, ravines, knolls, roads, and farmhouses. Bragg knows every foot of the ground; Rosecrans knows nothing, except what he can discover as he rides hastily here and there. Unfortunately he does not ride along the line occupied by the right wing. He does not see the ground, nor the faulty position of the troops under General McCook.

General Rosecrans's headquarters were in a grove of cedars on the west side of the Murfreesboro' and Nashville turnpike, which runs straight as an arrow from that point into the town. His division commanders, at nine o'clock on the evening of December 30th, came to headquarters to receive their orders.

General McCook, commanding the right wing, is to await an attack from Bragg, or if Bragg does not attack he is to advance and engage the force in front of him. If attacked in large force he is to hold his ground, while the centre, and especially the left, perform the work assigned them.

The centre, under Thomas, is to open with skirmishing, and engage the enemy with Negley's division, assisted by Palmer's division of the left wing. Rousseau's division is to be in reserve behind Negley's.

The left wing is to do the main work. Van Cleve's division is to cross Stone River at the lower ford, Wood's is to cross at the upper ford, and together they are to sweep Breckinridge from his position, move on and take possession of Murfreesboro'. The artillery of the two divisions, as soon as Breckinridge is driven, is to be planted upon a hill whence can be poured a destructive fire into the Confederate lines west of Stone River. It was a movement to turn Bragg's right flank, to hurl two strong divisions upon Breckinridge's single division and crush it. When that was done, Thomas in the centre and McCook were to press on and complete the work. Rosecrans knew that there was a large force in front of McCook, and the success of the plan would depend in a great degree upon the ability of McCook to hold his ground, or to fall back slowly if compelled so to do.

Let us walk down the turnpike just two miles. We come to Bragg's headquarters, close by the turnpike, on the east side. He has been in position two days behind his intrenchments, waiting for Rosecrans. He is restless and impatient. Although he has chosen his position to fight a defensive battle, he decides to change his plan, and instead of waiting to receive a blow to give one. He will give two-he will not only attack Rosecrans but will cut off his supplies. Morgan with his cavalry is one hundred and thirty miles away in Kentucky, destroying the Louisville and

Nashville Railroad. He has still five thousand cavalry left, and resolves to send Wheeler's brigade to capture Rosecrans's supply trains.

Wheeler had five regiments, two battalions, and two cannon. At midnight on the 29th he moved north from Murfreesboro', crossed Stone River several miles from the town, reached Jefferson at daylight, and captured and destroyed a large number of wagons. He moved towards La Vergne, over the road along which Crittenden marched, captured another train, reached La Vergne at noon, destroyed all the supplies which Rosecrans had ordered to be forwarded to that town, pushed on to Rock Springs and destroyed another army train, reached Nolensville before night, and set the fifth train on fire. All the teamsters and soldiers accompanying the trains were captured and paroled, and the horses taken for use. Leaving Nolensville, he returned to Murfreesboro' to take part in the battle in the afternoon of December 31st.

West

= MC COOK

POLK

၁

HARDEE

VAN CLEVE - D

BRECKINRIDGE

Stone

BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE.

It was a bold stroke, and Bragg was able to accomplish it because Rosecrans had no adequate cavalry force to cope with him. Bragg's first blow was in all respects successful. It was mortifying to Rosecrans to learn that his supplies were cut off; it was disheartening to the soldiers. Bragg's plan, besides the cutting off of Rosecrans's supplies, was to attack with his left wing, to turn Rosecrans's right flank, drive McCook back east of the Nashville turnpike, cut Rosecrans off from Nashville, and put the Union army to rout. It is not probable that Bragg had any idea as to what Rosecrans intended to do; but his plan was an exact counterpart of Rosecrans's. Bragg intended to keep his right wing under Breckinridge east of the river, where it was, and to advance his left wing and centre. Rosecrans intended to keep his right wing where it was, and to swing forward his left wing and centre. Bragg decided to make his left wing very strong, in order to strike a crushing blow. We see Cleburne's division, which was on the east side of the river, starting at midnight, crossing the river, the turnpike, and the railroad, marching west and taking position in rear of McCown's division, having gone from the rear of the extreme right to the rear of the extreme left.

General Sill commanded a brigade in the Union right wing. He was

on the front line, very near the Confederate troops. He could hear the tramping of men and the rumble of artillery. It was two o'clock in the morning when he went over to General Sheridan's headquarters. "Something is going on; I can hear troops in motion. I think they are getting ready to attack us," he said.

General Sheridan hears the commotion, and together they go to General McCook. Sheridan thinks that the Union line is too long, and that the reserve-Baldwin's brigade-is too far in the rear. McCook does not make any change of position, nor does he notify Rosecrans that something is going on in his front.

General Thomas holds the centre, with Negley's division in the front line and Rousseau in the rear, extending to the turnpike. Between the turnpike and the river are the brigades of the left wing, which are to cross the river and fall upon Bragg's right flank, as planned by Rosecrans.

Bragg has placed McCown's division in front of McCook, with Cleburne's in his rear. They compose Hardee's corps, and are to swing around the Union right flank and drive McCook back to the turnpike. Wither's and Cheatham's divisions form Bragg's centre. Breckinridge holds the right east of the river.

The advantages are on the side of the Confederates. They outnumber the Union army, are acquainted with the ground, have had no long and weary marches, have three days' cooked rations in their haversacks, have been in their tents during the rain of the 29th, are on ground of their own choosing, behind breast works.

The Union troops have marched, some of them between forty and fifty miles, through mud and rain, have bivouacked at night, have scant rations, are weary and footsore, have forded rivers, are chilled with the winter cold. They know nothing of the ground before them; the Confederate cavalry have cut off their supplies; they are to fight. superior numbers in the open field; they have had little sleep, and the hospitals are already filling with soldiers broken down by the exposure and hardship.

General Rosecrans ordered the troops to be ready at seven o'clock. He could not well have fixed the time at an earlier hour, for some of the troops did not reach their positions till late on the evening of the 30th. Bragg, with his troops fresh and eager for battle, ordered McCown and Cleburne to advance at daylight.

It is the last day of the year 1862. The war has been going on since April, 1861. Kentucky has taken sides for the Union, yet there are twelve thousand Kentuckians in the Confederate ranks. If Bragg wins in the approaching conflict he will advance into that State. If victory is his, if

he can defeat and rout the army under Rosecrans, Nashville will fall into his hands, Tennessee and Kentucky be redeemed to the Confederacy. The defeat of Rosecrans will be disastrous beyond measure to the Union, but glorious to the Confederacy.

Daylight is dawning when the Confederates of Rains's and Ector's brigades, followed by McNair's-their breakfast eaten, muskets loaded, knapsacks and blankets left behind-move to the attack. They throw down a fence, cross the road which runs west from the house of Mrs. Smith, the right of McNair sweeping west of the house, and the three brigades making a half-wheel towards the north.

The Union pickets open fire. General Kirk hears the musketry and leaps into his saddle. His brigade has eaten breakfast and is in line. He rides towards the pickets, and sees the long line of Confederates coming into the open field and wheeling north.

"Forward, Thirty-fourth Illinois !" is his prompt order. "Tell General Johnson that the enemy is advancing in force," was his message to that officer, sent by an aide.

The Thirty-fourth Illinois advances to the support of the pickets and fires volley after volley. If General Bragg thought to surprise the Union troops he was mistaken; they were awake, under arms, and getting ready. Edgarton's battery was in position, but the drivers had gone to the creek in rear to water the horses. General Kirk rode to Colonel Willich, commanding a brigade, for help, but could not find him. The colonels of the regiments thought that they ought not to advance without orders from their own commander. Kirk rides back. The Thirty-fourth Illinois is holding the whole of Ector's brigade in check. Kirk encourages them. He is in the thick of the fight, conspicuous on his horse. A Confederate singles him out and he falls mortally wounded.

The Confederates, brought to a stand-still for the moment by the prompt and resolute action of the Thirty-fourth Illinois, press on once more. Men fire into one another's faces. The color-bearer from Illinois. waves his flag. Right in front of him is the color-bearer of the Tenth Texas, who jumps forward and grasps it. The Illinoisian seizes at the same moment the Confederate standard. The soldiers in both regiments see the struggle, and fire. Both men go down. Other men seize the banners. Again the rattle of musketry, and both color-bearers fall-the Confederates outnumbering the Union men. In the mêlée the Thirty-fourth loses its flag and is driven.

So near now were the Confederates that Edgarton's cannoneers had only time to fire two rounds before they charged upon and captured the guns.