brave conduct of orderlies A. T. Freeman and Abijah Lee of my escort. The Sixth Kentucky volunteer infantry, Col Walter C. Whitaker. The Ninth Indiana volunteer infantry, Colonel Wm. H. Blake. The One Hundred and Tenth Illinois volunteer infantry, Colonel Thomas S. Casey. The Forty-first Ohio volunteer infantry, LieutColonel Aquila Wiley commanding. Amid the glorious results of a battle won, it gives me pain to record the names of the gallant men who offered up their lives on the altar of their country. But we must drop the tear of sorrow o'er their resting-places and offer our heartfelt sympathies to their relatives and friends, trusting that God will care for them and soothe their af--and on leaving Nashville numbered an effectflictions. And while we remember the noble ive aggregate of one thousand three hundred and dead, let us pay a tribute of respect to the gallant ninety-one officers and men. Colonel T. D. Williams, Twenty-fifth Illinois regiment, who died in the performance of his duty. He fell with his regimental colors in his hands, exclaiming: "We will plant it here, boys, and rally the old Twenty-fifth around it, and here we will die." Such conduct is above all praise, and words can paint no eulogiums worthy of the subject. And here, too, let me call attention to the conduct of Captain Carpenter, of the Eighth Wisconsin battery, who fell gallantly serving his guns until the enemy were within a few yards of their muzzles. He died, as a soldier would wish to die, with his face to the foe, in the smoke and din of battle. The casualties of the command are small in comparison to the fire they received and the service done. The Thirty-fifth Illinois lost two commissioned officers wounded, eight privates killed, forty-nine wounded, and thirty-two missing. The Twentyfifth Illinois, one commissioned officer killed and three wounded; fourteen privates killed, sixtynine wounded, and thirty-five missing. The Eighty-first Indiana, two commissioned officers killed, two wounded, and one missing; three privates killed, forty wounded, and thirty-nine missing. The Eighth Wisconsin battery, one commissioned officer killed, four privates wounded, and nineteen missing. Total-four commissioned officers killed, seven wounded, and one missing; privates, twenty-five killed, one hundred and sixty-two wounded, and one hundred and twentyfive missing. Aggregate- killed, wounded, and missing, three hundred and twenty-four. I hope a portion of those missing may yet return, as all cannot have been made prisoners. I have the honor to submit the above report to your consideration, and remain, dear sir, Yours most respectfully, W. E. WOODRuff, REPORT OF ACTING GENERAL HAZEN. Assistant Adjutant-General Fourth Division, I have the honor to submit the following report of operations of troops under my command since leaving Nashville, December twenty-sixth, 1862: The Nineteenth brigade, which I have commanded since its organization in January, 1862, is now composed as follows: Being summoned before the commission then sitting for the investigation of the official course of Major-Gen. D. C. Buell, I did not until evening join the brigade, which had marched to within two miles of La Vergne. Just upon my arrival two regiments of the brigade had been thrown forward to the right of the road into a dense cedar brake; and, as the temporary commander did not think it necessary to throw forward skir mishers, the flank was marched upon a force of the enemy, who, firing from cover upon the head of the column, killed one of the Ninth Indiana, wounded another, and wounded two of the Sixth Kentucky. At twelve o'clock M., December twenty-seventh, I was ordered to proceed, via the Jefferson pike, to Stuart's Creek, and save, if possible, the bridge crossing it. Ninety men of the Fourth Michigan cavalry, under Captain Maxey, were sent to me, whom I placed under charge of my Assistant Inspector-General, Captain James McCleery, Fortyfirst Ohio volunteers, with directions to keep me thoroughly informed of all that transpired in front, and as soon as the advance of the enemy was started to the rear, to put spurs to his troop and not slacken rein until the bridge was crossed. The distance did not exceed five miles, and by disposing flankers for perfect security, and urging the infantry and artillery to their fullest speed, I was enabled to keep within supporting distance all the time. The enemy was met three miles from the bridge, and by closely following my directions, a steeple-chase was made of the whole affair-the rebel force amounting to full five to our one by the time the bridge was reached. They formed upon the opposite side, but were soon dispersed by a few discharges from our artillery. In this affair we lost one cavalryman wounded and two taken by the enemy. We took ten prisoners, one of them an officer, and killed one officer and several men. Too much credit cannot be given to Capt. MeCleery, of my staff, and Captain Maxey, of the Fourth Michigan cavalry, for spirit and daring in this affair. On reaching the bridge my little party was upon the heels of the fugitives, and had they been armed with sabres instead of rifles, by slashing upon their rear the rout must have been pushed to a panic. On the twenty-ninth I was ordered across to the Murfreesboro and Nashville pike, and joining the division, proceeded to within three miles of Murfreesboro. On the night of the thirtieth, the brigade was ordered to the front line to relieve the Tenth brigade. This position we held when the general action of the thirty-first commenced, and deserves special notice. It was in a cotton-field two and a half miles from Murfreesboro, on the place of Mr. Cowan, the line being at right angles with the Murfreesboro and Nashville pike, the left resting on it, and at a point about three hundred yards toward Nashville from its intersection with the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad. The railroad and pike cross at this point at a sharp angle. The position was utterly untenable, being commanded by ground in all directions with covers of wood, embankment and palisading, at good musketrange, in front, right and left. My brigade was formed in two lines, the right resting against a skirt of wood, which, widening and extending to the right, gave concealment to the Twenty-second brigade, which was adjacent to mine, and farther on, to the entire division of Negley. On the left of the pike was Wagner's brigade of Wood's division. The Sixth Kentucky and Forty-first Ohio were in the front line-the Sixth Kentucky on the right, and the Forty-first Ohio on the left. The Ninth Indiana and One Hundred and Tenth Illinois were in the second line-the Ninth on the right, and the One Hundred and Tenth on the left. A fierce battle had commenced at daylight on our right, and progressed with ominous changes of position till about half-past eight A.M., when it could be no longer doubted that our entire right was being driven around in the rear, to a position nearly at right angles to its proper line. At this moment authority was given to move forward to seize the commanding positions in front, and the burnt house of Mr. Cowan. The line advanced about twenty yards, when orders were given to face to the rear, the necessity for which was apparent, the enemy by this time having pushed forward quite to our rear. He, at the same time, broke cover over the crest in front, at a doublequick, in two lines. teenth brigade was the extreme left of the army. Upon this point, as a pivot, the whole army oscillated from front to rear the entire day. The ammunition of the Forty-first Ohio volunteers was nearly expended, and my efforts to replenish were, up to this time, fruitless. I despatched word to the rear that assistance must be given or we must be sacrificed, as the position I held could not be given up, and gave orders to Col. Wiley to fix his bayonets, and to Col. Casey (without bayonets) to club his guns and hold the ground at all hazards, as it was the key of the whole left. The responses satisfied me that my orders would be obeyed so long as any of those regiments were left to obey them. I now brought over the Ninth Indiana from the right, and immediately posted it to relieve the Forty-first Ohio volunteers. It is proper to state here that in advancing to this position under a galling fire, a cannon-shot passed through the ranks of the Ninth Indiana, carrying death with it, and the ranks were closed without checking a step. The Forty-first Ohio retired with its thinned ranks in as good order as on parade, cheering for the cause and crying for cartridges. A few discharges from the fresh regiments sufficed to completely check the foe, who drew out of our range, and at half-past nine a lull and rest came acceptably to our troops upon the left, the advance upon the right having also been checked. At about ten A. M. another assault was made by the enemy in several lines furiously upon our front, they succeeding in pushing a strong column past the burnt house, covered by the palisading, to the wood occupied by the Twenty-second brigade and the Sixth Kentucky. All of our troops occupying these woods now fell back, exposing my right flank, and threatening an assault from that point that would sweep away our entire left. Gen. Palmer, seeing the danger and knowing the importance of this position, sent the Twentyfourth Ohio volunteers, Col. Jones, and a fragment of the Thirty-sixth Indiana volunteers, under Capt. Woodruff, to my support. I posted these I faced my two right regiments to the rear, and the Forty-first Ohio, with the left of the line and moving them into the skirt of the wood com- resting on the Ninth Indiana, and extending to menced to engage in that direction. My two left the right and rear, so as to face the advancing regiments were retired about fifty yards, and column. It was a place of great danger, and our moved to the left of the pike to take cover of a losses here were heavy, including the gallant Col. slight crest, and engaged to the front, the regi-Jones, of the Twenty-fourth Ohio volunteers; but ment of Colonel Wayne's brigade occupying that ground (Colonel Blake's Fortieth Indiana) having fallen much to the rear of it. The enemy had by this time taken position about the burnt house, and the action became at my position terrific. The efforts of the enemy to force back my front and cross the cotton-field my troops had moved out of, were persistent, and were defeated only by the most unflinching determination on the part of the Forty-first Ohio volunteers, and One Hundred and Tenth Illinois, to hold the ground to the last. with the timely assistance of Parson's battery the enemy was checked, and the left again preserved from what appeared certain annihilation. The enemy now took cover in the wood, keeping up so destructive a fire as to make it necessary to retire behind the embankment of the railroad, which only required the swinging to the rear my right, the left having been posted upon it when the action commenced in the morning. A sharp fire was kept up from this position till about two P.M., when another assault was made upon it in regular lines, supported by artillery in All the troops of General Wood posted on our force. This was resisted much more easily than left, except two regiments guarding a ford some the previous ones, there being now a large force distance to our left and rear, were withdrawn to of our artillery bearing upon this point. The repel the assault upon the right, so that the Nine-enemy also extended his lines much farther to was incredible. The latter, while resting, was taken by its commander, without orders, to repel an assault of the enemy's cavalry upon our train, effecting the object and returning to its position. The casualties of this day were as follows: 6th Kentucky,...2 9th Indiana,.....1 41st Ohio,.. the left, causing something of a diversion of our Total,.........5 A large list also occurred among the other troops under my immediate control on the field; but they will be reported by their proper brigade commanders. I am under many obligations to the commanders of those troops (many of their names I do not know) for implicit obedience to my orders, and to Col. Bartleson, of the One Hundredth Illinois, for valuable services. To the officers commanding regiments in this brigade too much consideration cannot be given, both by their commanding generals and the country. Besides the actual service rendered their country this day, such heroic and daring valor justly entitles these men to the profound respect of the people of the country. To them the commander of the brigade feels that he owes every thing this day, as there were times when faltering on their part would have been destruction to the left of the army. He owes the success of this day not only to proper conduct on the field, but more to strict obedience to orders and a manly cooperation in bringing this brigade to its present high state of discipline and efficiency, through constant care, labor, and study for a period of over twelve months. This alone has produced this proud result. To Lieut.-Colonel Suman, also, of the Ninth Indiana, twice wounded, great credit is due for gallantry. About four o'clock the enemy again advanced upon my front in two lines. The battle had hushed, and the dreadful splendor of this advance can only be conceived, as all description must fall vastly short. His right was even with my left, and his left was lost in distance. He advanced steadily, and, as it seemed, certainly to victory. I sent back all my remaining staff successively to ask for support, and braced up my own lines as perfectly as possible. The Sixth Kentucky had joined in from the right some time previously, and was posted just over the embankment of the railroad. They were strengthened by such fragments of troops as I could pick up, until a good line was formed along the railroad track. A portion of Sheridan's division was also but a few hundred yards in rear replenishing their boxes. A portion of Gen. Hascall's troops were on the right of the railroad. The fire of the troops was held until the enemy's right flank came in close range, when a single volley from my men was sufficient to disperse this portion of his line, his left passing far around to our right. This virtually ended the fight of the day. My Capt. Cockerill, battery F, First Ohio volunteer brigade rested where it had fought-not a stone's artillery, showed, as he always has, great profithrow from where it was posted in the morning—ciency as an artillery officer. He was also severely until withdrawn at dawn next day. wounded. Lieut. Osborne, of the same battery, The Sixth Kentucky was not under my imme- being at the rear to fill his caissons when the diate observation from the first assault until late train was menaced, turned his pieces upon the in the day, but during the portion of the time it enemy, and greatly assisted in dispersing them. was with me--and I have reason to belieye at all Lieut. Parsons, of the Fourth United States artilother times it fought unflinchingly, and is de-lery, who was in the thickest of the fight near serving of all praise. It repelled three assaults of a rebel brigade from the burnt house, endeavoring to gain the woods, and only retired when its ammunition was exhausted. Among its killed are Lieut.-Col. Cotton and Capt. Todd, men possessing in the highest degree the esteem and confidence of their brothers in arms, and who will be deeply lamented by a large circle of friends. The One Hundred and Tenth Illinois, a new regiment, never before under fire, displayed that fearless courage one admires in veterans. Their losses from artillery were heavy. The Ninth Indiana and Forty-first Ohio maintained fully their well-known reputation for perfect discipline, dauntless courage, and general fighting qualities. Their steadiness under fire my position all day, is also deserving of the warmest consideration of the Government for the efficient manner in which his battery was manoeuvred. To my staff, also, every thing can be said in their praise. To Major R. L. Kimberly, Fortyfirst Ohio volunteers, Acting Assistant AdjutantGeneral; Lieuts. William M. Beebe and E. B. Atwood, of the same regiment, aids-de-camp, and Captain L. A. Cole, Ninth Indiana, topographical officer, for intelligently carrying my orders and assisting in posting troops, under a galling fire, the whole day; to Capt. James McCleery, Fortyfirst Ohio volunteers, Acting Inspector General, for assisting to bring forward ammunition even after being wounded; to Harry Morton, Sixth Kentucky, volunteer aid-de-camp, for similar services; to Lieut. F. D. Cobb, Forty-first Ohio volunteers, Acting Commissary of Subsistence, for intelligently keeping me informed of what was transpiring beyond my immediate visionand all for unqualified bravery-are deserving, as they have, my warmest thanks and the consider-on that side of the river. Leaving three of my tion of Government. Dr. M. G. Sherman, Ninth Indiana, surgeon of the brigade, was Acting Medical Director of the division, and removed from my immediate notice; yet I have reason to call favorable notice to this officer. tion of Negley's division and the several batteries from the point occupied by Gen. Cruft's brigade. It was difficult to say which was running away the most rapidly- the division of Van Cleve to the rear or the enemy in the opposite direction. I found myself in command of all the troops regiments in position as a reserve, I pushed forward with the portion of Col. Grose's brigade already moving, and the Forty-first Ohio volunteers, pursuing the enemy beyond all the ground occupied by our forces before the fight. I here formed the best line circumstances would admit of, the Forty-first Ohio volunteers being the only regiment wholly in hand. The others were badly broken, the only idea of their officers seeming to be to push on pell-mell, which, if carried beyond the point then occupied, might have resulted disI am under many obligations to the General astrously. I succeeded in checking this stragcommanding the division for the confidence re-gling to the front, with the aid of Col. Grider, of posed in me in vesting with me the management of so important a portion of the field. Lieut. J. E. Chilton, Sixth Kentucky, Acting Brigade Quartermaster in the absence of Captain Johnson, exercised great capacity in caring for and keeping from the enemy the trains of the brigade. By seizing the little crest occupied by my troops early in the morning, not exceeding two feet in height, and later the railroad embankment, hundreds of lives were saved, the strength of my brigade doubled, and the position successfully held. This will account for the smaller list of casualties than that of some brigades that did less fighting. I am happy to report, with some twenty miserable exceptions, no straggling in this brigade. The casualties of my personnel were as follows: The Colonel commanding the brigade was bruised by a ball upon the shoulder, and his horse was killed; Captain McCleery, Forty-first Ohio volunteers, Acting Inspector-General, shot through the leg; First Lieutenant Wm. M. Beebe, Forty-first Ohio volunteers, Aid-de-Camp, wounded in the head and horse shot; Captain L. A. Cole Ninth Indiana, topographical officer, wounded slightly in the foot; Orderly Deaderick, Sergeant Fourth Kentucky cavalry, mortally wounded and horse shot, and Bugler Leaman, Sixth Kentucky, horse shot. Close observation on the conduct and character of our army for the past few days has confirmed me in a long-settled belief that our army is borne down by a lamentable weight of official incapacity in regimental organizations. The reasonable expectations of the country can, in my opinion, never be realized till this incubus is summarily yielded, and young men of known military ability and faculty to command men, without regard to previous seniority, are put in their places. I saw upon the field company officers of over a year's standing who had neither the power nor knowledge how to form their men in two ranks. On the second instant my brigade was ordered across the river to support Col. Grose, commanding the Tenth brigade, then in reserve to General Van Cleve, whose division (the only one on that side the river) had been vigorously attacked by the enemy. I reached the field about four P M., finding his entire division put to rout. The enemy had been checked by Col. Grose and a por the Ninth Kentucky, who came forward and performed this valuable service after his regiment had gone to the rear. I was relieved by the first division of Gen. Jeff. C. Davis, who arrived just at dark. When far advanced in pursuit, a portion of General Negley's batteries, far in the rear, was firing on my line, and continued to do so (without damage) until an aid-de-camp was sent to ask that it be discontinued. After forming my advance-line a battery of the enemy, about four hundred yards in front, continued to fire upon us with great rapidity. I ordered the Forty-first Ohio volunteers to fire one volley upon it. No more firing took place on either side, and the weakness of my line prevented my going farther. The next day three caissons and several dead men and horses were found at this point. It was in this fight that the famous rebel Gen. Roger B. Hanson was killed and General Adams wounded, but whether in their advance or retreat I never knew. First Lieut. F. D. Cobb, Forty-first Ohio volunteers, acting aid-de-camp, comported himself with great gallantry on the field. Seizing the colors of the Thirty-sixth Indiana that had been shot down, he galloped forward, rallying many stragglers, who, though going in the right direction, were doing so ineffectively and on their own account. My casualties in this action were slight, and in Total commissioned,. Total enlisted,. Aggregate,..... 5 20 I would respectfully call the attention of the general commanding the division to accompanying reports of regimental commanders, and of Lieut. Chilton, in charge of train; also to explanatory Colonel Forty-first Ohio Volunteers, commanding Nineteenth Brigade, Second Brigade, Second Division, Left Wing. ADDENDA TO REPORT. OPERATIONS OF NINETEENTH BRIGADE, FOURTH DIVI SION, (SECOND BRIGADE, SECOND DIVISION, LEFT WING,) FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS, FROM DECEMBER 26, 1862, TO JANUARY 1, 1863. occupied the right of the left wing of Gen. Rosecrans's army. Gen. Cruft's brigade was in a wood to the right of the Murfreesboro and Nashville pike, and on its left the brigade of Colonel Hazen, extending to the pike and occupying a cotton-field in front of the burnt house of Mr. Cowan. Wood's division was to the left of the pike, and Negley on the right of General Cruft Col. Grose's brigade of Palmer's division was in reserve. Colonel Hazen's position was extremely unfavorable, and he asked of Gen. Rosecrans permission to advance beyond the burnt house and seize the crest of a ridge occupied by the enemy's pickets. The permission was given, and the bri The Nineteenth brigade, of Nelson's old Fourth division, was organized under its present commander in January, 1862. After reaching Nashville the succeeding month, some change of regi-gade ordered forward. Scarcely had the morements was made; but, except the addition of the One Hundred and Tenth Illinois last September, it still consists of the same regiments that marched with Nelson to Shiloh on the memorable sixth of April, followed him to Corinth, and through the summer campaign in Western Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama, and later, under less noted leaders, participated in the Kentucky campaign of last fall, fighting the retreating rebels for thirty miles in the passes of the Wild Cat Mountains. The following is the organization: Sixth Kentucky volunteers, Colonel Walter C. Whitaker. Ninth Indiana volunteers, Col. Wm. H. Blake. Eleventh Illinois volunteers, Colonel Thos. S. Casey. Forty-first Ohio volunteers, Lieut.-Col. Aquila Wiley commanding. Colonel Wm. B. Hazen, Forty-first Ohio volunteers, commanding the brigade. ment commenced when the heavy firing on the On the twenty-sixth December, 1862, the bri- The next day Col. Hazen was ordered to march rapidly down the Jefferson pike to Stuart's creek (five miles) and save the bridge. The enemy were met about three miles from the bridge, but were at once vigorously charged by a squadron of the Fourth Michigan cavalry, in charge of Capt. McCleery, of Col. Hazen's staff, and put to flight. The At about ten o'clock their grand effort, meant to crush the left of our army, and leave it with disordered ranks and broken lines, an easy prey, was made. On the right McCook had been driv en back till he was nearly in our rear; Negley had given way, and Rousseau's reserve, sent to retrieve their disasters, had shared a like fate before the impetuous assaults of the victorious rebels. All troops to the left of Palmer had been withdrawn to resist the terrible attack on the right. Clouds of soldiers, breaking from the The infantry and artillery were urged forward woods across the open fields to the right and rear at their utmost speed, and so impetuous was the-artillery, with the horses goaded to a run, flycharge and pursuit that the astonished rebels were driven pell-mell across the bridge, losing one officer and ten men prisoners and one officer and several men killed. Their reserve force across the creek (they had a brigade at the place) staid only for half a dozen shells, when it also "skedaddled," leaving the bridge unharmed. On the twenty-ninth the brigade rejoined the division on the Murfreesboro pike and marched to the battle-field of Stone River. Palmer's division, on the morning of the thirty-first December, ing from the rapidly pursuing foe-all this, plainly seen to the rear, told how fearfully imminent was destruction in that quarter. To the front the rebels, in double lines, were steadily advancing upon Palmer's division, the only one of the army that had not been driven back. Heavy columns were moving to attack the right of Cruft's brigade, and a murderous artillery-fire covering this and the overwhelming advance upon Hazen, rained shells upon our men. It was the critical moment of the day. If the right of the army were ever to recover itself and check the on |