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CHAP. LIII.] HE IS ORDERED TO RENEW HIS ATTEMPT.

359

them their negroes, whose emancipation they foresaw was at hand.

Evacuation of Cumberland Gap.

Bragg's expedition into Kentucky had, however, occasioned the evacuation of Cumberland Gap by the national forces under General Morgan. His supplies were cut off. On September 17th he blew up the magazine, burnt his tents, wagons, gun-carriages, and whatever he could not withdraw. He then retreated 250 miles to the Ohio, incessantly skirmishing with the enemy, foraging on the country, and often suf fering for want of water. He reached the Ohio on October 4th. The force which he had brought from the Gap was more than 10,000, with 20 pieces of artillery and 400 wagons.

Bragg ordered to

The Confederate government was greatly disappointed with the issue of Bragg's campaign. Scarcerenew his attempt. ly had he reached Chattanooga when he was ordered to move northward again.

Rosecrans, on assuming the command of Buell's army, Rosecrans succeeds now known as the 14th Army Corps, found Buell in command. it in a very dilapidated condition; but, receiving large re-enforcements from the new levy of 600,000 men called out by the government, he reorganized it rapidly, and, having repaired the railroad from Louisville to Nashville, which had been greatly injured, he concentrat ed his forces at Nashville, and there accumulated large supplies. This was necessary to be done before he could safely move southward to confront Bragg, for he could not rely on the country which had been wasted by the movements of two armies, and the Confederate cavalry could easily sever the railroad in his rear.

"He re-enforces and reorganizes the army.

Bragg had already reached Murfreesborough on his second northward march from Chattanooga. Rosecrans

Bragg returns to
Murfreesborough.

had given out that it was his intention to take up his winter quarters at Nashville, and Bragg, supposing that this would be the case, sent out strong detachments of cavalry under Morgan and Forrest, the former being ordered to break Rosecrans's communications. As it was about the season of Christmas, Murfreesborough was the scene of much gayety. Davis, the President of the Confederacy, had come from Richmond to counsel-perhaps to invigorate-Bragg. There were wedding festivities, at one of which the Bishop-general Polk officiated, and the giddy Confederates danced on floors carpeted with the American flag.

Winter festivities there.

Suddenly, on the 26th of December, Rosecrans moved. Rosecrans suddenly His march commenced in a heavy rain. The moves on Bragg. Confederate outposts retired before his advance, the pressure upon them being so vigorous that they had not time to destroy the bridges on the Jefferson and Murfreesborough turnpikes. On the 30th, Bragg, finding he was about to be assailed, had concentrated his army a couple of miles in front of Murfreesborough.

crans's army.

The position of the national army, which was 43,000 Position of Rose- Strong on the evening of that day, was on the west side of Stone River, a sluggish stream fringed with cedar brakes, and here flowing in a north-northwesterly course. The line ranged nearly north and south, and was three or four miles in length. Crittenden was on its left, with three divisions, Wood, Vancleve, Palmer; Thomas in the centre, with two divisions, Negley and Rousseau, the latter in reserve; McCook on the right, with three, Sheridan, Davis, Johnson. The left wing touched the river, the right stretched a little be yond the Franklin Road.

Bragg's army, 62,000 strong, stood between Rosecrans and Murfreesborough, ranged, for the most part, parallel

CHAP. LIII.] POSITION OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY.

361

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federate army.

BATTLE OF MURFREESBOROUGH.

Position of the Con- to the national line; his right, however, faced almost north. Breckinridge's division formed his right; in his centre, under Polk, were two divisions, those of Withers and Cheatham; on his left, under Hardee, two divisions, Cleburne and McCown. The river separated Breckinridge from the rest of the Confederate army.

Rosecrans's plan of the battle.

Rosecrans had concentrated two thirds of his force on his left. His intention was that his right wing, standing on the defensive, should simply hold its ground; but his extreme left, the divisions of Wood and Vancleve, crossing Stone River, should as

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sail Breckinridge's division, exposed there, and seize the heights, from which an artillery fire would not only take in reverse the works in front of the enemy's centre, but also enable the national centre, with the remainder of the left wing, to overthrow it. Meantime the assailing divisions of the left would swing into Murfreesborough, and, continuing their movement, come round to the Franklin Road, thereby forcing the Confederates from their line of retreat. It was a disadvantage to the national general that in this movement the river must be crossed.

battle.

On his part, also, Bragg had determined to take the of Bragg's plan of the fensive, and with his left to strike Rosecrans's right. There was thus a similar intention on the two sides, and not a dissimilar disposi tion of force. Both intended to strike with the left, and therefore both massed their force on that wing. Bragg's plan was to wheel his attacking force on Polk's extreme right, as on a pivot, and, pressing his antagonist back to Stone River, seize the turnpike and railroad to Nashville, his lines of communication in the rear.

freesborough.

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In the dawn of the last day of the year (1862), while The battle of Mur- Rosecrans's left was rapidly crossing Stone River to make its expected attack, Bragg, with his left, had already anticipated him. Coming out of a fog which had settled on the battle-field, he fell furiously upon Johnson's division, and so unexpectedly that two of its batteries were taken before a gun could be fired. The Confederate success was decisive. Johnson's division, which was on the extreme national right, was instantly swept away. Davis, who stood next, was assailed in front and on his uncovered flank. He made a stout resistance, but the shock was too great; he was compelled to give way, with the loss of many guns. And now the triumphant Confederate left, the centre also com

Bragg obtains the initiative.

Rosecrans's right is overthrown.

CHAP. LIII.] OVERTHROW OF THE NATIONAL RIGHT WING. 363 ing into play, rushed upon the next division-but that was commanded by Sheridan.

his movement.

Rosecrans's aggressive movement was already paraHe has to abandon lyzed; nay, more, it had to be abandoned. He had to withdraw his left for the purpose of saving his right and defending his communications. He must establish a new line.

The Confederates

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The possibility of doing this-the fate of the battlerested on Sheridan. He was furiously as checked by Sheri- sailed in front by the Confederate division of Withers; on his flank, uncovered by the overthrow of Johnson and Davis, he was attacked by their victors, McCown and Cleburne. The front attack he received with such an artillery and musketry fire that the Confederates were not only checked and broken, but were pursued across the field to their intrenchments. Then, by retiring his right and reserves, he swung his line round so as to come perpendicularly to its former direc tion. He faced now south instead of east, and stood allel to the Wilkinson Turnpike. The Confederate divisions in front of him, and greatly overlapping him in this his new position, were at once held in check. Before they could advance to the Nashville roads, and so seize Rosecrans's communications, Sheridan must be put out of the way.

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But it took an hour to do that. As his antagonists pressed on his flank, he changed his front

who is at length

back.

compelled to fall again. Pivoting on the right flank of Negley's division, he wheeled round his line so as to face to the west, thereby covering the rear of Negley's line. With Negley he was now forming a wedgeshaped mass, with his batteries at the point of the wedge. Here he withstood an impetuous attack of Cheatham's division and of other heavy masses. All three of his brigade commanders had been killed, his ammunition.

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