BATTLE OF CANE HILL.

309

attack, I am responsible, as the extreme gallantry, courage, and endurance shown by them (his troops) was never exceeded, and would have carried the points had it been possible. But for the fog, and the unexpected and unavoidable delay in building the bridges, which gave the enemy twenty-four hours more to concentrate his forces in his strong position, we should almost certainly have succeeded." The disappointment to the loyal public was indescribable, and certain Senators thought that a change in the Cabinet was necessary.

On the 28th of November, a severe action took place at Boonsboro or Cane Hill, in Arkansas, between the Federals, under General Blunt, and the rebels, commanded by Generals Marmaduke and Shelby. The Union forces were composed of three brigades, four batteries, and six howitzers; the Confederates were eight thousand strong. The action began with artillery, and the enemy were defeated in a bayonet charge. Marmaduke sent in a flag of truce, desiring permission to remove the dead and wounded; under this pretext, he covered his retreat, and led his shattered forces. to Van Buren, where rebel troops were collecting from other parts of the State, under General Hindman. The Confederates were much mortified, and determined to avenge this defeat, and, by the destruction of Blunt's forces, gain possession of the fertile wheat region of northwestern Arkansas. To effect this purpose, Hindman advanced with thirty thousand men. When Blunt was informed of his design, he telegraphed immediately to General Herron, at Wilson's creek, Missouri, to come to his aid by forced marches. This despatch was received on the 3d of December, and Herron, in three hours was on the way with his advance column, the rest of the forces following immediately. The whole distance was traversed in three days, and on the morning of the 7th, Herron, with five thousand men, encountered the enemy at Prairie Grove, ten miles above Cane Hill. Blunt, on the 7th, with his five thousand troops attacked Hindman's rear, and thus aided Herron, who was fighting desperately against four times his own force. The sound of Blunt's artillery infused new ardor into the exhausted troops, and the enemy were now driven before them. The combined forces rested on their arms all night, and occupied the ground on which the enemy had first formed. The Federals

310

FEDERAL AND REBEL LOSS.

expected to renew the battle next day, but Hindman requested an interview with Blunt, and practiced the same deception, after a parley of five hours, as was done previously by Marmaduke, by withdrawing his troops during the flag of truce. The Federals lost seven hundred men; the rebels, over fifteen hundred.

CHAPTER XXXI.

DECEMBER, 1862-JANUARY, 1863.

THE CLOSING YEAR-EXPEDITION OF GENERAL FOSTER-ITS RETURNCAPTURE OF HOLLY SPRINGS-BATTLE OF DAVIS'S MILLS-COLONEL MORGAN-VAN DORN DEFEATED-ORGANIZATION AND MOVEMENT OF GENERAL ROSECRANS' ARMY-BATTLE OF MURFREESBORO-MCCOOK DEFEATED ON THE RIGHT WING-HEROISM OF SHERIDAN-GALLANTRY AND DEATH OF GENERAL SILL-SUBLIME COURAGE OF ROSECRANS-THE SECOND DAY'S BATTLE-TERRIBLE CARNAGE-LOSS OF THE MONITOR AT SEA-GENERAL SHERMAN'S ATTACK ON VICKSBURG—WITHDRAWAL OF THE ARMY-SherMAN SUPERSEDED-THE ATTACK ON VICKSBURG POSTPONED-FIGHTS AT SPRINGFIELD AND HARTSVILLE-PRESIDENT LINCOLN PROCLAIMS THE SLAVES OF REBELS FREE.

THE year was now hastening to a close. Burnside, after the disaster of Fredericksburg, had planned another advance, but heavy rains, which made the country one sea of mud, caused it to be abandoned. Some three thousand rebels had crossed the Rappahannock and attacked Dumfries, but were repulsed, and the campaign in Virginia was virtually closed for the year.

Little was accomplished farther South. In North Carolina, blows were struck of an isolated character, which had no direct bearing on any great campaign. The chief event in this Department, that marked the closing year, was an expedition of General J. G. Foster, with four brigades, under General Wessels, and Colonels Amory, Stevenson, and Lee, respectively. It left Newbern on the 8th of December, and on the 14th, encountered the enemy in force, under General Evans, near Kingston. The latter was defeated, and fled, abandoning the town, of which the Union troops under Foster took possession. He destroyed two heavy guns, and captured four field pieces. After destroying also various stores, and firing the bridge, he moved to White. Hall. Fighting as he advanced, he came within eight miles of Goldsboro, fifty miles from Raleigh, the State capital, destroying the trestle work, cars, and railroad; and burning the bridge across the Neuse under the enemy's fire; he then returned to Newbern, having advanced eighty miles into the

312

BATTLE OF DAVIS'S MILLS.

interior of the State. Colonel Gray, of the Ninety-sixth New York regiment, was killed on this expedition, whose total loss amounted to five hundred and seventy-seven men. On the 21st, a keen contest took place at Davis's Mills, Mississippi, between Colonel W. H. Morgan, of the Twentyfifth Indiana regiment, with a small body of troops, and a superior force under Van Dorn, in which the latter was defeated. This place is twenty miles from Holly Springs, and situated on Wolf river, which is crossed by several bridges. Van Dorn was on his way from Holly Springs, where, on the 19th, he had captured fifteen hundred Union troops, and destroyed half a million dollars' worth of the Government. stores, and a large quantity of cotton. Morgan determined, in his advance toward the bridges, to dispute his passage. He therefore made such arrangement of his troops as were required, and occupied the favorable positions of a saw-mill and Indian mound. In a severe conflict, and after repeated attempts to cross the bridges, Van Dorn deemed it prudent to retire, having suffered a loss of twenty killed and thirty wounded. He then proceeded westerly, and crossed the Wolf river, ten miles from Lagrange. Moving toward Bolivar, and passing through the Federal lines at Middleburg, he escaped.

After the capture of Holly Springs, General Forrest crossed at Clifton, and proceeded toward Jackson, with the intention of gaining possession of the Mobile and Ohio railroad, by means of which General Grant's army was supplied. Passing Lexington, on his way toward Jackson, he encoun tered twelve hundred men, under Colonel Ingersoll. In a brisk action, the former gained the advantage, capturing two guns and several prisoners, and driving the Federals back to Jackson, and finally to Trenton. At this place Colonel Fry, commanding the Sixty-first Illinois, was defeated in an action, and obliged to surrender, his men being paroled. Forrest then proceeded on his way, destroying the railroad, with its buildings and bridges, to a point within twelve miles of Columbus. Much damage was done to the Union cause by this achievement, and the supplies of Grant's army were for a time cut off.

The sum total of military operations during 1862, was not satisfactory to the people, and belied the promise of the Government, that the war would be a short one. The ad

MOVEMENT OF GENERAL ROSECRANS' ARMY. 313

vent of the New Year, however, was about to be signalized by an important battle, which initiated a series of movements, in the end of much significance.

On the last day of December, 1862, General Rosecrans, having his army organization complete, determined to offer the enemy battle. His army was forty-three thousand; that of the enemy, sixty-five thousand. A considerable Union force had to be left for the defence of Nashville. Rosecrans was superior to Bragg in artillery, but far inferior in cavalry. His army was divided into three corps, under Generals McDowell, McCook, George H. Thomas, and Thomas L. Crittenden, whose brother was also a general in the Confederate service. The corps of General McCook consisted of the divisions of Generals Davis and Sheridan; Rosseau's and Negley's divisions composed the corps of General Thomas; Crittenden's corps consisted of the divisions of Generals Van Cleve, Wood, and Palmer; and the cavalry was commanded, by General D. S. Stanley; Colonel James Barrett being chief of artillery, and Colonel Gareché, chief of Rosecrans' staff. The general was always accompanied in his campaigns, by the Rev. Father Tracy, and offered supplications for success, and thanksgiving for victory. He had a high reputation for energy and skill, and hitherto had not been beaten in a single battle. He spent two months in preparing for this campaign, and declared himself willing to be superseded, but that nothing could compel him to move till he was ready. Securing his communications with Nashville, the provisions for thirty days being accumulated, he now determined to move.

General Bragg's troops were divided into three corps, commanded by Generals Hardee, Polk, and E. Kirby Smith; Generals Morgan and Forrest commanding the cavalry. The enemy had been driven from Nolensville, and were now posted in strong positions in and around Murfreesboro. The memorable battle at the latter place began on Wednesday, the 31st day of December, and continued several days.

The enemy's forces, in their intrenchments, were partially concealed by the dense woods, and occupied both sides of Stone river; General Polk, commanding the right, General E. Kirby Smith the centre, and General Breckinridge the extreme right; the left being under General Hardee. On the west of the Murfreesboro turnpike, which runs