personal memoirs-1-第27章

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and　await　any　attempt　of　the　enemy　to　embarrass　my　retreat；　while

Roberts's　brigade；　offering　such　resistance　as　its　small　quantity　of

ammunition　would　permit；　was　pulled　slowly　in　toward　the　Nashville

pike。　　Eighty　of　the　horses　of　Houghtaling's　battery　having　been

killed；　an　attempt　was　made　to　bring　his　guns　back　by　hand　over　the

rocky　ground；　but　it　could　not　be　done；　and　we　had　to　abandon　them。

Hescock　also　had　lost　most　of　his　horses；　but　all　his　guns　were

saved。　　Bush's　battery　lost　two　pieces；　the　tangled　underbrush　in　the

dense　cedars　proving　an　obstacle　to　getting　them　away　which　his

almost　superhuman　exertions　could　not　surmount。　　Thus　far　the　bloody

duel　had　cost　me　heavily；　one…third　of　my　division　being　killed　or

wounded。　　I　had　already　three　brigade　commanders　killed；　a　little

later　I　lost　my　fourthColonel　Schaefer。



The　difficulties　of　withdrawing　were　very　great；　as　the　ground　was

exceptionally　rocky；　and　the　growth　of　cedars　almost　impenetrable　for

wheeled　carriages。　　Retiring　sullenly　under　a　heavy　fire；　while　the

general　line　was　reformed　to　my　right　and　rear；　my　division　was　at

length　drawn　through　the　cedars　and　debouched　into　an　open　space　near

the　Murfreesboro'　pike；　behind　the　right　of　Palmer's　division。　　Two

regiments　of　Sill's　brigade；　however；　on　account　of　the　conformation

of　the　ground；　were　obliged　to　fall　back　from　the　point　where

Woodruff's　brigade　of　Davis's　division　had　rallied　after　the　disaster

of　the　early　morning。　　The　division　came　out　of　the　cedars　with

unbroken　ranks；　thinned　by　only　its　killed　and　woundedbut　few

missing。　　When　we　came　into　the　open　ground；　McCook　directed

Roberts's　brigadenow　commanded　by　Colonel　Luther　P。　Bradleyto

proceed　a　short　distance　to　the　rear　on　the　Nashville　pike；　to　repel

the　enemy's　threatening　attempt　at　our　communications。　　Willingly　and

cheerfully　the　brigade　again　entered　the　fight　under　these　new

conditions；　and　although　it　was　supplied　with　but　three　or　four

cartridges　to　the　man　now；　it　charged　gallantly　and　recaptured　two

pieces　of　artillery　which　the　Union　troops　had　had　to　abandon　at　that

point。



Shortly　after　we　debouched　from　the　cedars　I　was　directed　by

Rosecrans　to　send　some　aid　to　the　right　of　General　Palmer's　division；

and　two　of　Schaefer's　regiments；　having　obtained　ammunition；　were

pushed　up　on　Palmer's　right；　accompanied　by　four　of　Hescock's　guns；

but　the　advance　of　the　enemy　here　had　already　been　checked　by　Palmer；

and　only　a　desultory　contest　ensued。　　Rosecrans；　whom　I　now　met　in

the　open　ground　west　of　the　railroad；　behind　Palmer；　directed　that　my

command　should　relieve　Wood's　division；　which　was　required　to　fall

back　and　take　up　the　new　line　that　had　been　marked　out　while　I　was

holding　on　in　the　cedars。　　His　usually　florid　face　had　lost　its　ruddy

color；　and　his　anxious　eyes　told　that　the　disasters　of　the　morning

were　testing　his　powers　to　the　very　verge　of　endurance；　but　he　seemed

fully　to　comprehend　what　had　befallen　us。　　His　firmly　set　lips　and；

the　calmness　with　which　his　instructions　were　delivered　inspired

confidence　in　all　around　him；　and　expressing　approbation　of　what　my

division　had　done；　while　deliberately　directing　it　to　a　new　point；　he

renewed　in　us　all　the　hope　of　final　victory；　though　it　must　be

admitted　that　at　this　phase　of　the　battle　the　chances　lay　largely

with　the　enemy。



Withdrawing　the　two　regiments　and　Hescock's　battery；　that　I　had

posted　on　the　right　of　Palmer；　I　moved　as　directed　by　Rosecrans　into

the　position　to　the　east　of　the　railroad；　and　formed　immediately　to

the　right　of　Wood；　who　was　now　being　attacked　all　along　his　front；

but　more　particularly　where　his　right　rested　near　the　railroad。

Under　a　storm　of　shot　and　shell　that　came　in　torrents　my　troops　took

up　the　new　ground；　advancing　through　a　clump　of　open　timber　to　Wood's

assistance。　　Forming　in　line　in　front　of　the　timber　we　poured　a

telling　fire　into　the　enemy's　ranks；　which　were　then　attacking　across

some　cleared　fields；　but　when　he　discovered　additional　troops

confronting　him；　he　gave　up　the　attempt　to　carry　Wood's　position。　　It

was　here　that　I　lost　Schaefer；　who　was　killed　instantly；　making　my

fourth　brigade　commander　dead　that　day。　　The　enemy　in　front　of　Wood

having　been　checked；　our　whole　line　east　of　the　railroad　executed

undisturbed　its　retrograde　movement　to　a　position　about　three　hundred

yards　to　its　rear。　　When　I　fell　back　to　the　edge　of　the　clump　of

timber；　where　when　first　coming　on　the　ground　I　had　formed　to　help

Wood；　I　was　ordered　by　Rosecrans　to　prepare　to　make　a　charge　should

the　enemy　again　assault　us。　　In　anticipation　of　this　work　I　massed　my

troops　in　close　column。　　The　expected　attack　never　came；　however；　but

the　shot　and　shell　of　a　furious　cannonade　told　with　fatal　effect　upon

men　and　officers　as　they　lay　on　their　faces　hugging　the　ground。　　The

torments　of　this　trying　situation　were　almost　unbearable；　but　it　was

obvious　to　all　that　it　was　necessary　to　have　at　hand　a　compact　body

of　troops　to　repel　any　assault　the　enemy　might　make　pending　the

reconstruction　of　the　extreme　right　of　our　line；　and　a　silent

determination　to　stay　seemed　to　take　hold　of　each　individual　soldier；

nor　was　this　grim　silence　interrupted　throughout　the　cannonade；

except　in　one　instance；　when　one　of　the　regiments　broke　out　in　a

lusty　cheer　as　a　startled　rabbit　in　search　of　a　new　hiding…place

safely　ran　the　whole　length　of　the　line　on　the　backs　of　the　men。



While　my　troops　were　still　lying　here；　General　Rosecrans；　with　a　part

of　his　staff　and　a　few　orderlies；　rode　out　on　the　rearranged　line　to

supervise　its　formation　and　encourage　the　men；　and　in　prosecution　of

these　objects　moved　around　the　front　of　my　column　of　attack；　within

range　of　the　batteries　that　were　shelling　us　so　viciously。　　As　he

passed　to　the　open　ground　on　my　left；　I　joined　him。　　The　enemy　seeing

this　mounted　party；　turned　his　guns　upon　it；　and　his　accurate　aim　was

soon　rewarded；　for　a　solid　shot　carried　away　the　head　of　Colonel

Garesche；　the　chief…of…staff；　and　killed　or　wounded　two　or　three

orderlies。　　Garesche's　appalling　death　stunned　us　all；　and　a

momentary　expression　of　horror　spread　over　Rosecrans's　face；　but　at

such　a　time　the　importance　of　self…control　was　vital；　and　he　pursued

his　course　with　an　appearance　of　indifference；　which；　however；　those

immediately　about　him　saw　was　assumed；　for　undoubtedly　he　felt　most

deeply　the　death　of　his　friend　and　trusted　staff…officer。



No　other　attacks　were　made　on　us　to　the　east　of　the　railroad　for　the

rest　of　the　afternoon；　and　just　before　dark　I　was　directed　to

withdraw　and　take　up　a　position　along　the　west　side　of　the　Nashville

pike；　on　the　extreme　right　of　our　new　line；　where　Roberts's　brigade

and　the　Seventy…third　and　Eighty…eighth　Illinois　had　already　been

placed　by　McCook。　　The　day　had　cost　me　much　anxiety　and　sadness；　and

I　was　sorely　disappointed　at　the　general　result；　though　I　could　not

be　other　than　pleased　at　the　part　taken　by　my　command。　　The　loss　of

my　brigade　commandersSill；　Roberts；　Schaefer；　and　Harrington…and　a

large　number　of　regimental　and　battery　officers；　with　so　many　of

their　men；　struck　deep　into　my　heart：　My　thinned　ranks　told　the

woeful　tale　of　the　fierce　struggles；　indescribable　by　words；　through

which　my　division　had　passed　since　7　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and

this；　added　to　our　hungry　and　exhausted　condition；　was　naturally

disheartening。　　The　men　had　been　made　veterans；　however；　by　the

fortunes　and　misfortunes　of　the　day；　and　as　they　went　into　their　new

places　still　confident　of　final　success；　it　was　plain　to　see　that

they　felt　a　self…confidence　inspired　by　the　part　they　had　already

played。



My　headquarters　were　now　established　on　the　Nashville　pike；　about

three　miles　and　a　half　from　Murfreesboro'；　my　division　being　aligned

to　the　west　of　the　pike；　bowed　out　and　facing　almost　west；　Cleburn's

division　of　the　Confederates　confronting　it。　　Davis's　division　was

posted　on　my　right；　and　Walker's　brigade　of　Thomas's　corps；　which　had

reported　to　me；　took　up　a　line　that　con　nected　my　left　with　Johnson's

division。



Late　in　the　evening　General　Rosecrans；　accompanied　by　General　McCook；

and　several　other　officers　whose　names　I　am　now　unable　to　recall；

rode　by　my　headquarters　on　their　way　to　the　rear　to　look　for　a　new

line　of　battleon　Overall's　creek　it　was　saidthat　would　preserve

our　communications　with　Nashville　and　offer　better　facilities　for

resistance　than　the　one　we　were　now　holding。　　Considerable　time　had

elapsed　when　they　returned　from　this　exploration　and　proceeded　to

their　respective　commands；　without　intimating　to　me　that　anything　had

been　determined　upon　by　the　reconnoissance；　but　a　little　later　it　was

rumored　through　the　different　headquarters　that　while　the　party　was

looking　for　a　new　position　it　discovered　the　enemy's　troops　moving

toward　our　right　and　rear；　the　head　of　his　columns　being　conducted　in

the　darkness　by　the　aid　of　torches；　and　that　no　alternative　was　left

us　but　to　hold　the　lines　we　then　occupied。　　The　torches　had　been　seen

unquestionably；　and　possibly　created　some　alarm　at　first　in　the　minds

of　the　reconnoitring　party；　but　it　was　soon　ascertained　that　the

lights　came　from　a　battalion　of　the　Fourth　regular　cavalry　that　was

picketing　our　flank　and　happened　to　be　starting　its　bivouac　fires　at

the　moment。　　The　fires　and　the　supposed　movements　had　no　weight；

therefore；　in　deciding　the　proposition　to　take　up　a　line　at　Overall's

creek；　but　General　Rosecrans；　fortunately　for　the　army；　decided　to

remain　where　he　was。　　Doubtless　reflections　during　his　ride　caused

him　to　realize　that　the　enemy　must　be　quite　as　much　crippled　as

himself。　　If　it　had　been　decided　to　fall　back　to　Overall's　creek；　we

could　have　withdrawn　without　much　difficulty　very　likely；　but　such　a

retrograde　movement　would　have　left　to　the　enemy　the　entire　battle…

field　of　Stone　River　and　ultimately　compelled　our　retreat　to

Nashville。



In　the　night　of　December　3rd　several　slight　demonstrations　were　made

on　my　front；　but　from　the　darkness　neither　party　felt　the　effect　of

the　other's　fire；　and　when　daylight　came　again　the　skirmishers　and

lines　of　battle　were　in　about　the　same　position　they　had　taken　up　the

evening　before。　　Soon　after　daybreak　it　became　evident　that　the

conflict　was　to　be　renewed；　and　a　little　later　the　enemy　resumed　the

offensive　by　an　attack　along　my　left　front；　especially　on　Walker's

brigade。　　His　attempt　was　ineffectual；　however；　and　so　easily

repulsed　as　to　demonstrate　that　the　desperate　character　of　his

assaults　the　day　before　had　nearly　exhausted　his　strength。　　About　3

o'clock　in　the　afternoon　he　made　another　feeble　charge　on　my　front；

but　our　fire　from　the　barricades　and　rifle…pits　soon　demoralized　his

advancing　lines；　which　fell　back　in　some　confusion；　thus　enabling　us

to　pick　up　about　a　hundred　prisoners。　　From　this　time　till　the

evening