Friday, March 27, 2009

Federal Triumph at Last – Murfreesboro Occupied by Rosecrans – Gallantry of Our Troops – Consternation of the Enemy, &c.

LOUISVILLE, Jan. 4 – Three feet of water on the shoals in the Cumberland river and rising. Everything going on well in front.

Rosecrans is in Murfreesboro. He has captured the rebel trains and is driving the enemy.

Rosecrans unhurt; his Adjutant General McDowell, wounded in the arm.

The Journal dispatches of the 4th says: A bloody fight took place last night during a storm; the rebels charged us and were repulsed. Our troops hold Murfreesboro.

Our Advantages are decided. Breckinridge’s division is cut to pieces and rented.

On Saturday our skirmishers decoyed a large body of rebels among our batteries, and we routed them with great slaughter.

Captain McCulloch of the 2nd Kentucky Union Cavalry, says the rebel Gen. Withers was driven almost to madness by the laughter of his men. Eye witnesses day the slaughter exceeds that of Shiloh.

General Rosecrans and soldiers were in the highest spirits on Saturday.

Colonel Daniel McCook engaged Wharton’s Cavalry six miles from Nashville, routing him completely. All is highly cheering.

Prisoners say that Kirby Smith is in the fight. The rebel canteens were filled with Whiskey and gunpowder.

McCook Attacked Wharton’s Cavalry near the Asylum, six miles from Nashville, killing [8], left on the field, and many wounded. Seven Federals were wounded. [Capt.] Pinney, 5th Wisconsin; Lieut. Hastings, 35th Ill. And all commissioned officers of companies G, I and K were killed or disabled. The Colonel of the 19th Illinois, is seriously wounded. Capt. [Austin] of Woodruff’s Staff, was taken prisoner.

Private dispatches say that the rebels in their retreat are burning cotton wherever they get hold of it.

The dispatches also say that a number of Jews are concentrating here and at Cairo and appointing deputations to Washington to remonstrate against Grant’s order expelling Jews from territory occupied by Federal forces.

The Murfreesboro Rebel of the 2d says the Federals fought gallantly. It admits a loss of 5,000. The federal prisoners were sent to Murfreesboro as fast as taken. Captain Joe [Desha] of Kentucky was wounded by a shell in the head; Adjutant Card of the same regiment was shot by a cannon ball.

From the Associated Press’ Nashville correspondent it is reported that Rosecrans shielded Murfreesboro this morning, but got no reply from the enemy. Our forces would occupy it at noon. The rebels undoubtedly left.

Our forces are reported pursuing.

Frank Ward, of Pittsburgh, of Anderson’s troop, is reported killed.

All reports of Rosecrans having retreated to Nashville are false. The fight to-day is supposed to be in the vicinity of Christiana.

The intervention of the rebel cavalry between Nashville and Christiana makes it difficult to get news, but everything thus far is favorable to the ultimate success of the Federal arms.

– Published in the Zanesville Daily Courier, Zanesville, Ohio, Monday, January 5, 1863

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