Official Reports of the Action at and Surrender of Murfreesborough, Tenn., July 13, 1862: No. 5. – Report of Capt. John M. Hewett, Battery B, Kentucky Light Artillery.

GENERAL: I have the honor of making the following report of the part taken by my command in the fight at Murfreesborough, Tenn., on July 13, 1862:

Before it was fairly daylight my camp was alarmed by rapid discharges of musketry in the direction of the Ninth Michigan camp and in town, distant l ½ miles. I immediately ordered my horses harnessed and hitched in, supposing that an immediate advance would be made on the town. I left my park with the guns of one section advanced and the other passed to the rear, my caissons in the center.

I rode to the color-line of the Third Minnesota Regiment, which was forming, and informed Colonel Lester that I was in motion. He ordered me to wait till he came up. On his joining us I asked in what order we would advance on the town. He said he would halt in the old field on our left and wait for orders. The firing was still brisk in town. Twenty minutes or half an hour later the enemy was seen on our left flank, 1,000 or 1,500 yards distant. I opened fire on them; they instantly dispersed. I then placed the other section on the turnpike (the extreme right), in charge of Lieut. [Alban A.] Ellsworth, who was in position but a few moments when the enemy were discovered advancing from the town in considerable force. A few rounds drove them for protection into the woods immediately in our front and half a mile distant from our line. We then briskly shelled the woods for a few minutes, driving them out. Nothing further was seen of the enemy for nearly an hour, when they were discovered in our rear and about the same time saw the smoke from our camp, which they had gained. I ordered the guns from one section to shell them out, which was done. In a few minutes after a charge was made on us by 200 or 300, which was repulsed, the enemy retiring into the woods in front of the line. We again shelled the woods briskly for several moments. An hour later they were discovered tearing up the railroad track, half or three-fourths of a mile below. They were shelled from this. The train from Nashville had before this passed up and stopped under our guns. We saw them but occasionally for the next five or six hours. They made no further demonstrations of attack. We remained during this time, say from 4.30 a.m. till 2 p.m., in an open field, front, rear, and both flanks open to cavalry. About 2 o'clock we were ordered to fall back 500 yards toward our camp and take position in front of a frame house. We remained here about an hour, when Colonel Lester, in answer to a flag of truce, went into town. Returning, he surrendered the entire command. Up to the moment of surrender the utmost confidence was evinced by the officers and men. My command bore themselves like men. I turned over, by order of Colonel Lester, three 6-pounder smoothbore and one 10 pounder Parrott gun, with the general property of' the company. Officers and men lost all their clothing, blankets, &c., in the burning of the tents.

Lost 1 killed, 3 wounded and 9 missing. Seventy men were surrendered, though but 51 were fit for duty.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

 J. M. HEWETT,

 Captain, Comdg. Hewett's Battery, Kentucky Vol. Artillery.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 16, Part 1 (Serial No. 22), p. 799-800