No. 2.
Report of Brig. Gen.
T. T. Crittenden, U.S. Army, commanding at Murfreesborough.
I submit the following report of the affair of July 13,
1862, at Murfreesborough, Tenn.:
While at Athens, Ala., I received the special order of
Major-General Buell assigning me to the command of the post of Murfreesborough,
and went there as speedily as possible. I arrived there on the same train with
Colonel Duffield, of the Ninth Michigan, on July 11. The next day I assumed
command of the post and Colonel Duffield of the Twenty-third Brigade. Having no
instructions, and knowing nothing of the affairs at the post, I had several
interviews with Col. [Henry C.] Lester [Third Minnesota], then in command, and
from his statements, made both to myself and Colonel Duffield, it was evident
that he apprehended no danger. He stated that the only points from which the
enemy could approach were McMinnville and Lebanon, that there was no force
between Chattanooga and Murfreesborough, and that Morgan's force was far beyond
Lebanon, en route for Kentucky.
Colonel Lester had separated his forces on or about June 23,
1862, leaving five companies of the Ninth Michigan and about 80 men of the
Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry at the old camp, and removing the Third Minnesota
Regiment and Hewett's First Kentucky Battery (four guns) about 1¼ miles
northwest of the former camp. This was the whole force there on July 13, except
one company Ninth Michigan posted in the court-house as provost-guard,
altogether numbering about 950 effective men.
I appointed Lieut. [Henry M.] Duffield, Ninth Michigan,
acting assistant adjutant-general, Lieut. C. H. Blakey, who had been previously
acting, having left for Minnesota on recruiting service on July 12.
Lieutenant Duffield, under my orders, proceeded at once to
prepare a morning report, but did not complete it that day.
I then went with Colonel Duffield to look for a proper camp
for the whole force, as I would not permit it to remain separated. I found the
water, the scarcity of which Colonel Lester assigned as the reason for such
division, abundant to supply 5,000 men and a good camp ground within a quarter
of a mile of the former camp. I examined other camp sites, but preferred the
first, and ordered Colonel Duffield to concentrate his force there.
The same day I rode out with the officer of the day and made
an examination of the pickets. Being dissatisfied with its strength and
locations, I directed Major Seibert, commanding the cavalry, to double his
cavalry force on all the roads to Lebanon and McMinnville, which he did, but
withdrew them at night, in accordance with the custom and orders of Colonel
Lester under which he had previously acted, of which custom and order I was
entirely ignorant. There was no such order on the order-book, it being merely
verbal. I had doubled the cavalry on the points of danger, as a temporary
strengthening of the pickets, until next day, when I had ordered a much larger
detail for picket duty from the infantry. My temporary headquarters were
opposite to and about 75 yards from the court-house.
I have been informed that Colonel Lester had some
intelligence of a cavalry force of the enemy assembling near McMinnville, but
he did not inform me nor did I have any information of impending danger. I
found things negligently and loosely done at the post and attempted to remedy
all the negligence I saw there.
At daylight of July 13 General Forrest, with 2,500 cavalry,
consisting of four regiments and one battalion — among them the First and
Second Georgia and Seventh Texas, having marched 48 miles between noon of the
12th and that time — surrounded and captured the pickets on one of the roads to
McMinnville without the firing of a gun, rushed at full speed into the camp of
the Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry and into the court-house square and streets of
the town. Passing through the cavalry camp they attacked the Ninth Michigan,
which was ready to receive them. Severe fighting at this point resulted in
driving the enemy back some 300 yards after repeated assaults, both sides
losing heavily.
Colonel Duffield, commanding Twenty-third Brigade, was
severely wounded early in the action and carried from the field. He was paroled
at once, and I have had no report from him.
Lieutenant-Colonel Parkhurst, commanding the Ninth Michigan,
after holding his camp nearly eight hours against superior numbers, finding the
enemy were surrounding him with their whole force and having no hope of
re-enforcement (not receiving any reply to several messages for assistance sent
by him to Colonel Lester), surrendered his force, then reduced to 134 men. This
fragment of a regiment, under its gallant lieutenant-colonel (Parkhurst),
fought splendidly, and deserves honorable mention. Their loss was 11 killed, 86
wounded, and 36 missing.
Company B, Ninth Michigan, the provost guard, made a
resolute defense of the court house for three hours during repeated assaults,
killing 12 and wounding 18 of the enemy. They did not surrender until the
court-house was set on fire. During these hours of suspense only an occasional
shot was heard from the Third Minnesota and Hewett's battery. Of course their
comparative quiet showed that they were not attacked in three. From the reports
of Colonel Lester and Captain Hewett and from other sources I learned that
their commands turned out promptly, marched unattacked nearly half a mile, and
were there halted by Colonel Lester. Except slight changes of position, they
remained there from 4.30 a.m. until 2.30 p.m., twice or three times menaced by
small squads and once attacked by about 300 cavalry. The latter were repulsed
by the fire of the skirmishers and one volley from two companies on the left
flank of the regiment. Within three-quarters of a mile of their position they
heard the fighting at the court-house for three hours and during seven hours
and a half' the fight at the Michigan camp.
The Third Minnesota was a splendidly drilled regiment. The
officers and men were anxious to fight, but Colonel Lester held them there
without seeing any enemy in force. Colonel Lester received two dispatches from
Lieutenant-Colonel Parkhurst, begging for aid, but would afford none. When all
was lost except his own command Colonel Lester went under a flag of truce to
see Colonel Duffield, and there saw the enemy, who had not dared to come within
range of his artillery, and was so impressed with what he saw that he returned,
determined to surrender. This is proved by his calling a council of his company
commanders and his lieutenant-colonel [Chauncey W. Griggs]. They, by a viva-voce
vote, decided to fight. Part of them went from the council. Colonel Lester
reopened and reargued the matter. A ballot vote was taken and the force was
surrendered. This was done by the statements and influence of Colonel Lester.
Lieutenant-Colonel Griggs bitterly opposed the surrender and voted against it
to the last. Not a man was killed in the line of the Third Minnesota during the
day. I state the facts without comment.
With a few men I held my headquarters until after the
court-house was taken. I early sent a messenger, in citizen's clothes, with
orders to Colonel Duffield, but he could not pass through the enemy's lines.
They had my quarters surrounded from the time they entered the square. I submit
copies of reports made to me and refer to them. I respectfully demand a court
of inquiry into the disaster at Murfreesborough.
T. T. CRITTENDEN,
Brigadier-General,
late Commanding Post.
Lieut. Col. J.P. GARESCHÉ,
Assistant Adjutant-General and Chief of Staff.
[Indorsement.]
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT
OF THE CUMBERLAND,
Nashville, Tenn.,
November 26, 1862.
Respectfully forwarded to the Adjutant-General of the Army,
with the request that this case may receive prompt attention and that Colonel
Lester be ignominiously dismissed the service.* As Capt. [John A.] Tanner is under my command, I propose to
avail myself of the authority delegated to me by the Secretary of War and shall
dismiss him.† General
Crittenden I will order to duty.
W. S. ROSECRANS,
Major-General, U.S.
Volunteers, Comdg. Department.
_______________
* Dismissed December 1, 1862.
† Dismissed
to date September 22, 1862.
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. 794-6
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