No. 238.
GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my command from the 10th of December (the day on which I assumed command), until the 17th of December, on which day you were wounded:
I found all of the guns of the corps in position on the line at Nashville except Marshall's battery, of Johnston's battalion, left in garrison at Columbia, and Fenner's battery, of Eldridge's battalion, which was at Murfreesborough with Palmers brigade, reporting to Major-General Forrest. I had, therefore, twenty-eight guns in position on the corps line on the 15th of December, none of which were engaged until evening, when a few rounds were fired by Courtney's battalion from the temporary line to which we had retired. During the night all of my guns were removed to the new line and placed in position early in the morning—Courtney's battalion of twelve guns were massed about the center of General Ed. Johnson's line; Eldridge's battalion of eight guns occupied position on the hill to the right of the Franklin pike on General Clayton's line; and six guns of Johnston's battalion were in position on General Stevenson's line; two guns of his battalion were held in reserve in accordance with your orders. Courtney's battalion opened upon the enemy's skirmishers as soon as they came in view, and in return received a terrific fire from the enemy's batteries, which killed and crippled many of their horses. Orders were received by me and given to my battalions not to fire except on lines of battle or well-defined bodies of men, and consequently my batteries did little firing after 9 o'clock, except when the enemy charged the lines of Generals Stevenson and Clayton, when Johnston's battalion and Eldridge's battalion (the latter commanded by Captain Fenner) did most splendid execution upon them with canister, killing and wounding large numbers. During the whole day the batteries were subjected to a terrible artillery fire, which destroyed a large number of horses in the best cover I could obtain, and exploded two limber chests. When the lines were abandoned every effort was made by my officers and men to save their guns, and although left without infantry support, with the enemy almost upon them, they succeeded in almost every instance in limbering up, and then had so many horses shot down as to be unable to haul their guns through the heavy soil to the pike. I lost in the lines the following guns, 16 in all:
|
Courtney's battalion: |
|
|
Dent's battery |
4 |
|
Douglas' battery |
1 |
|
Garrity's battery |
2 |
|
Johnston's battalion: |
|
|
Rowan's battery |
4 |
|
Corput's battery |
1 |
|
Eldridge's battalion: |
|
|
Stanford's battery |
4 |
I also lost some caissons. The horses which were unhurt were mostly saved. The twelve guns saved from the lines were immediately placed in position and used with good effect in protecting the retreat of the army.
On the morning of the 17th I was ordered to leave the five guns of Courtney's battalion with General Stevenson, who was conducting the rear guard. During the day the enemy's cavalry dashed into our lines on the pike, between the divisions of Generals Stevenson and Clayton, and captured the three guns of Douglas' battery. They destroyed the harness and had to cut down the guns, and when we recaptured them we could not carry them off and were compelled to abandon them. Three of the guns of Fenner's battery were subsequently abandoned by order of General Forrest, he finding it impossible to save them; and two guns of McKenzie's battery, which had been ordered to report to Lieutenant-General Stewart, were left by him on the other side of Duck River and abandoned, as the pontoon bridge was taken up, the commanding officer having been previously refused permission to cross; this, however, was after you had relinquished command.
I regret that it is out of my power to furnish a list of casualties, none having been previously called for, and two of my battalions having been ordered away. My loss was small, however, except in Stanford's battery, which lost 12 men killed and wounded.
Captain Rowan, a good and gallant officer, was killed by a shell on the morning of the 16th.
In conclusion, I would say that the officers and men of my command exhibited the greatest coolness and gallantry during the fight and subsequent retreat; that they did all in their power to save their guns; and that they feel most keenly the misfortune which has disarmed them at a moment so perilous for their country, and ask your earnest intercession to place them again in the field at an early day.
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