Official Reports of the Action at and Surrender of Murfreesborough, Tenn., July 13, 1862: No. 2. — Report of Brigadier-General Thomas T. Crittenden, U.S. Army, commanding at Murfreesborough.

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

Colonel William T. Sherman to Ellen Ewing Sherman, August 3, 1861

WASHINGTON, August 3, 1861.

. . . I still am acting as a Brigadier General in command of six regiments of volunteers called by courtesy soldiers, but they are all we have got and God only knows the issue. Our adversaries have the weakness of slavery in their midst to offset our democracy, and 'tis beyond human wisdom to say which is the greater evil. I learn today that the President selected Hunter, Sherman and Buell out of the list for Brigadier Generals of the Regular Army, but Major Garesche tells me the list has been changed, that no appointments will now be made in the regular army, but that a whole batch of Brigadiers will be made, ranking according to former commission. This will still keep me where I want, in a modest position till time and circumstances show us daylight.

McClellan told me last night he should proceed with great caution, endeavoring to advance so as never to make a slip backward. I am now satisfied that the Southern army is not much better than ours, else Beauregard would certainly have taken Washington. If they could, they also from their central position would throw their force on Banks or Rosecrans.

In East Virginia all are secessionists and we can gain no authentic information of their movements by spies. It is different, I suppose, in West Virginia. At all events in invading Virginia from the Chesapeake the army must be of a size to encounter the whole southern army. Now that they have been successful, Davis can assemble just as many men as he wants, and they are as well armed, dressed and fed as we are. Indeed I never saw such a set of grumblers as our volunteers about their food, clothing, arms, etc., and I shall make a requisition for two nurses per soldier to nurse them in their helpless, pitiful condition.

Oh — but we had a few regulars. But all our legislation has so favored the volunteer that no man will enlist in the regular service. I propose to go on as heretofore, to endeavor to fill my place as well as possible, to meddle as little as possible with my superiors, and to give my opinion only when asked for. . . .

You may hereafter address me at the Georgetown Post Office. I send over there pretty often for marketing. Address me, Colonel W. T. S., Fort Corcoran, Georgetown, D. C. If I am made Brigadier General, use General W. T. S. as above. I know not why I feel no ambition. If we could handle volunteers so that our plans could be carried out I would launch out, but I know that they will mar any plan and blast the fair fame of anybody. They, of course, the people, can't do wrong. If defeat arises, then it is mismanagement, masked batteries and such nonsense. . . .

SOURCES: M. A. DeWolfe Howe, Editor, Home Letters of General Sherman, p. 212-3.  A full copy of this letter can be found in the William T Sherman Family papers (SHR), University of Notre Dame Archives (UNDA), Notre Dame, IN 46556, Folder CSHR 1/139.

From the 19th Ohio

Camp on Battle Field near Murfreesboro,
January 5th, 1863

Messrs. Editors:

I hope that you will be kind enough to insert the following in your paper for the benefit of the friends and relatives of the 19th Regiment and more especially of the members of Company E. I give you a hurried sketch of our loss during [illegible] battles. We arrived here on Monday evening and took our position on right of left wing. It rained nearly all day on Tuesday. Cannonading in our front, right and some firing of musketry. Several charges [made] on the right by our forces. Our Regiment being on the third line, had no firing to do.

Wednesday, Dec. 31 – About 7 A.M. an order was read to us form General Rosecrans, stating that he that day wished to give the rebels on a death blow, and some very encouraging remarks to the officers and soldiers. Our brigade was then moved across Stone River, and had scarcely our lines formed when an order came for us to recross, as the enemy had driven our right. We were brought back to our old ground. Changed front several times and finally marched to the right on the Murfreesboro pike, and just [in time], as General Rosecrans said, to save the [utter annihilation] of the whole right wing of our army. Two brigades came through the woods on a dead run, and the rebels after them, and within 25 or 30 yards of the pike. Our commands were but “Fix bayonets and commence firing.” As soon as our men were out of the way, breaking through our ranks, we poured a deadly fire into them, charged and drove them about one thousand yards – Generals Rosseau, Rosecrans, Vancleve, McCook and Crittenden were present when we made our first charge. We were very highly complimented. Several of the Generals stated that it was the best regiment in the U.S. Army.

We advanced into an open field and again, the rebels charged and drove one brigade in our front back, and broke our ranks to get through. We were then ordered to lay down. The rebels flanked us on our right and we were then ordered to fall back. We formed some four hundred yards back, and waited their arrival at the top of a little rise and again opened on them. Two batteries opened a cross fire at the same time and we piled them up like old shoes and drove them back again. It so happened that Gen. Rosecrans was present at this fire, all alone, his face as bloody as a butcher. His A.A.G. had his head shot off by a solid shot by his side a few minutes before.

We were again moved to the right to strengthen the lines as the rebels moved in that direction. We were again under fire, marching by the right flank. The boys would step out of ranks and fire, saying it was too pretty a chance to miss. We were then ordered to the rear, where we could build fires and rest, but did not move till 12 M. Our boys put in the last of the old year marching; night very cold and rations short.

Jan. 1st – About six o’clock in the morning we again started to cross the river, but were detained by our artillery. In the meantime some demonstrations were made by the enemy to attack our centre, and we were stationed to support a battery on our left. Towards evening we crossed the river, took position right of left wing, second line. Some very heavy artillery and musketry firing on our right. We were called up during the night but nothing occurred more than picket skirmishing.

Jan. 2 – All quiet on our front until near three o’clock, we were in line and broke ranks near 4 P.M. Captain Drury’s Battery (formerly of Zanesville) then in our front, came moving back. Just then musketry firing commenced on our front. We had scarcely time to form when the order was given to advance double quick. The 23rd brigade was falling back in great confusion and disorder, every one on his own hook. We advanced about three hundred yards and fired on the enemy, but they were too strong for us, and we were compelled to fall back. We tried to rally at the foot of the hill, but the enemy pressed us too close. We were driven across the creek and a great many of our men were overtaken and captured, but the rebels were driven back so quick that they had not time to attend to taking prisoners with them. A great many were shot while in the act of crossing the stream and were lost. Men rallied from [all] quarters formed and drove the rebels [illegible] back Our artillery opened on them a most terrible fire. The old 19th colors were the first to recross the creek. Color bearers could be seen going in all directions with flags but no regiments. It is the general supposition that this was the most terrible scene of the war.

We charged on, as I have since learned, Hardee’s and Breckenridge’s divisions, with a battalion of sharpshooters in front. Our regiment held the whole rebel army in check for some five or six minutes until flanked.

After the enemy were driven back we took our position as before. It rained hard all night. We were relieved about 9 A.M. on the 3d [illegible] Marched across the creek to the rear, mud knee deep. During the retreat of the rebels they lost at least four prisoners to our one and four killed to our one. Also the celebrated Washington battery was captured.

January 4 – Very heavy firing on the right commenced about 3 P.M. and lasted 2 hours.

Jan 4 Rebels reported to have evacuated. Our troops advanced this morning. No enemy to be found. Some reserved troops were engaged throwing up fortification on our old ones.

The loss in our company, December 31st. at the first fire was as follows:

John H. Deavers, 2d Corporal, wounded in [left] thigh, slightly, Thomas L. Gilson right thing, died same day, William H. Cooper, private, right arm below elbow, serious, John [P.] Green, hand slight, Isaac Granger, thigh, sever, Thomas Harbaugh, arm below elbow, sever, George W. Little, leg, slight, John J. [Lams], ankle, severe.

Same day, second fire:

Wm. [Cook], 4th Corporal, right leg, below knee, severe. Anthony Bolinger, private, left [illegible] serious.

Jan 2d – Captain U Bean, killed, George Herald, private, killed, Jas. Franks, private, [killed], Geo. J. Swank, 1st Sergeant, wounded in chin, serious. Frederick Pannier, 3d Corporal, wounded in chin, seriously. Geo. Colhouse, private, thigh, slightly. Jennings F. [N___bro], breast, slight, Wm. Ziegler, right arm, below elbow, slight.

Missing – Henry [E__s] and George W. Armstrong, privates.

We are all in fine spirits and well, what is [left of us]. Our loss in the regiment is [210] killed wounded and missing.

I remain your humble servant.

LEWIS R. FIX,
Lt. Company E, 19th Reg’t. O.V.I.

– Published in the Zanesville Daily Courier, Zanesville, Ohio, January, 15, 1863

Terrific Battle at Murfreesboro – Rebel Gens. Cheatham and Rains Killed

NEAR MURFREESBORO, Dec. 31 – Our whole line suffered terribly this morning, four regiments of regulars lost half of their men and all their commanding officers. Gen Anderson’s troops suffered terribly. Majors Rosengarten and Ward are killed. Gen. Stanley, Rosseau and Palmer are wounded.

Two o’clock P.M. – Gen. Thomas has just broken the rebel centre and driven the enemy a mile. We are advancing our whole line. Gen. Rosencrans [sic] is personally superintending the movement. One shot killed two of his staff officers. The [15th] Wisconsin lost seven Captains. Gen. Negle’s artillery is still moving the rebels in the centre. Gen. Crittenden – left wing – has taken the entrenchments at Murfreesboro. The rebels Gens. Cheatham and Rains are killed.

NASHVILLE, Jan. 2 – The Federals encountered the rebels on the 30th ult. near Stuart’s Creek, and after heavy skirmishing the rebels were driven back.

We captured 100 prisoners, and killed and wounded a large number of rebels.

Our loss was 70 killed and wounded.

At daybreak on the 31st the fight was renewed with great fury. McCook’s corps was opposed to Hardee. After desperate fighting with heavy loss McCook retreated two miles. He soon rallied, and was again driven back.

At night he was four miles this side of the ground occupied in the morning. The fight continued until 10 o’clock p.m. at which time we had maintained our position.

The Federal loss is very Heavy.

Killed – Brig. Gen. Sill, Lieut. Col. Garesche, Chief of Gen. Rosecrans’ Staff; Brig. Gen. Willeck, of Indiana; Col. Kell of the 2nd Ohio; Col. Straffer, Acting Brigadier General, Col. Farmer of the 15th Kentucky; Col. Jones of the 24th Ohio; Lieut. Col. Cotton of the 6th Kentucky; Lieut. Col. Jones, of the [39th Indiana]; Major Carpenter, of the 19th Regulars; Major Rosengarten of Philadelphia.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2. – The Secretary of War to-day received the following:

Cleveland, O. Jan. 2.

The following has just been received by telegraph from Cincinnati, dated Murfreesboro, Jan. 1:

A terrible battle was fought yesterday. – The latest from the field is up to noon. The rebel center had been broken, and things looked favorable. The losses are reported to be enormous. Stanley, Rosseau and Palmer are wounded, and the rebels Cheatham and Rains are killed.

– Published in the Zanesville Daily Courier, Zanesville, Ohio, Saturday Evening, January 3, 1862