Stone's River Federal tour materials

In 2005 I hosted a living history program on the Stone’s River battlefield. Thanks to the trust of ranger Jim Lewis, I was able to create a moving battle tour and program At various sites in the park, we, 50 of the most authentic reenactors you’d ever want to meet, stopped and shared 1st person accounts of the action on that site. Working hard to avoid the published accounts of Mr. Logsdon’s, Eyewtiness to Stone’s River book, I found the below in various books at home and, as usual, at the Wisconsin Historical Society. Any accounts shared, I will give Mr. Logsdon credit for his books on Tennessee and Kentucky battles are what got me hooked on 1st person accounts on the battlefield tours. The material below is not offered to give a complete history of the battle; it is merely to bring to life certain areas. The accounts are all federal. Here is the link for the Stone’s River battlefield park map, for your orientation. http://hfc.nps.gov/cfm/carto-detail.cfm?Alpha=STRI


COLLAPSE OF THE UNION RIGHT
*Sgt. Maj. Lyman S. Widney – 34th Illinois – Kirk’s Brigade – Johnson’s Division
My curiosity asserted itself, and, while my comrades were still sipping their coffee, I leisurely walked out into the field towards the Picket line. Before reaching them I saw one running towards me, and as he passed me he exclaimed ‘they’re coming’ and continued to the regiment to give the alarm. All was so quiet, not a shot being fired, I felt decidedly skeptical and walked still further out until the enemy’s breastworks were in view. … A succession of long lines of Gray were swarming over the Confederate breastworks and sweeping towards us but not yet within gun shot range. … I started back in a hurry to rejoin the Regiment.

*Robert Stewart – 15th Ohio – Willich’s Brigade – Johnson’s Division
We saw the pickets rushing in, followed by a line of gray, yelling and shooting like demons. … Dropping our pots and pans, leaving our haversacks and blankets, we snatched up our cartridge-boxes and rushed for our guns, only to find ourselves with our backs to the foe.

Before we could change front to rear they were upon us, not a skirmish line, but a line of battle; not one line, but two or three, it seemed to us. The woods were just full of them. They swarmed, they overflowed, they were a regular flood. We stood to deliver our fire … then took to our heels and ran. I saw by a backward glance, a gray mass covering all the ground where our camp had so lately been. I saw the fields on the right filling up with regiments and columns and armies of gray. I felt like running … with no other purpose in life but to run.

*Sgt. Sinclair – 89th Illinois – Willich’s Brigade – Johnson’s Division
It was impossible to keep a retreat in good order as all of the old regiments had left the field before us and was running in all directions. So we did the best we could to get to the first fence, where there was a second growth of timber and underbrush. Here a part of us rallied, about fifty with our colonel.


*Incident of Stone River – 23rd Kentucky Infantry – Grose’s Brigade
"INCIDENT OF STONE RIVER.-- In the rebel charge upon McCook's right, the rebel third Kentucky (cavalry) was advancing full upon one of the loyal Kentucky regiments. These two regiments were brought from the same county, and consequently were old friends and neighbors, and now about. to meet for the first time as enemies. As soon as they came near enough for recognition, they mutually ceased firing, and began abusing, and cursing, and swearing at each other, calling each other the most outlandish names; and all this time the battle was roaring around them without much attention from either side. it was hard to tell which regiment would come off the victor in this wordy battle. As far as I could see, both sides were terrible at swearing; but this could not always last; by mutual consent they finally ceased cursing, and, grasping their muskets, charged into each other with the most unearthly yell ever heard on any field of battle. Muskets were clubbed, bayonet met bayonet, and in many instances, when old feuds made the belligerents crazy with passion, the musket was thrown away, and at it they went, pummelling, pulling, and gouging in rough-and-tumble style, and in a manner, that any looker-on would consider a free fight. The rebels were getting rather the better of the fight, when the Twenty-third Kentucky succeeded in giving a flanking fire, when they retreated with quite a number of prisoners in their possession. The rebels n had got fairly under way, when the Ninth Ohio came up on the (' double-quick, and charging on their now disordered ranks, succeeded' in capturing all their prisoners, besides taking in return a great many of the rebels. As the late belligerents were conducted to the rear, they appeared to have forgotten their late animosity, and were on the best terms imaginable, laughing, and chatting, and joking, and, as the rebel s were well supplied with whiskey, the canteens were readily handed about from one to the other, until they all became as jolly as possible under the circumstances."



Seventy-fourth Ohio—Company C
“It was quite cool, and the ground considerably frozen. I had lost my knapsack, putting it in a wagon the day we arrived on the battle ground, and never saw it any more. Consequently I had neither coat nor blanket. I suffered very much during the night with cold. Could not lie down but a few minutes at a time, and dare not go back to the fire, rebels being but a few yards in. I was chilled through and exposed to the enemy, there being no breastworks. It was considered a mark of cowardice to get behind anything to fight.

(After being relieved by the 37th Indiana)- “We returned to where the regiment lay the day previous, and commenced breakfast, but did not have time to eat it before we were ordered into line. Not having time to drink my coffee, I poured it into my canteen, and swung it around my next. We marched out to fight, forming double column at half distance. We advanced a short distance, when we formed line and were ordered to lie down.”

(Rosecrans’ campaign with the 14th Army Corps)- “I was knelling in a fence corner, loading and firing when we received orders to move to the left to make room for a battery. When I was just in the act of rising, I felt something hi me on the leg, which did not produce much pain at the time, only a smarting sensation. I thought I would say nothing of it. However began to grow stiff, and I had not proceeded but a short distance before I had to call for help. I was the helped off the field.”

“One poor fellow who was near me was wounded in the head. He grew delirious during the night, and would very frequently call his mother. He would say: “Mother, O, Mother, come and help me!” The poor fellow died before morning with no mother near, to soothe him in his dying moments, or wipe the cold sweat from off his brow.”

“I came up to a squad of men guarding muskets which had been picked up on the battle-field. I had lost my gun during the battle, or rather I gave it to a soldier to carry for me when I was going to the rear, and he sat it down by a tree and left it. I approached the officer who was in command of the squad, and told him I had lost my gun. He told me to go to the stack and select one for myself. I selected a nice Enfield rifle, nearly new, and took it and on toward Murfreesboro.”

“I ate a hard tack and a small piece of meat, thanked them, and the set forward again. After the battle of Stone River the soldiers had a hard time to get something to eat; as much as twenty-five cents was often offered for a single hard tack. Money could not buy rations.”


THE SLAUGHTER PEN
*Lt. Howard Greene - 24th Wisconsin - Sill's Brigade - Sheridan's Division
I had one platoon out as skirmishers , and they had hardly got formed in position on the left of the company before the Rebels came up over the hill - five regiments deep, closed in mass, and yelling and firing like hell. Then the Battle commenced in earnest, and for some time the roar of musketry was incessant and almost deafening.

(My men) commenced to drop all around me - and no wonder for our regiment alone was fighting five. To add to our troubles the regiment fronted on our right was driven back - our flank thereby turned and a crossfire poured in on us. At this time also our Brigadier was killed.

The regiment retreated in confusion, but in less than ten minutes we had rallied, formed in line and were again marching forward to engage in the contest, rendered now a little more equal by the arrival of another brigade to our assistance.

*Arza Bartholomew - 21st Michigan - Sill's Brigade - Sheridan's Division
We have nothing to brag of in this battle. I think that they killed more of us than we did them. The rebels drove us in all the time until noon. . . and we were pretty whipped, but in the
afternoon we (held our own). The first fire was on our right, and before we knew it, they drove the (brigade) we were supporting (on our right). A regiment ran right through our ranks and broke us all to pieces. When we reformed. . .we were nearly surrounded. . .(so) we gave them one volley and fell back twenty rods to a fence. Every man fought on his own hook to the best advantage until they drove'us into a swamp. Our (unit) was nearly surrounded and cut to pieces. They fired into us from front and rear and piled up our men in heaps. … The balls were thick as. hail and shot and shells cut down trees like (scythes cutting) grain. It was awful to see trees falling and riderless horses running around. I hope never to see such a (desperate) time again.


*William Hynes - 22nd Illinois - Robert's Brigade - Sheridan's Division
We went into the fight on the 31st with 341 men (bearing guns) and stacked arms that night with only one hundred (100 guns, 33 came back in during the 3 or 4 following days). Part of these men were properly absent taking care of the wounded, but part I am ashamed to say were in a large crowd of skedadlers at one time numbering several thousands. Trying to make their way to Nashville as fast as weary limbs impelled by fear would carry them: under the impression that our army was defeated. And part of them actually did that night succeed in reaching the city a distance of 30 miles, but the majority were either turned back by our own men or captured by the rebel cavalry who were making a raid in our rear.


THE CEDARS
*D.F. Embree – 42nd Indiana Infantry – J. Beatty’s Brigade – Rousseau’s Division
When he sees the enemy ranks coming upon him undaunted, and pouring their deadly fire out toward him, making the air quiver and hiss with the rapid movement of all manner of projectiles from the keen sound of the little bullet that merrily sings on its errand of destruction like the buzzing of a fly, to the big bomb shell that goes by you like a thunder bolt, overcoming all obstacles.

I say there is no man who when the first wave of such battle as this, surges upon him, does not involuntarily, and mentally appeal to God for protection.

*Francis Carlisle – 42nd Indiana Infantry – J. Beatty’s Brigade – Rousseau ’s Division
… As we entered the thicket we ran into a large gang of wild turkeys, and Wm. T. Garrison, of my Company D caught one of these turkeys while the bullets from the the enemy’s guns were flying fast and thick about him; there were several turkeys caught thus while were forming our line of battle.

In the West side of the Cedar Thicket we engaged the enemy on their left and held them in check until about 3 p.m. when they were reinforced and we were compelled to rtreat back through thr Cedars to the Railroad where we first started in the morning.

*T.R. Miner – 84th Illinois Infantry – Grose’s Brigade
The regiment was all cut to pieces what was left I mean. John I expect is killed, is missing anyhow and we are compelled to think he is dead with 60 others of our regiment. The boys tell me the last they saw of the noble boy, he was trying to help one of the boys who fell by his side, and an officer of the 100 Illinois says while he was hunting for one of his boys that he saw a man wounded of the (84, CO B) who said had a brother in the same Co, also said his name was Miner.

I started out but had to come back for I could not walk. The rebels have the battle ground of that day in their possession and won’t let us look even for our dead.


DEFENSE OF THE NASHVILLE PIKE
*Jolb Barnard – 73rd Indiana Infantry – Harker’s Brigade – Wood’s Division
The Seventy-third stands firmly, advances promptly, loses some of her favorite men, and is compelled to fall back fro want of support, by the enemy’s superior numbers. Twenty-four of her number are killed including two captains. The glorious old flag had nine bullet holes shot through its silken folds, and all the color guards, save the color bearer himself, … were shot down.


*Jason Hurd – 19th Ohio – S. Beatty’s Brigade – Van Cleve’s Division
Confusion seemed to be the ruling element. From the woods back to the pike a quarter of a mile, and for more than a mile in length through the skirt of woods which joined the pike to the west was one living mass of men in endless disorder and gradually giving way.

… the enemy burst into view. Elated with success, they were irresistably advancing in heavy mass with a solid front, cheering and waving their flags, and puring upon us a deadly fire.

We now had them at short range. Instantaneously, we received the command to fire and one solid sheet of flame burst from our front… Instead of falling back as they expected, we brought our bayonets to a charge and with a solid front began to advance. They soon turned their backs and started on more than a double-quick.


*C.V. Lamberson – Pioneer Brigade
The Pioneer Brigade, to which I belong with Chicago Board of Trade Battery stood two days on the front without being relieved. They made three violent charges on the Battery and was terribly repulsed every time.

The last charge was made by a Texas Brigade about dusk on the 31st. Our men were lying in a thicket. We let them advance to within fifty paces. When we opened on them with musketry and canister, they left files of their dead laying in front of our lines and skedaddled.


*Montogomery McClain – 33rd Ohio Infantry – Scribner’s Brigade - Rousseau’s Division
On came the rebels. Flushed with victory, driving all before them. … Things began to look gloomy enough, rebels to the right of us, to the left of us, in front of us, and almost in the rear of us. It seemed impossible to escape.

All at once the center became a line of fire, the artillery forming a semi-circle, kept up an incessant fire, the noise of the musketry resembling a heavy windstorm. During this time we lay flat on the ground in front of our artillery while it was pouring grape and canister shot and shell just far enough above our heads to miss us and make a sad havoc of the rebels lines.



HELL’S HALF ACRE
*Chaplain A.M. Whitehead – 15th Indiana – Wagner’s Brigade
Our position was between Stone River on our left and the railroad and turnpike on our right, and directly in front of Breckenridge’s Corps. … Of my own regiment every alternate man was either killed or wounded. … Calvin Zenner of Company G received a fatal wound. I carried him back. A number of soldiers gathered around the dying comrade, and I offered a prayer for him. He talked to all of us and then said: ‘Now boys, let us all once more sing a song together.’ And he struck up the hymn, O Sing to Me of Heaven. Then he said: ‘Good-bye boys, I am going home. I am mustered out.” And he closed his eyes and ceased to breathe.
JANUARY 2, 1863

Butler, 44th Indiana - Fyffe's Brigade - Van Cleve's Division
We looked across the open plain to the ridge beyond. There was a sudden movement among the trees, the enemy was hurrying to and fro. ... Legions of rebels were forming in squads, companies and regiments, and soon came pouring down from the hill ... upon the plain, formed in column of division, ... a heavy line parallel with ours. Their batteries were wheeled in line and . .. their heavy column began the movement. ... Their muskets gleamed and shone in the clear evening sunlight, like burnished brass and polished silver. Their regimental flags. . . fluttered... in the breeze.

The enemy fired not a single gun till they got within ten or twelve rods, when they gave the 'Rebel Yell,' which was followed by volley after volley of musketry and artillery. ... The regiment to our right jumped to their feet as the rebels gave their yell, and I believe that one-half fell to the ground as if cut down by a scythe. Our boys kept their places snug to the earth and none were hit that I saw, but the storm that passed over us was like hail from a heavy black cloud or more like the rushing through the air of countless swarms of mad bees. Our boys fired only a few volleys and checked this tidal wave for a few minutes when an order was given to fall back.


JANUARY 2, 1863
*Gibson, 78th Pennsylvania – Miller’s Brigade – Negley’s Division
Shells, solid shot and grape shot were flying thick, but we were comparatively safe, being protected by the crest of the hill. … General Negley rode along our lines, and being cheered by his troops., said in reply, ‘Boys, you will now have an opportunity to pay them back for what they did on Wednesday.’


*Sgt. Welch, 51st Ohio - Price's Brigade - Van Cleve's Division
(The Rebels') massed column emerged from the woods and moved forward rapidly, across the valley and up the hill on which we were situated. ... Our pickets were soon driven in, and as they took their places in the line they would say: 'Boys, they are coming, the woods are full of them.' We were ordered to lie down flat on the ground, so that the enemy's volley would pass over our heads. Lieutenant Colonel McClain passed quietly along the line, telling us to hold our fire until we were sure that we could make every shot tell. 'Don't rise,' said he, 'until you can see their hats as they come over the hill and then rise and fire.' On came the enemy in steady massed column. When their first line was almost to the top of the hill they raised the rebel yell, which they always made in an attack. All at once their hats were seen. They were then within twenty yards of us. Suddenly we arose and fired a volley simultaneously with a volley from their front line. Twenty-one of the Fifty-First fell dead and twenty-one fell mortally wounded in this one volley. ... Thirty dead Confederates were found by the line of the regiment where we were attacked, when we returned an hour later. When the sudden shock of this double volley was over, it seemed to me that both lines. . . were annihilated, and before I had time to notice who had fallen their second line came over the ridge.

Running as fast as possible and arriving at our second line of battIe ... I fell in with our second line and fired several rounds, but the enemy came down through the woods line after line.


*Linton, 21st Ohio - Miller's Brigade - Negley's Division
Van Cleve’s division. . . came across the river in our left front, at a ford prepared for artillery, in great disorder. All mixed up, infantry and artillery all coming, led horses with riders and horses with harness but no riders. Wounded men being crushed by the artillery wheels. Men with a foot fastened in the harness and many with their heads dragging. A great mob, pushed to their utmost by the victorious foe, who were pouring a deadly fire into them. I noticed that the horses would never hurt a prostrated man. In getting over him, they would clear him at a bound, but the wheels crushed many a poor fellow beneath their great weight. As we laid here, the enemy had an enfilading fire the whole length of the 21st and all we could do was hug the ground and take it. Wait we must, for the defeated troops to pass, and they must pass the whole length of our line. Shells were striking all around us, bullets whistling every where and comrades hit on our right and on our left. ... Is it any wonder that some talked of running, even to saying, 'I'll run if you will.' A few did go. But there was one man, Sargt. Mike Rice, who did more to hold the boys in line at this time, than all the officers we had, and he did it with a very few words. 'We can check them and anyone who runs now is a d-m coward. Get this, all hug the ground the harder and keep quiet!

*Gibson, 78th Pennsylvania – Miller’s Brigade – Negley’s Division
We captured a battery of four guns, two of them being secured by our regiment. We captured, also the colors of the 26th Tennessee Infantry. The captured flag was seized, I believe, at the same time by Private Davis of Company 1 and Private Hughes of Company B. The picture. . . entitled' The Charge of the 78th Regiment' ... appeared just after the battle in Frank Leslie's Magazine. The boy who is represented astride one of the captured guns was James Thorne, a lad of about sixteen years old, a member of Company A and a native of Tennessee. As he sat on the captured cannon and patted it lovingly, he called out to the commander of his company, 'Here it is, Captain.'