the army of the cumberland-第13章

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the　Cumberland；　embracing　that　portion　of　the　State　of　Tennessee　lying　east　of　the　Tennessee　River；　and　such　portion　of　Georgia　and　Alabama　as　should　be　occupied　by　the　Federal　troops。　　The　troops　in　the　field　were　designated　in　the　same　order　as　the　〃Fourteenth　Army　Corps。〃

General　Rosecrans　assumed　command　on　October　30th　at　Louisville。　On　November　2d　he　arrived　at　Bowling　Green；　and　on　the　7th　he　announced；　in　General　Orders；　the　division　of　his　army　organization　into　〃the　Right　Wing；〃　〃the　Centre；〃　and　〃the　Left　Wing；〃　under　the　command　respectively　of　McCook；　Thomas；　and　Crittenden；　with　five　divisions　in　the　centre　and　three　in　each　wing。　　He　instructed　Thomas　to　advance　Fry　and　Dumont's　divisions　to　Gallatin；　and　to　push　rapidly　forward　the　repairs　of　the　railroad　to　Nashville。

Up　to　this　time　the　movements　of　Bragg's　army　remained　undeveloped；　and　no　disposition　of　the　Federal　forces　could　be　safely　made　without　the　knowledge　of　what　Bragg's　plan　of　operation　would　be。　That　he　would　ultimately　attempt　the　capture　of　Nashville　or　force　a　battle　for　it　there　could　be　but　little　doubt。　　Not　to　fight　for　Nashville　was　the　abandonment　of　Tennessee。　　Kentucky　surrendered　without　a　blow　produced　such　demoralization　in　Bragg's　command　that　to　have　given　up　Tennessee　without　a　struggle　would　have　either　compelled　a　change　in　the　commanding　officer　of　that　army　or　a　disbandment　of　it；　so　far　as　the　Kentucky　and　Tennessee　troops　were　concerned。

General　Halleck's　brilliant　paper　campaign　into　East　Tennessee　again　was　produced　and　aired　with　a　show　of　the　most　profound　wisdom；　based　on　the　extreme　ignorance　of　the　situation　and　surroundings。　Buell's　forethought　in　concentrating　the　army　within　supporting　distance　of　Nashville　became　apparent　on　the　appearance　of　the　advance　of　Bragg's　army　at　Murfreesboro；　reinforcing　Breckinridge's　command；　which　had　been　left　in　Tennessee　to　enforce　the　〃blockade　of　Nashville。〃　　This　was　another　grievance　the　Kentucky　troops　had　against　Bragg。　　All　the　Kentucky　infantry　troops　under　Bragg　were　in　Breckenridge's　command；　and　they　were　exceedingly　anxious　to　return　to　the　State　with　Bragg's　army　to　visit　their　friends　and　relatives　and　aid　in　recruiting　that　army。　　Bragg's　distrust　of　these　troops　was　such　that　he　refused　to　allow　them　this　privilege；　and　his　action　in　holding　them　in　Tennessee；　just　out　of　Kentucky；　did　not　materially　increase　his　popularity　with　them。　　Breckinridge　had　established　his　headquarters　at　Murfreesboro　and　assumed　chief　command；　with　about　ten　thousand　troops　under　him；　over　one…third　of　which　were　cavalry　under　Wheeler　and　Forrest。　　With　this　force　Breckinridge　endeavored　to　enforce　the　siege　of　Nashville；　using　his　cavalry　to　prevent　the　gathering　of　forage　and　supplies　by　our　troops　from　the　surrounding　country。　　These　foraging　parties　were　constantly　sent　out；　going　as　far　at　times　as　ten　miles　on　these　expeditions。　　The　main　deprivation　the　garrison　suffered　during　the　six　weeks　of　the　siege　was　in　having　nearly　all　communication　cut　off　from　their　friends　in　the　North；　and　while　they　received　nothing；　they　embraced　every　opportunity　of　sending　letters　by　citizens　returning　north。　　The　garrison　was　not　willing　to　remain　entirely　on　the　defensive。　　Besides　the　numerous　raiding　parties　sent　out　for　forage　which　were　uniformly　successful；　on　the　night　of　the　6th　of　October；　Negley　sent　Palmer　with　some　twenty…eight　hundred　troops　to　attack　General　S。　R。　Anderson；　who　had　established　his　camp　at　Lavergne　with　some　three　thousand　men；　principally　new　recruits。　　Palmer　with　the　artillery　and　about　four　hundred　infantry　to　support　it；　moved　directly　on　Lavergne；　some　fifteen　miles　from　Nashville；　while　Colonel　John　F。　Miller　with　about　twenty…four　hundred　men　in　his　command　moved　on　the　road　to　the　right　to　make　the　attack　on　the　rear　of　the　enemy。　　Miller　marched　his　command　during　the　night；　captured　the　enemy's　pickets　at　daylight　and　moved　on　the　encampment。　　Palmer　opened　with　artillery　as　soon　as　he　heard　Miller's　musketry　firing　and　the　latter；　pushing　his　troops　rapidly　forward；　after　an　engagement　lasting　half　an　hour；　had　the　enemy　in　full　retreat　on　the　road　to　Murfreesboro　with　a　loss　of　80　killed　and　wounded　and　175　prisoners。　　He　also　captured　three　pieces　of　artillery；　and　the　regimental　colors　of　the　Thirty…second　Alabama。　　Palmer's　command　then　returned　to　Nashville。

During　the　siege　of　Nashville　skirmishing　between　our　pickets　and　the　scouting　parties　of　the　enemy　was　constantly　occurring；　and　the　garrison　of　Nashville　was　indebted　for　its　safety　to　the　services　of　Lieutenant…Colonel　Von　Schrader　of　the　Seventy…fourth　Ohio；　Inspector　of　Negley's　division；　as　much　as　any　one　thing。　　Von　Schrader　was　an　educated　Prussian　officer　and　a　thorough　soldier。　He　established　a　system　of　pickets；　strongly　posted；　with　block　houses　for　their　protection；　and　then　gave　his　personal　attention　to　it　that　the　pickets　performed　their　entire　duty。　　There　was　no　determined　assault　on　the　place　at　any　time　during　the　siege。　　The　only　appearance　of　an　attack　in　force　was　on　the　6th　of　November；　by　a　body　of　some　eight　thousand　troops；　equally　divided　between　cavalry　and　infantry；　under　General　Roger　Hanson。　　Forrest；　knowing　that　the　Federal　force　at　Nashville　was　not　a　very　strong　one　and　that　by　the　pursuit　of　Bragg　by　Buell's　army；　Nashville　was　completely　cut　off　from　any　immediate　support　or　relief；　obtained　General　Breckinridge's　permission　to　make　an　attack　with　his　cavalry；　numbering　over　four　thousand　men；　in　concert　with　the　infantry　under　Hanson；　numbering　a　little　less　than　Forrest's　command。　　The　enemy's　cavalry　moved　in　columns　on　the　Charlotte；　Franklin；　and　Nolinsville　turnpikes　from　the　south；　while　Forrest　in　person　with　1；000　cavalry　and　Hanson's　infantry；　pushed　rapidly　forward　on　the　Murfreesboro　pike；　arriving　at　the　Lunatic　Asylum；　six　miles　from　Nashville；　by　daylight。　　Our　pickets　and　cavalry　were　driven　in；　and　Hanson　was　in　readiness　to　make　the　attack　with　the　infantry　when　a　peremptory　order　from　Breckinridge　was　received；　directing　further　operations　to　cease；　under　express　orders　from　Bragg。　After　skirmishing　with　his　cavalry　around　the　city　at　the　different　outposts；　Forrest　withdrew；　greatly　incensed　at　being　ordered　to　desist　from　the　attack　when　confident　of　success。

Bragg　in　leaving　a　large　number　of　men　in　middle　Tennessee　merely　to　watch　the　post　of　Nashvillethus　crippling　his　army　to　that　extentcommitted　a　great　mistake。　　He　needed　every　available　man　in　his　army　to　make　the　Kentucky　campaign　a　success。　　With　these　10；000　troops；　if　Buell　had　left　Negley's　and　Paine's　divisions　as　garrisons　at　Nashville；　Bragg's　force　would　have　outnumbered　Buell's　command　before　he　reached　Louisville　three　to　two。　　With　the　defeat　of　Buell；　Nashville　would　have　been　worse　than　worthless；　proving　an　incumbrance　instead　of　a　benefit。　　On　the　other　hand；　with　Bragg　driven　out　of　Kentucky；　and　opening　the　struggle　for　that　State　in　Tennessee；　the　possession　of　Nashville　as　a　second　base　of　supplies　for　our　army　was　an　absolute　necessity。　　Bragg；　however；　was　correct　in　refusing　to　allow　the　place　to　be　attacked　by　Forrest；　for　even　in　the　event　of　success　the　non…combatants　and　sympathizing　friends　of　the　South　would　have　suffered　in　person　and　property　to　an　extent　far　beyond　what　the　temporary　occupation　of　the　city　by　the　Southern　forces　would　have　compensated。

Nashville　was　re…enforced　by　the　arrival　of　the　advance　of　the　army　concentrating　there　on　the　17th　of　November；　and　a　few　days　after　Rosecrans　arrived　and　established　his　headquarters　in　that　city。　The　first　thing　that　demanded　the　attention　of　the　new　commander　was　that　which　had　given　the　most　serious　trouble　to　General　Buell；　viz。：　　the　safety　of　his　communications　in　the　rear　to　his　base　of　supplies。　　The　repair　to　the　tunnel　just　south　of　Mitchelville　occupied　a　large　force　several　weeks　to　complete。　　During　this　time　all　supplies　for　troops　at　Nashville　were　with　the　greatest　labor　hauled　fifty…five　miles　by　wagon　train。　　The　railroad　from　Louisville　to　Nashville　was　re…opened　on　the　26th　of　November；　and　for　one　month　every　effort　was　made　to　forward　supplies；　so　the　troops　could　have　new　clothing　issued　to　them；　and　that　they　could　be　provided　with　ammunition。　　The　depots　at　Nashville　were　filled　with　needful　supplies　to　provide　against　the　interruption　of　communication　arising　from　raids　on　the　railroad　by　rebel　cavalry。　　Since　the　middle　of　November　Bragg　had　been　concentrating　his　forces　at　Murfreesboro；　and　anticipating　that　the　Federal　forces　would　go　into　winter　quarters　at　Nashville；　had　placed　his　troops　in　quarters　for　the　winter　in　the　vicinity　of　the　former　place。　　He　had　sent　nearly　all　of　his　cavalry　to　raid　on　the　lines　of　the　Federal　communicationMorgan　into　Kentucky　and　Wheeler　into　West　Tennessee。　　With　this　knowledge；　Rosecrans；　on　the　26th　of　December；　ordered　his　army　to　move　out　of　Nashville　to　attack　the　enemy　on　his　front。

While　the　army　was　being　refitted　at　Nashville；　Morgan's　cavalry　was　raiding　the　surrounding　country。　　On　the　7th　Morgan's　command　captured　the　Ninety…ninth　Brigade　under　Colonel　A。　B。　Moore；　at　Hartsville；　where　he　had　been　posted　by　Thomas　to　guard　the　ford　of　the　Cumberland　River；　and　to　watch　the　enemy　on　the　Lebanon　road。　The　brigade　consisted　of　three　infantry　regiments；　a　battalion　of　cavalry；　and　a　section　of　artillery；　making　a　force　of　about　two　thousand　effective　men。　　The　command　was　badly　posted；　and　the　commanding　officers　of　the　infantry　regiments　failed　to　cooperate；　or　to　obey　orders。　　It　was；　in　the　main；　a　repetition　of　the　disgraceful　affair　at　Murfreesboro；　when　Forrest　captured　that　place　during　the　previous　summer。　　Moore　was　surprised　in　his　camp　early　in　the　morning。　　No　warning　was　given　by　the　pickets；　and　before　any　disposition　could　be　made　of　the　troops；　Morgan's　men　were　upon　them。　　Morgan's　command　consisted　of　his　cavalry；　and　two　regiments　of　infantry。　　Moore　threw　out　a　skirmish　line　to　resist　the　advance　of　Morgan's　infantry　and　dismounted　cavalry　in　line。　The　rebels　pressed　steadily　forward　to　a　ravine　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　on　which　Moore　had　formed　his　line；　and　under　shelter　of　this　poured　such　a　destructive　fire　upon　the　Federal　troops；　that　he　ordered　a　new　line　to　be　formed　in　the　rear。　In　this　movement　the　whole　line　was　thrown　into　confusion；　and　being　attacked　on　their　right　and　rear　by　the　rebel　cavalry；　who　had；　up　to　this　time　not　been　engaged；　Moore's　command　was　crowded　one　on　the　other　into　a　narrow　space　where　the　fire　of　the　enemy　proved　terribly　effective。　Moore's　troops　being　unable　to　return　the　fire；　and　he　not　being　able　to　make　another　disposition　of　them；　the　white　flag　was　raised；　and　the　entire　command　surrendered。　　Colonel　Tafel；　in　command　of　the　One　Hundred　and　Sixth　Ohio；　becoming　separated　from　the　other　troops；　made　some　further　resistance；　but；　being　overpowered；　he　also　surrendered。　　The　contest　only　lasted　a　little　over　an　hour。　Moore's　loss　was　150　killed　and　wounded；　his　entire　command　captured；　with　all　army　and　camp　equipment；　trains；　and　two　pieces　of　artillery。　　Morgan's　loss　was　125　killed　and　wounded。

General　D。　S。　Stanley；　on　reporting　to　Rosecrans　from　the　Army