The rebel forces under Bragg were also divided into three corps, commanded respectively by Generals Hardee, Polk and E. Kirby Smith. In addition General Bragg had two cavalry brigades, under command of General Forrest and General Morgan; each of these brigades contained five thousand men.
The moment for attack had come, in the judgment of General Rosecrans. The rebel cavalry force had been sent north, on a raid, in consequence of incorrect information received by Bragg, concerning the movements of Rosecrans.
General McCook received orders to advance upon General Hardee, who occupied a position on the Nolensville road. General Thomas was ordered to the Franklin road, so as to threaten Hardee’s flank; and, by a crossroad, to form a junction with McCook. And General Crittenden was ordered to advance on the Murfreesboro’ road, as far as Lavergne. These movements being carried out caused the retreat of Hardee toward Murfreesboro’. Encountering considerable opposition from the rebels, and being compelled to feel their way over a totally unknown and wooded country, the National force had all crossed over to the Murfreesboro’ road.
On the night of Tuesday, the 30th of December, General Rosecrans had his line formed. The relative positions of the armies were then as follows:
The rebels were intrenched in a thick wood about two miles in front of Murfreesboro’; their lines extending along both sides of a stream, the right under command of General Polk, the left commanded by General Hardee, and the centre by General Smith.
The line of battle of the National troops was drawn up directly opposite that of the rebels, with General Crittenden holding the left, which rested on Stone River; General McCook the right, and General Thomas the centre.
While General Rosecrans was deciding the method of attack, and explaining it to his corps commanders, the rebel General had decided to take the aggressive.
The rebel attack was cleverly managed. Without any demonstration, the enemy suddenly emerged from the woods in which they had been concealed, at about seven o’clock on the morning of the 31st of December, and steadily and noiselessly advanced toward the National line. The troops had fallen in line on the first news of the enemy’s approach, and quietly awaited their coming; but notwithstanding this, however, the unexpected nature of the attack threw the Union troops into confusion, in a very short time the infantry breaking and retreating without a single shot. There was much brave but fruitless fighting. The dense masses of the enemy bore down upon the enfeebled National line, and were bravely met; but continued resistance was impossible. A large part of McCook’s ammunition and subsistence trains were captured by the enemy. The day was plainly against the Federals; and, for the time, it might have been said that General Rosecrans was defeated even before his attack had begun. Unless the battle-field was at once given up to the rebels, it became evident that a complete and immediate change of plan was essential to the maintenance of even a show of resistance to the enemy. General McCook’s army was almost broken up; and upon the centre the firing only increased in fury.
General Rosecrans, with the energy, bravery, and promptness that ever characterized him, saw the danger of defeat, and instantly determined on a means of retrieving his fortunes. Having sent his staff along the lines, he dashed right into the furious fire upon the centre, and sent forward Beatty’s brigade. Immediately a scorching fire was opened from six batteries at once; and as a loud, prolonged cheer burst from the Union troops, it was plain that the rebels were falling back before them. This so encouraged the patriots that every man bent with renewed vigor and enthusiasm to the work before him. A large force of cavalry, which had been sent down the Murfreesboro’ road, had arrested the flying men of McCook’s division, and sent them back to their regiments. General Rosecrans continued to urge his encouraged troops forward, and the rebels fled before them for nearly a mile. The foe now prepared to fall upon the left of the Union line; and although that portion of the army had already received orders to charge upon the enemy, before the advance could be made, the rebels had meanwhile again burst upon the centre, which had begun to break. The breech was instantly filled by the gallant General Rousseau, at the head of his division, and the enemy was beaten back into the cedar thicket in their rear.
Once more the rebels fell upon the Union right, driving it back; and, as the men, fled in disorder before the attack, the sight was very discouraging: but happily no panic ensued. General Rosecrans now massed his divisions against the rebel left, crossed the river, and gave them desperate battle for the space of two hours, during which time the rebels had all the advantage of position and attack till they were at last checked by a terribly destructive fire of musketry and artillery. “The scene at this point,” says a correspondent of the day, “was magnificently terrible.” The whole battle was in full view, the enemy deploying right and left, bringing up their batteries in fine style—our own vomiting smoke and iron missiles upon them with awful fury, and our gallant fellows moving to the front with unflinching courage, and lying flat upon their faces to escape the rebel fire until the moment for action. Shell and shot fell around like rain. General Rosecrans was himself incessantly exposed. It is wonderful that he escaped. His chief-of-staff, the noble Lieutenant-Colonel Garesché, had his head taken off by a round shot, and the blood bespattered the General and some of the staff. Lieutenant Lylam Kirk, just behind him, was thrown out of his saddle by a bullet which shattered his left arm. The enemy at about six o’clock took up a position not assailable except by artillery; and being evidently exhausted by the repeated and rapid assaults, the firing on both sides gradually slackened, and ceased entirely as the darkness deepened,—the battle having continued almost without intermission for eleven hours. The losses on both sides were heavy. Major Rosengarten and Major Ward were both killed, during a cavalry charge: General Rousseau at the head of his splendid division, was wounded, after having made two bayonet charges, and fought during five hours. General Stanley and General Palmer were also wounded.