After deploying right and left, and sending out scouts, it was soon ascertained that there was no enemy lying in wait. It was now nearly dark, and we had eaten nothing during the day, except a little hard bread and cold bacon, but the word “forward” was given, and on we went. About 7 o’clock we again crossed Stone river, and here camped, or rather bivouacked, for the night. After feeding our teams, and preparing some coffee, stretched ourselves on the ground to obtain a little sleep, being pretty well tired out.
The next morning, as soon as it was light enough to see, and without having anything to eat, we again moved forward towards Murfreesboro. We had barely gone two miles when we were ordered to about face and march back. What this all meant was more than we were able to surmise. The boys remarked that we were going back to water, and which has since been a by-word, whenever a countermarch has taken place.
Once more we crossed the river, and on arriving at the cross-roads before mentioned, were ordered to camp, which we were glad to do, though it was far from being a pleasant place. This was on the 24th of July.
We remained here until the afternoon of the 25th, without anything worthy of note transpiring. At 6 o’clock P. M. we started for Murfreesboro, arriving there at 8 o’clock the same evening. We halted in front of the court-house, and after standing some two hours, were ordered to unhitch horses, but not to take off harness, and lay by for the night. We spread our blankets on the sidewalk, and, with an excellent brick sidewalk for a bed, dreamed the hours away. Early in the morning, went to our old camping ground on the hill. This was on the 27th of July.
Note.—The enemy which we expected to meet at the cross-roads near Stone river, on the night of the 23d of July, proved to be General Nelson’s command, who had returned by this road. Colonel Barnes—who, it will be recollected, was in command of our force—was unaware of this movement. The slaves had mistaken General Nelson’s force for a body of “secesh.”
CHAPTER VII.
MOVING—STILL MOVING.
On arriving at the old quarters, we found the negroes still at work on the redoubt, which they had nearly completed. The Twenty-third Kentucky were camped near us. We now supposed that we would be allowed at least a short respite after our previous three weeks’ hard marching; but in this we were mistaken. And, as the old Scotch proverb runs—
“The best laid plans of men and mice
Oft gang aglee.”