the army of the cumberland-第26章

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he　cedars；　Cruft　was　left　without　support　on　his　right　and　he　then　withdrew　to　the　wood；　the　enemy　following　him　closely　and　pressing　him　hard。　　While　Cruft　was　thus　engaged　on　the　front；　Palmer　found　that　the　right　and　centre　had　been　driven　from　the　first　line；　and　that　the　enemy　in　Negley's　front　was　forcing　his　way　into　the　open　ground　to　his　rear。　　He　then　changed　Grose　from　front　to　rear；　retired　his　new　left　so　as　to　bring　the　rebels　under　the　direct　fire　of　his　line；　and　opened　on　them　with　great　effect；　holding　his　ground　until　the　enemy　was　driven　back。　　Hazen　was　ordered　to　fall　back　from　the　advanced　position　he　then　held；　and　to　occupy　the　crest　of　a　low　wooded　hill　between　the　pike　and　the　railroad；　and　there　resist　the　attack。　This　was　about　eleven　o'clock；　and　all　of　Palmer's　command　was　engaged　with　the　enemyHazen　on　the　railroad；　one　or　two　detached　regiments　to　the　right；　Cruft　still　farther　to　the　right；　actively　engaged；　while　Grose　to　the　rear　was　fighting　heavy　odds。　　Grose　shortly　after　this　changed　to　the　front　again；　the　enemy　being　driven　back　from　his　rear；　and　moved　to　the　left　to　co…operate　with　Hazen。　　After　aiding　in　the　repulse　of　the　troops　that　struck　Cruft's　lines；　Hazen　with　constant　firing　maintained　his　position　on　his　left　at　the　railroad；　retiring　his　right　to　place　his　troops　behind　the　embankment　at　that　place。　　General　Palmer　had　ordered　Grose　to　co…operate　with　Hazen；　and　part　of　Grose's　troops　reporting　to　him；　they　were　placed　in　position　on　the　front。　　Here　was　held　what　was　considered　by　the　enemy　to　be　the　key　to　our　position；　known　as　the　〃Round　Forest。〃　　This　was　attacked　by　the　right　of　Donelson's　brigade；　but　the　attack　was　met　with　a　fire　that　mowed　down　half　its　number；　one　regiment　losing　207　out　of　402。　　In　another　regiment　the　loss　was　306　out　of　425。　　Polk　finding　that　his　troops　had　been　so　severely　punished　that　they　were　not　able　to　renew　the　attack　on　the　extreme　left　of　our　line；　and　that　the　new　line　on　the　right　as　formed　by　Rosecrans　resisted　every　attack；　applied　for　an　order　from　Bragg　directing　four　brigades　from　Breckenridge's　command　to　be　sent　to　him　to　drive　our　left　from　its　line；　and　especially　to　dislodge　us　from　our　position　in　the　〃Round　Forest。〃　　These　brigades　were　sent　to　him；　arriving　in　two　detachments　of　two　brigades　each。　　Adams　and　Jackson's　brigades　first　reported；　under　Breckinridge　in　person。　　Those　of　Preston　and　Palmer　reported　about　two　hours　later。　　About　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　Adams　and　Jackson's　brigades　assailed　our　left　with　determined　energy；　but　after　a　severe　contest　they　were　compelled　to　yield　and　fall　back。　　They　were　rallied　by　Breckenridge；　but　were　too　badly　cut　up　to　renew　the　attack。　　About　four　o'clock；　on　the　arrival　of　the　brigades　of　Preston　and　Palmer；　the　assault　on　the　left　was　renewed　and　again　repulsed；　when　the　enemy　withdrew　and　made　no　further　attack　upon　that　position。　　When　this　last　attack　was　made；　Rosecrans；　anxious　as　to　this　vital　point　of　his　lines；　hurried　there　with　his　staff　to　assist　in　the　repulse。　　It　was　here　that　a　shell　grazing　the　person　of　Rosecrans　carried　off　the　head　of　his　chief　of　staff；　the　lamented　Garesche。

The　new　line　formed　by　Rosecrans　to　protect　his　communication　extended　from　Hazen　on　the　Murfreesboro　pike　in　a　northwesterly　direction；　Hascall　supporting　Hazen；　Rousseau　filling　the　interval　to　the　pioneer　brigade；　Negley　in　reserve；　Van　Cleve　west　of　the　pioneer　brigade；　McCook's　corps　refused　on　his　right　and　slightly　to　the　rear　on　the　Nashville　pike；　with　the　cavalry　at　and　beyond　Overall's　Creek。　　After　the　formation　had　been　completed　later　in　the　afternoon；　with　a　wild　yell　the　enemy　debouched　from　the　cedar　thickets；　and　forming　into　line；　advanced　as　if　to　charge　once　more。　　At　once　a　terrific　fire　of　artillery　and　infantry　opened　on　them；　and　their　broken　ranks　went　back　over　the　fields　driven　in　great　confusion；　the　batteries　Rosecrans　had　placed　on　the　commanding　ground　near　the　railroad　inflicting　a　heavier　loss　on　Polk's　brigade　than　it　had　suffered　in　all　the　previous　fighting　of　the　day。　　This　attack　was　in　the　main　repulsed　by　Van　Cleve's　division；　aided　by　Harker's　brigade；　and　the　cavalry　under　General　Stanley。　　This　was　the　last　assault　on　the　right　and　centre；　and　with　the　repulse　of　Breckinridge's　command　on　the　left；　the　fighting　for　the　day　was　over；　and　on　the　field　where　death　had　reaped　such　a　heavy　harvest；　on　the　last　day　of　1862；　the　troops　slept　on　their　arms；　waiting　for　what　the　next　day　might　bring　forth。　　The　night　was　clear　and　cold。　　The　armies　maintained　their　relative　positions；　with　some　picket　firing　occurring　during　the　night。　　Rosecrans　gave　orders　that　all　the　spare　ammunition　should　be　issued；　and　it　was　found　that　there　was　enough　for　another　battle；　the　main　question　being　where　the　battle　was　to　be　fought。　　During　the　night　Rosecrans；　in　order　to　complete　the　new　formation　of　his　lines；　withdrew　the　left　from　the　advanced　position　it　occupied；　and　placed　it　in　line　some　two　hundred　and　fifty　yards　to　the　rear；　on　more　advantageous　ground；　the　extreme　left　resting　on　Stone's　River　above　the　lower　ford　and　extending　to　the　railroad。　　Late　in　the　afternoon　the　brigades　under　Colonels　Starkweather　and　Walker；　that　had　been　on　duty　in　the　rear；　arrived　at　the　front　and　were　posted　in　reserve　on　the　line　of　battle；　the　former　in　rear　of　McCook's　left；　and　Walker　in　rear　of　the　left　of　Sheridan's　division　near　the　Murfreesboro　pike。　　On　the　morning　of　the　1st　they　were　placed　in　the　front　line；　relieving　Van　Cleve；　who　then　returned　to　his　position　on　the　left。

The　extent　of　the　disaster　on　the　right　was　appalling　and　seemed　at　one　time　about　to　envelop　the　entire　army。　　As　the　storm　of　battle　passed　down　the　line　it　reached　Thomas；　who　cool；　calm；　and　self…sustained；　stood　the　test　of　one　of　the　fiercest　contests　of　the　war。　　It　was　to　him　that　Rosecrans　first　turned　in　the　hour　of　disaster　and　in　him　he　trusted　most。　　The　commander　of　the　army；　too；　was　sorely　tried。　　He　had　come　to　win　victory；　but　in　place　of　it　defeat　seemed　almost　inevitable。　　Reforming　his　lines　and　bravely　fighting；　he　had　hurled　back　Bragg's　army　before　it　had　achieved　any　decisive　success。　　Rosecrans　knew　that　his　losses　had　been　extremely　heavy；　but　those　of　the　enemy　had　been　still　more　severe。　　He　felt　that　on　a　question　of　endurance　his　army　would　come　out　first；　although　the　dash　and　onset　of　the　rebels　had　at　the　opening　been　able　to　sweep　all　before　them。　　In　the　face　of　an　earnest　effort　on　the　part　of　some　of　his　general　officers　to　persuade　him　to　fall　back　to　Nashville　and　then　throw　up　works　and　wait　for　reinforcements；　Rosecrans　determined　to　await　the　attack　of　the　enemy　in　the　positions　of　his　lines　late　Wednesday　afternoon。　He　sent　for　the　provision　trains；　ordered　up　fresh　supplies　of　ammunition；　and　decided　that　if　Bragg　should　not　attack　before　these　arrived；　that　he　himself　would　then　resume　offensive　operations。

During　the　morning　of　January　1；　1863；　the　rebels　made　repeated　attempts　to　advance　on　Thomas's　front　in　the　centre；　but　were　driven　back　before　emerging　from　the　woods。　　Crittenden　was　ordered　to　send　Van　Cleve's　division　across　the　river；　to　occupy　the　position　opposite　the　ford　on　his　left；　his　right　resting　on　high　ground　near　the　river　and　his　left　thrown　forward　perpendicular　to　it。　The　rebel　right；　under　Polk；　kept　up　a　brisk　skirmish　fire　on　their　front。　　Chalmer's　brigade　was　ordered　to　occupy　the　ground　in　front　of　the　〃Round　Forest。〃　　Bragg；　anticipating　an　attack　on　his　right　under　Breckinridge　on　the　morning　of　the　1st；　during　the　night　ordered　two　brigades　of　that　division　to　recross　to　the　east　side　of　the　river。　　But　none　was　made。　　About　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　the　enemy　showed　signs　of　movement；　by　massing　large　numbers　of　his　troops　on　our　right　at　the　extremity　of　an　open　field　a　mile　and　a　half　from　the　Murfreesboro　pike。　　Here　the　rebels　formed　in　lines　six　deep；　and　passed　thus　heavily；　remained　without　advancing　for　over　an　hour。　　Gibson's　brigade　and　battery　occupied　the　woods　near　Overall's　creek；　while　Negley's　was　placed　as　support　on　McCook's　right。　　The　evident　design　of　Bragg　during　the　d