cartridges　to　the　man　now；　it　charged　gallantly　and　recaptured　two
  pieces　of　artillery　which　the　Union　troops　had　had　to　abandon　at　that
  point。
  Shortly　after　we　debouched　from　the　cedars　I　was　directed　by
  Rosecrans　to　send　some　aid　to　the　right　of　General　Palmer's　division；
  and　two　of　Schaefer's　regiments；　having　obtained　ammunition；　were
  pushed　up　on　Palmer's　right；　accompanied　by　four　of　Hescock's　guns；
  but　the　advance　of　the　enemy　here　had　already　been　checked　by　Palmer；
  and　only　a　desultory　contest　ensued。　　Rosecrans；　whom　I　now　met　in
  the　open　ground　west　of　the　railroad；　behind　Palmer；　directed　that　my
  command　should　relieve　Wood's　division；　which　was　required　to　fall
  back　and　take　up　the　new　line　that　had　been　marked　out　while　I　was
  holding　on　in　the　cedars。　　His　usually　florid　face　had　lost　its　ruddy
  color；　and　his　anxious　eyes　told　that　the　disasters　of　the　morning
  were　testing　his　powers　to　the　very　verge　of　endurance；　but　he　seemed
  fully　to　comprehend　what　had　befallen　us。　　His　firmly　set　lips　and；
  the　calmness　with　which　his　instructions　were　delivered　inspired
  confidence　in　all　around　him；　and　expressing　approbation　of　what　my
  division　had　done；　while　deliberately　directing　it　to　a　new　point；　he
  renewed　in　us　all　the　hope　of　final　victory；　though　it　must　be
  admitted　that　at　this　phase　of　the　battle　the　chances　lay　largely
  with　the　enemy。
  Withdrawing　the　two　regiments　and　Hescock's　battery；　that　I　had
  posted　on　the　right　of　Palmer；　I　moved　as　directed　by　Rosecrans　into
  the　position　to　the　east　of　the　railroad；　and　formed　immediately　to
  the　right　of　Wood；　who　was　now　being　attacked　all　along　his　front；
  but　more　particularly　where　his　right　rested　near　the　railroad。
  Under　a　storm　of　shot　and　shell　that　came　in　torrents　my　troops　took
  up　the　new　ground；　advancing　through　a　clump　of　open　timber　to　Wood's
  assistance。　　Forming　in　line　in　front　of　the　timber　we　poured　a
  telling　fire　into　the　enemy's　ranks；　which　were　then　attacking　across
  some　cleared　fields；　but　when　he　discovered　additional　troops
  confronting　him；　he　gave　up　the　attempt　to　carry　Wood's　position。　　It
  was　here　that　I　lost　Schaefer；　who　was　killed　instantly；　making　my
  fourth　brigade　commander　dead　that　day。　　The　enemy　in　front　of　Wood
  having　been　checked；　our　whole　line　east　of　the　railroad　executed
  undisturbed　its　retrograde　movement　to　a　position　about　three　hundred
  yards　to　its　rear。　　When　I　fell　back　to　the　edge　of　the　clump　of
  timber；　where　when　first　coming　on　the　ground　I　had　formed　to　help
  Wood；　I　was　ordered　by　Rosecrans　to　prepare　to　make　a　charge　should
  the　enemy　again　assault　us。　　In　anticipation　of　this　work　I　massed　my
  troops　in　close　column。　　The　expected　attack　never　came；　however；　but
  the　shot　and　shell　of　a　furious　cannonade　told　with　fatal　effect　upon
  men　and　officers　as　they　lay　on　their　faces　hugging　the　ground。　　The
  torments　of　this　trying　situation　were　almost　unbearable；　but　it　was
  obvious　to　all　that　it　was　necessary　to　have　at　hand　a　compact　body
  of　troops　to　repel　any　assault　the　enemy　might　make　pending　the
  reconstruction　of　the　extreme　right　of　our　line；　and　a　silent
  determination　to　stay　seemed　to　take　hold　of　each　individual　soldier；
  nor　was　this　grim　silence　interrupted　throughout　the　cannonade；
  except　in　one　instance；　when　one　of　the　regiments　broke　out　in　a
  lusty　cheer　as　a　startled　rabbit　in　search　of　a　new　hiding…place
  safely　ran　the　whole　length　of　the　line　on　the　backs　of　the　men。
  While　my　troops　were　still　lying　here；　General　Rosecrans；　with　a　part
  of　his　staff　and　a　few　orderlies；　rode　out　on　the　rearranged　line　to
  supervise　its　formation　and　encourage　the　men；　and　in　prosecution　of
  these　objects　moved　around　the　front　of　my　column　of　attack；　within
  range　of　the　batteries　that　were　shelling　us　so　viciously。　　As　he
  passed　to　the　open　ground　on　my　left；　I　joined　him。　　The　enemy　seeing
  this　mounted　party；　turned　his　guns　upon　it；　and　his　accurate　aim　was
  soon　rewarded；　for　a　solid　shot　carried　away　the　head　of　Colonel
  Garesche；　the　chief…of…staff；　and　killed　or　wounded　two　or　three
  orderlies。　　Garesche's　appalling　death　stunned　us　all；　and　a
  momentary　expression　of　horror　spread　over　Rosecrans's　face；　but　at
  such　a　time　the　importance　of　self…control　was　vital；　and　he　pursued
  his　course　with　an　appearance　of　indifference；　which；　however；　those
  immediately　about　him　saw　was　assumed；　for　undoubtedly　he　felt　most
  deeply　the　death　of　his　friend　and　trusted　staff…officer。
  No　other　attacks　were　made　on　us　to　the　east　of　the　railroad　for　the
  rest　of　the　afternoon；　and　just　before　dark　I　was　directed　to
  withdraw　and　take　up　a　position　along　the　west　side　of　the　Nashville
  pike；　on　the　extreme　right　of　our　new　line；　where　Roberts's　brigade
  and　the　Seventy…third　and　Eighty…eighth　Illinois　had　already　been
  placed　by　McCook。　　The　day　had　cost　me　much　anxiety　and　sadness；　and
  I　was　sorely　disappointed　at　the　general　result；　though　I　could　not
  be　other　than　pleased　at　the　part　taken　by　my　command。　　The　loss　of
  my　brigade　commandersSill；　Roberts；　Schaefer；　and　Harrington…and　a
  large　number　of　regimental　and　battery　officers；　with　so　many　of
  their　men；　struck　deep　into　my　heart：　My　thinned　ranks　told　the
  woeful　tale　of　the　fierce　struggles；　indescribable　by　words；　through
  which　my　division　had　passed　since　7　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and
  this；　added　to　our　hungry　and　exhausted　condition；　was　naturally
  disheartening。　　The　men　had　been　made　veterans；　however；　by　the
  fortunes　and　misfortunes　of　the　day；　and　as　they　went　into　their　new
  places　still　confident　of　final　success；　it　was　plain　to　see　that
  they　felt　a　self…confidence　inspired　by　the　part　they　had　already
  played。
  My　headquarters　were　now　established　on　the　Nashville　pike；　about
  three　miles　and　a　half　from　Murfreesboro'；　my　division　being　aligned
  to　the　west　of　the　pike；　bowed　out　and　facing　almost　west；　Cleburn's
  division　of　the　Confederates　confronting　it。　　Davis's　division　was
  posted　on　my　right；　and　Walker's　brigade　of　Thomas's　corps；　which　had
  reported　to　me；　took　up　a　line　that　con　nected　my　left　with　Johnson's
  division。
  Late　in　the　evening　General　Rosecrans；　accompanied　by　General　McCook；
  and　several　other　officers　whose　names　I　am　now　unable　to　recall；
  rode　by　my　headquarters　on　their　way　to　the　rear　to　look　for　a　new
  line　of　battleon　Overall's　creek　it　was　saidthat　would　preserve
  our　communications　with　Nashville　and　offer　better　facilities　for
  resistance　than　the　one　we　were　now　holding。　　Considerable　time　had
  elapsed　when　they　returned　from　this　exploration　and　proceeded　to
  their　respective　commands；　without　intimating　to　me　that　anything　had
  been　determined　upon　by　the　reconnoissance；　but　a　little　later　it　was
  rumored　through　the　different　headquarters　that　while　the　party　was
  looking　for　a　new　position　it　discovered　the　enemy's　troops　moving
  toward　our　right　and　rear；　the　head　of　his　columns　being　conducted　in
  the　darkness　by　the　aid　of　torches；　and　that　no　alternative　was　left
  us　but　to　hold　the　lines　we　then　occupied。　　The　torches　had　been　seen
  unquestionably；　and　possibly　created　some　alarm　at　first　in　the　minds
  of　the　reconnoitring　party；　but　it　was　soon　ascertained　that　the
  lights　came　from　a　battalion　of　the　Fourth　regular　cavalry　that　was
  picketing　our　flank　and　happened　to　be　starting　its　bivouac　fires　at
  the　moment。　　The　fires　and　the　supposed　movements　had　no　weight；
  therefore；　in　deciding　the　proposition　to　take　up　a　line　at　Overall's
  creek；　but　General　Rosecrans；　fortunately　for　the　army；　decided　to
  remain　where　he　was。　　Doubtless　reflections　during　his　ride　caused
  him　to　realize　that　the　enemy　must　be　quite　as　much　crippled　as
  himself。　　If　it　had　been　decided　to　fall　back　to　Overall's　creek；　we
  could　have　withdrawn　without　much　difficulty　very　likely；　but　such　a
  retrograde　movement　would　have　left　to　the　enemy　the　entire　battle…
  field　of　Stone　River　and　ultimately　compelled　our　retreat　to
  Nashville。
  In　the　night　of　December　3rd　several　slight　demonstrations　were　made
  on　my　front；　but　from　the　darkness　neither　party　felt　the　effect　of
  the　other's　fire；　and　when　daylight　came　again　the　skirmishers　and
  lines　of　battle　were　in　about　the　same　position　they　had　taken　up　the
  evening　before。　　Soon　after　daybreak　it　became　evident　that　the
  conflict　was　to　be　renewed；　and　a　little　later　the　enemy　resumed　the
  offensive　by　an　attack　along　my　left　front；　especially　on　Walker's
  brigade。　　His　attempt　was　ineffectual；　however；　and　so　easily
  repulsed　as　to　demonstrate　that　the　desperate　character　of　his
  assaults　the　day　before　had　nearly　exhausted　his　strength。　　About　3
  o'clock　in　the　afternoon　he　made　another　feeble　charge　on　my　front；
  but　our　fire　from　the　barricades　and　rifle…pits　soon　demoralized　his
  advancing　lines；　which　fell　back　in　some　confusion；　thus　enabling　us
  to　pick　up　about　a　hundred　prisoners。　　From　this　time　till　the
  evening　of　January　3　Br