in that way explained a discrepancy which otherwise seemed to the court insurmountable. In the battle, General Rosecrans exhibited exhibited the greatest personal bravery. Colonel Garesche was killed by a cannon shot at his side, and his blood and brains were scattered over Rosecrans. He never blanched, and kept his position. I made up my mind then, that if I was about to fight a battle for the dominion of the universe, I would give Rosecrans the command of as many men as he could see and who could see him.

In the afternoon, my division was withdrawn from the position it held in the morning, and took its place in a new line of battle a few hundred yards to the rear.

On December 31st, all was quiet along our front. We heard fighting away to our right and rear, for Wheeler with his cavalry had passed our right, captured our hospital and a wagon train. He failed to do much mischief. Stanley, with our cavalry, watched him closely, and made him let go of our line of communication.

CHAPTER XIV.

Battle of Stone River continued-Military eloquence-Cripple CreekAn acquaintance-Mrs. Morgan's dress-Invitation to breakfastSkirmish with Rebel cavalry-General Garfield-Letter to Assistant Adjutant General-Political situation at the North-A prudent preacher.

On January 1, 1863, early in the day, it was apparent that the enemy intended to assail our left, which had moved to the north side of Stone river. We had observed troops moving in strong force from the enemy's left to their right. About three o'clock in the afternoon Lieutenant John E. Shaw, of my escort, climbed a tree, which enabled him to overlook the movements of the Rebel forces.

After closely observing them for a short time, he descended, and told me they were forming for an attack upon our troops on the north side of the river. We had five or six batteries on an elevated point south of the river, supported by a portion of my command, especially the 6th Kentucky Infantry. I rode rapidly to the supporting force and thrilled them with my eloquence. I said: "Now, 6th Kentucky, you have work to do; stand up to them, and you may steal for six months!" This was military eloquence, for it was spoken by a commander who was present with his men. It was surpassed only by the speech of Captain Peden, of the 36th Indiana, the day before when told by his first sergeant that "they are flanking us. "Flank you!-you cowardly and mind your business!" It was in the midst of a desperate fight, but all of us laughed, and we won the fight.

Napoleon, and some of our generals in the late civil war, indulged in lofty language, but I found in the battle of Stone river and on many other occasions, that the

most impressive words were those spoken by an officer who was present with his men in the battle. In the attack on our left the "Rebs" fought as they usually did, with great gallantry, but our guns south of the river enfiladed their lines from their left. I never saw a greater number of men and horses killed than there was upon a few acres of ground covered by the Rebel advance, on the north side of Stone river. Wounds inflicted by musketry rarely disfigure, but artillery wounds are ghastly. I saw there men and horses killed-I cannot describe the scene. We perhaps ought, after their defeat, to have followed the Rebels and driven them out of Murfreesboro, but we did not pursue them. They abandoned the town and fell back to the line of Tullahoma.

A few days afterwards my division passed through Murfreesboro, and encamped east of town, on the farm of a man named Beard, who had relatives in Carlinville, Illinois. Mr. Beard's farm was fenced with cedar rails; I did my best to save them, but I suppose that after my command left, the farm was stripped of fences. Soon after we entered Murfreesboro I was ordered to send one of my brigades to a place called "Cripple Creek." I sent Crufts' brigade to that place, and the troops found it altogether preferable to the open grounds east of Murfreesboro. The main force of the Rebels was at Tullahoma, Manchester and McMinnville, but they had advanced posts at Shelbyville, Woodbury and other points to their front.

In January, 1863, the Rebel position at Woodbury attracted the attention of the commander of the army, and I was ordered to dislodge them and drive them out of town. Cruft with his brigade was then, as I have before stated, at Cripple Creek, some eight miles from Murfreesboro, on the route to Woodbury; I therefore took with me the bulk of my division, Hazen's and Gross' brigades, leaving in camp sufficient guard and the men who were not in good condition, and moved to Cripple