Today in History:

720 Series I Volume XX-I Serial 29 - Murfreesborough Part I

Page 720 KY., MID. AND E. TENN., N. ALA., AND SW. VA.

[CHAP. XXXII.

Just as we entered the woods, Captain [T. C.] Campbell was shot through the head and killed. Captain [J. A.] Russell was wounded through the thing, and Lieutenant [G. C.] Howard, commanding Company G, wounded severely through the upper portion of the left lung. Captain [James F.] Franklin was so severely shocked with a bomb as to cause blood to flow freely from his mouth, nose, and ears. Several of the men were wounded here. We continued to advance on the enemy, who at this time was in full retreat. We continued to follow and fire on them for a long distance through the woods, taking three cannon and several hundred prisoners, sending to the rear at one time, by my adjutant (R. A. Connally), 153, among them a lieutenant and 2 surgeons. We continued the pursuit until late in the evening, when the engagement terminated.

I went into action with 20 officers, and 8 of them were killed and wounded.

R. T. McKnight, who was first lieutenant in Company F [E] before the reorganization of the regiment, and who has remained with the regiment since, as an independent, did good service as first lieutenant of Company F, bearing himself gallantly through the whole fight.

My color-sergeant (W. M. Bland), though wounded early in the action, continued to bear the colors most gallantly through the entire day.

After the fall of Lieutenant Burford, acting lieutenant-colonel, I had to rely entirely on my adjutant (R. A. Connally) for assistance which he rendered most efficiently.

When the officers and men all did their duty so well it would be invidious to discriminate.

I went into the fight with 270 men, and lost, in killed, wounded, and missing, 76.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

JNumbers CHESTER,

Commanding Fifty-first Tennessee Regiment.

Major J. G. MARTIN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.


Numbers 199. Report of Colonel S. S. Stanton, Eighty-fourth Tennessee Infantry.

CAMP NEAR SHELBYVILLE, TENN.,

January 13, 1863.

The Eighty-fourth Tennessee Regiment, having been raised last fall and kept at McMinnville until a few days before the battle of Murfreesborough, never drew arms until Monday evening, December 29-two days before the fight. This regiment not having been drilled in the manual of arms (loading, &c.), and deeming this part of the drill as most important at that particular crisis, I drilled the regiment all day Tuesday on the field, under the enemy's shells, and likewise Wednesday morning, until the battle opened regularly, when we were ordered to move forward with General Donelson's brigade, and did so, and remained with his brigade until the aforesaid charge was made. We moved off on the left of Colonel Savage's regiment, after it had advanced to the point formerly occupied by our front line. Prior to this time my regiment had been formed to support Captain Carnes' battery, but were moved forward to the above-named point by orders from General Polk. When the balance of General Donelson's [brigade] moved or charged the


Page 720 KY., MID. AND E. TENN., N. ALA., AND SW. VA.