the army of the cumberland-第16节

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eir　friends　in　the　North；　and　while　they　received　nothing；　they　embraced　every　opportunity　of　sending　letters　by　citizens　returning　north。　　The　garrison　was　not　willing　to　remain　entirely　on　the　defensive。　　Besides　the　numerous　raiding　parties　sent　out　for　forage　which　were　uniformly　successful；　on　the　night　of　the　6th　of　October；　Negley　sent　Palmer　with　some　twenty…eight　hundred　troops　to　attack　General　S。　R。　Anderson；　who　had　established　his　camp　at　Lavergne　with　some　three　thousand　men；　principally　new　recruits。　　Palmer　with　the　artillery　and　about　four　hundred　infantry　to　support　it；　moved　directly　on　Lavergne；　some　fifteen　miles　from　Nashville；　while　Colonel　John　F。　Miller　with　about　twenty…four　hundred　men　in　his　command　moved　on　the　road　to　the　right　to　make　the　attack　on　the　rear　of　the　enemy。　　Miller　marched　his　command　during　the　night；　captured　the　enemy's　pickets　at　daylight　and　moved　on　the　encampment。　　Palmer　opened　with　artillery　as　soon　as　he　heard　Miller's　musketry　firing　and　the　latter；　pushing　his　troops　rapidly　forward；　after　an　engagement　lasting　half　an　hour；　had　the　enemy　in　full　retreat　on　the　road　to　Murfreesboro　with　a　loss　of　80　killed　and　wounded　and　175　prisoners。　　He　also　captured　three　pieces　of　artillery；　and　the　regimental　colors　of　the　Thirty…second　Alabama。　　Palmer's　command　then　returned　to　Nashville。

During　the　siege　of　Nashville　skirmishing　between　our　pickets　and　the　scouting　parties　of　the　enemy　was　constantly　occurring；　and　the　garrison　of　Nashville　was　indebted　for　its　safety　to　the　services　of　Lieutenant…Colonel　Von　Schrader　of　the　Seventy…fourth　Ohio；　Inspector　of　Negley's　division；　as　much　as　any　one　thing。　　Von　Schrader　was　an　educated　Prussian　officer　and　a　thorough　soldier。　He　established　a　system　of　pickets；　strongly　posted；　with　block　houses　for　their　protection；　and　then　gave　his　personal　attention　to　it　that　the　pickets　performed　their　entire　duty。　　There　was　no　determined　assault　on　the　place　at　any　time　during　the　siege。　　The　only　appearance　of　an　attack　in　force　was　on　the　6th　of　November；　by　a　body　of　some　eight　thousand　troops；　equally　divided　between　cavalry　and　infantry；　under　General　Roger　Hanson。　　Forrest；　knowing　that　the　Federal　force　at　Nashville　was　not　a　very　strong　one　and　that　by　the　pursuit　of　Bragg　by　Buell's　army；　Nashville　was　completely　cut　off　from　any　immediate　support　or　relief；　obtained　General　Breckinridge's　permission　to　make　an　attack　with　his　cavalry；　numbering　over　four　thousand　men；　in　concert　with　the　infantry　under　Hanson；　numbering　a　little　less　than　Forrest's　command。　　The　enemy's　cavalry　moved　in　columns　on　the　Charlotte；　Franklin；　and　Nolinsville　turnpikes　from　the　south；　while　Forrest　in　person　with　1；000　cavalry　and　Hanson's　infantry；　pushed　rapidly　forward　on　the　Murfreesboro　pike；　arriving　at　the　Lunatic　Asylum；　six　miles　from　Nashville；　by　daylight。　　Our　pickets　and　cavalry　were　driven　in；　and　Hanson　was　in　readiness　to　make　the　attack　with　the　infantry　when　a　peremptory　order　from　Breckinridge　was　received；　directing　further　operations　to　cease；　under　express　orders　from　Bragg。　After　skirmishing　with　his　cavalry　around　the　city　at　the　different　outposts；　Forrest　withdrew；　greatly　incensed　at　being　ordered　to　desist　from　the　attack　when　confident　of　success。

Bragg　in　leaving　a　large　number　of　men　in　middle　Tennessee　merely　to　watch　the　post　of　Nashvillethus　crippling　his　army　to　that　extentcommitted　a　great　mistake。　　He　needed　every　available　man　in　his　army　to　make　the　Kentucky　campaign　a　success。　　With　these　10；000　troops；　if　Buell　had　left　Negley's　and　Paine's　divisions　as　garrisons　at　Nashville；　Bragg's　force　would　have　outnumbered　Buell's　command　before　he　reached　Louisville　three　to　two。　　With　the　defeat　of　Buell；　Nashville　would　have　been　worse　than　worthless；　proving　an　incumbrance　instead　of　a　benefit。　　On　the　other　hand；　with　Bragg　driven　out　of　Kentucky；　and　opening　the　struggle　for　that　State　in　Tennessee；　the　possession　of　Nashville　as　a　second　base　of　supplies　for　our　army　was　an　absolute　necessity。　　Bragg；　however；　was　correct　in　refusing　to　allow　the　place　to　be　attacked　by　Forrest；　for　even　in　the　event　of　success　the　non…combatants　and　sympathizing　friends　of　the　South　would　have　suffered　in　person　and　property　to　an　extent　far　beyond　what　the　temporary　occupation　of　the　city　by　the　Southern　forces　would　have　compensated。

Nashville　was　re…enforced　by　the　arrival　of　the　advance　of　the　army　concentrating　there　on　the　17th　of　November；　and　a　few　days　after　Rosecrans　arrived　and　established　his　headquarters　in　that　city。　The　first　thing　that　demanded　the　attention　of　the　new　commander　was　that　which　had　given　the　most　serious　trouble　to　General　Buell；　viz。：　　the　safety　of　his　communications　in　the　rear　to　his　base　of　supplies。　　The　repair　to　the　tunnel　just　south　of　Mitchelville　occupied　a　large　force　several　weeks　to　complete。　　During　this　time　all　supplies　for　troops　at　Nashville　were　with　the　greatest　labor　hauled　fifty…five　miles　by　wagon　train。　　The　railroad　from　Louisville　to　Nashville　was　re…opened　on　the　26th　of　November；　and　for　one　month　every　effort　was　made　to　forward　supplies；　so　the　troops　could　have　new　clothing　issued　to　them；　and　that　they　could　be　provided　with　ammunition。　　The　depots　at　Nashville　were　filled　with　needful　supplies　to　provide　against　the　interruption　of　communication　arising　from　raids　on　the　railroad　by　rebel　cavalry。　　Since　the　middle　of　November　Bragg　had　been　concentrating　his　forces　at　Murfreesboro；　and　anticipating　that　the　Federal　forces　would　go　into　winter　quarters　at　Nashville；　had　placed　his　troops　in　quarters　for　the　winter　in　the　vicinity　of　the　former　place。　　He　had　sent　nearly　all　of　his　cavalry　to　raid　on　the　lines　of　the　Federal　communicationMorgan　into　Kentucky　and　Wheeler　into　West　Tennessee。　　With　this　knowledge；　Rosecrans；　on　the　26th　of　December；　ordered　his　army　to　move　out　of　Nashville　to　attack　the　enemy　on　his　front。

While　the　army　was　being　refitted　at　Nashville；　Morgan's　cavalry　was　raiding　the　surrounding　country。　　On　the　7th　Morgan's　command　captured　the　Ninety…ninth　Brigade　under　Colonel　A。　B。　Moore；　at　Hartsville；　where　he　had　been　posted　by　Thomas　to　guard　the　ford　of　the　Cumberland　River；　and　to　watch　the　enemy　on　the　Lebanon　road。　The　brigade　consisted　of　three　infantry　regiments；　a　battalion　of　cavalry；　and　a　section　of　artillery；　making　a　force　of　about　two　thousand　effective　men。　　The　command　was　badly　posted；　and　the　commanding　officers　of　the　infantry　regiments　failed　to　cooperate；　or　to　obey　orders。　　It　was；　in　the　main；　a　repetition　of　the　disgraceful　affair　at　Murfreesboro；　when　Forrest　captured　that　place　during　the　previous　summer。　　Moore　was　surprised　in　his　camp　early　in　the　morning。　　No　warning　was　given　by　the　pickets；　and　before　any　disposition　could　be　made　of　the　troops；　Morgan's　men　were　upon　them。　　Morgan's　command　consisted　of　his　cavalry；　and　two　regiments　of　infantry。　　Moore　threw　out　a　skirmish　line　to　resist　the　advance　of　Morgan's　infantry　and　dismounted　cavalry　in　line。　The　rebels　pressed　steadily　forward　to　a　ravine　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　on　which　Moore　had　formed　his　line；　and　under　shelter　of　this　poured　such　a　destructive　fire　upon　the　Federal　troops；　that　he　ordered　a　new　line　to　be　formed　in　the　rear。　In　this　movement　the　whole　line　was　thrown　into　confusion；　and　being　attacked　on　their　right　and　rear　by　the　rebel　cavalry；　who　had；　up　to　this　time　not　been　engaged；　Moore's　command　was　crowded　one　on　the　other　into　a　narrow　space　where　the　fire　of　the　enemy　proved　terribly　effective。　Moore's　troops　being　unable　to　return　the　fire；　and　he　not　being　able　to　make　another　disposition　of　them；　the　white　flag　was　raised；　and　the　entire　command　surrendered。　　Colonel　Tafel；　in　command　of　the　One　Hundred　and　Sixth　Ohio；　becoming　separated　from　the　other　troops；　made　some　further　resistance；　but；　being　overpowered；　he　also　surrendered。　　The　contest　only　lasted　a　little　over　an　hour。　Moore's　loss　was　150　killed　and　wounded；　his　entire　command　captured；　with　all　army　and　camp　equipment；　trains；　and　two　pieces　of　artillery。　　Morgan's　loss　was　125　killed　and　wounded。

General　D。　S。　Stanley；　on　reporting　to　Rosecrans　from　the　Army　of　the　Tennessee；　had　been　assigned　to　the　position　of　Chief　of　Cavalry　to　the　Commanding　General。　　On　the　12th　he　attacked　and　drove　the　enemy　out　of　the　town　of　Franklin；　killing　five　and　capturing　twelve　men；　with　a　large　number　of　horses　and　stores。　　He　destroyed　the　mills　at　that　place；　with　a　great　quantity　of　valuable　property。

After　the　capture　of　Hartsville　by　Morgan；　his　services　were　recognized　by　his　superiors　to　the　extent　that　Mr。　Davis；　who　was　on　a　visit　to　Murfreesboro　shortly　after　this　engagement；　signed　and　handed　him　his　commission　as　Brigadier…General。　　General　Hardee　urged　that　the　appointment　be　made　as　Major…General；　but　this　was　refused。　　Morgan's　command　had　increased　so　that　it　was　unwieldy　as　one　body；　and　he　decided　to　form　it　into　two　brigades。　　His　command　consisted　now　of　seven　regiments；an　aggregate　force　of　over　four　thousand　men。　　This　he　divided；　placing　three　regiments　under　Colonel　Basil　W。　Duke；　in　the　first　brigade；　with　a　battery　of　four　guns。　　The　second　brigade