the army of the cumberland-第19节

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ound　that　had　been　won　from　the　enemy　and　remained　in　line　of　battle　during　the　night。

The　〃Left　Wing〃　under　Crittenden　advanced　on　the　26th　to　Lavergne；　Palmer's　division　in　the　front。　　He　was　engaged　in　a　short　time　with　heavy　skirmishing；　which　increased　as　the　command　moved　south。　The　advance　of　the　column　was　over　a　rough　country；　intersected　with　forests　and　cedar　thickets。　　Crittenden　was　ordered　to　delay　his　movements　until　McCook　reached　Triune；　in　order　to　determine　the　direction　in　which　Thomas　should　move　as　support；　　Crittenden's　command　encamped　that　night　four　miles　north　of　Lavergne。　　On　the　27th　Wood's　division　was　placed　in　the　advance　of　Crittenden's　column。　　Hascall's　brigade　drove　the　enemy　from　Lavergne　with　a　loss　of　twenty　men　wounded；　and　pushing　rapidly　on；　forced　them　south　of　Stewart's　Creek；　five　miles　beyond。　　At　this　place　the　enemy　set　fire　to　the　bridge；　which　Hascall's　advance　reached　in　time　to　save。　　Hazen's　brigade　of　Palmer's　division　was　sent　down　the　Jefferson　pike　to　seize　the　bridge　over　Stewart's　Creek　at　the　crossing　of　that　road。　　That　night　the　〃Left　Wing〃　went　into　camp　at　Stewartsboro；　and　remained　there　over　the　next　day；　Sunday。　On　the　29th；　Crittenden's　command　crossed　Stewart's　Creek　by　the　Smyrna　bridge；　and　the　main　Murfreesboro　pike；　and　advanced　that　dayPalmer's　division　leadingto　within　two　miles　of　Murfreesboro；　driving　back　the　enemy　after　several　severe　skirmishes；　saving　two　bridges　on　the　route；　and　forcing　the　enemy　into　his　intrenchments。

Rosecrans；　about　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　received　a　signal　message　from　Palmer　at　the　front；　that　he　was　in　sight　of　Murfreesboro；　and　that　the　enemy　was　running。　　Rosecrans　then　sent　an　order　to　Crittenden　to　send　a　division　to　occupy　Murfreesboro；　camping　the　other　two　outside。　　Crittenden　received　this　order　as　he　reached　the　head　of　his　command；　where　Wood　and　Palmer　were　gathering　up　their　troops　prepatory　to　encamping　for　the　night。　These　divisions　were　in　line　of　battle；Wood　on　the　left　and　Palmer　on　the　right；with　the　rebels　in　sight　in　such　heavy　force　that　it　was　evident　that　they　intended　to　dispute　the　passage　of　the　river；　and　to　fight　a　battle　at　or　near　Murfreesboro。　　On　receipt　of　the　order；　Crittenden　gave　the　command　to　advance。　　Wood　was　ordered　to　occupy　the　place；　and　Palmer　to　advance　in　line　of　battle　until　the　passage　of　the　river　had　been　forced。　　Wood　on　receiving　the　order　objected　greatly　to　carrying　it　out；　saying　that　it　was　hazarding　a　great　deal　for　very　little；　to　move　over　unknown　ground　in　the　night；　instead　of　waiting　for　daylight；　and　that　Crittenden　ought　to　take　the　responsibility　of　disobeying　the　order。　　This　the　latter　refused　to　do。　　After　Wood　and　Palmer　had　issued　their　orders　to　advance；　they　both　insisted　that　the　order　should　not　be　carried　out。　　The　order　was　then　suspended　an　hour；　so　that　Rosecrans　could　be　heard　from。　　During　this　interval　the　general　himself　came　to　this　portion　of　the　front；　and　approved　of　the　action　of　Crittenden；　as　the　order　had　been　issued　on　the　report　that　the　enemy　had　evacuated　Murfreesboro。　　Under　the　order；　before　it　was　suspended；　Harker　with　his　brigade　had　crossed　the　river　at　a　ford　on　his　left；　where　he　surprised　a　regiment　of　Breckinridge's　division；　and　drove　it　back　on　its　main　lines；　not　more　than　five　hundred　yards　distant；　in　considerable　confusion。　　He　held　this　position　until　it　was　dark；　with　Breckinridge　in　force　on　his　front；　when　Crittenden　ordered　his　return。　　Hascall's　command　was　fording　the　river；　advancing　when　the　order　was　suspended。　　Harker　succeeded　in　recrossing　the　river　in　the　face　of　this　strong　force　of　the　enemy　without　any　serious　loss。　　Crittenden　placed　Van　Cleve's　division；　which　had　reported　marching　from　the　Jefferson　turnpike　to　the　Murfreesboro　road；　in　reserve　behind　Wood。　　During　the　30th　there　was　but　little　change　in　the　position　of　the　Left　Wing；　while　the　other　troops　were　moving　into　position　on　the　line　of　battle。　Palmer's　division　was　advanced　a　short　distance；　the　enemy　contesting　stubbornly。

The　pioneer　brigade　had　prepared　the　banks　at　three　places　for　the　fording　of　the　river。　　Wood's　division　covered　two；　and　the　pioneer　brigade；　under　Captain　St。　Clair　Morton；　covered　the　lower　one。　At　night　Crittenden's　corps　with　Negley's　division　bivouacked　in　order　of　battle；　being　on　seven　hundred　yards　from　the　enemy's　entrenchments。　　The　left　of　Crittenden's　command　extended　down　the　river　some　five　hundred　yards。

The　first　movement　of　Rosecrans's　advance　was　made　known　to　Bragg　as　soon　as　it　had　reached　a　point　two　miles　beyond　the　Federal　picket…line；　where　the　heads　of　the　several　columns　encountered　the　rebel　cavalry　pickets。　　For　all　Bragg　had　placed　his　army　in　winter　quarters；　and　presumed　that　Rosecrans　had　done　the　same；　his　experience　with　the　matter　of　surprise　to　an　army　led　him　to　be　well　prepared　to　know　and　take　advantage　of　the　slightest　change　in　his　immediate　front。　　By　the　night　of　the　26th　Bragg　knew　that　Rosecrans's　entire　army　was　moving　out　to　force　him　to　fight　or　compel　his　retreat。　　He　at　once　selected　his　line　of　battle　at　Stone's　River；　and　directed　his　three　cavalry　brigades；　under　Wheeler；　Wharton；　and　Pegram；　supported　by　three　brigades　of　infantry　with　artillery；　to　check　the　advance　of　the　several　columns　until　he　could　unite　this　army。　　He　then　gave　the　necessary　orders　for　the　concentration　of　his　command　and　the　formation　of　his　line　of　battle。

Murfreesboro　is　situated　on　the　railroad　to　Chattanooga；　thirty　miles　southeast　of　Nashville；　in　the　midst　of　the　great　plain　stretching　from　the　base　of　the　Cumberland　Mountains　toward　the　Cumberland　River；　and　is　surrounded　by　a　gently　undulating　country；　exceedingly　fertile　and　highly　cultivated。　　Leading　in　every　direction　from　the　town　are　numerous　excellent　turnpikes。　　Stone's　Rivernamed　after　an　early　settleris　formed　here　by　the　middle　and　south　branches　of　the　stream　uniting；　and　flows　in　a　northerly　direction　between　low　banks　of　limestone；　generally　steep　and　difficult　to　cross；　emptying　into　the　Cumberland。　　At　the　time　of　the　battle　the　stream　was　so　low　that　it　could　be　crossed　by　infantry　everywhere。　The　Nashville　Railroad　crosses　the　river　about　two　hundred　yards　above　the　turnpike　bridge。　　At　some　five　hundred　yards　beyond；　it　intersects　the　Nashville　turnpike　at　a　sharp　angle；　then　runs　some　eight　hundred　yards　between　the　pike　and　the　river；　when　the　stream　turns　abruptly　to　the　east　and　passes　to　the　north。　　Open　fields　surrounded　the　town；　fringed　with　dense　cedar…brakes。　　These　afforded　excellent　cover　for　approaching　infantry；　but　were　almost　impervious　to　artillery。

The　centre　of　Bragg's　army　was　at　Murfreesboro；　under　Polk。　　The　right　was　at　Readyville；　under　McCown；　and　the　left　at　Triune　and　Eaglesville；　under　Hardee。　　Polk's　command　consisted　of　Cheatham's　and　Wither's　divisions。　　These　divisions　and　three　brigades　of　Breckenridge's　division　of　Hardee's　corps　were　at　Murfreesboro。　Cleburne's　division　and　Adams's　brigade　of　Breckinridge's　division　were　under　the　immediate　command　of　Hardee；　near　Eaglesville；　about　twenty　miles　west　of　Murfreesboro。　　McCown's　division　of　Kirby　Smith's　corps　was　at　Readyville；　twelve　miles　east　of　Murfreesboro。　Each　of　the　two　divisions　of　Hardee's　corps　consisted　of　four　brigades　of　infantry。　　To　this　corps　Wheeler's　brigade　of　cavalry　was　attached。　　The　brigade　of　T。　R。　Jacksonwhich　was　in　the　rear；　guarding　the　railroad　from　Bridgeport　to　the　mountainsBragg　also　ordered　up。　　On　Sunday；　the　28th；　Bragg　formed　his　line　of　battle；　placing　Breckinridge's　division　on　his　extreme　right；　across　Stone's　River；　to　protect　that　flank　and　cover　the　town。　　Adams's　brigade　rested　on　the　Lebanon　road；　about　a　mile　and　a　half　from　town。　Breckinridge's　division　formed　the　first　line；　facing　north；　and　was　posted　in　the　edge　of　the　forest；　with　Cleburne's　division　in　the　second　line；　800　yards　to　the　rear。　　To　the　left　of　Adams　the　line　was　broken　by　an　intervening　field；　about　three　hundred　yards　in　width；　which　was　apparently　left　unoccupied；　but　was　covered　by　the　Twentieth　Tennessee　and　Wright's　battery；　of　Preston's　brigade；　which　swept　it　and　the　fields　in　front。　　The　remainder　of　Preston's　brigade　rested　with　its　right　in　the　woods；　and　extended　along　the　edge　with　its　left　toward　the　river。　　On　the　left　of　Preston；　Palmer's　brigade　was　formed；　and　on　his　left　Hanson's　completed　that　portion　of　the　line。　　Jackson's　brigade　reported　to　Breckinridge　and　was　placed　on　the　east　side　of　the　Lebanon　road；　on　commanding　ground；　a　little　in　the　advance　of　the　right　of　Adams。　　On　the　other　side　of　the　river　the　right　of　Withers's　division　rested　at　the　bank；　near　the　intersection　of　the　turnpike　with　the　railroad；　and　was　slightly　in　advance　of　Hanson's　right。　　It　extended　southwardly　across　the　Wilkinson　pike　to　the　Triune　or　Franklin　road；　in　an　irregular　line　adapted　to　the　topography　of　the　country。　In　the　rear　of　Withers's　division　that　of　Cheatham　was　posted　as　a　supporting　force。　　McCown's　division　was　placed　in　the　rear　of　these　divisions　as　the　reserve。　　This　was　Bragg's　first　disposition　of　his　troops　for　battle。　　On　Monday；　the　29th；　no　change　of　importance　was　m