| Brigiadier General Milo Hascall's Reports Source: Official Record Vol XX, Series I, Part 1, page 57 |
| HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADE, FIRST DIVISION, LEFT WING, Stewart's Creek, Tenn., December 28, 1862. Yesterday, about 11 a.m., while General Wood's division was lying about three-fourths of a mile beyond La Vergne, near the Murfreesborough pike, I received notice from General Wood that General Crittenden's command (being the left wing, Fourteenth Army Corps) would again advance, General Wood's leading, and that my brigade had been directed by him to take the advance. My instructions were to advance by the Murfreesborough pike, and reach Stewart's Creek and save the bridge at that point if possible. The enemy had been throwing shells at us at intervals all the morning from an eminence a little this side of La Vergne, wounding some of our men, so that we knew the town and the hills beyond were occupied by the enemy. Accordingly, 1 at once formed my brigade in order of battle in two lines, the Fifty-eighth Indiana on the right of the first line, supported by the Third Kentucky, and the Twenty-sixth Ohio, commanded by Maj. William H. Squires, on the left of the first line, supported by the One hundredth Illinois, the Eighth Indiana Battery, commanded by Lieut. George Estep, occupying the intervals between the infantry. This disposition having been made, and the front well covered, with the flank companies of the first line as skirmishers, the order to advance was given. We had to pass over an open field the entire distance to the town. Before we had been five minutes in motion, a brisk fire was opened by the enemy in and about town upon our skirmishers, which soon became effectual upon the first line also. The fire was vigorously re turned by our skirmishers, but, I presume, with little effect, owing to the cover the town, fences, and bushes afforded the enemy. Not wishing to try and cope with the enemy under such unfavorable circumstances any longer than was absolutely necessary, I ordered the skirmishers and the first line to charge at a double-quick and get possession of the town at all hazards. The front line was lying flat on their faces at the time of receiving the order; but in the twinkling of an eye the entire line sprang to their feet, fixed their bayonets, and, rushing forward with a yell, had, in five minutes' time, possession of the town and the crest beyond. The manner in which this was done left nothing to be desired. Our entire loss, though skirmishing all day, was sustained at this point. Twenty of the Twenty sixth Ohio and 7 of the Fifty-eighth Indiana were lying around with wounds of greater or less severity to tell the tale. Leaving our wounded to be cared for by the rear brigades, we pushed forward, skirmishing nearly all the time. After advancing about 1½ miles beyond the town, I discovered that the front line was becoming much exhausted, and many of the Twenty-sixth Ohio were throwing their knapsacks away. I, therefore, relieved it with the second line, sent a detail back to collect the knapsacks, and pressed on to this point, skirmishing all the way through a drenching rain, and through almost impassable thickets of cedar, and over muddy and sloppy plowed fields. At half a dozen points on the way we were resisted by the enemy's artillery; but Lieutenant Estep's battery, assisted by Maj. S. Race, in command of the artillery of the division, soon dislodged them, and we moved forward without allowing ourselves to be even temporarily detained, until we came to the eminence just in front of our camp, and which overlooks the bridge at Stewart's Creek. Here we found the enemy had a battery planted on the hill beyond Stewart's Creek. We had no sooner planted a section of Estep's battery and opened upon them than they promptly returned our fire. The fearful accuracy of their fire soon convinced us that this was a different battery from that with which we had been contending fill day, as every shot from them either struck our pieces or came within close proximity. Having no long-range guns in Estep's battery, I sent to the rear for some out of another battery, and as soon as they had got in position the enemy's fire was silenced. It was during this artillery duel that my skirmishers, who were concealed near the banks of Stewart's Creek, discovered that the enemy had loaded the bridge with rails and other combustible material and had set fire to it. Volunteers being called for to extinguish the flame at all hazards, the entire line of skirmishers from the Third Kentucky, assisted by Company B, Captain Ewing, of the Twenty-sixth Ohio, rushed in and threw the combustibles from the bridge, and saved it. Great credit is due for this act, as the loss of the bridge would have delayed the movement of the army till another could be constructed, the stream not being fordable at or near that point. Shortly after this the enemy retired, and the Third Kentucky was ordered to hold the bridge, which they do at this time. Having accomplished the work set before me, I was about arranging my men in camp, and had got the One hundredth Illinois in position to cover the front of my proposed camp, and the Twenty-sixth Ohio in position, when I found myself suddenly attacked on my left flank by a force of the enemy's cavalry,-who were endeavoring to cut their way to the bridge. I immediately ordered the Twenty-sixth to change front forward on the left company, to resist the attack in that direction. This repulsed the attack. Captain Munger's company, of the One hundredth Illinois, had been sent to the left to protect the flank of the regiment, and the enemy endeavored to cut them off and take them prisoners. The company turned upon them, fired, and demanded their surrender; which, being declined, they pressed upon them, drove them into the fence corners, and captured 24 of them, including Lieut. J. J. Seawell. They called themselves "Alabama Partisan Rangers." With them were captured 12 horses and saddles and 12 guns. The residue of them made their escape by flight. We took 10 or 12 other prisoners during the day, which I sent to the rear. I am not aware how much force we were contending with during the day, but we took prisoners from six or seven different regiments, principally Tennessee regiments. For more minute particulars of the parts performed by the different regiments and the battery, I refer you to their reports, inclosed. All my officers and men did their duty nobly, and I feel that it would be unjust to particularize. How much credit we all deserve, I leave for yourself and others to determine. To my staff officers, Capt. Edmund R. Kerstetter, assistant adjutant-general; Captain Roberts, of the Third Kentucky, commissary; Lieut. James R. Hume, aide-de-camp, and Lieutenant Warner, inspector-general, I am under peculiar obligations. The casualties are as follows: Command. Wounded. Missing. Total. 58th Indiana 7 1 8 26th Ohio 20 .... 20 100th Illinois 2 .... 2 3d Kentucky .... .... .... Estep's battery .... .... .... Total 29 1 30 One of the wounded has since died, and 4 or 5 more are thought to be mortally wounded. The enemy's loss, that fell in to our hands, were 4 killed and 5 wounded. We hear of many other killed and wounded being taken to the rear by them. All of which is respectfully submitted. MILO S. HASCALL, Brigadier-General of Vols., Comdg First Division. Left Wing Capt. M.P. BESTOW, Assistant A djutant-General, First Division, Left Wing. HDQRS. FIRST BRIGADE, FIRST DIVISION, LEFT WING, Near Murfreesborough January 6, 1803. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of my brigade (formerly the Fifteenth Brigade, Sixth Division, but under the new nomenclature, the First Brigade, First Division, left wing) on the eventful 31st of December, 1862: During the night of the 30th, I had received notice, through General Wood, our division commander, that the left wing (Crittenden's corps) would cross Stone's River and attack the enemy on his right. My brigade was posted on the extreme left of our entire line of battle, and was guarding and overlooking the ford, over which we were to cross. On the morning of the 31st, heavy firing was heard on the extreme right of our line (McCook's corps), but as they had been fighting their way all the distance from Nolensville, as we had from La Vergne, no particular importance was attached to this, and I was getting my brigade into position ready to cross as soon as General Van Cleve's division, which was then crossing, was over. All this time the firing on the right became heavier and apparently nearer to us, and our fears began to be aroused that the right wing was being driven rapidly back upon us. At this juncture Van Cleve halted his division, and the most terrible state of suspense pervaded the entire left, as it became more and more evident that the right was being driven rapidly back upon us. On and on they came, till the heaviest fire was getting nearly around to the pike leading to Nashville, when General Rosecrans appeared in person, and ordered me to go with my brigade at once to the support of the right, pointing toward our rear, where the heaviest fire was raging. General Van Cleve's division and Colonel Harker's brigade, of our division, received the same order. I at once changed the front of my brigade to the rear, preparatory to starting in the new direction, but had not proceeded more, than 200 yards in the new direction before the crowd of fugitives from the right wing became so numerous, and the fleeing mule teams and horsemen so thick, that it was impossible for me to go forward with my command without its becoming a confused mass. I therefore halted and awaited developments. General Van Cleve and Colonel Harker, not meeting with so much opposition, pressed toward and got into position beyond the railroad, ready to open on the enemy as soon as our fugitives were out of the way. They soon opened fire, joined by some batteries and troops belonging to the center (General Thomas' corps) and Estep's battery, of' my brigade, and, after about one hour's firing along this new line, during which time I was as moving my command from point to point, ready to support any troops that most needed it, the onslaught of the enemy seemed to be in a great measure checked, and we had reasonable probability of maintaining this line. During all this time my men were exposed to a severe fire of shot and shell from a battery on the other side of the river, and several were killed. About this time an aide of General Palmer came galloping up to me and said that, unless he could be supported, his division would have to give way. Palmer's division formed the right of General Crittenden's line of battle on the morning of the 31st. After consulting with General Wood, he ordered me to send a regiment, to support General Palmer; accordingly I sent the Third Kentucky Regiment, commanded by Lieut. Col. Samuel McKee. Before the regiment had been ten minutes in its new position, Captain Kerstetter, my adjutant-general reported to me that Colonel McKee had been killed, and the regiment badly cut up. I therefore meted at once, with the other three regiments of my command, to their relief. The line they were trying to hold was that part of our original line of battle lying immediately to the right of the railroad. This portion of our original line, about two regimental fronts, together with two fronts to the left, held by Colonel Wagner's brigade, was all of our original line of battle but what our troops had been driven from; and if they succeeded in carrying this they would have turned our left, and a total rout of our forces could not then have been avoided. Seeing the importance of the position, I told my men it must be held, even if it cost the last man we had. I immediately sent in the Twenty-sixth Ohio, commanded by the gallant Maj. William H. Squires, to take position on the right of the Third Kentucky, and support them, and dispatched an aide for Estep's Eighth Indiana Battery to come to this point and open on the enemy. No sooner had the Twenty-sixth got into position than they became hotly engaged, and the numerous dead and wounded that were immediately brought to the rear told how desperate was the contest. The gallant Lieutenant McClelland, of that regiment, was brought to the rear mortally wounded, and expired by my side in less than five minutes from the time the regiment took position; still the fight went on, and still brave men went down. The Third Kentucky, now reduced to less than one-half its original numbers, with ten out of its fourteen remaining officers badly wounded, were still bravely at work. In less than ten minutes after the fall of Lieutenant-Colonel McKee, the gallant Maj. Daniel R. Collier, of that regiment, received two severe wounds--one in the leg and the other in the breast. Adjutant Bullitt had his horse shot under him; but nothing could induce either of them to, leave the field. Equally conspicuous and meritorious was the conduct of Major Squires and Adjutant Franklin, of the Twenty-sixth Ohio. Major Squires' horse was shot three times through the neck; nevertheless, he and all his officers stood by throughout, and most gallantly sustained and encouraged their men. Estep's battery came up in due time, and, taking position on a little rise of ground in rear of the Twenty-sixth Ohio and Third Kentucky, Opened a terrible fire of shot and shell over the heads of our infantry. In about one hour after the Twenty-sixth Ohio got into position this terrible attack of the enemy was repulsed, and they drew back into the woods, and under cover of an intervening hill, to reform their shattered columns and renew the attack. I now took a survey of the situation, and found that along the entire line to the right and left of the railroad, which had not yet been carried by the enemy. I was the only general officer present, and was, there--fore, in command, and responsible for the conduct of affairs. Colonel Hazen, commanding a brigade in General Palmer's division, was present with his brigade, to the left of the railroad, and Colonel Grose, commanding another brigade in the same division, was also present with what there was left of his brigade, and most nobly did he co-operate with me with the Sixth and Twenty-fourth Ohio, to the right of the railroad, while Colonel Wagner, commanding the Second Brigade, in the First Division, left wing, nobly sustained his front, assisted by Colonel Hazen, to the left of the railroad. I now relieved the. Third Kentucky Regiment,, which was nearly annihilated and out of ammunition, with the Fifty-eighth Indiana Regiment, of my brigade, commanded by Col. George P. Buell, and this, being a much larger regiment than the Third Kentucky, filled up the entire space from where the right of the Third Kentucky rested to the railroad. I then threw forward the right of the Sixth Ohio Regiment, of Colonel Grose's brigade, which was on the right of the Twenty-sixth Ohio, so that its line of battle was more nearly perpendicular to the railroad, and so that its fire would sweep the front of the Twenty-sixth Ohio and Fifty-eighth Indiana, and supported the Sixth Ohio with Estep's battery, on a little eminence to its right, and brought up the Ninety-seventh Ohio, Colonel Lane, from Wagner's brigade, to still further strengthen the right. This disposition being made, I galloped a little to the rear, and found General Rosecrans, and called his attention to the importance of the position I was holding, and the necessity of keeping it well supported. He rode to the front with me, approved the disposition I had made, spoke a few words of encouragement to the men, cautioning them to hold their fire till the enemy got well up, and had no sooner retired than the enemy emerged from the woods and over the hill, and were moving upon us in splendid style and in immense force. As soon as they came in sight, the Sixth and Twenty-sixth Ohio and Estep's battery opened on them, and did splendid execution. But on they came till within 100 yards of our line, when Colonel Buell, of the Fifty-eighth Indiana, who lost 3 men, but had not fired a shot, ordered his men to fire. The effect was indescribable. The enemy fell in windrows, and went staggering back from the effects of this unexpected volley. Soon, however, they came up again and assaulted us furiously for about one and a half hours; but the men all stood their ground nobly, and at the end of that time compelled the enemy to retire as before. During the heat of this attack a heavy cross-fire was brought to bear on the position I occupied, and Corpl. Frank Meyer, Third Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, in command of my escort, was shot through the leg, and my adjutant-general, Capt. E. R. Kerstetter, was shot through his coat, grazing his back. The regiments all behaved splendidly again, and the Fifty-eighth Indiana won immortal honors. Lieutenant Blackford, of that regiment, was shot dead, and several of the officers, including Captains Downey and Alexander, badly wounded. Estep's battery was compelled to retire from the position assigned it after firing half a dozen rounds, but it did terrible execution while there. The Sixth and Twenty-fourth Ohio did noble service, as did the Ninety-seventh; but their immediate commanders will, no doubt, allude to them more particularly. Thus ended the third assault upon the position. I should have remarked that the One hundredth Illinois Regiment, the other regiment composing my brigade, which was in reserve during the first engagement described above, had, under instructions of Colonel Hazen, moved to the front, on the left of the railroad, where they fought splendidly in all the actions that took place on the left of the road. There was no formidable attack made on them, though they were almost constantly under fire of greater or less severity, particularly from shot and shell, and suffered quite seriously in killed and wounded. Lieut. Morris Worthingham, of that regiment, was killed while gallantly sustaining his men, and 6 other commissioned officers, including Major Hammond, were wounded. Their operations being to the left of the railroad and in a wood, did not so immediately come under my personal observation; but their conduct, from Colonel Bartleson down, was such as leaves nothing to be desired. The Fifty-eighth Indiana having now been over three hours in action, and the Twenty-sixth Ohio about four hours, were exhausted and very nearly out of ammunition. I, therefore, relieved the Fifty-eighth Indiana with the Fortieth Indiana, from Colonel Wagner's brigade, and the Twenty-sixth Ohio was relieved by the Twenty-third Kentucky. There was now not more than an hour of day left, and though the enemy was continually maneuvering in our front, no formidable attack was made upon us, except with artillery. The enemy having been three several times repulsed from their attack on that position, seemed satisfied to keep at a respectful distance, and the sun set upon us as masters of the situation. We had sustained ourselves and held the only position of the original line of battle that was held throughout by any portion of the army. To have lost this position would have been to lose everything, as our left would then have been turned, and utter rout or capture inevitable. To the "fearless spirits who hazarded and lost their lives on this consecrated spot" the country owes a deep debt of gratitude. No purer patriot, more upright man, and devoted Christian than Colonel McKee, of the Third Kentucky, ever offered up his life in defense of his country. To the members of my staff present with me on the field--Capt. Edmund R. Kerstetter, assistant adjutant-general; Lieut. James R. Hume, aide-de-camp, and Lieut. James R. Warner, inspector-general--I am under the greatest obligations. They were constantly with me in the thickest of the fight, ably and gallantly assisting me in every way possible. My escort was also faithful and efficient. With the exceptions already alluded to, all of us were so fortunate as to get through unscathed. The casualties in our brigade were as follows: The Third Kentucky Regiment went into action with 13 officers and 300 men, and lost--officers killed, 1; wounded, 9; enlisted men killed, 12; wounded, 77; missing, 34. The Fifty-eighth Indiana Regiment went into action with 19 officers and 386 enlisted men, and lost----officers killed, 1; wounded, 4; enlisted men killed, 16; wounded, 91. The One hundredth Illinois went into action with 27 officers and 394 enlisted men, and lost--officers killed, 1; wounded, 6; enlisted men killed, 5; wounded, 33. The Twenty-sixth Ohio went into action with 12 officers and 374 enlisted men, and lost---officers killed, 1; wounded, 2; enlisted men killed, 9; wounded, 77. RECAPITULATION. The brigade went into action with 71 officers and 1,454 enlisted men and lost--officers killed, 4; wounded, 21; enlisted men killed, 42; wounded, 278; missing, 34. Total killed, wounded, and missing in brigade, 379. For more minute particulars of the parts performed by the different regiments I transmit herewith their respective reports. During the evening of the 3lst I was notified that, in consequence of the indisposition of General Wood and a wound received during the day, he was relieved of the command of the division, and that the same would devolve upon myself. I, therefore, turned over the command of the brigade to Col. George P. Buell, of the Fifty-eighth Indiana, and assumed the command of the division. All of which is respectfully submitted. MILO S. HASCALL, Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding Brigade. Capt. M. P. BESTOW, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, First Division, Left Wing. HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, LEFT WING, Murfreesborough, Tenn., January 10, 1863. I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this division during the recent battles, after the command devolved upon me, on the evening of December 31, 1862: At that time the division was considerably scattered, as Colonel Harker's brigade had been in action during the 31st on the extreme right, and had not returned. Colonel Wagner's was in position to the left of the railroad, where it had been in action during the day, and my brigade was to the right of the railroad. About 11 p.m. of that day Colonel Harker returned with his brigade, and the division was once more together. At this time I received an order to send all the wagons of the division to the rear, and, shortly after this was executed, I received an order from General Crittenden to fall back, so that my right should rest on the position occupied by Stokes' battery, and my left on the right of General Palmer's division. This brought the new line of the division about 500 yards to the rear of the one of the day before. The line of the division was now nearly at right angles with the railroad, with the center of the line resting on it--the First Brigade, Colonel Buell, on the right; the Third, Colonel Harker, in the center, and the Second, Colonel Wagner, on the left. In this position we lay all the next day, January 1, with nothing more to break the silence than picket firing and an occasional artillery duel. The division lost, however, several killed and wounded during the day. Each of my brigades was in line of battle, and I was occupying so much front that it kept the men constantly on the alert. Most of the other divisions had one or two brigades in reserve, and could, therefore, relieve their men some. We maintained this position daring the night of the 1st, and till about 8 o'clock in the morning of the 2d, the battery occupying the intervals between brigades. At this time the enemy opened upon us the most terrific fire of shot and shell that we sustained during the entire engagement. It appears that during the night before they had massed and masked several batteries in our front, so they opened on us from a line of batteries one-quarter of a mile long, all at once. They had our range perfectly, so that their fire was terribly effective from the first. Estep's battery, on the right of my line, being in an exposed position, and receiving a very heavy fire, had to retire at once; not, however, till so many horses had been killed as to render it necessary for two of the pieces to be hauled to the rear by the infantry. Bradley's battery, with Colonel Harker in the center, having a better position and longer-range guns, opened a brisk fire on the enemy in return, and had every probability of maintaining their position until Stokes' battery, in their rear, undertook to open on the enemy with grape, which took effect on Bradley's men instead of the enemy, and compelled Bradley to retire. The infantry, however, along my entire line, though suffering severely from the enemy's fire, all maintained their position. After about half an hour this firing ceased, and nothing further worthy of note happened till about 4 o'clock in the afternoon of that day. At this time General Van Cleve's division, which was stationed across Stone's River to our left, was suddenly attacked by a heavy force of the enemy under Breckinridge, and so fierce was the onslaught that the division was compelled to give way almost immediately. General Jefferson C. Davis and General Negley were immediately ordered to their relief with their divisions, and, as soon as they had time to get over, the attack was checked and the enemy began to retire. At this time I received an order from General Crittenden to cross with my division, and immediately put the different brigades in motion. While crossing at the ford, one or two pieces of the enemy's artillery were playing upon us, but as it was then dusk, their firing was not accurate, and I think we sustained no loss in crossing. By the time we were over it was quite dark, and the firing had nearly ceased. Negley's division was returning, and Davis' had taken up a position a little in advance of where Van Cleve's division was attacked, his right resting on the bank of the river. I moved up and went into position on the left of Davis, my left inclining somewhat to the rear, to prevent it from being turned. General Davis and myself then fortified our fronts as well as we could with the logs, stones, and rails at hand, and remained in this position that night, the next day (January 3), and till about 12 o'clock that night, without anything more than picket firing transpiring. I should remark that it rained very hard all day of January 3, and during the night, so that our men and officers suffered severely. By this time the rains had so swollen the river that General Crittenden became apprehensive that it would not be fordable by morning, and we might be cut off from communication with the main body of our army. He, therefore, ordered us back, and my division took up a position in reserve, near General Rosecrans' headquarters, arriving there about 2 o'clock at night, completely drenched with mud and rain. They had now been on duty four days and nights, some of the time with nothing to eat, and all the time in the front, where they had to be constantly on the alert. The next morning we heard that the enemy had retreated, and the battle was over. The conduct of the division throughout was admirable, and it can be truthfully said concerning it that it held its original position and every other position assigned to it during the whole four days, and this is more than can be said of any other division in the entire Fourteenth Army Corps. I am under great obligations to my brigade commanders, Colonels Wagner, Harker, and Buell. Colonel Wagner had his horse shot under him on the 31st, and his clothes completely riddled with bullets. He, nevertheless, stood by throughout, and ably and gallantly performed his duty. The conduct of Colonel Harker was equally brave and efficient They have each commanded brigades for nearly a year now, and it seems to me that common justice demands that they now receive the promotion they have so gallantly earned. Colonel Buell came in command of the First Brigade in consequence of my taking command of the division, and, although comparatively inexperienced, he performed every duty gallantly and well. All the officers of the division, with a single exception, behaved gallantly and well; therefore I need not discriminate. The exception was Col. John W. Blake, of the Fortieth Indiana, and I consider it my duty to draw the line of distinction broad and deep between those who do well and those who prove recreant. He became so drunk as to be unfit for duty before going into action on the 31st, and was sent to the rear, in arrest, by his immediate commander, Colonel Wagner. The next that was heard of him he was in Nashville, claiming to be wounded and a paroled prisoner. For this bad conduct I recommend that he be dishonorably discharged from the service. For minute particulars, and for a complete report of the part performed by the different brigades, I refer you to the reports of brigade Commanders, herewith inclosed. My staff officers, including Captains Palmer and Bestow, of General Wood's staff, not heretofore mentioned by me, all performed their duty gallantly, and ably assisted me in every way possible. I would also refer to my report as brigade commander, as that gives more in detail and more truthfully than any other report the operations of Colonel Wagner's and my brigade on the 31st, they being both under my personal observation and control after the heavy fighting commenced that day. The casualties in the division were as follows: The First Brigade went into action with 71 officers and 1,454 enlisted men, and lost--officers killed, 4; officers wounded, 21; enlisted men killed, 42; enlisted men wounded, 278; enlisted men missing, 34. The Second Brigade went into action with 86 officers and 1,389 enlisted men, and lost--officers killed, 2; officers wounded, 18; enlisted men killed, 54; enlisted men wounded, 269; enlisted men missing, 32. The Third Brigade went into action with 97 officers and 1,790 enlisted men, including the Sixth Ohio Battery, and lost--officers killed, 5; officers wounded, 17; enlisted men killed, 104; enlisted men wounded, 312; enlisted men missing, 101. RECAPITULATION. The division went into action with 254 commissioned officers and 4,633 enlisted men, and lost-- filters killed, 11; officers wounded, 56; enlisted men killed, 200; enlisted men wounded, 859; enlisted men missing, 167. Total killed, 211; wounded, 915; missing, 167. Total killed, wounded, and missing in the division, 1,293. All of which is respectfully submitted. MILO S. HASCALL, Brigadier-General of Vols., Comdg. First Division, Left Wing. Maj. LYNE STARLING, Assistant Adjutant-General, Left Wing. ----- HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, LEFT WING, Murfreesborough, Tenn., January 11, 1863. Having just received the report of the batteries attached to my division, I hasten to forward them to the general, in order that he may allude to them in his report as their merits deserve. It will be seen by their reports that they all did their duty nobly, with perhaps a single exception on the part of one of the officers attached to Estep's battery. I allude to Richard Jervis, second lieutenant of that battery, who behaved badly throughout the entire four days' action. I recommend that he be dishonorably discharged the service, on account of his bad conduct. I have already alluded to the distinguished services of these batteries, both in my brigade and division reports, and only desire further to add that, with the exception above alluded to, the conduct of both officers and men was admirable. Particular credit is due to Major Race, in command of the batteries, for the gallantry and good judgment displayed by him throughout the entire four days. The conduct of Stokes' battery, in firing upon Bradley's battery on January 2, was such as, in my judgment, demands immediate investigation, in order that the parties guilty of such gross carelessness may be properly punished. I am, sir, most respectfully, MILOS. HASCALL, Brigadier-General of Vols., Comdg. First Division, Left Wing. Major STARLING, Assistant Adjutant-General, Left Wing. ----- HEADQUARTERS FIRST DIVISION, LEFT WING, Murfreesborough, Tenn., January 17, 1863. In the hurry of making out my official report as division commander, I neglected to allude to the very valuable services rendered by Surg. W. W. Blair, medical director of this division, during and since the recent battles. His services were such as merit special commendation, and I desire that this may be forwarded as a part of my report, in justice to Dr. Blair. He reports to me that all the regimental surgeons were efficient and rendered valuable service. I am, sir, respectfully, MILO S. HASCALL, Brigadier-General of Vols., Comdg. First Division, Left Wing. Major STARLING, Assistant Adjutant-General, Left Wing. |
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| Captain William H Squires' Report |