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[278] our center and left, falling heavily on Palmer's and Wood's divisions, Rosecrans was there, directing, encouraging, steadying; though the head of his chief of staff, Garesche was blown to pieces by a shell while riding by the General's side, and three or four others of his staff or escort were wounded-one of them mortally-and as many more lost their horses. To Garesche, he was deeply attached — they two being Roman Catholics, as were none other of his military family-but he was too intent on his work to seem to heed the fall of his beloved friend; and when another of the staff said to him, “Garesche is dead,” “I am very sorry,” was the quiet response, “but we can not help it.” Soon word came (erroneously), “McCook is killed.” “We can not help it,” was the General's calm reply; “this battle must be won.” And it was won. Before sunset, the Rebels had tried him on every side, and been beaten back — with fearful carnage, indeed, but no greater on our side than on theirs-their advantage being confined to our loss of guns and prisoners in the morning, consequent on McCook's sudden, overwhelming disaster. In the fighting since 11 o'clock, the carnage had been greater on the side of the Rebels; and they had lost confidence, if not ground. At 9 A. M., they had supposed our army in their hands; at sunset, Bragg had enough to do to save his own. Says Rosecrans, in his official report:
The day closed, leaving us masters of the original ground on our left, and our line advantageously posted, with openly ground in front, swept at all points by our artillery. We had lost heavily in killed and wounded, and a considerable number in stragglers and prisoners; also, 28 pieces of artillery: the horses having been slain, and our troops being unable to withdraw them, by hand, over tile roughly ground; but the enemy had been roughly handled, and badly damaged at all points, having had no success where we had open ground, and our troops properly posted; none, which did not depend on the original crushing of our right and the superior masses which were, in consequence, brought to bear upon the narrow front of Sheridan's and Negley's divisions, and a part of Palmer's, coupled with the scarcity of ammunition, caused by the circuitous road which the train had taken, and the inconvenience of getting it from a remote distance through the cedars.

Both armies maintained their respective positions throughout the following day.1 There were artillery duels at intervals, and considerable picket-firing, whereby some casualties were suffered, mainly on our center and left; but nothing like a serious attack: the lines of the two armies confronting cache other at close range, alert and vigilant; while brigades and regiments were silently moved from point to point, and rifle-pits and other hasty defenses were constructed on either side, in preparation for the impending struggle. Meantime, some ammunition trains — which tire Rebel cavalry had driven from their proper positions in our rear, and compelled to make long

1 Friday, Jan. 1, 1863.

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Julius P. Garesche (3)
William S. Rosecrans (2)
H. Palmer (2)
Daniel McCook (2)
T. J. Wood (1)
Philip Sheridan (1)
Negley (1)
Braxton Bragg (1)
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January 1st, 1863 AD (1)
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