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division at Triune, I marched on the twenty-ninth, with my command, on the Balle Jack road, toward Murfreesboro, the road being very bad, and the command did not reach Wilkinson's Cross-roads (five miles from Murfreesboro) until late in the evening.
My command was encamped in line of battle, Sheridan's on the left of Wilkinson's pike, Davis' division on the right of the same road, Woodruff's brigade guarding the bridge over Overall's Creek, and the two brigades of Johnson's division watching the right.
On that evening, believing that the enemy intended giving our army battle at or near Murfreesboro, I ordered the brigade left at Triune to join the command without delay, which it did on the thirtieth.
At one o'clock A. M., on the thirtieth, I received an order from General Rosecrans to report in person at his headquarters, on the Murfreesboro pike, and arrived there at three and a half o'clock A. M., received my instructions, which were that the left of my line should rest on the right of General Negley's division, and my right was to be thrown forward until it became parallel, or nearly so, with Stone River, the extreme right to rest on or near the Franklin road.
My entire command advanced at nine and a half o'clock, and Sheridan's division moving down the Wilkinson turnpike, until its advance encountered the enemy's pickets.
The line of battle was then formed, the left of Sheridan's division resting upon the Wilkinson pike, immediately upon General Negley's right.
The remainder of Sheridan's division was deployed to the right, the line running in a south-easterly direction.
Davis' division, which had already been deployed, moved up, his left resting upon Sheridan's right, Johnson's division being held in reserve.
Our front was covered with a strong line of skirmishers, who soon became sharply engaged with the enemy's sharp-shooters and skirmishers.
The line moved forward, but slowly, as the enemy contested stubbornly every inch of ground gained by us. The ground was very favorable to them.
They were under cover of heavy woods and cedar thickets.
At twelve o'clock M. on the thirtieth, the house of a Mr. Harding came within our lines.
From that point I ascertained where the enemy's line of battle was-our skirmishers being then about five hundred yards distant from it.
The right, under General Davis, moved handsomely, but slowly, into position, as the ground over which he had to march was hotly contested by the enemy's skirmishers.
At one o'clock P. M., word was sent to General D. S. Stanley, Chief of Cavalry, that Colonel Zahn, commanding three regiments of cavalry on my right flank, was hard pressed by a superior force.
I ordered one brigade of my reserve division to report to General Stanley, who conducted it to the Franklin road.
On his approach, the enemy pressing, Colonel Zahn retired, and the brigade was ordered back to its former position.
At two o'clock P. M., a citizen, residing on the Franklin road, and about half a mile in front of the enemy's line of battle, was put under guard by General Stanley.
He reported as follows:
I was up to the energy's line of battle twice yesterday, and once this morning, to get some stock taken from me. The enemy's troops are posted in the following manner: The right of Cheatham's division rests on the Wilkinson pike. Withers is on Cheatham's left, with his left resting on the Franklin road. Hardee's corps is entirely beyond that road, his right resting on that road, and his left extending toward the Salem pike.This man was immediately sent to the General commanding, and subsequently returned to me with the report that his information had been received. I also sent a report to the General commanding, by my Aid-de-Camp, Horace N. Fisher, that the right of my line rested directly in front of the enemy's centre. This made me anxious for my right. All my division commanders were immediately informed of this fact, and two brigades of the reserve division, commanded respectively by Generals Willich and Kirk, two of the best and most experienced Brigadiers in the army, were ordered to the right of the line, to protect the right flank, and guard against surprise there. At six o'clock P. M., I received an order from the General commanding to have large and extended camp-fires built on my right, to deceive the enemy, making them believe we were massing troops there. This order was communicated to General Stanley, commanding cavalry, and carried into execution by Major R. H. Nodine, Twenty-fifth Illinois, Engineer Officer on my staff. On the morning of the thirtieth, the order of battle was nearly parallel with that of the enemy, my right slightly refused, and line of battle in two lines. Two brigades of the reserve reinforced the right of the line, and the Third brigade of the reserve was posted in column about eight hundred yards in rear of the right. On the evening of the thirtieth, Sheridan's left rested on the Wilkinson road, and on the right of Negley's division, and the line then ran in a south-easterly direction, through a cedar thicket, until General Davis' right rested near the Franklin road. Kirk's brigade was on Davis' right. Willich's brigade flanked on a line nearly perpendicular to the main line, forming a crochet to the rear, to avoid the possibilities of my right being turned by anything like an equal force. My line was a strong one, open ground in front for a short distance. My instructions for the following day were received at about six and a half o'clock P. M. on the thirtieth, which were as follows:
Take strong position; if the enemy attack you, fall back slowly, refusing your right, contesting the ground inch by inch. If the enemy do not attack you, you will attack them, not vigorously, but warmly. The time of attack by
