[
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Ohio, Ninth Kentucky, and Fifty-first Ohio were the first to recross the stream after the enemy's check.
The tremendous fire of our artillery on the south side of the river, with
Livingston's battery on the other, with the determined resistance they had met, had stopped the enemy at the river; and now, as our troops pressed forward, they fled in confusion, leaving four of their guns.
Several brave officers had rallied a great number of our men, and were the foremost in the advance.
Night now came on and closed the pursuit.
The regiments were rapidly reorganized, and in a few hours were in a state of efficiency, and turned out promptly and cheerfully at an alarm.
The Second brigade,
Colonel Fyffe, was not attacked, the front of the enemy's column not extending to them.
Seeing the right driven back, they also retired in good order.
Lieutenant Livingston's battery fired constantly and well from the first appearance of the enemy, until the very last moment he could remain safely.
He then crossed the river without losing a piece.
I cannot too much commend the gallant manner in which my men fought, and the promptness with which, when forced to give way, they rallied and reorganized.
The following is a report of the number of killed, wounded and missing in the engagement before
Murfreesboro, Tennessee:
| commands. | killed. | wounded. | missing. | aggregate. |
| Officers. | Men. | Total. | Officers. | Men. | Total. | Officers. | Men. | Total. |
| Brigadier-General Van Cleve, | | | | 1 | | 1 | | | | 1 |
| First Brigade, | 7 | 59 | 66 | 16 | 303 | 319 | | 81 | 81 | 466 |
| Second Brigade, | 4 | 76 | 80 | 14 | 225 | 239 | 2 | 160 | 162 | 481 |
| Third Brigade, | 6 | 75 | 81 | 21 | 307 | 328 | 2 | 146 | 148 | 557 |
| Artillery, | | 6 | 6 | | 19 | 19 | | | | 25 |
| Total, | 17 | 216 | 233 | 52 | 354 | 906 | 4 | 387 | 391 | 1,530 |
To the commanders of the different brigades,
Colonels Grider,
Price and
Fyffe, my thanks are due for the gallantry and coolness of their behavior under very trying circumstances.
Lieutenant Livingston, of the Third Wisconsin battery, did efficient service, and performed his duty ably and handsomely.
Lieutenant Smoch, Third Kentucky cavalry, who commanded a detachment of couriers, remained constantly on hand near me, and was of great use.
To the following officers, members of my staff, I tender my thanks for their assistance, and the manner in which it was rendered:
Captain E. A. Otis,
Assistant Adjutant-General;
Captain C. H. Wood,
Acting Assistant Inspector-General;
Captain William Starling,
Topographical Engineer, and
Lieutenants T. F. Murdoch and
H. M. Williams, Aids-de-Camp.
Respectfully submitted,
The following is a full abstract of the official report of
Captain James St. Clair Morton, corps of engineers, commanding brigade of pioneers:
The pioneer brigade of the Army of the Cumberland consists of three battalions of infantry, selected from forty different regiments, and the
Chicago Board of Trade battery,
Captain Stokes.
Captain Bridges, of the Nineteenth Illinois, commanded the First battalion;
Captain Hood, of the Eleventh Michigan, the Second, and
Captain Clements, of the Sixty-ninth Ohio, the Third battalion.
On the march from
Nashville, the brigade constructed two bridges over
Stewart's Creek, between the hours of four P. M. and four o'clock A. M., twenty-ninth and thirtieth of December, arriving at the battle-field on the thirtieth.
On the morning of the thirty-first of December, the brigade was engaged in improving the fords of
Stone River, in which the right battalion sustained the fire of some rebel cavalry.
Captain (now
Brigadier-General)
Morton was ordered, soon afterward, to take position in line of battle.
The brigade was formed by order of
General Rosecrans, in person, fronting toward the right.
The enemy appeared on a rise of ground, in front, from which they had driven one of our batteries.
Stokes' battery immediately opened fire, with canister, and drove them back.
Captain Morton, at the personal order of
General Rosecrans, who, with his staff accompanying him, advanced to the eminence and held it, under a heavy fire from the rebel batteries and sharpshooters.
Stokes' battery was supported by the First battalion, on the left, posted in a thicket; the Third battalion on the right, its flank protected by the Second battalion, posted in a wood, still further to the right.
Shortly after the line was formed the enemy appeared across the field, preparing to charge upon one of our retiring detachments, which had been rallied by the
commanding General.
Stokes' battery opened upon the foe, and the advance
