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Regiment: 11th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned: Stones River, Tennessee
Historical Figures: Alexander M. McCook, James S. Negley, William J. Hardee, William S. Rosecrans
Hd. Qrs. 11th Mich. Inf. Vols
Murfreesboro Tenn 21st Jan. /63
Dear Cousin “Phil”
Once more in this
“course of human events” it become necessary
for me to write an answer to a letter from you
I recd your favor of the 21st ult. a few
days since but have had no opportunity of an-
swering before on account of the great press
of business, consequently I am under the
necessity of asking you to excuse my tar-
diness, which I think you will grant un
der the circumstances. I suppose you have
heard long ago that we have had a
terrible time here, & as a matter of course
all stories have been very much exaggerated
Well we have “smelt powder” and
seen some real fighting in earnest.
I will give you a brief account
of our doings since we left Camp Ham
ilton (5 miles from Nashville) On the 26
th of
Decr. we left camp & went out 7 miles when we
took a bye road across the country to Nolensville
Our artillery were skirmishing nearly all day
with the enemys rear guard. We camped at
night in a piece of woods without blankets or
overcoats. In the morning we were up be-
times & across the country again accomplishing what
is termed a flank movement striking the Mus-
freesboro pike after dark about 12 miles from
Murfreesboro & within 2 miles of the rebel pickets
Both of these days were raing & the roads
being regular dirt roads were terribly cut
up by our Artillery so that it was quite a difficult
matter to find bottom. Our train did not get
away from Nolensville but we had our overcoats
so that we managed to get along quite well.
We laid over here one day & I went back with
a detail of men & wagons to help up our train.
The next day (29th) “On to Murfreesboro”
Our Division left the pike & took a dirt road
leading to the right & striking the pike about
8 miles out. Our artillery had the satisfaction
of throwing shells at them the rebels as they retreated on
the Pike. We stopped at night about 4 miles
out & close to the enemys’ lines. The 30
th our
Division went to the right again cutting our
road through a dense cedar swamp.
The day was spent in skirmishing. Quite
a good many were killed & wounded.
We lost but one man in our regiment.
Lt. Wilson of Co. F was shot in the head & died
instantly. That night our regt. stood picket
without any fire & a cool night we had.
Through the day the right wing under Maj.
Gen. McCook had gained a good position &
everything looked favorable.
Early in the morning the enemy under
Hardee mad a furious assault on McCook’s
forces taking their batteries & turning their
guns on us they poured in a murderous storm
of shot & shell under cover of which they made
a charge on our Division. Our Division oc-
cupied an open space on a slight rise of ground.
In the rear was the Cedar swamp through which
we had cut our way. One regiment was in front
of ours & were falling back under the murderous
fire when Genl. Negley ordered us to charge.
I was touching to see the tears
roll down his cheek as he said “Eighth Div-
ision! Forward!. For God’s sake 11
th Michigan
dont desert me now.”- and we did “forward”
with an earnestness that could not be with
[ ? ]
We charged to the edge of the woods & poured
in such a fire that the “rebs” were checked.
We (29
th Brigade) held our position till McCooks
Corps had fallen back so that we were complete
ly surrounded when we were ordered to fall
back. After the 19
th Ill & our Regt. charged
back on them again & then fell back in good
order, fighting as we went. They pressed us close
as we retreated through the swamp but we
made every shot count. After we emerged
from the swamp our regiment charged
back again but the place was getting too hot
for us & we fell back under cover of our bat-
teries. Here ended the work for the day except
skirmishing along the line & we (our forces) oc-
cupied the same ground we did two days before
The next day – New Years – nothing was done
by our Division. Just at night one Division of our
forces succeeded in crosing Stones River on our
left & held their ground for the night.
Jan. 2
nd skirmishing was kept up along the line
until about 3 P.M. when a feint was made
on our centres under cover of which they made
preparations for a desperate charge on our left.
Gen. Rosecrans anticipating such a movement
had caused our Brigade to be moved from
the Cenre to the left to support his batteries
About 3 ½ P.M. the “flower of the Confederate Army”
made a fierce assault on our division that
had crossed the river, drove them back
& were advancing on our batteries with
shouts, thinking they were easily taken.
All this time our Brigade were lying down
behind the bank while their shot & shell were
picking off the men terribly. There was one
regiment between us & the bank. As the
rebels charged down to the streams all but
next sheet –
one Company broke & run through our ranks
At this we were ordered to “up & at ’em”, which
we did with a will. Our Brigade charged
down through the river, up the bank, &into
the woods driving them from their batteries
& taking their guns & colors. The dead & wound-
ed lay around by
[ ? ]. This battery was
Bragg’s famous “Washington battery” the best
he had in his army & it was well
[ ? ].
We silenced another battery & had reinforce-
ments followed us we might have taken
it but we were two badly broken to under
later it for we could not tell what we might
run foul of. We then fell back & the ground
was occupied by fresh troops. Prisoners taken
there say that they were sure of taking our
battery & had no idea that we were there.
Had they taken them they could have swept
the whole field occupied by our forces.
Nothing more of importance occurred again
until about 7 Oclock saturday night (3
rd)
when “Rosecrans” division made a “charge by
moonlight.” Genl. Rosecrans anticipating from
appearances, that the enemy would, under
cover of the storms, mass his forces and
make an attempt to break his centre, got a
trap for them. Under cover of his infantry he
massed his artillery in position & awaited
the issue. Well as anticipated they made
the attempt when the infantry fell back &
our artillery opened on them with “double shotted”
cannister & grape which moved them down
by hundreds. They found out what kind of a
chap “Loomis” was to deal with.
Our infantry then charged on then & carried
their Rifle pits & entrenchments, but finally
abandoned them & fell back on the old position
The next day being sunday, it being pre-
viously understood that Rosecrans would not
make an attack on that day & the enemy ma-
king no demonstrations, everything was compar-
atively quiet & the day was spent in burying our
dead. A detail was sent to the field of our
first days engagement & found that the
rebels had literally stripped our dead,
taking shoes, socks, coats, pants & in some ca-
ses their shirts. And this is “civilized warfa
re On Monday we invested the place
the rebels having “skedaddled” on saturday
night & sunday. We went into camp (that
is we camped out) in the woods just out of
town on the Shelbyville pike.
In the afternoon Gen Rosecrans &
staff rode around the lines. We had
been notified of his approach & were drawn
up in line to receive him. His first
words were “Well boys how do you like
fighting”? His answer was three rousing
cheers given with a will. He then said
he congratulated us on the manner in which
we had conducted ourselves & the succes
of our forces. He said from what he could
learn that the enemy had left saturday
night in a very demoralized conditions
& very much hurt in their own estimation.
I notice that our Genl. Negley
is spoken very highly of by the northern press
Although I feel proud of our commander
& “our Brigade & Division – yet I can say
without prejudice that we prevented a
total defeat & panic the first day to the
last achieved a brilliant victory.
Thus I will close the chapter.
Col. Stoughton has been appointed Provost
Marshal of this place & our regiment is provost
guards. The companies are ole comfortably
quartered in food buildings. The health
of the regt. is good. The wounded
are doing well. There are several
delegation here from the north (Ladies)
to attend the wounded & sick.
The loss in our company is as follows
over
Killed. Chauncey B. Green, Wm Chamberlain &
Cap. Geo. W. Guyer. Wounded, severly; H.
Vanderhoof. Wounded, slightly; E. A. Greers,
& N sewich. Missing Abel Coon &
Stillman Hodge.
The boys from our posts are all well.
Amid all this confusion I have entirely
forgotten what my appeal to you & all the papers
was & you will confer a favor by enlightening
me on the subject. I was not aware that my mem-
ory was so treacherous. I am sorry you are all
waiting for me, for some one may get dispointed
I really wish I could have been there to have
heard these “Collagagues” you spoke of for I
do like such things myself. I don’t know what
you mean by thinking that I misconstrue you
letters for I’m sure I take them as they say with
any reference to what they mean. I’m glad that
Salome has got a friend somewhere to furnish
her in stockings for ‘taint every one that has.
What do you mean by wishing me a more peace
ful new- years then the last two love been?
Don’t keep me in such a state of ignorance
for it sets me into such a “terrible thinking”
& you know that is bad for ones’ health.
Give my respect to all Write soon,
direct as usual & consider me the same old chip.
L. T. Squire
11th Infantry
Give all of the news
