mass artillery and sweep the whole
field. In urging his opinions he drew, with a stick, on the ground the
position of the contending forces. Considerable time was occupied in the
discussion, but Bragg remained firm, and finally ended the discussion by
an imperative command to move at once to the attack. As General
Breckinridge rode forward to his command he met General Preston,
commanding his Third Brigade, and said: "This attack is made against my
judgment and by the special orders of General Bragg. Of course we must all
do our duty and fight the best we can. If it should result in disaster,
and I be among the slain, I want you to do justice to my memory, and tell
the people that I believed this movement to be very unwise, and that I
tried to prevent it."

To distract the attention from the real point of attack a heavy artillery
fire was ordered to be opened from Polk's front at the exact hour at which
the movement was to begin. At other points along both lines all was quiet,
and at half-past three General Breckinridge reported that he would advance
at four o'clock. The effective strength of Breckinridge's division on the
morning of the 31st was 7,053. Adding two batteries and deducting 730 men
disabled in the three brigades of Palmer, Preston, and Adams, in the
assault of the 31st in front of the Round Forrest, left 6,576 infantry and
artillery, 3,000 cavalry, and seven batteries of artillery with which to
make the attack. Hanson's fine brigade of Kentuckians, who had signalized
their valor at Shiloh and Baton Rouge, 1,000 strong, had up to this time
been disengaged.

The movement of Breckinridge's command was observed by General Crittenden
from the bluff on the opposite bank of Stones River, above the lower ford,
from the moment that the advance commenced. To reach Beatty's line it was
necessary to cross an open space six or seven hundred yards in width, with
a gentle ascent, in full view from the opposite shore, as well as from the
front line of Beatty's division. In the assault that followed a brief
cannonade, Hanson's left was thrown forward close to the river bank, with
guns loaded and bayonets fixed, under orders to fire once, then charge
with the bayonet. This charge of General Breckinridge will live in the
memories of those who witnessed it, coupled in precision of formation, in
rapidity of movement, and in grandeur of execution, if not in results,
with the charge of the armies of the Cumberland and Tennessee