of knowing, and do not undertake to say but that
it was the prime cause of the very serious disaster to our arms, and to
the prestige of our army that happened at that battle, there can be no
doubt or chance for two opinions. How the battle raged, and what
happened, so far as I then knew, I cannot better describe than by
extracting from my official report of that day's proceedings, made on
the 6th of January, following, and which I do as follows:

HEADQUARTERS 1ST BRIGADE, 1ST DIV'N, LEFT WING, NEAR
MURFREESBORO', TENN., Jan. 6, 1863.

_Capt. M.P. Bestow, A.A.A.G._:

Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of the
operations of my brigade, (formerly the 15th Brigade, 6th Division,
but under the new nomenclature, 1st Brigade, 1st Division, left wing)
on the eventful 31st of December, 1862.--During the night of the 30th
I had received notice through Gen. Wood, our division commander, that
the left wing, Crittenden's corps, would cross Stone river and attack
the enemy on their right. My brigade was posted on the extreme left
of our entire line of battle and was guarding and overlooking the
ford over which we were to cross. On the morning of the 31st heavy
firing was heard on the extreme right of our line, (McCook's corps)
but as they had been fighting their way all the distance from
Nolensville as we had from Lavergne, no particular importance was
attached to this, and I was getting my brigade into position, ready
to cross as soon as Gen. Van Cleve's division, which was then
crossing, was over. All this time the firing on the right became
heavier, and apparently nearer to us, and our fears began to be
aroused that the right wing was being rapidly driven back upon us. At
this juncture Gen. Van Cleve halted his division and the most
terrible state of suspense pervaded the entire line, as it became
more and more evident that the right was being driven rapidly back
upon us. On and on they came till the heaviest fire was getting
nearly around to the pike leading to Nashville, when General
Rosecrans appeared in person, and ordered me to go with my brigade at
once to the support of the right, pointing toward our rear, where the
heaviest fire was raging. Gen. Van Cleve's division and Col. Harker's
brigade of our division received the same order. I at once changed
the front of my brigade to the rear, preparatory to starting in