Project Gutenberg's The Third Day at Stone's River, by Gilbert C. Kniffin

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Title: The Third Day at Stone's River

Author: Gilbert C. Kniffin

Release Date: April 18, 2010 [EBook #32039]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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Military Order of the Loyal Legion
Of the
United States.

COMMANDERY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

WAR PAPERS.
69

The Third Day at Stone's River.

PREPARED BY COMPANION
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL
GILBERT C. KNIFFIN,
U. S. VOLUNTEERS,

AND
READ AT THE STATED MEETING OF MAY 1, 1907.

The Third Day at Stone's River.

While the heroic commander of the Union Army, with fearless confidence in
his remaining troops, was hurling the hard-hitting brigades of the left
and center upon Hardee's victorious advance during the first day of the
fight at Stones River, kindling anew the dying embers of hope in the
breasts of the retreating soldiers of the right, and by his exalted
courage snatching victory from the jaws of defeat; while Thomas calm and
brave, with perfect presence of mind, superintended every move in the
desperate game of battle, watchful of every point, a tower of strength to
his devoted men, and Crittenden, more cheerful than usual in the hell of
carnage that raged along his front, brought regiment after regiment and
battery after battery in support of the point where Hazen, and Hascall,
and Grose, and Cruft were clinging tenaciously to their position, and
beating back the desperate charges of Polk and Breckinridge, the cavalry
were performing prodigies of valor in the rear and on the right. General
Wheeler, on his return from his exploits at La Verne, to the rear of
Hardee's line on the morning of the 31st, found that the battle had
opened. He immediately joined in the pursuit of Johnson's retiring
division, while Wharton, in command of ten regiments of cavalry, and a
battery of artillery, moved over to