another, and the words were deliberately uttered by a brave man. "My corps
is not whipped," shouted Crittenden, "and we must not fall back." At this
moment General Rosecrans entered the room and caught the expression as it
fell from the lips of his heroic commander. "Gentlemen, we fight or die
right here," said the chief as he passed them and took a seat by the fire.

The sun of the New Year rose bright and fair; an occasional gun gave token
of the proximity of the two contending armies. During the night Rosecrans
retired his left to a more advantageous position, the extreme left resting
on Stones River above the lower ford and extending to Stokes' Battery,
posted on a knoll on Rousseau's right. Beatty's division was posted across
Stones River on the margin of the woodland that covered a gentle slope
from the river to an open field in their front. Across the field, the
Lebanon road, running nearly at right angles with the front of Beatty's
line, was nearly in sight. Off to their right and front an elevation still
held by Hanson's Brigade of Breckinridge's division, was crowned by Cobb's
Battery of Artillery. The Confederate line, formed by Polk and
Breckinridge on the right and Hardee on the left, extended from the point
on Stones River where Chalmer's Brigade had bivouacked since the 28th, in
a direction almost at right angles with its original line.

The body of the brave General Sill was found where it had fallen, and sent
to Murfreesboro, where it was buried. At dawn on the 1st of January the
right flank of General Polk was advanced to occupy the ground vacated by
the left flank of the Union Army. Neither commander deemed it advisable to
attack, but each was watchful of every movement of the other. The picket
lines of either side were thrust forward within sight of the main lines of
the opposing force, on the alert to notify their commanders of any
movement in their front. As two gladiators of equal strength, who, having
fought until nature is exhausted, stretch their herculean forms upon the
earth, each confident that his antagonist is as unable as himself to renew
the contest, rise when refreshed and glare upon each other, watchful for
advantage, so were these contending armies, drawn up in firm array, weaker
in numerical strength, but more compact and infinitely stronger in
indomitable will, on the morning of the New Year, each awaiting the order
to advance and close in a final struggle. It was the crouching of tig