From where we stood on the ramparts of Fortress
Rosecrans we could plainly see their columns in motion, with flags
flying, circling around us as if looking for a good opening. They were
beyond the range of musketry, but our big guns in the fortress opened
on them and gave them a most noisy cannonading, but what the effect was
I don't know,--probably not much. In the battles of the Civil War
artillery playing on infantry at short range with grape and canister
did frightful execution, of which I saw plenty of evidence at Shiloh;
but at a distance, and firing with solid shot or shell, it simply made
a big noise, and if it killed anybody, it was more an accident than
otherwise.

Beginning about December 5th, and continuing for several days
thereafter, we turned out at four o'clock every morning, fully armed,
and manned the trenches in the rear of the breastworks, and remained
there till after sunrise. It was a cold, chilly business, standing two
or three hours in those damp trenches, with an empty stomach, waiting
for an apprehended attack, which, however, was never made. For my part,
I felt like I did when behind our big works in the rear of Vicksburg,
and sincerely hoped that the other fellows would make an attempt to
storm our defenses, and I think the other boys felt the same way. We
would have shot them down just like pigeons, and the artillery in the
corner bastions, charged with grape and canister, would have played its
part too. But the Confederates had no intention of making any attempt
of this nature. The Official Records of the Rebellion hereinbefore
mentioned contain the correspondence between Hood and Forrest
concerning this movement on Murfreesboro, and which clearly discloses
their schemes. The plan was simply to "scare" Rousseau out of
Murfreesboro, and cause him to retreat in a northerly direction towards
the town of Lebanon, and then, having gotten him out of his hole, to
surround him in the open with their large force of cavalry, well
supported by infantry, and capture all his command. But Rousseau didn't
"scare" worth a cent, as will appear later.

CHAPTER XXI.

THE BATTLE OF WILKINSON'S PIKE. DECEMBER 7, 1864.

Early in the morning of December 7th, General Rousseau started out
General Milroy with seven regiments of infantry, (which included our
regiment,) a battery of artillery, and a small detachment of cavalry,
to find out what Gen. Forrest wanted. Our entire force consisted of a
trifle