1862 December 31 Murfeesboro, Tenn.

Special Orders
No. 60

                                    deployed
1. The line of skirmishers ^ in front of the Division
will be consolidated, and The right wing
extending to the right from the centre of
the front of Jackson's Brigade towards the
right will be under the command of
Major Austin, the left wing extending
from the same front towards the left
will be under command of Major Cox
of Jackson's Brigade.  Major Nickols
is relieved, he will rejoin his Regiments.
                                advance with each
Majors Austin & Cox will ^ advise with
        other
act in  ^ accord & cooperate in all these
movements, at or and report promptly
to these Head quarters' any movements of
the enemy.
                         By Command of
                           Maj Gen Breckinridge

[The order is accompanied by crude sketch of the area in question with Murfreesboro at the bottom of a "V" with the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad and the Nashville turnpike forming the left of the "V" and the Lebanon turnpike forming the right. The Stone river crosses at the top of the triangle and a ford is marked.

[The battle of Stones River / Murfreesboro, Tenn., occurred from Dec. 31, 1862-Jan. 3, 1863.  "Special Order No. 60" was dictated by Major General John Cabell Breckinridge to T. O'Hara.   Major Cox, referred to above, may be Major William Ruffin Cox.  Major Nickols may be Robert Carter Nicholas IV.  Major Austen has not been identified.  "Special Orders No. 60" was found in the papers of Theodore O'Hara, 1820-1867, a soldier, journalist and poet, noted for the poem "Bivouac of the Dead."]

[Transcription and annotations by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 11918