1863 January 2 Stone's River/Murfreesboro

[from the diary of Captain William F. Hunter, Co. B., 97th Ohio]

   Jan. 2d, ’63.                 
This morning changed
a little to the left, by
which my company is
placed in an open field.
There [?] up a barricade of
cedar brush and rails
as a protection against
rifle balls. matters re-
mained about as yes-
terday, until between 3
& 4 P.M. when then the
rebels advanced in
heavy force upon our
men, & on the other side
of the river, at the
same time a [-]
[This line is illegible.]
was poured upon us, but
with little effect. At
the onset our forces
fell back under the
pressure of the overwhelm-
ing force of the enemy,
but, in turn, they drove
the rebels, regaining their
former position, & driv-
ing the enemy from the
field in confusion. At
this time we moved a-
cross, wading the river,
& took a position on the
left flank of our forces
on that side, still in ad-
vance. Shortly after night
fall, it commenced rain-
ing, & rained, unceasingly
during the night; we be-
ing engaged part of the
time in erecting a heavy
barricade of rails.
In the affair of this eve-
ning, we took a battery
& a flag. Rations very
short.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10547-bm