1863 January 1 Murfreesboro

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

Jan. 1st., 1863                               
This morning, the first of
the new year, finds me
still alive, by the mer-
cy of God,having yes-
terday passed through
one of the most terrific
and sanguinary conflicts
of the age, and which,
Heaven grant! may be
the last one in which
the peril of our coun-
try may require us
to participate, or even
witness. Our reg’t. is,
as it has been since
we arrived here, in
the advance, occupy-
ing a position in
a narrow point of
woods, about  600 yds

2
in rear of our position of
yesterday, where we were
ordered by Gen’l. Rose-    
crans, in person.
Our position a very ex-
posed one, being directly
under the fire of a reb
-el battery, which, to my
notion, is skillfully work-
ed; a battery of ours is
posted on an eminence
on our left which neces-
sarily [-] upon us the
fire of the enemy’s cannon.
Two brigades of our forces
crossed the river to-day on
the left. Constant firing a-
long both picket lines; near
noon, heavy firing of mus-
ketry & occasional firing of
cannon on the right.
About 4 o’clock, the reb-
el battery in front of

                        3
us opened & shelled us
furiously for an hour,
but without effect.
Quiet during the night.

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 10547-bm