Camp Cromwell at Murfreesboro

Murfreesboro, which seems to better known here as Stones River was fought over 3 days from Dec 31 1862 to Jan 2 1863.   Rosecrans was pushing south through central Tennessee towards Chattanooga.  Bragg moved north to meet him & made a surprise attack on New Years Eve.

The Union right was pushed back 90 degrees hinging about the Slaughter Pen - a patch of forest with rocky ground that favoured the defence.   

The Feds in the Pen held out long enough for Rosecrans to form a new defence line at right angles to his initial position. 

The next day both sides reorganised themselves & there was no fighting.   

On Jan 2 the Rebs attacked again thinking the Feds were beaten.  This time they attacked the Union left which was bent back at 90 degrees.  The Rebs were initially successful & drove the Feds back across Stones River.  

Then they discovered that Rosecrans had anticipated their attack & had assembled a battery of 57 guns on the rise above the river.  The Reb attack shuddered to a halt & Brag ordered a withdrawal.   

The battle had many similarities to Shiloh. The battlefield had the same feel, being mainly wooded, but with fields scattered about.  The Rebs won the first day & telegrams went to Richmond claiming crushing victory.  But again the Union General did not concede defeat.  Rosie seems to have learned a thing or two from Grant.  The Union army didn’t retreat as the Rebs expected & when the battle resumed, the Rebs were whipped.

The battlefield today isn’t in quite as good shape as Shiloh, but has enough left to get the feel of it & it has a good informative visitors centre & self-guided drive around. 

Near the battlefield there are remains of Fort Rosecrans – a huge Union supply base used as the starting point for the Chattanooga campaign later in 1863 & the advance on Atlanta in 1864.