Stones River (Murfreesboro)

Western ACW Books

After Perryville and Corinth, Buell was sacked and Rosecrans was placed in charge of the Army of the Ohio, now being called the XIV Corps, with a Right Wing, Center, and Left Wing. This was the beginning of Rosecrans Army of the Cumberland, but he seemed reluctant to use it, just like McClellan. He moved southeast from Nashville, Tennessee and eventually came to a point near Murfreesboro on Stones River, where Bragg and his Army had made a stand. Bragg launched a fierce morning flank attack on the Union Right and nearly drove the entire right flank back onto the rest of the army before being stopped. Frustrated, Bragg waited a day and then launced a poorly designed assault on the Union left, getting beat back with terrible losses to the "Orphan" Brigade. I really feel sorry for the western Confederate soldiers. Everyone but Jefferson Davis wanted Bragg gone, but he managed to continue bungling as leader until the disaster at Missionary Ridge almost an entire year later.