Battle of Stone's River – Day 3

On December 31st Bragg had driven back Rosecrans's army around Murfreesboro, Tennessee. But Rosecrans did not retreat the next day as he expected, so on January 2nd, 150 years ago today, he decided to renew the attack. In the afternoon he ordered John C. Breckinridge to attack Beatty's division, which had reoccupied the heights on the east side of the river. At first, Breckinridge protested that the attack would be suicidal, but he eventually agreed and attacked with vigor. He drove the Yankee's off the heights and across the river, but when he attempted to cross McFadden Ford, his troops encountered heavy artillery fire. Captain John Mendenhall had placed his guns very skillfully, 57 guns completely dominating the river crossing. As the rebels tried to cross the river they were driven back time and again by the terrific fire from these guns. Finally, after losing over 1,800 men in one hour, Breckinridge called off the assault. He was devastated by the losses, especially in his Kentucky troops of the Orphan Brigade, so called because they could not return home because their state was occupied by the Union. "My poor Orphans! My poor Orphans!" Breckinridge cried as he rode among the survivors. One third of the Orphan Brigade had fallen in the assault.

Breckinridge

The fighting was over around Murfreesboro. Rosecrans received reinforcements and supplies the next day, and Bragg knew that the Unions would only gain troops over the coming days. He retreated in the night of January 3rd. Just as at Perryville, Bragg had beaten the Union army, but had been unable to turn his success into a victory. Tactically it was a draw, although Rosecrans could claim victory as Bragg had eventually retreated. Abraham Lincoln wrote to Rosecrans, "You gave us a hard-earned victory, which had there been a defeat instead, the nation could scarcely have lived over." The Federals made no attempt to pursue, remaining for months in earthworks dug around Murfreesboro. Union General Crittenden wrote of the battle:

The battle was fought for the possession of Middle Tennessee. We went down to drive the Confederates out of Murfreesboro, and we drove them out. They went off a few miles and camped again. And we, although we were the victors, virtually went into hospital for six months before we could march after them again. As in most of our battles, very meager fruits resulted to either side from such partial victories as were for the most part won. Yet it was a triumph. It showed that in the long run the big purse and the big battalions - both on our side - must win, and it proved that there were no better soldiers than ours.

Battle of Baton Rouge

Union troop encampments in Baton Rouge

After they lost New Orleans in April of 1862, the Confederates decided to also abandon Baton Rouge, just up the Mississippi River. On May 9th the USS Iroquois landed at the town and was able to take possession without encountering any resistance. As the Union noose grew tighter around the stronghold of Vicksburg, the southerners were looking for a way to resist the siege. Major General Earl Ban Dorn decided to try to recapture Baton Rouge, and from there he could launch attacks along the Red River, and threaten New Orleans. For this task he had several thousand men men under the command of John C. Breckinridge, as well as the ironclad Arkansas which had humiliated the Federals by running through their fleet, and then beating off attempts to sink her. Van Dorn hoped the cooperation of these two elements would allow for a successful attack on the Federal forces in the town.

Map of the battle

Breckinridge set out on July 27th, 1862. The Union commander in Baton Rouge, General Thomas Williams soon heard of the expedition. He moved his troops a mile out of town and prepared to meet the attack. His men were inexperienced, as they had trained for only two weeks before being sent out, and it was not known how they would stand in battle. Breckinridge continued to move forward, and arrived just outside the city on the night of August 4th. However, the element of surprise was lost when Union sentries spotted the advance. Nevertheless, Breckinridge determined to continue on with the attack at daybreak.

The Federals charge

Early in the morning the Confederates set out towards the Union troops. “It was difficult,” said a Confederate Colonel, “to distinguish any object in the thick white mist, or to know friend from foe.” The southern forces encountered the enemy, and with fierce fighting pushed them across the town. Leading a charge at the head of his troops, General Williams was killed, hit in the breast by a bullet. The bitter fighting continued, and the Yankee troops fell back into a prepared position in the town, within range of the river. The Confederates expected to be aided in their attack by the Arkansas’s shells thrown from the river. However, as they attacked the Union troops, it was they who were hit by a navy bombardment. The Arkansas did not make it to the battlefield. Their engines engines failed just four miles above the city. Instead the Federal troops were protected by the guns of their boats in the river. Under this bombardment and meeting fierce resistance from the Federal troops, Breckenridge realized the attack was useless and withdrew. He wrote in his report:

We had listened in vain for the guns of the Arkansas; I saw around me not more than 1,000 exhausted men … The enemy had several batteries commanding the approaches to the arsenals and barracks, and the gunboats had already reopened upon us with a direct fire. Under the circumstances I did not deem it prudent to pursue the victory further.

In this fierce fight the Union lost 383 in killed, wounded and missing, the Confederates, 456.

The USS Essex fires into the CSS Arkansas

The Arkansas, still unable to move, could not escape from the Federla ships, or fight them to advantage. When they sailed up the next day, her commander, Lieutenant Stevens, knew it would be hopeless to resist. Therefore he ordered her to be abandoned and blown up. The Arkansas, which it had seemed could fight with the best the Federals had to offer, had ended in a burning wreck.

The Federals did not long remain in Baton Rouge. Although they had beaten off the attack, they fell back to New Orleans, concerned for its safety. However, they would return that autumn. The Confederate forces occupied Port Hudson a few miles north, which they would hold for many months.

Damage to the town of Baton Rouge