The battle at Stones River, one of the bloodiest
campaigns of America's Civil War, took over 23,000 estimated casualties in four
days time. This horrific battle began the 31st of December 1862 and finally ended
January 2nd, 1863.
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| Cannon at Stones River National Battlefield by Hal Jespersen |
With the Union army controlling Fort Henry, Fort
Donelson, and Nashville, they were ready to take command of the Mississippi
River and the railroads. In order to achieve this goal, General William Rosecrans would have to battle
General Braxton Bragg and his
Confederate army. Striking first, the Confederates had the Union on the run,
driving them back to Nashville Pike. However, the Union forces vastly
outnumbered the Confederates and as time went on, the boys in gray grew weary.
The tide began to change in favor of the Union.
An interesting thing happened during the Battle
of Stones River. As one might expect
during this holiday time of year, the soldiers' thoughts meandered toward
family and home. One evening, most
unexpectedly, a song cut through the stillness of the night. The battle lines were so close that both
sides couldn't help but hear the music.
The confederates sang "Dixie," while the Union soldiers
volleyed with "Yankee Doodle."
Then, when one of the bands started playing "Home, Sweet,
Home," the other side joined in. While the soldiers sang, they ignored the
horror of the battle, and perceived enemies. Amid tears, toasts, and cheers, the
spirit of Christmas filled their souls. The respite didn't last though, for the bloody battle began
again at dawn. General Bragg commanded Major General John C. Breckinridge's
brigade to attack the Union center. The troops arrived much too late to do any
good. On January 1, 1863, no one celebrated the New Year.
