the army of the cumberland-第16部分

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le　railroad；　and　on　the　same　duty　were　the　remaining　two　brigades　of　Fry's　division。　　R。　B。　Mitchell　was　assigned　to　the　command　of　Nashville　with　his　division　as　the　garrison。　　This　left；　under　the　immediate　command　of　Thomas；　the　two　divisions　and　the　brigade　as　above；　as　his　only　available　force。　McCook　with　three　divisions　under　Johnson；　Davis；　and　Sheridan；　and　Crittenden；　also　with　three　divisions　under　Wood；　Palmer；　and　Van　Cleve；　were　in　camp　in　front　of　Nashville；　on　the　Franklin；　Nolinsville；　and　Murfreesboro　turnpikes。

The　position　of　the　enemy　under　Bragg　was　fully　known　to　Rosecrans。　Two　corps　under　Polk　and　Kirby　Smith　were　at　Murfreesboro　with　strong　outposts　at　Stewart's　Creek　and　Lavergne。　　The　corps　under　Hardee　was　on　the　Shelbyville　and　Nolinsville　pike；　between　Triune　and　Eaglesville；　with　an　advance　guard　at　Nolinsville。　　Rosecrans；　on　the　morning　of　the　26th；　directed　the　advance　movement　to　commence　in　the　following　order。　　McCook　was　to　move　his　command　of　three　divisions　direct　on　the　Nolinsville　pike　to　Triune。　　Thomas　was　to　advance　his　command　of　two　divisions　and　a　brigade　on　McCook's　right　by　the　Franklin　and　Wilson　pikes；　threatening　Hardee's　left；　and　on　his　falling　back　was　then　to　cross　over　on　country　roads　and　occupy　Nolinsville。　　Crittenden　was　ordered　to　move　his　command　direct　on　the　Murfreesboro　pike。　　On　the　arrival　of　Thomas　at　Nolinsville；　and　being　in　a　position　to　support；　McCook　was　to　attack　Hardee　at　Triune；　and　if　the　latter　was　re…enforced　and　McCook's　advance　resisted；　Thomas　was　to　go　to　his　aid。　　If　Hardee　fell　back　to　Stewart's　Creek；　five　miles　south　of　Lavergne；　and　the　enemy　made　a　stand　there；　then　Crittenden　was　to　attack　him　at　once；　and　Thomas　was　to　come　in　on　his　left　flank；　while　McCook　was　to　bring　his　forces　in　supporting　distance　of　Thomas　and　Crittenden　as　needed；　after　sending　a　division　to　watch　Hardee　and　to　pursue　him　if　retreating。

Davis　took　the　advance　of　the　Right　Wing　with　the　First　Division。　He　moved　from　camp　at　6　A。M。　on　the　Edmondson　pike；　on　which　he　was　ordered　to　move　to　Prim's　blacksmith　shop；　from　whence　he　was　to　march　direct　on　a　country　road　to　Nolinsville。　　The　Third　Division　under　Sheridan　moved　on　the　Nolinsville　pike；　followed　by　the　Second　under　Johnson。　　The　advance　of　both　these　columns　encountered　the　cavalry　pickets　of　the　enemy；　within　two　miles　of　the　Federal　picket　line。　　As　these　commands　advanced；　there　was　constant　skirmishing　until　the　heads　of　each　of　these　columns　reached　Nolinsville。　About　one　mile　south　of　the　town　the　enemy　made　a　determined　stand　in　a　defile；　and　upon　the　hills　through　which　the　pike　ran　at　this　place；　known　as　Knobb's　Gap。　　This　was　a　favorable　position　for　the　rebels；　well　guarded　by　their　artillery；　which　opened　fire　at　long　range　upon　Carlin's　lines。　　Davis　then　brought　up　two　batteries　and　opened　fire　upon　the　enemy；　while　Carlin　charged　their　position；　capturing　two　guns　and　several　prisoners。　　Davis's　other　brigades　carried　the　enemy's　position　on　the　right　and　left。　　His　divisions　then　bivouacked　for　the　night。　　McCook's　loss　that　day　was　about　seventy…five　killed　and　wounded。

Early　on　the　morning　of　the　27th；　McCook's　command　pressing　forward；　encountered　the　enemy　in　force。　　A　dense　fog　prevailed　at　the　time；　rendering　it　hazardous　in　the　extreme　to　open　an　engagement　at　that　time；　as　McCook's　troops　could　not　distinguish　friend　from　foe　at　one　hundred　and　fifty　yards；　and　his　cavalry　had　been　fired　on　by　his　infantry。　　On　learning　that　Hardee　was　in　position　and　had　been　in　line　of　battle　since　the　night　before；　McCook　ordered　a　halt　until　the　fog　lifted。　　This　it　did　about　noon；　when　Johnson's　division　was　pushed　rapidly　forward；　followed　by　that　of　Sheridan。　As　the　command　approached　Triune　they　found　the　enemy　had　burned　the　bridge　across　Wilson's　Creek　and　retired；　leaving　a　battery　of　six　pieces　with　cavalry　supports　to　hold　the　crossing。　　As　the　skirmishers　of　Johnson's　command　advanced；　the　battery　withdrew；　and　with　the　cavalry　moved　off　rapidly　on　the　Eaglesville　road。　Johnson's　division　then　repaired　the　bridge；　crossed　and　went　into　camp　beyond　Wilson's　Creek。

On　Sunday　the　28th；　there　was　no　general　movement　of　the　troops。　McCook；　however；　sent　Willich's　brigade　out　on　reconoissance；　to　learn　whether　the　enemy　had　retired　to　Murfreesboro　or　Shelbyville。　Willich　went　several　miles　on　the　Shelbyville　road　and　found　that　the　force　in　his　front　had　turned　to　the　left　and　moved　toward　that　former　place。　Stanley　with　the　cavalry　also　made　a　reconoissance；　and　reported　that　Hardee　had　retreated　to　Murfreesboro。

On　the　29th；　McCook；　leaving　Baldwin's　brigade　at　Triune　to　cover　the　extreme　right；　moved　forward　with　the　remainder　of　his　command　on　a　country　road　known　as　the　Bole　Jack　road　toward　Murfreesboro。　The　command　did　not　reach　their　encampment　until　late　in　the　evening；　when　from　the　movements　of　the　enemy　it　was　concluded　that　he　intended　to　give　battle　at　Murfreesboro；　and　every　disposition　of　troops　was　made　with　reference　to　this。　　That　night　McCook's　command　was　encamped　in　line　of　battle　with　two　brigades　of　Johnson's　division　watching　the　right；　Woodruff's　brigade　guarding　the　bridge　at　Overall's　Creek；　Davis　on　the　right　of　the　Wilkinson　pike；　with　Sheridan　on　the　left　of　that　road。　　The　brigade　that　McCook　had　left　at　Triune　was　ordered　up　and　assumed　its　position　with　the　troops　on　the　30th。　　McCook's　entire　command　on　the　morning　of　that　day　advanced　down　the　Wilkinson　turnpike　until　the　head　of　the　column　encountered　the　enemy's　pickets。　　The　line　of　battle　was　at　once　formed　with　the　division　deployed　in　a　line　running　to　the　right　in　a　southeast　direction　with　the　left　of　Sheridan　upon　the　Wilkinson　pike　immediately　on　Negley's　right。　　Davis's　division　was　at　once　thrown　into　line　of　battle　with　his　left　resting　on　Sheridan's　right；　and　Johnson's　held　in　reserve。　　Covering　the　front　with　a　strong　line　of　skirmishers；　McCook　moved　his　men　slowly　forward；　the　enemy　stubbornly　contesting　every　foot　of　ground。　　McCook's　skirmishers　soon　became　sharply　engaged　with　those　of　the　rebels。　The　ground　was　very　favorable　to　the　enemy；　they　being　under　cover　of　heavy　woods　and　cedar　thickets。　　At　12　o'clock　part　of　the　enemy's　line　of　battle　was　determined；　McCook's　skirmishers　being　then　about　five　hundred　yards　from　it。　　The　resistance　to　Davis's　advance　was　especially　stubborn；　and　the　losses　of　the　day　footed　up　seventy…five　in　Sheridan's　division　and　some　two　hundred　in　Davis's。　　Shortly　before　sunset　the　rebel　position　was　plainly　discernible　from　Davis's　front；　and　was　formed　diagonally　across　the　old　Murfreesboro　and　Franklin　road。　　In　the　afternoon；　McCook　learned　from　a　citizen　who　had　seen　the　enemy's　line　of　battle　and　the　position　of　his　troops；　that　they　were　posted　with　the　right　of　Cheatham's　division　resting　on　the　Wilkinson　pike；　Wither's　division　on　Cheatham's　left；　with　his　left　resting　on　the　Franklin　road；　the　entire　of　Hardee's　corps　to　the　left　of　that　road　extending　toward　Salem　pike。　　This　formation　of　the　enemy's　line　placed　the　right　of　McCook's　line　as　then　formed　directly　in　front　of　the　enemy's　centre。　　Information　was　at　once　sent　to　Rosecrans；　and　McCook　informed　his　three　division　commanders　of　this　fact　and　then　placed　two　brigades　of　the　reserve　division　under　Willich　and　Kirktwo　of　the　best　and　most　experienced　brigade　commanders　in　the　armyon　the　right　of　Davis；　to　protect　the　right　flank　and　guard　against　surprisethat　of　Kirk　with　his　left　resting　on　Davis's　right；　with　his　right　refused；　Willich　on　Kirk's　right　and　in　a　line　nearly　perpendicular　to　the　main　line；　thus　covering　the　right　flank。　　The　third　brigade　of　Johnson's　division　was　held　as　reserve。　McCook's　line　of　battle　as　thus　formed　was　broken　in　several　points。　　The　general　direction　of　Sheridan's　line　was　to　the　east　and　south；　facing　nearly　at　right　angles　with　Negley；　that　of　Davis　was　to　the　west；　facing　south；　nearly　at　right　angles　to　Sheridan；　Kirk's　brigade　to　Davis's　right　faced　more　to　the　east；　while　Willich's　faced　due　south。　　The　general　direction　of　McCook's　line；　however；　conformed　to　the　line　of　the　enemy　in　its　front；　except　the　latter　had　no　breaks　in　the　line　and　that　its　left　division　under　McCown　had　its　left　extended　due　south。　　The　main　portion　of　the　enemy's　battle…line　faced　northwest。　　Breckinridge　on　the　right　of　the　line　was　facing　nearly　north　while　McCown　on　the　left　faced　due　west。　　The　enemy　awaiting　attackacting　on　the　defensivehad　as　far　as　practicable　located　its　line　in　the　cedars；　with　open　ground　in　the　front。　　McCook　considered　his　line　a　strong　one；　with　〃open　ground　in　the　front　for　a　short　distance。〃　　Rosecrans；　on　being　informed　by　McCook　of　the　location　of　his　line　of　battle；　expressed　himself　against　it；　saying：　　〃I　don't　like　the　facing　so　much　to　the　east；　but　must　confide　that　to　you；　who　know　the　ground。　　If　you　don't　think　you　present　the　best　position；　change　it。〃　　At　six　o'clock　in　the　evening　McCook　received　an　order　from　Rosecrans　to　have　large　and　extended　camp…fires　made　on　the　right；　extending　far　beyond　the　right　of　the　line；　to　deceive　the　enemy　and　make　him　believe　that　troops　were　being　massed　there。　　Fires　were　built　extending　nearly　a　mile　beyond　the　right　of　McCook's　line。　　In　this　position　the　right　wing　rested　in　the　cedars　the　night　before　the　battle。　　The　troops；　cutting　cedar　boughs　for　beds；　and　officers　and　men；　wrapping　themselves　in　their　blankets；　slept　in　the　frosty　night　air　with　the　silent　stars　looking　down。

On　the　26th；　Thomas's　command；　〃the　Centre；〃　with　Negley's　division　in　the　advance；　moved　out　promptly　to　Brentwood　on　the　Franklin　pike；　and　from　there　turned　to　the　left　and　advanced　on　the　Wilson　pike　to　Owen's　store；　where　the　troops　were　to　encamp　for　the　night。　But　on　arriving　there；　Negley　left　his　train　and　pushed　on　at　once　with　his　troops　to　Nolinsville；　from　whence　the　sound　of　Davis's　guns　had　reached　him；　to　his　support。　　Negley　encamped　at　Nolinsville；　Rousseau　at　Owen's　store；　and　Walker's　brigade　at　Brentwood。　　A　very　heavy　rain　during　the　night　rendered　the　country　roads　impassable；　and　it　was　not　until　the　night　of　the　27th　that　Rousseau's　command　reached　Nolinsville。　　On　the