After the battle we continued our march in pursuit of Bragg, passing through Danville and Sanford to Crab Orchard, where we changed our course to the west and marched to Lebanon. Here we remained about two weeks. It was here that Lt. Col. Hobart first joined the regiment and, in the absence of Col. Sweet, assumed command. Owing to cooler weather and exposure after the battle, the regiment suffered quite severely, but here the boys received their tents that had been left at Louisville which in a measure relieved them. Leaving Lebanon on the 29th of October we marched south-west through Greensburg and Mumfordville, passing near to the mouth of Mammoth Cave on to Bowling Green which place we reached on the 4th of November. Gen. Buell was relieved from the command of the army on the 30th of October, Gen. Rosecrans being appointed in his stead. It was said that at the battle of Perryville, Gen. Buell had allowed one half of his army to remain inactive, thus permitting Bragg to escape. This together with his dilatory movements generally led to his removal.

On the 10th of November we marched to Mitchellville, a point just across the Tennessee state line on the Louisville and Nashville R.R. Here for nearly a month we were engaged in guarding the R.R. and army supplies. The regiment suffered severely with sickness, and many deaths occurred while at this place. We left here on the 7th of December, and two days later we went into camp Andy Johnson four miles south of Nashville Tenn. Shortly after this our regiment was assigned to the "3rd" Brigade, 1st Division. 14th Army Corps. "Army of the Cumberland". While at this camp every spare moment was improved in drilling, especially in company drill and the manual of arms. All evinced an earnest desire to become proficient as a drilled soldier. They had passed through the battle of Perryville without having acquired a knowledge of arms or military movements and they were now anxious to learn.

On the morning of the 26th of December our army under Gen. Rosecrans moved out from the vicinity of Nashville, toward Murfreesboro, at which point Bragg was known to be in strong force. A cold rain commenced falling about the time our army got started. This soon turned to sleet, and ice covered the face of everything, and added very much to our discomfort. While it had a tendency to dampen our spirits in a measure, yet we had abundant faith in "Old Rosy" our commander, and felt confident that the outcome of the campaign would amply repay us for the hardship we endured. Our 3rd Brigade occupied the left of our line and marched on the Jefferson Pike. The confederates seemed inclined to dispute our advance, compelling us to move with caution. On the evening of the 30th of December our army reached Stone River, three miles north of Murfreesboro, and here on the next day desperate fighting was done, in which most of our 1st Division bore a conspicuous part. Our brigade at this time was hurriedly sent to the relief of our wagon-trains, which was attacked by a force of 3500 confederate cavalry under Gen. Joe Wheeler. Moving to the rear of the flying train our regiment took a position near a block house and fought until the enemy was routed. The loss to the confederates was about eighty killed and wounded. At night our brigade moved to its position in line with the 14th Corps and was constantly exposed to the fire of the enemy until the morning of January 3rd when the confederates withdrew from the field. At Stone River was fought one of the bloodiest battles of the was. The loss on each side was about ten thousand, or one fourth of the whole number engaged. Fortunately our regiment lost but ten men. On the 5th of Jan. 1863 Gen. Rosecrans moved his army into Murfreesboro, where we remained until the 24th of June engaged in drilling, foraging, fortifying and skirmishing with the enemy.

On the 1st of February Captain Sessions resigned from the service, as 1st Lieut. Crawford had done some time previous to this. Neither of the officers had performed service with the company after the battle of Perryville. Captain Sessions had been present with the company at times, but was reported on the sick list and he finally tendered his resignation based on Surgeon Certificate of disability. Lieut. Crawford had never returned to us after his ignominious surrender to the enemy on the battlefield of Perryville. On May 1st I received a commission as Captain of Co "G". Serg'ts Wm. L. Watson and Alfred Harding, at the same time, was commissioned 1st and 2nd Lieutenants respectively. I had been with the company constantly, - most of the time as its commander - of course I was gratified to receive the promotion.

For two months after we moved into Murfreesboro our regiment suffered severely form sickness - mostly typhoid fever -. Many deaths occurred, and a number of men were discharge for disability. After the opening of spring the health gradually improved. When it was found that we would probably remain here quite a length of time, the boys set to work to build themselves comfortable quarters. Company streets were laid out with regularity, and kept as clean as possible. In a short tome neat rows of cabins were constructed out of logs and bits of boards. The walls were chinked up and daubed with mud, with a door at one end and a fire-place with a stick chimney at the other. For roofing pieces of tent were used which served to admit necessary light as well as to keep out the storm. These little houses were not only comfortable and neat, but there was about them an appearance of uniformity not usually seen in residences along the streets of city or town. The interior of many of these cabins was no less tastefully arranges. Most of them contained more or less furniture, which had either been made or borrowed. A cupboard made out of a cracker box, filled with tin dishes drawn from government, or earthen dishes drawn from some other place. Kettles for cooking, and even an iron bake oven for baking biscuit, was sometimes seen. As time passed things useful, and not useful accumulated in camp with surprising rapidity. In fact some soldiers were natural accumulators.

Letters and papers were received with reasonable regularity from the north. Many soldiers were visited in camp by relatives and friends from home, and furloughs were granted freely to both officers and enlisted men, during the winter. When the weather would permit, four hours each day was given to drill, and a system of battalion and company inspections was insisted upon which contributed largely to healthfulness as well as to discipline. For a brief description of Murfreesboro which was our home for a period of six months I will introduce the following extracts from a letter written from there to a friend.

Murfreesboro Tenn.
May 1st 1863

Dear friend,

You wished me to give you a brief description of Murfreesboro. From its present dilapidated appearance it is rather hard to say what it looked like in times of peace. But so far as I can judge it was quite a pleasant town of probably two thousand inhabitants. I can see no evidence of its having been much of a business place, as the only machinery in town is that pertaining to a cheap grist mill. It seems to have been quite a place for schools, and a healthy pleasant place to live. It being the county-seat of Rutherford County, added something to its importance. I think its people regarded themselves as belonging to the very elect - that is they were very aristocratic, and the fact that the most of them fled to the southward upon our arrival, leads me to conclude that their sympathies were strongly in that direction. But now the town is torn from center to circumference. Fences have entirely disappeared and many houses have been torn down. Fine shade trees have been laid low, and the once beautiful lawns have been trodden into quagmire. Thus we see the havoc of war.

J. M. Randall

While it is true that our line of duties became at times a little monotonous, it was seldom a day passed that something would happen to excite the interest of all. The confederates were on nearly all sides of us, and a force sent out by us to forage, or to reconnoiter, was sure to meet them within five miles, or less. from our camp. Several sharp engagements was brought on in this manner, but the loss was light. An old gentleman used to come into our camp daily to sing and sell union songs. He claimed to be a Maine Yankee, and used that dialect to perfection. He was properly provided with passes and he conducted a thriving business at selling songs. Of course the boys bought these freely, because the sentiment was very bitter against the confederates. A few there was who doubted his loyalty. I did myself. He was too patriotic. He seemed to overdo the matter. At length he was arrested on suspicion and placed in the guard-house, where for a time he continued to sing his songs. But he tired of prison life and made an attempt to escape by running, was shot by the guard and instantly killed. Then it was his true character was made known. He was a Confederate spy. In the heel of his boot was secreted a perfect map or our camp, explaining the number and position of all our forces, number of cannon and position of our earthworks.

Another incident of which I wrote at the time:

Murfreesboro Tenn.
June 5th 1863

Dear friend,

I just witnessed the hanging of three citizens of this County, for a murder that occurred about the first of March last. It seems that four scoundrels, in their attempt to compel an old man to tell them where he kept his money, used every means of torture conceivable, and upon failure to secure the desired information, finally killed their victim. The murderers fled within the confederate lines, were there arrested tries for the crime and one was hung. The three others escaped to our lines and were arrested as spies, and being recognized by the son of the murdered man, was tried by a military court and hung today. One of the men was over seventy years of age. All of them protested their innocence. A son and daughter of the man murdered as well as ten or fifteen thousand soldiers witnessed the execution. I believe these men justly deserved their fate, but I have no desire to witness another like execution.

J. M. Randall

During the time we lay at Murfreesboro much was said and written in regards to the Presidents Emancipation Proclamation. Many there were who criticized or condemned it. Others thought it wise policy. Feeling a just pride, not only that I served in the army, but also that I heartily endorsed our President through that trying ordeal. I submit extracts from a letter written upon that subject at that time.

Murfreesboro Tenn.
June 10, 1863

Dear friend,

You ask if I think the Emancipation Proclamation will serve to bring the war to a more speedy close. I answer candidly that I don't believe it will yet I am heartily in favor of the measure, because I am convinced that its tendency will be to give us a more permanent peace in the end. I have no sympathy with those people of the north, that would favor peace upon dishonorable terms. Every soldier in the field knows that there can be no peace until our armed foe are conquered. I think that the opposition given by so many in the north to every was measure, has tendency to encourage our foe and prolong the war. And this leads me to say that the most despicable man in our land today is the northern copperhead. The man in arms against us is wrong, decidedly wrong, but he is honest, and he has the courage to fight for his convictions. The people of the south are building their hopes upon a divided north, and you can be assured that anything which seems to strengthen this hope is looked upon with dread by our soldiers in the field.

J. M. Randall

C. L. Valandingham of Ohio having been convicted of treason and banished south, was passed through our lines at Murfreesboro. Many of the boys would have been glad to help him along with the toe of their shoe had they been allowed to do so.

Another incident occurred of which I wrote at the time.

Murfreesboro Tenn.
June 20th

Dear friend,

Our Division was called upon today to participate in the execution, by shooting, of a soldier for desertion. He belonging to the 4th Ind. battery of our brigade and deserted to the enemy while we were out on a scout a few weeks ago. He was recaptured within twenty-four hours, dressed in a confederate uniform, claiming to belong to John Morgan's command. He was tried by Court-Martial and sentenced to be shot today. The entire division was formed into two lines, each facing the other about ten paces apart. The prisoner, under a strong guard, was made to walk the length of these lines. Four men marched behind him carrying his coffin. Upon arriving at the prepared grave the coffin was set down, he was made to kneel beside it, his sentence was read to him, a cap was drawn over his face, the order was given to "Fire" and the full penalty for desertion had been paid in hi case. I knew this boy - only about seventeen years of age - he was physically weak, and regarded as a rather weak-minded, and this was evident by the fact that he enlisted with the enemy so near to our lines. He appeared to be incapable of realizing that he had done anything wrong. I think it was too bad to shoot the poor fellow. The mistake was made in enlisting him in the first place.

J. M. Randall

Upon the receipt of orders to march from Murfreesboro I wrote:

Murfreesboro Tenn.
June 23rd 1863

Dear friend,

I write to inform you that the time has at length arrived when we are to bid adieu to our present encampment, and move forward to take our chances in combat. From this you will naturally infer That I anticipate a battle. Really I shall be surprised if we do not, within three days, meet the Confederates in force. Still we may not. As near as I can find out, this is to be grand movement of the "Army of the Cumberland". The troops will all move except those assigned to garrison duty here. Some divisions move today. Ours will move tomorrow at 7 o'clock A.M. We have a ruff country to pass through, and our movements will necessarily be slow. The boys are much pleased with the idea of a move. They have become tired of the monotony of camp life, and welcome a change. In this I heartily concur, I too prefer a change.

J. M. Randall

Chapter Ten --->