Battle of Murfreesboro - Eyewitness accounts

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"We were buliding fires and making coffee, for such permission had been granted just before daylight. The comfort of warming chilling fingers and toes and drinking a gratful cup of hot coffee out weighed for the moment any consideration of danger. Next my curiosity asserted itself, and while my comrades were still sipping their coffee, I leisurely walked out onto the field towards the Picket line, where a company of our Regt. was stationed to watch the enemy. Before reaching them I saw one running towards me , and as he passed me he esclaimed 'they're coming' and continued on to the regiment to give alarm. As all was so quiet, not a shot having been fired, I felt descidedly skeptical and walked still further out until the enemy's breastworks were in view... A succession of long gray lines were swarming over the Confederate breastworks and sweeoing towards us but not yet wuthin gun shot range... Sgt Major Widney 34th Illinois Kirk's Brigade

"Sam Miller, standing on top of the fence, informed us that the rebel skirmish line was coming into the cornfield on the opposite side of the field.. Crow and myself were down in the fence corner frying bacon. I told Sam to fire at them.. Sam Fired.. Crow, Schick and I all commenced firing at long range to alarm the camp. R. J. Heath, 34th Illinois Kirk's Brigade

"When we struck their skirmish line in the open field, we drove them back on their main line so rapidly that we got within easy gunshot of their main line before they knew it" Lt. J. T. Tunnell 14th Texas, Ector's Brigade

"We threw ourselfs flat in the grass and emptied 350 muskets into the ranks of the foe... our battery (E, 1st Ohio) of six cannons opened a vigorous fire throiwing shells close over our heads into the enemy, whose Batteries also opened on us with shells and grape and canister.... Our only salvation was to lie flat as possible on the ground, for the air fairly seethed the "Zip" of bullets and grape shot over our heads. .. It reminded me of the passage of a swarm of bees... Bullets plowed little furrows around us throwing up tufts of grass and hhandfullsof soil intour facesor over our bodies and others struckj with a dull 'thud' into some poor unfortunate soul... In scarcely 1o minutes .. 21 were killed and 100 wounded, or more than one third of our number.. Sgt Major Widney 34th Illinois Kirk's Brigade


"They came down on us like a tornado, and I was amoung the first to be wounded.. I was shot through the right knee joint. With the help of Hiram Clark I got back about 200 ft, but the Johnnies were comming so rapidly and so many, I told him to lay me down and run, He did so" Sgt. Arnold S. Harrington 34th Illinois Kirk's Brigade

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