Tuesday December 30th 1862
"At Daylight the rain was still pouring down" Johnathan S. Jackman, Clerk 9th Kentucky (CS), Hanson Brigade
"The day after our fight.. were we had dashed headlong against the 10th South Carolina (Manigault's Brigade).. our company commander detailed Corp. Chas H. Kirk and foiur men, of whom I was one, to go to where we had our fight.. impress a wagon from some farmer in the neighborhood, and load up our dead on it and take them back to Nashville.. . Farmers and country wagons were scarce and while we waited for our wagon to come we could watch the movements of our infantry.. the rattle of the skirmishers never stopped." A.B. Coleman 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
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Federal Medical officers set up field hospitas at homes near
the fighting. Soon casualties are being directed to the
Smith home on the Wilkerson turnpike and to the Harding home
about a mile and a half to the east and south of the turnpike
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"As there were a larghe number of wounded in ambulances a division hospital was established at Colonel smith's plantyation, where there was excellent water, with [lenty oh hay and straw, and a large frame house which was surrounded by numerous log houses, occupied as negro quaters, that could be used for hospital purposes." Dr. Solon Marks, chief surgeon and medical officer Johnson's Division
"What we called 'Hospital Harding'.. was a third rate frame building with the log cook house & c., attached and surrounded by negro cabins, as is the custom here, while at a distance was a barn, cotton gin and all the appliances of a cotton plantation... Mr Harding was at home and two or three of the negroes.. the rest of the family white and black had been removed top the other side of Murfreesborough.."
"The wounded .. began to arrive, some riding, some walking, and some carried on strechers, but all more or less dangerously wounded. Dr. Young - who besides being the senior surgeon og the 36th was also briigade surgeon - had by this time arrived, together with the surgeon of the 88th Illinois and the 24th Wisconsin, and there was work for all.. To me was assigned the duty of tasking the names of the wounded, their regiment and the location and character of their wounds, and as I went the rounds it was sad to find that a large porportion, nearly three fiths were of my own regiment, they haveing been placed in the front... While all this was going on the fight outside became more fierce as the forces came into closer contact a battery planted near the hous convulsed the ground at every explosion." Chaplain L. G. Bennett, 36th Illinois, Sill's Brigade
"In the Afternoon there was a heavy cannonading on our left. about 3 o'clock sent for one section of our battery. The 1st section commanded by Lieut. Hardin.. went- reported to Capt. Waters, his battery under a very hot fire - placed our battery to the left of his in a old field and opened fire.. We fired 30 odd rounds apeice under a very hot fire from the enemies batteries which were only about 500 yards distant. We had no infantry to protect us, and the enemies sharpshooters opened on us. Lieut Harding tried to get a company to protect us, but could not and we left our postion." Cpl. John E. Magee, Stanford's Mississippi battery, Stewarts Brigade
"Lieut Harding.. was the last to leave the postion.. as he was riding on after his guns a cannon ball passed entirely through his body.. Some of the boys saw him fall and turned back to help him, but got to him in time to see him open his eyes and close them forever, without struggle or a gasp."
1st Sgt william A. Brown, Stanford's Mississippi battery, Stewarts Brigade
"Our wagon came at last late in the afternoon. Our dead were piled in it and we pulled out as far as Wilkerson's Crossroads, where we spent the night."
A.B. Coleman 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry.
"We reached Murfreesboro.. the night before the battle began croissing stones river on wagons standing in water with boards reaching to the another ... It was a bitter cold night" John M. Berry 8th Arkansas Liddell's Brigade
"when nightfall came we were in a lane with rail fences on each side, about 400 yards from the the main line of the enemy. Orders were to speak only in a whisper as the enemy's pickets were not more than 100 yards in front, the plan of battle being to take them by suprise next morning... We passed the night with out fires, most of the men sitting down watching the camp fires of the enemy some 400 yards away, on an elevation. We passed a most disagreeable night having beein on the battlefield all of the night before and at times pelted with heavy showers during the day. I fortunatley had a good wool blanket that I had brought from home, one of the old fashioned kind, with a hole in the middle large enough for a man's head. I stuck my head through, pulled my hat down, took my loaded gun under the blanket, and thought of what would take place to-morrow." P.R. Jones 10th Texas, Ector's Brigade
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In a confederate hospital near Murfreesboro
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"I found Lt. Ruben searcy lying in a crowded building on the bare floor, under the influence of a heavy dose of morphine.. a large peice of shell had torn away the whole inside of his right thigh, from knee buttock.. no flesh being lleft on the leg above the knee except possibly a 6 inch wide strip on the outside of his side.. another smaller peice had sliced off his left breast a strip some 4 inches wide and 6 inches long exposing his ribs.. No bandaging was attempted.. the surgeon told me there was no hope for him and thier time must be spent where life could be saved... there I sat by my friends side with the wounded and dying lying around, a few of them yankees.. there was nothing I could do but moisten lips with water or give to those able to drink a little now and then Candles or fim lanterns gave the only light.. Along in the small hours the wounded began to awake from the effects of the opiastes and talk to the nearest suffers.
"One confederate finaly said.. 'well I declare, if here ain't a Yankee too,
where did you come from?'
" 'Your cavalry got me'
" 'Well, well what did you come down here for anyway? We were not
pestering you.'
" 'Well boys, you know if I had not volunteered the girls would have called me a coward, and I could not stand that, but all the same I dont blame you for contending to your rights. ' "
James R. Maxwell aide 34th alabama Manigault's Brigade