While Bragg's infantry and artillery were breaking the Union lines and forcing them back, his cavalry under General Wharton, with part of McCown's infantry were engaged on Rose crans' right and rear, inflicting losses in killed and wounded, capturing guns and wagons, and taking nearly 2,000 prisoners.
Rosecrans' losses during the day had been appalling, and when night came he was in some doubt whether to remain on the field. He says: °After a careful examination and free consultation with corps commanders, followed by a personal examination of the ground in rear as far as Overall's Creek, it was deter mined to await the enemy's attack in that posi tion, to send for the provision train and order up fresh supplies of ammunition, on the arrival of which, should the enemy not attack, offensive operations were to be resumed." There was a readjustment of the line, the left was drawn back, though still resting on Stone River, and the right and centre grasped more firmly the Nashville road. On the morning of 1 Jan. 1863 Bragg began to demonstrate with infantry and artillery, and again Wheeler's and Wharton's two brigades of cavalry sought the rear of the Union line. They attacked a large train near La Vergne, capturing part of it and a piece of artillery, and informed Bragg that heavy trains were moving toward Nashville, some loaded, and all the ambulances filled with wounded. Early in the morning Van Cleve's division, commanded by Col. S. Beatty, supported by Grose's brigade, was thrown across the river from the left, and formed line on a hill in front of Breckinridge, who had resumed his position on that side, on Bragg's right. During the morning of the 2d there was quiet along the lines except on Rosecrans' left, where there was some shelling, but there were indications that Bragg was meditating an attack upon Rose crans' left, and preparations were made to meet it, Davis' division being ordered from the right to the left and some changes made on that flank. From his headquarters west of the river Bragg had seen that Polk's line could be enfiladed by artillery placed on the hill occupied by the right of Van Cleve's division, and after noon Breckinridge was ordered to take the hill and occupy it with his artillery. The two brigades that yet remained west of Stone River were re turned to Breckinridge, and he was reinforced by 2,000 of Wharton's and Pegram's cavalry and some artillery. Breckinridge formed his divi
sion in two lines, two brigades in each, with two batteries of artillery in rear. He had, ex cluding the cavalry, which came too late to take an active part, about 4,500 men. The distance to be traversed was about 1,600 yards. At 4 P.M. the signal-gun was fired, and the four brigades advanced to the attack. After a severe fight the two right brigades of Van Cleve's division were broken and driven from the hill and toward the river. Bragg's order had been fully obeyed, but the Confederates, exultant with success, did not stop at the hill, but pur sued the broken Union fragments, and as they neared the river a few of them crossed it. Major John Mendenhall, who had hurriedly massed 58 guns on a commanding position on the west bank of the river, opened fire with all the guns upon the somewhat massed column, the infantry added their fire, and Brecicinridge's attack was repulsed. That part of Van Cleve's line that had not been driven across the river attacked the fleeing Confederates, a Union bri gade, without orders, crossed the river in pur suit, and the Confederates were driven back to the position from which they had advanced with a loss of four guns and over 1,700 killed and wounded of the 4,500 engaged. It was night, and Davis' and Wood's divisions were sent across and intrenched on the hill that had been the point of contention. A cold and heavy rain-storm marked the 3d, and, fearing a rapid rise in the river, Rosecrans withdrew all his troops from the eastern side of it. No other movement was made on the lines, the day passed in comparative quiet, and at night Bragg, under the erroneous impression that Rosecrans was receiving reinforcements, marched for Tullahoma, 36 miles distant. The 4th was oc cupied by Rosecrans in burying the dead, and on the 5th his army occupied Murfreesboro. The Union loss in the battle, including 53 killed and 259 wounded in minor engagements between Nashville and Stone River, was 1,730 killed, 7,802 wounded and 3,717 missing, an aggregate of 13,249. The Confederate loss was 1,294 killed, 7,945 wounded and about 2,200 missing. Consult 'Official Records' (Vol. XX); Van Horne, 'History of the Army of the Cumber land' (Vol. I, Cincinnati 1875); Stevenson, A. F., 'Battle of Stone River> (Boston 1884); The Century Company's 'Battles and Leaders of the Civil War> (Vol. III, New York 1887-88).