The Civil War’s Most Vicious Winter Battle Turned This Tennessee Farmland Into a Killing Field in 1862

Stones River, Tennessee

The winter of 1862 turned deadly in Middle Tennessee when two armies crashed into each other near Murfreesboro.

What started as a New Year’s Eve skirmish became three days of pure carnage. Bodies piled up in frozen cornfields while cannons roared through the night.

Here’s the brutal story of America’s bloodiest New Year’s battle.

Stones River National Battlefield

Union and Confederate forces clashed from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863, near Murfreesboro, Tennessee in one of the Civil War’s bloodiest conflicts.

President Abraham Lincoln needed this victory desperately. The recent Union defeat at Fredericksburg had crushed Northern morale, and Lincoln sought military success to strengthen public support for his Emancipation Proclamation, set to take effect January 1, 1863.

When Both Generals Planned The Same Attack

Union General William S. Rosecrans marched his 44,000-man Army of the Cumberland from Nashville toward Murfreesboro on December 26, 1862.

Confederate General Braxton Bragg waited with his 35,000-man Army of Tennessee. By December 30, both armies faced each other across Stones River.

In an extraordinary coincidence, both commanders created nearly identical battle plans. Each general intended to attack the other’s right flank, swing behind enemy lines, and cut off retreat routes.

The Confederate position gave them an advantage since Rosecrans would need to cross the river for his attack.

Dawn Attack Catches Union Soldiers At Breakfast

Confederate General William Hardee launched his assault at 6:00 a.m. on December 31. A wave of 10,000 Confederate soldiers swept toward the unprepared Union right flank.

Many Union soldiers in General Richard Johnson’s division were still eating breakfast. The surprise was complete. Panic spread through Union ranks as soldiers fled.

Some units suffered losses exceeding half their numbers. Confederate forces under Generals John McCown and Patrick Cleburne spearheaded the attack.

By mid-morning, Confederates had captured 28 artillery pieces and over 3,000 Union prisoners.

Desperate Fighting In The Slaughter Pen

Union General Philip Sheridan had risen early, sensing danger. His preparedness saved the Union army from total disaster.

Sheridan’s men made their stand in a dense cedar forest filled with unusual limestone formations. The rocky ground created natural trenches offering some protection against Confederate bullets.

The brutal fighting transformed this forest into what soldiers called “The Slaughter Pen.” Blood ran between rock crevices as bodies piled among the stones.

All three of Sheridan’s brigade commanders died in the four-hour struggle. His troops suffered 40% casualties but bought time for the Union army.

Battle For Hell’s Half Acre

Colonel William B. Hazen’s brigade held firm at a critical position near the Nashville Pike and railroad.

Hazen’s men defended a small, four-acre wooded area locals called the “Round Forest.” Confederate attacks crashed against this position repeatedly throughout December 31.

With each failed assault, more Confederate bodies covered the ground, earning the spot a new name among soldiers—”Hell’s Half Acre.” Brigade General Milo Hascall brought reinforcements to this crucial position.

Upon learning that a regimental commander had died, Hascall personally took command, declaring the position must be held regardless of cost.

Rosecrans Reforms His Broken Line

By late morning, the Union right flank had collapsed completely. The Federal line bent at a right angle along the Nashville Turnpike, a vital supply road.

General Rosecrans showed extraordinary personal courage. He rode throughout the battlefield, redirecting units and rallying broken formations.

During this frantic effort, Rosecrans witnessed the death of his chief of staff, Colonel Julius Garesché, decapitated by a cannonball while riding beside him. Despite his uniform becoming covered in blood, Rosecrans continued his work.

The Union commander canceled his planned attack and rushed all available reinforcements to shore up his collapsing right flank.

A Quiet New Year’s Day On The Battlefield

January 1, 1863, brought relative calm to Stones River. Both armies paused to treat wounded and bury dead.

The bitter winter cold added to the suffering of injured soldiers who lay exposed on the battlefield. Bragg believed he had achieved victory. He sent a telegram to Richmond proclaiming, “God has granted us a happy New Year.”

Meanwhile, President Lincoln formally signed the Emancipation Proclamation, forever changing the nature of the conflict. Rosecrans used this respite to strengthen his defensive position.

He ordered Colonel Samuel Beatty’s division to cross Stones River and occupy high ground on the eastern bank.

Breckinridge’s Reluctant Charge

On January 2, Confederate General Bragg ordered Major General John C. Breckinridge to attack the Union forces positioned on the hill east of Stones River.

Breckinridge, a former U.S. Vice President turned Confederate general, strongly protested. He believed the assault would result in needless slaughter of his men.

The relationship between Bragg and Breckinridge had deteriorated into bitter enmity due to earlier conflicts. Despite his objections, Breckinridge followed orders.

At 4:00 p.m., he sent approximately 5,000 Confederate soldiers forward across half a mile of open ground toward the Union position.

Artillery Slaughter At McFadden’s Ford

The Confederate charge initially succeeded. Breckinridge’s men pushed Union troops back across McFadden’s Ford, a crossing point on Stones River.

What Breckinridge didn’t know was that Union Captain John Mendenhall had prepared a deadly surprise. Mendenhall had positioned 45 cannon in a tight line on high ground west of the river.

The artillery pieces stood hub-to-hub on the ridge overlooking the ford. Another 12 guns placed southwest provided devastating crossfire.

When Confederate troops pursued retreating Union soldiers across open ground, these guns unleashed destruction. In less than one hour, Breckinridge lost over 1,800 men.

Bragg’s Retreat And Lincoln’s Relief

The failed attack demoralized Confederate forces. On January 3, General Bragg withdrew his army southward to Tullahoma, Tennessee.

Rosecrans, his army too battered to pursue, claimed victory by holding the battlefield. This Union success secured control of central Tennessee, a region rich in resources and strategically valuable.

The Union victory provided a crucial morale boost for the North after their recent devastating defeat at Fredericksburg. President Lincoln later expressed his gratitude in a letter to Rosecrans: “You gave us a hard-earned victory, which had there been a defeat instead, the nation could scarcely have lived over.”

The Battle’s Bloody Toll

Stones River exacted a terrible human cost. With approximately 24,000 total casualties out of 81,000 troops engaged, the battle saw a higher percentage of losses than famous battles like Gettysburg or Antietam.

Union forces suffered 12,906 casualties, while Confederate losses totaled 11,739. Four brigadier generals died or received mortal wounds during the fighting.

Among the wounded was Union soldier Frances Elizabeth Quinn, who had disguised herself as a man to fight for the North. Female soldiers, though rare, served on both sides throughout the Civil War.

The battle’s shocking casualties meant both armies needed months to recover.

Visiting Stones River National Battlefield

Stones River National Battlefield is located at 3501 Old Nashville Highway in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, 27 miles southeast of Nashville.

A driving tour with six stops covers key locations, including the Slaughter Pen and Hell’s Half Acre. The site ALSO features the Hazen Brigade Monument, erected in 1863 by survivors of Hazen’s brigade.

Reserve some time for the Stones River National Cemetery, which contains over 6,100 Union graves, including 2,562 unknown soldiers.

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