146th Anniversary of Stone's River Today

CrescentCorps · Major General Joined: Jun 23, 2008 Posts: 190

Fought December 31, 1862 and January 2, 1863. Found this interesting link for the William Travis Panorama which I though appropriate for the occasion.

http://americanhistory.si.edu/westpoint/discover_travis.html

GKWEAGLE1 · Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:38 am Post subject:

Hey CC..

Peter Cozzens series on this battle and also Chickamuagua and Chattanoga are must reads and have.

Thanks for the reminder. This was one of those battles IMHO that forgotten.
JIM
_________________
"The Flag, THE FLAG, Oh THE FLAG! G.K. Warrens last words on his death bed, August 8,1882
There is many a boy here today who looks on war as all glory, but, boys, it is all hell. W.T. Sherman

CrescentCorps · Major General Joined: Jun 23, 2008 Posts: 190

Jim,

Hard to understand the lack of interest in the battle. It featured a flank attack that rivaled Longstreet's attack at 2nd Manassas, and by the end of December 31st, at least 2/3rds of the Federal line was perpendicular to its position of that morning. Despite this, the Federals hung to win a toctical victory. The carnage and futility of Breckenridge's charge on January 2nd into the teeth of massed Federal artillery makes it as compelling as the charges against the Stone Wall at Fredericksburg three weeks earlier. Yet, there has been little effort to preserve anything but the apex of the Federal line, and much of the battlefield has been lost.

The one poignant image that sticks in my mind is the death of Col. Julius Garesche, Rosecrans' chief of staff and close friend. A Leslie's illustrator captured both his death and burial late that evening. It seems that everyone who knew him loved him, and Rosecrans was so deeply affected, he saved the buttons from his own uniform in and envelope marked "Buttons I wore the day Gareshe was killed." Tells you a lot about both men.

Chris

Essayons · Colonel Joined: Oct 02, 2005 Posts: 97

Essayons · Colonel Joined: Oct 02, 2005 Posts: 97

I picked up Cozzens' No Better Place to Die the other day at the Strand bookstore here in New York, and now I'm halfway through and keeping my head down to escape the minies as the rebels assault Sheridan's division! In my opinion it's an excellent, fast-paced read.
_________________
Will Hickox

http://fortyrounder.blogspot.com/

CrescentCorps · Major General Joined: Jun 23, 2008 Posts: 190

Bump for the 147th Anniversary. In the past two month, I learned that at least five cousins were in Company E of the 29th Indiana which had the misfortune of being on the right flank at the start of the battle. Two of them were wounded. Makes the anniversary all the more meaningful.

GKWEAGLE1 · Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2009 8:23 pm Post subject:

Essay,
its not surprising about Cozzens book. While I have not read it in a while its such a great book abotu so little known action. I keep telling myself that one of these days I am going to do a western theater tour.. Probly will have to wait till this next decade now!
JIM

_________________
"The Flag, THE FLAG, Oh THE FLAG! G.K. Warrens last words on his death bed, August 8,1882
There is many a boy here today who looks on war as all glory, but, boys, it is all hell. W.T. Sherman

Basecat · Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2010 2:39 am Post subject:

Just my 2 cents, but the Battle of Stone's River was vitally important to the Union war effort. Just 2 weeks before the Union was dealing with the aftermath of the debacle at Fredericksburg. Morale in the North was at it's bottom after details of what occurred at Fredericksburg. Any victory no matter how small or large was what the North needed at that time. And they got it from Middle TN, and IMHO prepared the North for what was to come in 1863.

For those who have not visited the battlefield, I highly recommend that you do. The NPS has a great staff there and all who work there are ready and willing to answer any questions you have about the battle.

Regards from the Garden State,

Steve

Zouave · General Joined: Mar 16, 2005 Posts: 757 Location: Ohio

Coy · Sergeant Joined: Feb 11, 2004 Posts: 10

A splendid but ferocious little battle. Higher casualty rate than most battles...even a higher percentage than that eastern battle that begins with a "G".

corydon · General Joined: Apr 13, 2006 Posts: 2421

Let me interrupt this "broadcast" with a nod to one of our members who rarely visits (10 posts in almost 6 years):

NEWMAN (startling them): Hello, boys.

JERRY: Hello, Newman.

NEWMAN: You lookin' for someone?

JERRY: Don't play coy with me, Newman, I'm not in the mood!

NEWMAN: Coy? I'm not being coy.

JERRY (to George): Is he being coy?

GEORGE: Yeah, coy.

JERRY: You're being coy. Now where's Kramer, Newman?

_________________
"Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it."
- Abraham Lincoln