Their Longest, Coldest New Year's Eve - Stones River National Battlefield, Murfreesboro, TN - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

County of display: Rutherford County
Location of display: Park Rd., Stones River National Battlefield, sidewalk at main entrance, Murfreesboro
Marker erected by: National Park Service

Marker Text:

The Longest, Coldest New Year's Eve There was some talk [at Rosecrans' headquarters] of falling back. I do not remember who started the subject, but...I said...my men would be very much discouraged to have to abandon the field after their good fight of the day...Rosecrans, perceiving men moving up and down with torches said...'They have got entirely in our rear and are forming a line of battle by torchlight! ...[he] told us to go to our commands and prepare to fight or die.'
[us flag] Thomas Crittenden, major general, commanding the Left Wing

Soon after dark a small fire was built, and several of [our] men...had gathered to it...General Rosecrans came up and said 'You are my men and I don't like to have any of you hurt. Where the enemy see a fore like this, they know 25-30 men ae gathered ...and are sure to shoot at it. I advise you to put it out." Scarcely was he done speaking, when...a shot came just high enough to miss the heads of the party, and a shell exploded just beyond.
[US flag] Silas Canfield, captain, 21st Ohio Infantry Regiment

The groans of the poor wounded was heart-rending. I could not repress a few falling tears. I got off my horse and built fires for several...foe and friend. Many, many...that chilled to death...that night might have been saved could they but have had attendance.
[CSA flag] John Magee, corporal, Stanford's Mississippi Light Artillery

Nearly 30,000 Union soldiers spent New Year's Eve 1862 concentrated along Nashville Pike, the same highway you see just ahead.

1862
December 11
Midnight

Group that erected the marker: National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: 1563 N Thompson Lane Stones River National Battlefield Murfreesboro, TN USA 37129

Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the marker, preferably including yourself or your GPSr in the photo. A very detailed description of your visit may be substituted for a photo. In any case please provide a description of your visit. A description of only "Visited" or "Saw it while on vacation" by anyone other than the person creating the waymark may be deleted by the waymark owner or the category officers.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   09/17/2016 haole122 visited it