could enfilade the Union lines across the
river as Polk’s infantry smashed them
from the front.
Bragg’s subordinates did not share his
confidence. Breckinridge thought the plan
was insane. Coming across one of his
brigade commanders, Brig. Gen. William
Preston, he exploded: “General Preston,
this attack is made against my judgment,
and by the special order of General Bragg.
Of course we must all try and do our duty
and fight as best we can. If it should result
in disaster, and I be among the slain, I want
you to do justice to my memory and tell
the people that I believed this attack to be
very unwise, and tried to prevent it.”
Brig. Gen. Roger Hanson, commander
of the Kentucky “Orphan Brigade,”
favored more direct action. Upon hearingof the proposed attack, Hanson cried that
he would kill Bragg to stop him from mur-
dering his own men.
Breckinridge was having a bad day and
it got worse. He argued with Captain
Robertson, commander of the 10-gun
detachment, over whether Robertson’s
cannon were to move forward with the
infantry or wait until the Rebels had first
captured the hill. Breckinridge was sure
that Bragg wanted the cannon to accom-
pany the infantry, but Robertson refused
to move his two batteries until the infantry
had taken the hill. In disgust, Breckinridge
agreed to let Robertson advance his guns
as he thought best.As 4 PMapproached, Breckinridge real-
ized that the promised dismounted cavalry
support for his right had not arrived. His
men would be taking flank fire from the
Union left as a result. Even nature mocked
him as a hard, driving sleet kicked up, fur-
ther complicating his attack.
Suddenly a single cannon fired—the sig-
nal to attack! Putting his apprehensions
aside, Breckinridge ordered his brigade
commanders to commence the assault.
Hanson galloped up to one of his regi-
mental officers, shouting, “Colonel, the
order is to load, fix bayonets, and march
through this brushwood. Then charge at
the double-quick to within a hundred
yards, deliver fire, and go at him with the
bayonet.” Soon 5,000 men advanced, bay-
onets bristling and colors flying.Breckinridge organized his troops in a
dense formation consisting of two double
brigade lines separated by no more than 150
yards (the normal distance was 300). Oppos-
ing them 1,000 yards away on the east side
of Stones River were four Union brigades
(4,000 men) and a six-gun battery, all com-
manded by Colonel Samuel Beatty. The first
two Yankee brigades under Colonels Samuel
Price and James Fyffe were employed in a
double line, a six-regiment front line backed
by a four-regiment second line. The two
right rear regiments occupied the hill that
was the focal point of Bragg’s attack.
A third Union brigade under the com-
mand of Colonel Benjamin Grider was inreserve behind the hill while a fourth, led
by Colonel William Grose, had been
detached from Brig. Gen. John Palmer’s
Division to support Beatty’s left rear. The
six-gun, 3rd Wisconsin Artillery was also
posted near Grose’s reserve position.
Unbeknownst to Bragg and Breckin-
ridge, the Union dispositions were faulty.
The front line brigades of Price and Fyffe
were too far apart for mutual support,
while Grose’s Brigade was too far to the
rear. Grider’s men assumed that no Con-
federate attack would be launched so late
in the day and had stacked arms. Further-
more, the front line of the Federals was iso-
lated because only the rear elements were
in close proximity to the main Union force
across the river. One more thing hidden
from the Rebels was the extent of Yankeeartillery support. But they would find out
soon enough.
The Rebel lines moved out as if on
parade and immediately began taking
artillery fire. One Union shell exploded,
killing and maiming 18 Confederates. But
the Rebels closed ranks and kept coming.
Instinctively, the men bent low to avoid
nature’s frozen pellets and the more lethal
fusillades of their blue-clad opponents.
General Hanson, redirecting his murder-
ous intent from Bragg to the Yankees, led
his Kentucky boys toward the Federal
troops guarding the hill. Hanson was for-
tunate that the brushwood bordering Stones
River helped screen his left flank. AlthoughAll National ArchivesLEFT TO RIGHT: Colonel Charles Manderson, USA; Colonel James Fyffe, USA; General Gideon Pillow, CSA; Colonel William Grose.CWQ-EW16 Stone's River_Layout 1 10/22/15 1:14 PM Page 51