Nashville (December 15-16, 1864)

Excerpt of same report of Major-General Walthall

At 3 p.m. December 1, we moved across the Harpeth River to the right of Franklin, and the next morning at daylight went forward on the pike toward Nashville, and when in a few miles of the city turned across the the Granny White pike, where we bivouacked, with skirmishers in front.  Here we remained till the 4th, and then, our skirmish line having been pressed up as near the enemy's position as possible, my command was put in line near Gales' house, on the left of the Granny White pike and in the center of the corps.  This line, after being entrenched, was abandoned on the night of the 10th and another adopted, and on the morning of the 15th my troops, then on the extreme left, were withdrawn to the neighborhood of Compton's house and there put in bivouac, and the space vacated filled by Major General Loring extending to the left to the Hillsborough pike.

    I had been previously directed from time to time to furnish fatigue parties to work on some detached enclosed works, being constructed under the supervision of engineer officers of the corps, on a range of high points, whose general direction was nearly that of the Hillsborough pike, running back in rear of the left of the line.  Lieutenant General Stewart informed me that it was the design of the general commanding, in the event of attack, to man these works with detachments of 100 men, with artillery, to resist any effort that might be made to turn the left flank of the army.  Between some of these points there were considerable intervals; in one case as much as 1,200 yards or more.  Soon after my command was withdrawn from the main line it became evident that the enemy were preparing for attack in heavy force, and I received orders from the lieutentant-general commanding to man the two redoubts farthest from the main line, putting two pieces of artillery in that on the extreme left, there being four, under Captain Lumsden, already in the other.  He further directed me to put my troops in position behind a stone fence along the Hillsborough pike, and to instruct the officers commanding in the redoubts to hold their position at all hazards.  One hundred men from Quarles' brigade were ordered into the redoubts on the extreme left and a like number from Cantey's into the other.  When my command got into position it stood at right angles to the main line of the army, with Brigadier- General Reynolds on the right, Brigadier-General Shelley on the left, and in the center Quarles' brigade, commanded by Brig. Gen. George D. Johnson, who, after its proper commander had been disabled, had been assigned to it by my request.

--- About 11 o'clock the enemy, exposing a large force in my front, concentrated a heavy artillery fire on the redoubt in front of my left, and after keeping it up for about an hour, with great damage to force within, moved upon it with a heavy body of infantry, enveloped the base of the hill, and by assault carried the position, which ws well defended.  Information having reached me that a force was moving up the Hillsborough pike, I communicated it to Lieutenant-General Stewart, who was near me at the moment, and, under his orders, Ectors brigade was went down near Compton's house to hold the pike for the protection of my left flank.  In a few moments after the first redoubt was taken the force in the second was overwhelmed by the enemy's infantry, and Ectors brigade, in position on the pike in its rear, was forced to withdraw.  In doing so, a body of the enemy being now between it an the left of Cantey's brigade, it was cut off from my command, and posted, by order of General Hood, on a hill some distance to my left, which the enemy late in the day mad an ineffectual effort to carry.  When these redoubts were taken the enemy moved up in my front and shelled by troops heavily.  He made no assault on my position, but threw a force across the pike into the woods near Compton's house and threatened my left. 

I detached Brigadier General Reynolds with his brigade from my right, filling his place by extending the other two, and sent his to oppose this force.  With his left connected to Cantey's brigade he formed his line diagonally across the woods, his left refused, and deployed his command to lengthen his front his front, as the enemy extended his lines still farther to our left.  I sent Major D. W. Sanders, Major General French's assistant adjutant general, who had been serving with me during the day, to the lieutenant-general commanding to advise him of the situation of my line, and to say that unless Reynolds was supported he could not hold the enemy back with his attenuated line.  He replied that he had already applied for troops to put on my left, who were reported on the way.  Troops came, but the enemy was not checked.  Reynolds bravely resisting, was forced back, and it was with difficulty I withdrew my other two brigades to prevent their capture by the large force he had been opposing, which moved up in their rear.  About dark, when the troops of the corps had been collected on the right of the Granny White pike, Brigadier-General Sears' brigade, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Shotwell, numbering no more that 150 men, was temporarily attached to my command.

    My right rested on the Granny White pike, and my left connected with Bate's division, on the slope of a high wooded hill near it's foot, which Ectors brigade occupied the evening before.  Brigadier-General Johnston, commanding Quarles' brigade, was on the right, and next line Brigadier-General Shelley, commanding Cantey's brigade, and Reynolds' between him and Sears', which occupied the left.  At 12 noon I was directed to order Colonel Coleman, with his brigade, to report to the commanding general, and at 3:15 p.m., to send Brigadier-General Reynolds, with his command, to Lieutanant-General Stewart, to be employed in opposing a force which had gained the rear of our left. 

These brigades, both of which were afterward enabled to reach the Franklin pike, were not under my orders again during the day.  By 4 o'clock a line was distinctly visible on the hills in our rear, covering much of our corps, which was the center in the army line.  About this time the force in my front moved upon my position, but there was no spirit in the assault, and it was promptly repulsed without difficulty, but the hill to my left just hen was carried, and to save any part of my command an immediate withdrawal was necessary.  Everywhere within my view the disorder was great and general, but it was inevitable, the surroundings considered.  At Brentwood, on the Franklin pike, the commanding general, seconded by officers from various commands, endeavored to gather up the fragments of his broken forces.  The effort was attended with but partial success.  Some time after dark we moved toward Franklin, arriving there about 3 o'clock the following morning.