Auto Tour Stop 6 - McFadden Farm

View of the Stones River and McFadden's Ford from Union positions.

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

Murfreesboro, TN

Significance:

Site of the Union positions during the final day of the Battle of Stones River, January 2, 1863.

Designation:

National Park, National Register of Historic Places

Amenities

7 listed

Audio Description, Cellular Signal, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Parking - Auto, Parking - Bus/RV, Scenic View/Photo Spot, Trailhead

Both armies spent New Year’s Day reorganizing, resupplying, and caring for the wounded and dead. Confederate General Bragg thought that Union General Rosecrans would retreat back towards Nashville. Instead, Rosecrans decided that they should stay and fight, and prepared to defend his position.

Union Gen. Horatio P. Van Cleve's division, commanded by Gen. Sam Beatty, moved down the dirt road leading from the McFadden family farm to the river. They crossed and took up position on a hill east of the river that stood as the highest ground on the battlefield. The soldiers worked through the night to fortify three lines of defense.

On the morning of January 2, 1863, Confederate Gen. John C. Breckinridge discovered the Federals had taken the high ground. He immediately reported the situation Gen. Braxton Bragg. Bragg knew his chances of victory were slim if he left his enemy in control of that position. He ordered Breckinridge to take the hill.

Gen. Breckinridge reluctantly ordered his 4,500 men to attack with one round loaded and bayonets fixed to their muskets. The assault began at 4 PM. The Confederates charged forward and drove the enemy from the hill. They reformed and began pursuing the fleeing men in blue. For a moment, victory seemed to be within the Confederates' grasp.

Along the opposite bank of the river, Union artillery trained their guns on the gray mass and waited for the chance to change the tide of the battle. As the Confederates came within range, the cannons began to fire. The earth shook and explosions ripped the air. For the Confederates, horror and despair dashed the momentary thrill of victory.

Learn more about the final day of the Battle of Stones River by watching this video from our friends at the American Battlefield Trust.

• Auto Tour Stop 6 - Audio

  
  

  This file describes the climactic fighting on January 2, 1863.

  Date created:

  04/04/2021

  Audio Transcript

  As dawn broke on January 2nd, 1863, Confederate General Bragg woke to discover that Union forces had entrenched themselves on a key hill of the east side of the Stones River. If the Federals placed cannons on that hill, they could threaten Confederate positions along the Nashville Pike.

  Bragg ordered General John C. Breckinridge to use his 4,400 man division to reclaim the hill. Breckinridge protested, having seen dozens of Union cannons massing on the west bank of the river that could cut his men to pieces, but Bragg’s decision was final. Breckinridge relayed the order to his subordinates. Soon they were restraining General Roger Hanson, commander of the Orphan Brigade, who vowed to kill Bragg for issuing such a murderous command.

  Breckinridge ordered his men to load one round and fix bayonets. At 4 o’clock in the afternoon they moved forward hoping the failing light would interfere with the Union cannoneers’ aim. As they get closer, their pace quickened and the “Rebel Yell” echoed over the field.

  The initial charge appeared successful. Breckinridge’s men pushed the Federals off the hill and pursued them towards McFadden’s Ford. Then the ground shook as fifty-seven Union cannon fired their deadly missiles into the mass of Confederates. The cannon fire was non-stop for 25 minutes. In that short time, more than 1,800 Confederates were wounded or killed. Breckinridge’s men retreated as fresh Union troops surged across the river to retake the high ground.

  This proved to be final action of the battle. Bragg ordered a withdrawal, and the Union gained a hard-earned victory that shaped the political and military course of the war.