is accomplished wife was a most active patriot during the war. Dr. Cliffe's as almost the only Union family in Franklin. He was compelled to flee or his life, at one time, but his patriotic wife remained and served the counry and its cause nobly, in various ways. She kept up a continual communiation with the Union commanders at Nashville, often going thither in person with important information. On such occasions she rode an old blind mare, and traveled along unfrequented ways. She was several times arrested on suspicion of being an "enemy to the Confederacy," but proof was always wanting. She was once in Forrest's custody; and at one time she was confined a week at Bragg's head-quarters in Murfreesboro', where she was paroled to report when called for, to be sent to Atlanta. Rosecrans sent Bragg in that direction so suddenly that he seems to have forgotten Mrs. Cliffe. Under every circumstance of peril, disdain and weariness, that noble woman stood firm in her allegiance to the Government and to Christian duty; and by her manifold public services, and labors and sacrifices for the comfort of the sick, and wounded, and dying Union soldiers, she won an unfading chaplet of honor and gratitude from her countrymen, which ought not to be unnoticed by the chronicler. That Christian matron, Mrs. V. C. Cliffe, belongs to the glorious army of patriotic women who gave their services to their imperiled country, and should never be forgotten. 1864. When General Schofield reached Nashville, General A. J. • Dec. 1, Smith had arrived, with his two divisions, from Missouri, and by noon that day, the forces in the vicinity were put in battle array in an irregular semicircular line upon the hills around the city, on the southern side of the Cumberland River. General A. J. Smith's troops (detachment of the Army of the Tennessee) were on the right, resting on the river; the Fourth Corps-commanded by General T. J. Wood, in the absence of the wounded Stanley-in the center; and the Twenty-third Corps, under General J. M. Schofield, on the left, also resting on the Cumberland. General Steedman had been called up from Chattanooga, with detachments of Sherman's army, and a brigade of negro troops under Colonel Thompson, in all five thousand men; and these were posted on the left of Schofield, to supply the place of the cavalry under Wilson, which was stationed at Edgefield, on the north side of the Cumberland. To these were added the troops composing the 424 HOOD INVESTS NASHVILLE. garrison of Nashville. Wood's line was in advance of all others, crossing the Granny White and Hillsboro' pikes; and his head-quarters were at the elegant residence of Mrs. Ackling, between those highways, a short distance from the city.1 Thomas was now superior to Hood in the number and character of his infantry, but was yet so deficient in cavalry, that he withheld his intended blow against his adversary for about a fortnight, that he might strengthen that arm of the service, and be well provided with means for transportation. He expected to drive Hood, and he desired ample means for following and destroying his fugitive army. His delay was misunderstood and misinterpreted at Washington, and even at the head-quarters of the army. At each there was amazement and perplexity, because of Hood's audacious penetration of Tennessee to its very heart, while the fate, and even the position, of Sherman in Georgia was a hidden fact and problem. Grant finally started from City Point for Nashville, to seek a solution of the riddle that puzzled him; but at Washington City he was met by electrographs from the West that convinced him that Thomas was "the right man in the right place," and he returned to his quarters satisfied that all was well in Tennessee. Hood pressed up in full strength to invest Nashville, and on the morning of the 4th of December had formed his line, with his salient on Montgomery Hill, not more than six hundred yards from Wood's, at Thomas's center. His main line occupied the high ground on the southeast side of Brown's Creek, with his right resting on the Nolensville pike, and his left behind Richland Creck, retiring on the Hillsboro' pike, with cavalry on both flanks, extending to the river. ■ General Thomas's army, before Nashville, was composed of the Fourth Corps, commanded by General T. J. Wood, with Generals N. Kimball, W. L. Elliott, and S. Beatty as division commanders; the Twenty-third Corps, General J. M. Schofield, with Generals D. M. Couch and J. D. Cox as division commanders; detachment of the Ariny of the Tennessee, under General A. J. Smith, with Generals J. McArthur, K. Garrard, and J. B. Moore as division commanders; a provisional detachment under General J. B. Steedman, with Generals C. Cruft and J. F. Miller as assistants. The negro brigade was commanded by Colonel Thompson, the garrison of Nashville by General J. F. Miller, and the quartermaster's division by General J. L. Donaldson. The cavalry corps was under the command of General J. H. Wilson, assisted by Generals J. T. Croxton, Edward Hatch, R. W. Johnson, and J. T. Knipe. 2 This is from a sketch made by the writer, at sunset, early in May, 1866, when the beautiful grounds around the mansion, which had been disfigured during the war, were restored, in a great degree, to their former appearance. THOMAS MAKING READY FOR ACTION. 425 On the same day, there was a smart contest at the railway crossing of rall's Creek, five miles north of Murfreesboro', where there was a blockse well-manned and armed. General Thomas was unwilling to relax his I upon Chattanooga, and endeavored to keep open the railway communion between himself and Granger, at Stevenson. For that purpose, he ed General Rousseau, with eight thousand troops, in Fort Rosecrans,1 Murfreesboro'. When the block-house at Overall's Creek was cked by Bate's division of Cheatham's corps, General Milroy sent out from Fort Rosecrans with a small force to its assiste. The little garrison held it firmly until Milroy came, when the assailwere quickly driven away. Dec. 4, 1864. Dec. 8. During the next three days, Bate was re-enforced by two divisions of ntry and about twenty-five hundred cavalry, and then menaced Fort secrans, but did not actually assail it. Buford's cavalry, after its batteries opened briskly upon Murfreesboro', dashed into the town, they were quickly expelled by a regiment of infantry, when y swept around by way of Lebanon, to the Cumberland, with the intention getting upon Thomas's communications with Louisville by rail. The gunts patrolling the river foiled their designs. On the same day, Milroy nt out again with a stronger force, and fought the Confederates on the Ikeson pike, routing them, with a loss on his part of two hundred and five n killed and wounded, and capturing from his antagonist over two huned men and two guns. For a week after this the cold was intense, and little of importance was ne. The soldiers of both armies felt its severity much; but the Confeders, more thinly clad and more exposed than the Nationals, suffered most. e torpor of that week was advantageous to Thomas, and when, on the h, the cold abated, he was ready to take the offensive, and gave orders ordingly. Hood was then behind strong intrenchments, extending from Hillsboro' pike around to the Murfreesboro' railroad. • December. Thomas ordered a general advance upon Hood from his right, early on > morning of the 15th, while Steedman should make a vigors demonstration from his left upon Hood's right, to distract n. The country that morning was covered with a dense fog, and it did t rise until near noon. This, with the hilly character of the ground, gave omas a great advantage, and Steedman's attack, east of the Nolensville xe, caused Hood to strengthen his right at the expense of his left and cen, where the main blow was to be struck. When Steedman had completed 3 prescribed movement, with some loss, General Smith pressed forward, en helon, along the line of the Hardin pike, while Wilson's cavalry made a de circuit to gain the flank of Hood's infantry on his left. Johnson's divion moved along the Charlotte pike, on the extreme right, and attacked d routed Chalmer's cavalry; and late in the afternoon they assaulted a attery at Bell's Landing, eight miles below Nashville, in conjunction with un-boats under Lieutenant-commander Fitch. The battery was not captred, but it was abandoned that night. Meanwhile, Hatch's division, moving on Smith's flank, with General 1 See note, page 549, volume II. 426 BATTLE OF NASHVILLE. Knipe's in reserve, struck Hood's left on Richland Creek, near Hardin's house. These troops were dismounted, and, in conjunction with a part of McArthur's infantry, struck vigorous blows, drove the foe from his position, and captured many prisoners and wagons. Pushing on, they captured a four-gun redoubt, and turned the artillery upon the Confederates; and a little farther on they carried a stronger redoubt, and captured four more guns and three hundred prisoners. While these successful movements were occurring on the right, General Wood, commanding the center, had moved forward parallel with Smith's advancing column, and at one o'clock in the afternoon, the Third Brigade of Wagner's division, led by Colonel S. P. Post, of the Fifty-ninth Illinois, gallantly charged and carried Hood's works on Montgomery Hill, and took some prisoners. Then Thomas sent Schofield, who was held in reserve, rapidly to the right of Smith, by which the National cavalry was allowed to operate more freely in the Confederate rear. The whole line then moved forward. Wood carried the entire body of Confederate works on his front, captured several guns, and took five hundred prisoners, while Smith and Schofield, and the dismounted cavalry, pressed back the left flank of the Confederates several miles, to the foot of the Harpeth hills. But they still held their line of retreat along the Granny White and Franklin pikes. Steedman, meanwhile, had gained some advantage on Thomas's extreme left. Darkness closed the conflict, which resulted in the capture, by the Nationals, of twelve hundred prisoners and sixteen guns, forty wagons and many small-arms, and in forcing their enemy's strong defensive line from left to right. • Dec., 1864. Thomas now re-adjusted his lines. Wilson, with his cavalry, was placed on the extreme right, with Schofield at his left; Smith in the center, and Wood on the left. Steedman was on the extreme left, but less advanced. Such was the general disposition of the National forces on the morning of the 16th, when, at six oclock, Wood advanced, forced back Hood's skirmishers on the Franklin pike, and then inclining a little to the right, pressed on due south until confronted by Hood's new line of defenses on Overton's Hill, five miles from the city. Then Steedman moved out of Nashville by the Nolensville pike, and forming on the left of Wood, gave full security to his flank. Smith came in on Wood's right, when the new-formed line faced southward, while Schofield, holding the position he had taken the previous evening, faced eastward, and threatened the Confederate left. Wilson's cavalry, dismounted, formed on his right. It was now determined to continue the movement against Hood's left, so successfully begun the day before. The whole National line moved to within six hundred yards of that of the Confederates, at all points. Wilson was soon upon the rear of their left flank; and at three o'clock in the afternoon, Thomas ordered two of Wood's brigades to assault the foe on Overton's Hill, in front, while Thompson's negro brigade, of Steedman's com mand, should assault them further to the National left. The attack was made, but with fearful loss to the assailants. The movement had been discovered in time for Hood to send re-enforcements to the point of attack, and a heavy storm of grape, canister, and musket-shot was opened upon the troops as they pressed over the abatis, and up the hill. They had nearly BATTLE OF NASHVILLE. 427 ed the crest, when reserves opened murderous volleys upon them, and recoiled in confusion. Wood immediately restored order as they fell -, and re-formed his line, while Smith and Schofield, charging with imosity on the works on their respective fronts, carried all before them very little loss. Wilson's dismounted horsemen charged farther to the ht, and closed the way of retreat along the Granny White pike. These vantages were announced by shouts of victory. Wood and Steedman ard them, and again assailed the Confederates on Overton's Hill. They re met by a heavy fire; but they pressed forward, carried all before em, and drove the foe in such haste through the Brentwood Pass, where Franklin pike goes through the hills, that they left behind them their ad, wounded, prisoners, and guns. It was a complete rout. During the o days in which THE BATTLE OF NASHVILLE was fought, Thomas capred from Hood four thousand four hundred and sixty-two prisoners, of tom two hundred and eighty-seven were officers. He had also captured ty-three guns, and many small-arms. More important than these, he had oken the spirit of Hood's army beyond hope of recovery. |