Just to the northeast of where Board Street crosses the Stones River sits the most strategic position for the Confederate Army called Wayne’s Hill. Although Wayne’s Hill is only a slight rise, it was the highest point on the Stones River battlefield standing about 70 feet above the surrounding countryside. Although a small hill, it did allow a good view over the potential area of conflict. It also would be a position for Confederate artillery as they could easily shoot over the South’s infantry units and have the visibility to aim accurately.
Although Wayne’s Hill sits across the river from his main battle lines, Bragg used it as the pivot point for his army as he turned his forces directly east to protect Murfreesboro from any attack from the north. General Robert Hanson’s brigade was positioned on the hill to protect the cannons. These forces were able to repel Union Colonel Charles Harker’s advance across the river in the evening of December 29th (see article on Harker’s Crossing.)
Although the cannons were in such a key position, the overall view of the battle of December 31st gives little discussion about the impact of the cannons on the Union forces. Despite this, these cannons nearly had THE greatest impact on not only the Battle of Stones River but possibly the future of the Army of the Cumberland.
But first, a little background on artillery in the Civil War. Most people think that cannons only shot solid metal balls at the soldiers but cannonballs were only really useful for punching holes in ships or buildings. If fired at advancing soldiers, it would only kill or wound whatever was in its direct path. Instead, cannons would shoot a shell of metal filled with shrapnel. A secondary fuse would be lit by the initial blast and the subsequent explosion would release a spray of metal harming a wide range of soldiers.
The manufacturing factories in the North were very good and the well-designed secondary fuse would go off almost all of the time. In the South, the fuse was a different design and only lit about half the time. The fifty-fifty odds of each cannon blast undoubtedly saved many Union casualties in the Civil War.
Mid-day on December 31, 1862, the Union Army was backed up to the Nashville Pike. General Rosecrans was personally reviewing the activities on the battlefield and discussing strategy with his staff. On Wayne’s Hill, the artillery spotters noticed a group of men on horseback on a ridge by the railroad track. Since people on horseback were normally important targets, the order was made to prepare a shot toward the congregation on the ridge. They did their calculations, aimed and fired.
The accuracy of the shot was impeccable. The only question mark was whether the shell’s secondary fuse would explode.
Rosecrans’ meeting with his staff included corps commanders George Thomas and Thomas Crittenden and their staff officers. An exploding shell would have eliminated most of the commanding officers for the entire army leaving it in charge of the third corps commander Alexander “Chucklehead” McCook. Luck, though, was on the Union side. The shell stayed intact and instead decapitated just one person. That was Rosecrans’ Chief of Staff and dearest friend Lt. Col. Julius Garasché. Rosecrans was so near to Garesché that he was sprayed with splatter from his friend. As he cleaned his uniform, Rosecrans uttered “In war, good men die.”
On January 2, 1863, the last conflict of the Battle of Stones River commenced at 4:00PM as the Confederate troops were assembled on Wayne’s Hill. The charge of Breckinridge’s forces eventually led to a disastrous end for the South and the subsequent retreat from Murfreesboro.
In modern day Murfreesboro, the clubhouse and golf course of Stones River Country Club sits atop Wayne’s Hill. This vital piece of the Stones River battlefield deserves protection from further development.
Although Wayne’s Hill sits across the river from his main battle lines, Bragg used it as the pivot point for his army as he turned his forces directly east to protect Murfreesboro from any attack from the north. General Robert Hanson’s brigade was positioned on the hill to protect the cannons. These forces were able to repel Union Colonel Charles Harker’s advance across the river in the evening of December 29th (see article on Harker’s Crossing.)
Although the cannons were in such a key position, the overall view of the battle of December 31st gives little discussion about the impact of the cannons on the Union forces. Despite this, these cannons nearly had THE greatest impact on not only the Battle of Stones River but possibly the future of the Army of the Cumberland.
But first, a little background on artillery in the Civil War. Most people think that cannons only shot solid metal balls at the soldiers but cannonballs were only really useful for punching holes in ships or buildings. If fired at advancing soldiers, it would only kill or wound whatever was in its direct path. Instead, cannons would shoot a shell of metal filled with shrapnel. A secondary fuse would be lit by the initial blast and the subsequent explosion would release a spray of metal harming a wide range of soldiers.
The manufacturing factories in the North were very good and the well-designed secondary fuse would go off almost all of the time. In the South, the fuse was a different design and only lit about half the time. The fifty-fifty odds of each cannon blast undoubtedly saved many Union casualties in the Civil War.
Mid-day on December 31, 1862, the Union Army was backed up to the Nashville Pike. General Rosecrans was personally reviewing the activities on the battlefield and discussing strategy with his staff. On Wayne’s Hill, the artillery spotters noticed a group of men on horseback on a ridge by the railroad track. Since people on horseback were normally important targets, the order was made to prepare a shot toward the congregation on the ridge. They did their calculations, aimed and fired.
The accuracy of the shot was impeccable. The only question mark was whether the shell’s secondary fuse would explode.
Rosecrans’ meeting with his staff included corps commanders George Thomas and Thomas Crittenden and their staff officers. An exploding shell would have eliminated most of the commanding officers for the entire army leaving it in charge of the third corps commander Alexander “Chucklehead” McCook. Luck, though, was on the Union side. The shell stayed intact and instead decapitated just one person. That was Rosecrans’ Chief of Staff and dearest friend Lt. Col. Julius Garasché. Rosecrans was so near to Garesché that he was sprayed with splatter from his friend. As he cleaned his uniform, Rosecrans uttered “In war, good men die.”
On January 2, 1863, the last conflict of the Battle of Stones River commenced at 4:00PM as the Confederate troops were assembled on Wayne’s Hill. The charge of Breckinridge’s forces eventually led to a disastrous end for the South and the subsequent retreat from Murfreesboro.
In modern day Murfreesboro, the clubhouse and golf course of Stones River Country Club sits atop Wayne’s Hill. This vital piece of the Stones River battlefield deserves protection from further development.
