April 18, 1863 - Saturday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Crittenden's Corps - Wood's Division - Wagner's Brigade 

General Crittenden having returned and relieved General Wood of temporary command, receives this dispatch on the 15th:

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HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE CUMBERLAND,

Murfreesborough, April 15, 1863.

Maj. Gen. THOMAS. L. CRITTENDEN,

     Commanding Twenty-first Corps:

   GENERAL: The general commanding directs me to inform you that reports have reached here tht a considerable force of rebels intend to attack our outposts on Stone's River to-night.  The rebel force is reported to-day as being between Cainsville and Milton, and were to come in in the direction of the latter place.  The general commanding directs you to send out three brigades immediately, two on the Lebanon and the other on the Las Casas pike, to strengthen these outposts.  The cavalry will be held in readiness to go out in the morning, if necessary.  Your men should take three days' rations, and be in readiness to make an expedition against the rebels beyond Stone's River to-morrow.

   The general desires to consult with you in person as soon as the above order is delivered.

Your obedient servant,

 J. A. GARFIELD, 

Brigadier-General and Chief of Staff.

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General Rosecrans is ordering two brigades to move north toward Lebanon, TN, and another to move northeast on a different road that also goes to Lebanon.  It is believed that a large rebel force is in this area and is planning to attack Union positions.  Other Union generals receive dispatches warning of this possibility.

On the 18th, Wagner's Brigade, with the 40th Indiana, is ordered to report to General Reynolds, Fifth Division 14th corps temporarily, to engage in a push to McMinnville, TN to confront any rebel forces in that area, destroy railroads and supply depots, and then move north to Liberty, TN, and further to Lebanon, TN.  The intent is to make this area unusable for operations by Confederate forces.                  

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XXIII, Chapter XXXV, Part II, Correspondence,  pp. 239-251.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. pp. 102-103.
• The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1I, Fredericksburg to Meridian, Shelby Foote, pp. 166-175. 
• This Terrible Sound, The Battle of Chickamauga,  Peter Cozzens, pp. 1-22.
  

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