The following is a letter from C.I. Walker, 10th SC, serving on Manigault's staff. Thought it might be of interest here.

Lee

Hd. Qrs. 4th Brigde. W.D.R.C.A.T

Near Shelbyville, Jan. 15th. 1863.

Yours of the 25th and 30th have been received since our arrival at this place. I have been endeavoring to write you fully for some time, but have not had an opportunity because 1st. of the movements incident to the recent battle of Murfreesboro, and 2nd. that I have been extremely busy since we have been stationary, collecting and writing the various reports of that engagement. All this is in addition to regular duties and to the orders of two weeks standing which are to be extended and what rendered my duties more arduous is that I was obliged
to dismiss my clerk * * * *But I can steal a few moments to acknowledge the receipt of your two precious letters and give you an account of the Battle. I am glad that your second is written in a more pleasant and hopeful than the first. You speak of sad faces and mourning. I am glad that you only see the result of, and not the sad
battle-field itself. The grief, the sadness, the mourning of relatives is nothing as compared with the horrors of the battle ground the piteous cry for help of the wounded and cold pallid faces of the unburied dead.

Jan. 19th. I propose to give you a rather more minute account of battle of Murfreesboro that I was unable to do in my last. But before doing so let me tell you that I commenced this letter of 15th. but since have been so busy that I have not had time to write any since I left off above.

On Sunday Dec. 28th, 1862. The Army was placed in position as you will see on the map accompanying this letter. Cleburn's Division on the right, Withers & McCown on the left, Breckenridge and Cheatham forming 2nd line. Withers' right resting on Stone River. On the afternoon of the 29th. the enemies Cavalry attacked our line of infantry pickets,but were repulsed.

At this time occurred the very pretty little affair of Co.A. The pickets on their right gave way, and before they were aware of it, they were completely surrounded. Lt. White and Sargt. Larabour were taken prisoners, and had given up their arms, when the enemy fired on him, and White then called on his company to rally and he had a hand to hand fight with his captor, and before the Yankee had time to run he was knocked off his horse and White liberate.

I don't know how they succeeded in other parts of the field. On this night they formed a line in our front, not over 500 yards off, and boldly built their fires and made as much noise as they choose. We could hear them talking. Meanwhile not a fire burned, not a sound was heard along our lines. Tonight we prepare for the deadly conflict of tomorrow.

During the night, orders were received for an advance to be made by McCown's Div. and 1st and 4th. Brigade of Withers, they were to wheel round and straighten the line which made a large angle on the right of our Brigade. The movement to commence on the left at dawn of day next morning. Before daylight on the 31st. ult. the army was under arm and ready for coming contest. The day opened with heavy skirmishing and picket firing. We look anxiously for movement on our left. Soon the Battle flags of Deas' (1st) Brigade were seen advancing, Col. M. sends orders for 34th Ala. Regt. on left of our Brigade to rise and charge opposite hill, in a moment and with a shout this gallant Regt. rushes to meet the foe. Hardly have they started when they are followed by 28th Ala., 24th. Ala., 19th. So. Ca., in quick succession and the 10th S. C. wheels into its position. In a moment the quiet field is filled with contending hosts. The rattle of musketry becomes incessant, and the hail of canister, shot and shell and scrapnel is moving down the ranks of our advancing line. the 34th. and 28th Ala. Regts. have gained the hill simultaneously with the 1st Brigade and driven the enemy form it, and the 24th. Ala. and 19th S. C. continue to advance under a most terrific fire, but suddenly the enemy, (owing to the bend in our lines) open an enfilade fire on our lines, and throw heavy reinforcements to support their beaten Regts. (a brigade of Regulars ) and ours, & the 1st. Brigade gives way – our right flank is exposed to the enfilade fire and our left exposed by the retreat of the 1st., and we were compelled to fall back. But they were rallied and led again to the charge and were again terribly repulsed and driven back to our first position before the men could be rallied. I had gone to Genl. Maney Comdg. our supporting Brigade in 2d. line, to bring him up to our assistance, and arrived just at this time. But before anotherattack was made by our Brigade, McCown's Div. and 1st. Brigade W. D. has wheeled round, flanked the enemy, and driven them from our front. The 10th Being on the right were but little exposed. The ground was now clear and the left wing wheeled round and occupied a line along the road marked on map "country road" and at right angles to our former position, our right remaining stationary. The battle now raged along our whole line from left to right, the booming of heavy guns to be heard over the sharp rattle of musketry. While our line was in the last mentioned position a Battery of Rifle guns and Napoleons posted on the Nolensville Pike shelled our lines , making a great deal of noise and doing very little damage. They had not the most remote idea that we were so near them. Genl. Maney now brought up a battery near the Gin House and opened on this Battery, this drawing its attention and ordered Col. M to charge it. The 10th S. C. Were brought to front and supported by the 19th. S. C. were ordered to advance. These gallant Regts. move steadily forward and when they reached the enemies line of skirmishers charged with a shout driving the Brigade of the enemies infantry from their position and silenced every gun of the Battery but one, but the 2nd line of the enemy appearing in front and a Regt. moving round on our left flank to enfilade them they were brought to a stand. The rest of the Brigade was ordered to their support, but this proved inefficient to withstand the numbers of the enemy and as the Brigades on our right and left did not move up in time to support our as had been promised, we were compelled to fall back. Just as we gave way the 3rd. Brigade on our right came up, but too late to suport us, although they advanced, and drove back the enemy, compelling them to leave their Battery and take flight. McCown's Div. was advancing at this time, and they swept the enemy before them, our Brigade following, until the enemy were driven across to the Nashville Pike, where they rallied behind a heavy artillery force planted along Nashville Pike (see on map near Nashville Pike) and our forces having already driven the enemy further than they were ordered and having in their front an open field over which to advance against a tremendous collection of Batteries, our line halted in woods to N. S. of Nolensville Pike. So on the left we had swung completely round, driving the enemy more than 2 ½ miles and capturing several batteries of artillery. This had been achieved however with heavy loss. In the charge on the Battery the 10th. S. C. Regt. lost 85 men – nearly ¼ of the number on the field. Our battle flag was riddled,and the Blue State (Mrs. Wilson's) flag was shot off the staff, but it was brought off the field in safety. On the right the fighting was not so hard, we however drove the enemy back and advanced to position shown on map as 2nd position. During the rest of the day, on the left, we made no advance, the enemy keeping up an extremely heavy shelling on our position – they were so near that they did but little harm, although I was not under a heavier fire of artillery all day then at this time. Night, however, soon closed this, the longest day of my existence. We confidently expected the fight to be renewed the next day,but our army was too small to make the attack, and the Yankees too badly whipped to move out of the intrenchments they had thrown up during the night.

Thursday, New Year day was spent in this position,
we momentarily expecting either an order to advance, or an advance of the enemy, but the day passed and neither came. Friday we remained quiet. Breckenridge made an attack on the enemy but was repulsed. Saturday our Brigade changed its position to that first occupied by the Brigade. W. D. between Nolensville and Nashville Pikes and Chalmers, Deas and Anderson(2nd. 1st. and 3rd. Brigades of our Division) were moved to their right, in front of Stone River. The day was a rainy one, and we suffered very much. Our troops were now become quite exhausted, we had been in line of Battle one week. That night came the orders to retire and with a heavy heart and tired steps our brave but crippled and exhausted Army retreated towards Shelbyville. We marched all night and next afternoon arrived at Shelbyville, (25 miles). One days rest here and we pushed on to Alisonia, 26 miles, which place we only reached to be ordered back to Shelbyville so we had four days marching thrown away. I don't complain of this – I was glad that we could go back to Shelbyville.

Thus I have told the story of the Battle of Murfreesboro. It was a complete, though unfortunately, not a decisive victory. Bragg deserves every praise for doing what he has done – with an army of barely 30,000 he defeated,or say checked, Rosencrans with over 65,000 more than two to one.

Our Brigade, though every time repulsed, acted most
gallantly and has been highly complimented by our commander. But the two S. C. Regts. have had the highest honor paid them. Genl Bragg "for brilliant deeds on Battlefield of Murfreesboro" presented them with the Battery we silenced on the Nolensville Pike, left it to them to inscribe the names on the pieces, to be presented by them to their favorite Genl. Beauregard as a trophy of the late Battle. Capt. White as "the most gallant officer of the two So. Ca. Regts." is one of the escort in charge. Neddy Howard was specially mentioned by Genl. Bragg to go to So. Ca. with the Battery. So you see the reputation of So. Ca. was ably sustained by her sons in the West. I can speak for this, for I acted as Asst. Ajt. Genl to Col. M. Comdg. Brigde. and was not Adjt of the 10th., so I can tell its honors without the imputation of egotism.

Now for our friends. Col M. managed the Brigade not only ably, but with telling effe=ct on the enemy, - he has been highly complimented by Genl. Bragg. * * *, acting as Aide to Col. M. and * * * as Brigade Inspector, were fearless in the discharge of their duties, displaying not only intrepidity but much bravery. The latter once rallied and led to the front one of our broken Regts. You spoke too severely of Lt. Col. P. in the Battle he proved himself a man. He was Officer of the Day when White's skirmish took place, and managed his skirmishers admirably. When in command of the Regt. he handled it well, and acted most gallantly. Maj. Porcher was cool and collected, and was as little excited when under the terrific fire which the Regt. encountered in the charge on the Battery on the Nolensville Pike, as if he was on parade. Willie Huger was most gallant. Corpl. Duggan carrying Battleflag was shot down, and Shaw took his flag and Willie the Blue flag and brought it off the field in safety . Capt. Nettles was peculiarly marked for gallantry and coolness and his name is inscribed on one of the Guns presented to Beauregard. But poor fellow, he was shot down in three places while leading his company to the charge . Capt. Palmer did well, but was slightly wounded in leg. LeGrande Shaw distinguished himself. But Lt. C. C. White's single handed and unarmed fight on the 29th. and his noble bearing through whole fight has made him the hero of the regt. Col. Lythgoe 19th. S. C. Regt. was mortally wounded in thigh, and died under subsequent operation. Do you remember old Corpl. (late Sergeant), Cockfield. The poor fellow was shot as he led his company in the charge. He died immediately. As I passed over the ground where the 10 and 19 S. C. Regts had been fighting I saw Sergt. Cockfield and his son both lying dead side by side, as they fell. Our success was owing entirely to our impetuous charges and unanticipated attack, a thing never thought of by the enemy.

It was our battery (Capt. D. D. Waters) who shot off the head of Rosencran's Chief of Staff – you have no doubt heard of it through the papers. The Providence of God, alone saved me. The shot, shell and ball seemed to strike everywhere but just where I was. I thank Him for it.

The days of the battle were the most exciting of my life. I never passed so long days. I have seen one battle, and am satisfied – have no relish for another.

I send you a copy of Bragg's Order to troops after Battle

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