There were several hospitals in and around Murfreesboro during the Union occupation. Many of them were tent hospitals just outside of Fortress Rosecrans, which was built following the Battle of Stones River.

Many of the troops occupying the Fortress were convalescent troops recovering from wounds or disease. General Van Cleve was the commander of the Murfreesboro/Fortress Rosecrans for a time, so the hospitals were under his command.

The conditions in these hospitals would have been similar to other general hospitals during the war. The medical staffs were often overworked and sanitation was constant problem. Civilian organizations such as the U.S. Sanitary Commission provided assistance (supplies and inspections).

The fortress garrison had a 100 acre vegetable garden to provide the patients with fresh vegetables, so apparently their diet was better than the front line soldier.

The battle your soldier was in is often called the Battle of the Cedars. It pitted a small force from Fortress Rosecrans (about 3,500 men) against Nathan Bedford Forrest commanding his cavalry and Bate's Infantry Division (perhaps 6,000 men). This action was part of the final Middle Tennessee campaign of the Army of Tennessee. Forrest and his men were beaten at the Battle of the Cedars and ultimately the whole Confederate army is nearly crushed a week later at the Battle of Nashville.