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eir friends in the North； and while they received nothing； they embraced every opportunity of sending letters by citizens returning north。 The garrison was not willing to remain entirely on the defensive。 Besides the numerous raiding parties sent out for forage which were uniformly successful； on the night of the 6th of October； Negley sent Palmer with some twenty…eight hundred troops to attack General S。 R。 Anderson； who had established his camp at Lavergne with some three thousand men； principally new recruits。 Palmer with the artillery and about four hundred infantry to support it； moved directly on Lavergne； some fifteen miles from Nashville； while Colonel John F。 Miller with about twenty…four hundred men in his command moved on the road to the right to make the attack on the rear of the enemy。 Miller marched his command during the night； captured the enemy's pickets at daylight and moved on the encampment。 Palmer opened with artillery as soon as he heard Miller's musketry firing and the latter； pushing his troops rapidly forward； after an engagement lasting half an hour； had the enemy in full retreat on the road to Murfreesboro with a loss of 80 killed and wounded and 175 prisoners。 He also captured three pieces of artillery； and the regimental colors of the Thirty…second Alabama。 Palmer's command then returned to Nashville。
During the siege of Nashville skirmishing between our pickets and the scouting parties of the enemy was constantly occurring； and the garrison of Nashville was indebted for its safety to the services of Lieutenant…Colonel Von Schrader of the Seventy…fourth Ohio； Inspector of Negley's division； as much as any one thing。 Von Schrader was an educated Prussian officer and a thorough soldier。 He established a system of pickets； strongly posted； with block houses for their protection； and then gave his personal attention to it that the pickets performed their entire duty。 There was no determined assault on the place at any time during the siege。 The only appearance of an attack in force was on the 6th of November； by a body of some eight thousand troops； equally divided between cavalry and infantry； under General Roger Hanson。 Forrest； knowing that the Federal force at Nashville was not a very strong one and that by the pursuit of Bragg by Buell's army； Nashville was completely cut off from any immediate support or relief； obtained General Breckinridge's permission to make an attack with his cavalry； numbering over four thousand men； in concert with the infantry under Hanson； numbering a little less than Forrest's command。 The enemy's cavalry moved in columns on the Charlotte； Franklin； and Nolinsville turnpikes from the south； while Forrest in person with 1；000 cavalry and Hanson's infantry； pushed rapidly forward on the Murfreesboro pike； arriving at the Lunatic Asylum； six miles from Nashville； by daylight。 Our pickets and cavalry were driven in； and Hanson was in readiness to make the attack with the infantry when a peremptory order from Breckinridge was received； directing further operations to cease； under express orders from Bragg。 After skirmishing with his cavalry around the city at the different outposts； Forrest withdrew； greatly incensed at being ordered to desist from the attack when confident of success。
Bragg in leaving a large number of men in middle Tennessee merely to watch the post of Nashvillethus crippling his army to that extentcommitted a great mistake。 He needed every available man in his army to make the Kentucky campaign a success。 With these 10；000 troops； if Buell had left Negley's and Paine's divisions as garrisons at Nashville； Bragg's force would have outnumbered Buell's command before he reached Louisville three to two。 With the defeat of Buell； Nashville would have been worse than worthless； proving an incumbrance instead of a benefit。 On the other hand； with Bragg driven out of Kentucky； and opening the struggle for that State in Tennessee； the possession of Nashville as a second base of supplies for our army was an absolute necessity。 Bragg； however； was correct in refusing to allow the place to be attacked by Forrest； for even in the event of success the non…combatants and sympathizing friends of the South would have suffered in person and property to an extent far beyond what the temporary occupation of the city by the Southern forces would have compensated。
Nashville was re…enforced by the arrival of the advance of the army concentrating there on the 17th of November； and a few days after Rosecrans arrived and established his headquarters in that city。 The first thing that demanded the attention of the new commander was that which had given the most serious trouble to General Buell； viz。： the safety of his communications in the rear to his base of supplies。 The repair to the tunnel just south of Mitchelville occupied a large force several weeks to complete。 During this time all supplies for troops at Nashville were with the greatest labor hauled fifty…five miles by wagon train。 The railroad from Louisville to Nashville was re…opened on the 26th of November； and for one month every effort was made to forward supplies； so the troops could have new clothing issued to them； and that they could be provided with ammunition。 The depots at Nashville were filled with needful supplies to provide against the interruption of communication arising from raids on the railroad by rebel cavalry。 Since the middle of November Bragg had been concentrating his forces at Murfreesboro； and anticipating that the Federal forces would go into winter quarters at Nashville； had placed his troops in quarters for the winter in the vicinity of the former place。 He had sent nearly all of his cavalry to raid on the lines of the Federal communicationMorgan into Kentucky and Wheeler into West Tennessee。 With this knowledge； Rosecrans； on the 26th of December； ordered his army to move out of Nashville to attack the enemy on his front。
While the army was being refitted at Nashville； Morgan's cavalry was raiding the surrounding country。 On the 7th Morgan's command captured the Ninety…ninth Brigade under Colonel A。 B。 Moore； at Hartsville； where he had been posted by Thomas to guard the ford of the Cumberland River； and to watch the enemy on the Lebanon road。 The brigade consisted of three infantry regiments； a battalion of cavalry； and a section of artillery； making a force of about two thousand effective men。 The command was badly posted； and the commanding officers of the infantry regiments failed to cooperate； or to obey orders。 It was； in the main； a repetition of the disgraceful affair at Murfreesboro； when Forrest captured that place during the previous summer。 Moore was surprised in his camp early in the morning。 No warning was given by the pickets； and before any disposition could be made of the troops； Morgan's men were upon them。 Morgan's command consisted of his cavalry； and two regiments of infantry。 Moore threw out a skirmish line to resist the advance of Morgan's infantry and dismounted cavalry in line。 The rebels pressed steadily forward to a ravine at the foot of the hill on which Moore had formed his line； and under shelter of this poured such a destructive fire upon the Federal troops； that he ordered a new line to be formed in the rear。 In this movement the whole line was thrown into confusion； and being attacked on their right and rear by the rebel cavalry； who had； up to this time not been engaged； Moore's command was crowded one on the other into a narrow space where the fire of the enemy proved terribly effective。 Moore's troops being unable to return the fire； and he not being able to make another disposition of them； the white flag was raised； and the entire command surrendered。 Colonel Tafel； in command of the One Hundred and Sixth Ohio； becoming separated from the other troops； made some further resistance； but； being overpowered； he also surrendered。 The contest only lasted a little over an hour。 Moore's loss was 150 killed and wounded； his entire command captured； with all army and camp equipment； trains； and two pieces of artillery。 Morgan's loss was 125 killed and wounded。
General D。 S。 Stanley； on reporting to Rosecrans from the Army of the Tennessee； had been assigned to the position of Chief of Cavalry to the Commanding General。 On the 12th he attacked and drove the enemy out of the town of Franklin； killing five and capturing twelve men； with a large number of horses and stores。 He destroyed the mills at that place； with a great quantity of valuable property。
After the capture of Hartsville by Morgan； his services were recognized by his superiors to the extent that Mr。 Davis； who was on a visit to Murfreesboro shortly after this engagement； signed and handed him his commission as Brigadier…General。 General Hardee urged that the appointment be made as Major…General； but this was refused。 Morgan's command had increased so that it was unwieldy as one body； and he decided to form it into two brigades。 His command consisted now of seven regiments；an aggregate force of over four thousand men。 This he divided； placing three regiments under Colonel Basil W。 Duke； in the first brigade； with a battery of four guns。 The second brigade