[Excerpts from "Confederate Military History, Vol. X, Tennessee" by James D. Porter, 1899, 1987] [excerpted 9 Jul 2003 by Mark A. Murphy] [note: Joseph Hill Murphey & John Calvin Murphey were captured at Cornersville, TN 8 Oct 1863; served with Wheeler's 1st Cavalry, Co. F (later Wheeler's 6th)] [Col. James T. Wheeler related to Gen. Joseph Wheeler?] p. 59 [Dec 1862- battle of Murfreesboro] The First Tennessee cavalry, Col. James E. Carter, and the Tennessee battalions of Maj. DeWitt C. Douglass and Maj. D.W. Holman were part of Wheeler's brigade of the cavalry division commanded by Gen. Joseph Wheeler... Rosencrans [federal] consumed four days in advancing oftwenty miles over macadamized roads, his movements being delayed and embarrassed by the watchfulness of the cavalry commanded by Generals Wheeler and Wharton. On the 26th, Wheeler engaged Rosecrans during the entire day, falling back only three miles, and on the 28th and 29th he killed and wounded large numbers, his p. 60 own command sustaining slight loss. At midnight of the 29th, General Wheeler, reinforced by Col. James E. Carter, First Tennessee cavalry, was ordered to the rear of the enemy. He reported that at daylight he met near Jefferson a brigade train which he took and destroyed, capturing 50 prisoners; at Lavergne attacked and captured 700 prisoners and destroyed immense trains amounting to many hundred thousand dollars in value; and Rock Springs captured and destroyed another large train; at Nolensville captured large trains, store and arms, and 300 prisoners; after which he proceeded to the left of the Confederate army, thus making a compass of the enemy's rear. At the dawn of day, December 31st, Major-General McCown (Tennessee) opened the battle of Murfreesburo... p. 69 The First Tennessee [cavalry?] lost Lieut. R.F. James, killed (an officer trusted by Colonel Feild[sic] with the performance of duties demanding tact and courage), and 80 men killed and wounded:... When General Wheeler had returned from his successful raid of the 30th he found the battle on, and his cavalry joined in the attack and drove the enemy for two miles, engaging him until dark. Then Warton's cav- p. 70 alry was ordered to the rear of the enemy, but, he says, so vigorous was the attack of our left (made by McCown's division) that he had to proceed first at a trot and then at a gallop two and a half miles before he could execute his orders... p. 74 On the 1st of January, General Wheeler, with his own and Wharton's cavalry, returned to the rear of the Federal army. He dispersed the guards of a large train near Lavergne, destroyed a number of wagons and stores and captured one piece of artillery. At 9 o'clock of the evening of the same day he again went to the rear of the enemy, capturing trains of wagons, horses and prisoners, and regained his position at 2 o'clock of the next morning on the left flank of the army, where he remained all day engaging the enemy at every opportunity. At 9 o'clock that evening he made his fourth sortie to the rear of the enemy, and next morning, the 3d, captured prisoners, wagons and horses. On regaining his position on the left flank on the morning of the 4th, he learned that General Bragg had fallen back. At 3 o'clock p.m. of the 4th, Rosecrans advanced to the river and commenced a skir- p. 75 mish. After dark he retired a short distance. The cavalry pickets were not molested during the night [probably one was my ggrandfather Joseph Hill Murphey!-mm] At daylight on the 5th, General Wheeler retired three miles from Murfreesboro; at 3 p.m. the Federals advanced a brigade of infantry, with artillery and cavalry, but were driven back. In his report General Wheeler included Capt. Richard McCann of Tennessee, commanding a detachment, among those of whom he said, "during the many engagements incident to the battle of Murfreesboro, I take pleasure in commending their gallantry and good soldierly conduct."... Nearly one-third of the army of Tennessee were Tennesseeans; many of them fought and fell almost in call of their own wives and children; there were no holiday soldiers among them and no desertions, and they fell back from their homes with a loss of 3,500 killed and wounded, nearly half of the entire loss... p. 76 Bragg retired at 2 o'clock a.m. on the morning fo the 4th, and two hours later the cavalry under General Wheeler occupied his position, and continued in it until p. 77 the break of day on the 5th of January. p.223 The attack on Fort Donelson of February 3, 1863, was made by Maj.-Gen. Joseph Wheeler, with the brigades of Forrest and John A. Wharton....Wheeler reports that only about a thousand men from both brigades participated in the action. The fort was defended gallantly and successfully by Col. A.C. Harding, Eighty-third Illinois, with about 750 men of all arms, fighting under cover. The Confed- p.224 erates were dismounted and made several brave assaults, when, seeing the enemy retiring, as he supposed, Forrest mounted his command and charged through the streets of Dover, but was repulsed and forced to retire... At 8 o'clock p.m. General Wheeler retired and moved south of Duck river. He reported a loss of 100 killed and wounded, and the capture of 80 prisoners, one field gun, a lot of horses and mules, and the destruction of a transport loaded with provisions...