But on arriving there, Negley left his train and pushed on at once with his troops to Nolinsville, from whence the sound of Davis's guns had reached him, to his support.Negley encamped at Nolinsville, Rousseau at Owen's store, and Walker's brigade at Brentwood.A very heavy rain during the night rendered the country roads impassable, and it was not until the night of the 27th that Rousseau's command reached Nolinsville.On the morning of the 27th, Negley's train coming up, his division moved to the east, over an extremely rough by-road, to the right of Crittenden on the Murfreesboro pike, taking position at Stewartsboro.Walker was sent back by Thomas from Brentwood, to take the direct Nolinsville pike.On the 28th, Rousseau, under order, marched to Stewartsboro, where he joined Negley's division.On the 29th Negley crossed Stewart's Creek at the ford southwest of, and two miles above the turnpike bridge, and marched in supporting distance of the head of Crittenden's command on the Murfreesboro pike.Rousseau was ordered to remain in camp at Stewartsboro, detaching Starkweather's brigades with a section of artillery to the Jefferson pike, to watch the movements of the enemy.Negley's division moved eight miles that day and took position within three miles of Murfreesboro.Walker reached Stewartsboro from the Nolinsville pike about dark.Early in the morning, Crittenden's command moved into line of battle on the left, under a brisk fire, while Negley's division, by an oblique movement to the right, took position on the right of Palmer's division, and was then advanced through a dense cedar thicket several hundred yards in width to the Wilkinson cross roads, driving the enemy's skirmishers steadily, and with considerable loss.Rousseau's division, with the exception of Starkweather's brigade, was ordered up from Stewartsboro, reached the front, and bivouacked on the Murfreesboro pike in the rear of the centre.Thomas during the night ordered Walker's brigade to take a strong position near the bridge over Stewart's Creek, and to defend it against any attempt of the enemy's cavalry to destroy it.Rousseau was ordered to take position in rear of Negley's division, with his left on the Murfreesboro pike, and his right extending into the cedar thicket through which Negley had marched to take position.The troops held every foot of ground that had been won from the enemy and remained in line of battle during the night.
The "Left Wing" under Crittenden advanced on the 26th to Lavergne, Palmer's division in the front.He was engaged in a short time with heavy skirmishing, which increased as the command moved south.
The advance of the column was over a rough country, intersected with forests and cedar thickets.Crittenden was ordered to delay his movements until McCook reached Triune, in order to determine the direction in which Thomas should move as support; Crittenden's command encamped that night four miles north of Lavergne.On the 27th Wood's division was placed in the advance of Crittenden's column.Hascall's brigade drove the enemy from Lavergne with a loss of twenty men wounded, and pushing rapidly on, forced them south of Stewart's Creek, five miles beyond.At this place the enemy set fire to the bridge, which Hascall's advance reached in time to save.Hazen's brigade of Palmer's division was sent down the Jefferson pike to seize the bridge over Stewart's Creek at the crossing of that road.That night the "Left Wing" went into camp at Stewartsboro, and remained there over the next day, Sunday.
On the 29th, Crittenden's command crossed Stewart's Creek by the Smyrna bridge, and the main Murfreesboro pike, and advanced that day--Palmer's division leading--to within two miles of Murfreesboro, driving back the enemy after several severe skirmishes, saving two bridges on the route, and forcing the enemy into his intrenchments.
Rosecrans, about three o'clock in the afternoon, received a signal message from Palmer at the front, that he was in sight of Murfreesboro, and that the enemy was running.Rosecrans then sent an order to Crittenden to send a division to occupy Murfreesboro, camping the other two outside.Crittenden received this order as he reached the head of his command, where Wood and Palmer were gathering up their troops prepatory to encamping for the night.
