"Major-General McCook's corps to advance on the Shelbyville road, turn to the left, move two divisions by Millersburg, and advancing on the Wartrace road seize and hold Liberty Gap.The third division to advance on Fosterville and cover the crossing of General Granger's command from the Middleton road, and then move by Christiana to join the rest of the corps.
"General Granger to advance on the Middleton road, threatening that place, and cover the passing of General Brannan's division of the Fourteenth Corps, which was to pass by Christiana and bivouac with the rear division of the Twentieth Corps.
"The Fourteenth Corps, Major-General Thomas, to advance on the Manchester pike, seize and hold with its advance, if practicable, Hoover's Gap, and bivouac so as to command and cover that and the Millersburg road, so that McCook and himself could be within supporting distances of each other.
"Major-General Crittenden to leave Van Cleve's division of the Twenty-first Army Corps at Murfreesboro, concentrate at Bradyville with the other two, and await orders."One brigade of cavalry under Turchin was sent with Crittenden to establish a lookout toward McMinnville.All the remaining cavalry under Stanley was to meet Mitchell as he came in from Versailles and at once attack the rebel cavalry at Middleton.
These movements were all promptly executed in the midst of heavy drenching rains, as it only could rain in the mountains and hills of Tennessee, whenever the Army of the Cumberland made a forward movement.The ground was so softened on all the dirt roads as to render them next to impassable.
The Twentieth Corps, consisting of Johnson's, Davis's, and Sheridan's divisions, started on the Shelbyville pike, and by different cross roads moved to the left to Millersburg, where Davis's and Sheridan's divisions encamped for the night.Johnson's division was advanced up to Liberty Gap, with the Thirty-ninth Indiana, under Colonel Harrison, thrown forward to skirmish.Harrison developed the enemy in front of the Gap.Willich's brigade was moved forward, and drove the skirmishers in the rebel front back upon their main line, placed on the crest of the hills, on each side of the entrance to the gap.Here the enemy was too strongly posted to attack his front.Another brigade under Colonel John F.Miller, who had been transferred from Negley's division to Johnson's, was then brought forward.These two brigades were at once deployed in line, making a front of such length as to envelop both flanks of the enemy's line, and advancing, these brigades gallantly drove the rebels through the defile, a distance of two miles.After clearing the gap, the troops returned to the north end of it and there bivouacked.
On the following day, late in the afternoon, an attack was made on Willich's and Miller's brigades, to drive them out of the north end of the gap.Johnson's failure to hold the southern entrance enabled the enemy again to enter it, and to secure it entirely they made this attack.The engagement opened with a heavy fire on the centre of the command, the enemy attacking in force.They were handsomely repulsed.Renewing the attack, Hardee then endeavored to secure positions on the hills to the right and left, so as to command Johnson's flanks with his fire, but each movement was met by Johnson's troops, supported by Carlin's brigade of Davis's division, and every attack was repulsed.Beaten at every point, late in the evening the enemy withdrew entirely, taking position at Bellbuckle.The fighting at Liberty Gap was the most severe of the campaign, and in this attack Johnson's command, including Carlin's brigade, lost two hundred and thirty-one killed and wounded.The enemy's loss was still greater.It was in repelling one of the attacks on the left that Colonel Miller fell severely wounded with a minie ball through his left eye while leading his brigade.
On the 24th, General Thomas moved direct on the Manchester pike from Murfreesboro, Reynold's division in advance, starting at 4 o'clock in the morning, under orders, if possible, to seize and hold Hoover's Gap.At 7 A.M., Rousseau's division followed in support of Reynold's division, which encountered the mounted videttes of the enemy a few miles beyond our picket station, forced them upon their reserve, and then resolutely pressing on drove the entire force on the run, through Hoover's Gap and beyond McBride's Creek.
Wilder, finding the enemy about to attack him with two brigades from the division of Fairfield, occupied a strong position on the hills at the southern entrance of the gap.Reynolds at once moved his two infantry brigades forward and occupied the gap in the rear of Wilder's command, prepared to resist the enemy on the front.
Wilder's brigade was immediately attacked by the enemy's force.
Reynolds supported him at once with his other brigades, which were posted on the ridge of woods on the extreme right to prevent the enemy turning our right flank, then heavily engaged by a superior force.With these reinforcements the enemy was driven back out of the woods, and three regiments were posted on the right, making that position secure.Major Coolidge, commanding the brigade of regulars of Rousseau's division, was ordered to reinforce Reynolds, and every preparation was made for an attack on the following morning.The other brigades of Rousseau's command, with Negley's division, occupied the gap in the rear of Reynolds during the night.
Early on the morning of the 25th, Scribner was ordered with his brigade to the front, in support of the batteries and to form a picket line on the extreme left.
