Editor’s Note: The following article is the third of a six-part series by Marysville resident Eric Demchak about one of Marysville’s forgotten war heroes. The series describes the career of Col. Joseph G. Hawkins, a resident of Marysville who organized a local company of soldiers to fight for the North in the Civil War. It details the role that he and his men played in what became known as the Battle of Stones River in Tennessee in late December of 1862 and early January of 1863. Unfortunately, no photographs of Hawkins could be found, but we feel that Demchak’s exhaustive research will provide interesting reading.
by ERIC DEMCHAK
The Christmas season of 1862 was bleak and depressing for Joseph Hawkins. His 13th wedding anniversary had just passed in November and he was about to celebrate Christmas by himself.
He was just a month away from celebrating his 35th birthday.
A year before, he had obtained a leave of absence and had visited family and friends back in Marysville. But it was only for a short time.
During his 20 months of service, he had seen much. He had taken part in and witnessed the blood bath at Shiloh where two close friends from the old company, Silas Kimball and Felix Field, were buried on the battlefield. It was just after the date of that battle — April 7, 1862 — that Hawkins was commissioned colonel of his regiment.
But now it was Christmas and he and his men milled around their campfires and walked the land outside Nashville. The 13th, along with the 44th Indiana, 86th Indiana and 59th Ohio, constituted the Second Brigade under Col. James P. Fyffe in Van Cleve’s Third Division, all under Gen. Thomas Crittenden’s left wing.
Hawkins and the 13th weren’t idle for long. The day after Christmas, the Army of the Cumberland was ordered to march to engage the Confederate Army of Tennessee.
On December 26, a cold, rainy, miserable day, the Northern army, 43,000 strong, rolled out of Nashville by three separate routes. Gen. Alexander McCook’s right wing, with three divisions, moved down the Nolensville Pike to Triune.
Gen. George Thomas, with two divisions, covered McCook’s right by taking the Franklin Pike. Crittenden’s left wing , with three divisions, moved down the Nashville-Murfreesboro Pike.
Bragg, having been alerted to the movement of the Union army, called Hardee in from Triune and McCown from Readyville to concentrate his army around Murfreesboro. He ordered his remaining cavalry troops of Joseph Wheeler and John Wharton to impede the Union advance while his army was brought together. They were ordered to do all the damage they could.
Hawkins and the 13th trudged on along the muddy Nashville-Murfreesboro Pike.
Just outside Nashville, they encountered some of Wheeler’s cavalry and a sharp skirmish ensured. Two men from the regiment were killed, several were wounded and a lieutenant was taken prisoner.
As quickly as the rebel cavalry struck, they disappeared.
The Union troops pushed on, reaching the desolated hamlet of LaVergne on December 27. The next day, Sunday, they rested.
Late on December 29, Hawkins’ regiment reached the banks of Stones River just outside Murfreesboro. Thomas’ troops came down the pike to the right of Crittenden, and the next day, McCook, delayed by skirmishing, brought up the right.
The Union army could advance no more. Directly in front of them was the Confederate Army of Tennessee.
Crittenden observed, “the enemy in sight, and evidently in heavier force than we had yet encountered them, it was evident they intended to dispute the passsage of the river and fight at or near Murfreesboro.”
Crittenden’s men made camp along the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad lines. A dirt road named McFadden Lane ran northeast along the river into McFadden’s Ford. Here the 13th made camp.
The area around Murfeesboro was thickly wooded with scrub pines and limestone outcropping. There were cultivated fields where corn and cotton grew but mostly the land was rolling and undulating and thickly forested.
Heavy December rains had turned the roads into quagmires. Chilling winds blew across the cedar brakes as two great armies prepared for battle.
The fourth part of this series will appear in Saturday, June 19th edition of the Marysville Journal-Tribune.