Stones River

On December 31, 1862, some ten thousand Confederate soldiers streamed out of the dim light of early morning to stun the Federals who were still breakfasting in their camp. Nine months earlier the Confederates had charged the Yankees in a similarly devastating attack at dawn, starting the Battle of Shiloh. By the time this new battle ended, it would resemble Shiloh in other ways—it would rival that struggle’s shocking casualty toll of 24,000 and it would become a major defeat for the South. By an