Murfreesboro, Battle of

Indecisive battle during the American Civil War 31 December 1862–2 January 1863, outside the town of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, 51 km/32 mi southeast of Nashville. Both sides lost about 12,000 casualties in the action but made no progress.

A Confederate force of about 35,000 under General Braxton Bragg attacked a 45,000-strong Union force led by General William Rosecrans. The Union right wing was driven back, but the centre held and prevented the Union forces being driven from the field, though they lost heavily in prisoners and guns. Rosecrans counterattacked the following day and regained the ground he had lost, so that by the end of the day both armies were back where they had started. However, on 2 January Bragg realised that he could not hold off the Union forces and began an orderly retreat.