"[On the eve of the battle of Stones River], both commanders formed similar plans for the morrow: to turn the enemy's right, get into his rear, and cut him off from his base. As the two armies bedded down a few hundred yards from each other, their bands commenced a musical battle as prelude to the real thing next day. Northern musicians blared out "Yankee Doodle" and "Hail Columbia," and were answered across the way by "Dixie" and "The Bonnie Blue Flag." One band finally swung into the sentimental strains of "Home Sweet Home"; others picked it up and soon thousands of Yanks and Rebs who tomorrow would kill each other were singing the familiar words together."

- James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom, pg. 580.

Almost 25,000 soldiers were killed, injured, or taken prisoner in the battle of Stones River, Dec. 31 1862 - Jan. 2, 1863.