The Union government had replaced Buell on October 24 with Rosecrans, who has renamed his force the Army of the Cumberland.

After a period of resupplying and training his army in Nashville, Rosecrans moves against Bragg at Murfreesboro just after Christmas.

In the Battle of Stones River, Bragg surprises Rosecrans with a powerful assault on December 31, pushing the Union forces back to a small perimeter against the Stones River.

Confederate Major General Braxton Bragg is narrowly defeated by Major General William Rosecrans at the Battle of Stones River in Tennessee, the culmination of the Stones River Campaign.

Rosecrans defeats the Confederates under Bragg and checks their advance on Nashville in the Battle of Murfreesboro (Stones River), Tennessee, from December 31, 1862 to January 3, 1863.

Further attempts to assault Rosecrans had been beaten back decisively and Bragg withdraws his army southeast to Tullahoma.

Rosecrans's Union army, with 41,400 troops, outnumbers Bragg's Confederates' 34,739.

The Confederates lose 11,739 troops—34% of their forces, while the Union loses 31%—12,906 troops.

In proportion to the size of the armies, the casualties at Stones River (about twelve thousand on each side) make it the bloodiest battle of the war.

At the end of the campaign, Bragg's threat against Kentucky has been defeated, and he effectively yields control of Middle Tennessee.