The Army of Tennessee had been all…

The Army of Tennessee had been all but destroyed at Franklin.

Nevertheless, rather than retreat and risk the army dissolving through desertions, Hood advances his twenty-six thousand five hundred man force against the Union army now combined under Thomas, firmly entrenched at Nashville.

This is a controversial move on Hood's part because his army is enervated and no longer ready for offensive operations.

However, he believes that if he orders a retreat, it will mean the complete disintegration of his army.

Hood decides that destruction of the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad and disruption of the Union army supply depot at Murfreesboro will help his cause.

On December 4, he sends Forrest, with two cavalry divisions and Major General William B. Bate's infantry division, to Murfreesboro.

Hood orders Bate to destroy the railroad and blockhouses between Murfreesboro and Nashville and join Forrest for further operations.

Forrest's combined command attack Murfreesboro but was repulsed.

They destroy railroad track, blockhouses, and some homes and generally disrupt Union operations in the area, but they do not accomplish much else.

The raid on Murfreesboro is a minor irritation.

Bate is recalled to Nashville, but Forrest remains near Murfreesboro and thus is absent from the battle of Nashville.

In retrospect, Hood's decision to detach Forrest from his main command has been a major blunder.