Reinforcements now came to both sides and a spirited contest ensued. Stokes, Loomis, and Guenther each in succession took part in the fight, which was confined exclusively to artillery. Robertson's Battery of Wither's division, from its position near the Burnt Brick House, and Semple's Battery on the left, had accurate range of the Union batteries, and their guns were handled with skill. But the artillery fire soon ceased. Chalmer's Brigade had advanced early on New Year's morning, and his skirmishers now occupied the ground which Hazen had so stubbornly contended for on the first day of the battle. Price's Brigade, which assumed its position in Van Cleve's division, now commanded by Col. Samuel Beatty, was on the right of the division. The line as thus formed was at right angles with the river, upon which its right flank rested, and nearly parallel to Breckinridge's original line. Below the right of the line the river suddenly changes direction, flowing about a half a mile in rear and nearly parallel with the line. The gently sloping ground was woodland on the right and open field on the left. To strengthen the left flank, Colonel Grose's Brigade of Palmer's division, reduced by hard fighting on the 31st to 1,000 effectives, was ordered by General Crittenden to cross the river on the morning of the 2d of January. These dispositions were barely completed and temporary breastworks constructed when, at four o'clock, a magnificent sight presented itself. General Bragg confidently expected to find the Union Army gone from his front on the morning of the 2d of January. His cavalry had reported the Nashville pike full of troops and wagons moving toward Nashville. On the return of the cavalry expedition he sent Wharton to assume command of the cavalry on the Lebanon road, consisting of his own and Pegram's Brigade, while Wheeler, with his brigade, returned to the vicinity of the Nashville pike to observe the movements of the Union Army in that direction. Before Wharton had taken his position, the force east of Stones River had attracted Bragg's attention, and reconnaissances by staff officers revealed the line of battle formed by Beatty's division and Grose's Brigade. From the position occupied by this force, Polk's line, which, it will be remembered, had advanced as far as the position vacated by Rosecrans' left on the night of the 31st, was enfiladed. Bragg says: "The dislodgement of this force, or the withdrawal of Polk's line, was an evident necessity. The latter involved consequences not to be entertained. Orders were accordingly given for the concentration of the whole of General Breckinridge's division in front of the position to be taken, the addition to his command of ten Napoleon guns (12-pounders), under Captain Robertson, an able and accomplished artillery officer, and for the cavalry forces of Wharton and Pegram to join in the attack on his right." General Breckinridge was sent for and the object of the movement explained to him.