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TENNESSEE.
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A Severe Battle at Franklin, Tenn.
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HOOD DEFEATED BY THOMAS.
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The Rebels Desperately Assault Our Works.
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They are Repulsed with Fearful Carnage.
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Six Thousand Rebels Killed and Wounded.
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TWELVE HUNDRED PRISONERS CAPTURED
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Our Loss Less Than One Thousand.
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MAGNIFICENT BEHAVIOR OF OUR TROOPS
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Full and Graphic Account from Our Special Correspondent.
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OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT.
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Washington, Thursday, Dec.1.
The following official dispatch concerning the report of the victory in Tennessee, has been received at headquarters:
FRANKLIN, Tenn., Wednesday, Nov.30.
Major-Gen. Thomas:
The enemy made a heavy and persistent attack with two corps, commencing at 4 P.M., and lasting till after dark. He was repulsed at all points with heavy loss — probably of five or six thousand men. Our loss is probably not more than one-fourth of that number. We have captured about one thousand prisoners, including one Brigadier-General.
(Signed,) JOHN SCHOFIELD
Major-General.
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OUR SPECIAL ACCOUNT.
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Special Dispatch to the New-York Times.
FOUR MILES SOUTH OF NASHVILLE.
Thursday, Dec.1.
Gen. SCHOFIELD yesterday fought one of the prettiest fights of the war, resulting most disastrously to the rebels, with little loss to ourselves. After three days’ skirmishing, the rebels crowded our first line of works yesterday afternoon, and at 4 P.M. made a most desperate attack on our right and centre, forcing our lines to our breastworks, which were thrown up from river to river in an open field on the Cumberland Pike, which ran through the centre of the field.
At least half the rebel force engaged endeavored to pierce our centre, and come down viciously on WAGNER’S Division, which, after desperate fighting, fell back, and MANY’S rebel division, of FRANK CHEATAM’S corps, got inside our works and captured two guns. Our centre was not broken, however, and, better still, Gen. WAGNER successfully rallied our troops, who charged on the enemy, recaptured the two guns, and drove the division over the breastworks, capturing one entire brigade and its commander.
At 4:30 o’clock the battle was waged with unabating vigor, the enemy having made during a half hour several attempts to break our centre.
The Federal position was a magnificent one, and the result of these four days’ work were magnificently grand.
All this while the rebels had appeared in front of our right. The plan was to pierce our centre and crush our right wing before dark. A portion of our infantry were engaged three-quarters of an hour firing on the rebel columns who stood their ground like madmen. During the every charge made on our right and centre, volleys of grape and canister were hurled into their lines, and only darkness prevented their sacrifice being more awful. It is said that no canister shot was used by the rebels during the day, but fired shot and shell.
After the first break of WAGNER’S division and its recovery, our line never budged a step. All was quiet after 10 P.M. It was not only one of the prettiest but cleanest battles of the war. The excessive slaughter of the enemy was owing to our wholesale use of canister and grape, and our selection of ground. The battle was fought in an open field, with no trees or undergrowth, or other interruption. The enemy’s loss in killed and wounded approximates 7,000, and we have over 1,200 prisoners, and one general officer and several field officers. The Colonel of the Fifteenth Mississippi, a Northern man, of Illinois, was wounded and taken prisoner. Four-fifths of his regiment were killed, wounded or captured. Our loss does not reach a thousand, hors du cambat. Gen. Bradley, of Illinois, while gallantly leading his troops, was severely wounded in the shoulder. Our loss in field officers is very small. Our troops behaved handsomely. SCHOFIELD commanded on the field, STANLEY on the right, and Cox on the left. Gen. Stanley was wounded slightly in the neck, but remained on the field and is all right to-day.
I have told you all along the programme of Gen. Thomas would electrify you, and this is but the epilogue of the battle to come off.
After our dead, wounded and prisoners were cared for, our army fell back to this point, and are in line of battle while I write. Up to this time, 3 P.M., the enemy has not made his appearance. The Third Corps of Veterans are in readiness, and a battle is expected before daylight to-morrow. All Government work is suspended, and all are under arms, from Gen. DONALDSON down to the unscientific laborers.
The falling back of our troops was accomplished at 8 o’clock this morning, and bridges burned across Harpeth River to retard the transportation of rebel supplies. The cavalry was handled prettily by Gen. WILSON, between Spring Hill and Triune.
A.J. SMITH’s corps is in line of battle, and the situation is particularly grand. Forts Negley, Morton, Cairo and Houston are alive, and the infantry movement perfectly satisfactory. Something must immediately transpire, as Gen. THOMAS is ready to strike no matter how the rebels move.
BENJ. C. TRUMAN
(Telegram.)
NASHVILLE, November 30, 1864.
MAJOR-GENERAL SCHOFIELD, Franklin:
Your telegram is just received. It is glorious news, and I congratulate you and the brave men of your command. But you must look out that the enemy does not still persist. The courier you sent to General Cooper at Widow Dean’s could not reach there, and reports that he was chased by rebel cavalry on the whole route, and finally came into this place. Major-General Steedman, with five thousand men, should be here in the morning. When he arrives, I will start General A. J. Smith’s command and General Steedman’s troops to your assistance at Brentwood.
(Signed)
GEO. H. THOMAS,
Major-General U. S. Vols., Comd’g.
(Telegram.)
FRANKLIN. November 30th–7.10 P.M.
MAJOR-GENERAL THOMAS, Nashville:
The enemy made a heavy and persistent attack with about two corps, commencing at 4 P.M. and lasting until after dark. He was repulsed at all points, with very heavy loss–probably 5,000 or 6,000 men. Our loss is not probably more than one-fourth that number. We have captured about 1,000 prisoners, including one brigadier-general. Your despatch of this P.M. is received. I had already given the orders you direct, and am now executing them.
(Signed)
J.M. SCHOFIELD,
Major-General.
Historian and author Thomas Flagel spoke for several minutes tonight. He was his usual passionate-self as he talked about how Hood’s charge at Franklin is often compared to Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg, but the Franklin-charge was bigger in many ways.
A photo gallery of the event is here.
Also check out my videos on my YouTube folder.
THE LATE BATTLE OF FRANKLIN
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THOMAS CONCENTRATED AT NASHVILLE
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EAST TENNESSEE TO BE DEVASTATED
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Official from General Thomas’ Army, Washington , Dec 4, 1864.
The latest official information from the army of General Thomas is, that he has so concentrated the forces at the fortifications of Nashville , as to be prepared for any movement which General Hood may venture to make.
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Further Facts About the Fight
Nashville , Dec 2. 1864
Gen. Wood succeeds Gen Stanley in command of the Fourth Corps, Gen Stanley being unable to take the field, his desperate bravery at the fight at Franklin mainly contributing to turn what threatened to be a disastrous repulse into a most glorious victory.
When part of Gen. Stanley’s command had ran away before the charge of the Rebels, he rushed to the front, had a horse shot under him and was himself wounded, yet still he led on the charge, waving his hat in the air and calling on his men to follow him.
He succeeded in rallying his faltering troops, replying seven successive charges made by the Rebels.
Col. Opdycke, of the 125th Ohio , commanding a brigade, specially distinguished himself in the engagement.
Col. Schofield, a brother to Gen. Schofield, and his chief of Artillery, distinguished himself by the admirable positions in which he placed the Artillery and the manner in which he fought.
The great importance of the victory at Franklin cannot be over estimated, as it checked Gen. Hood’s onward course, and gave the Unionists time to make due preparations to meet him.
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Generals Schofield and Stanley command Corps in full.
Nashville , Friday, Dec. 2, 1864
There has been slight skirmishing between ours and the Rebel cavalry all day.
A complete line of intrenchments encircle the city.
A portion of our cavalry force encountered the Rebel cavalry three miles from this city on the Franklin pike.
The Rebels could be plainly seen advancing toward them. Our troops then retired toward the city. Night coming on, but few occasional shots were fired.
It is rumored that Gen. Hood is endeavoring to cross the Cumberland River with a large cavalry force.
Many experienced officers predict a heavy engagement tomorrow.
Our forces occupy lines around the city, are in line-of-battle.
Three soldiers were shot and killed by the guards in the streets of the city this evening. Their names are: Arthur L. Cheasy of the Eighth Kansas; John McCartly of the Thirtieth Indiana, and Joseph Brant of the Seventh Illinois Cavalry.
Nashville , Tenn. Dec. 4, 1864
No new developments have taken place today, except that our army still encircles the city on the south-east, its wings resting on the Cumberland River . The enemy’s lines are clearly to be seen from high points in the suburbs and from the Capitol. They are intrenching themselves in a south-western direction about three miles from the city. During the day heavy skirmishing occurred on our left and progressed along the lines to the center. Many persons witnessed cannonading. Along the right of our lines nothing of importance transpired today.
The general opinion is that Hood will attack the Union forces in front of Nashville.
A Union cavalry force has patrolled the north bank of the river, at the fords to prevent cavalry from crossing, as numerous unsuccessful attempts have been made by them to cross since the 1st instant.
Johnsonville has been evacuated, and the road has been interrupted, and part of the trains from there are advancing to this point by land.
It is rumored here today that Forrest has placed a pontoon bridge across the river above the city, and that Marmaduke has occupied Johnsonville. Both are without foundation.
The first block house on the Chattanooga Road , four miles from the city, defended by negroes, commanded by Col. Johnson of the colored infantry, who surrendered Dalton, Ga., and was paroled, held out until this afternoon, when they surrendered, Col. Johnson and a portion of his men escaping on a train; the remainder were captured. The train was fired into. Several jumped from the train into the river and escaped, Col. Johnson among them, who is in the city tonight.
A reconnoitering party sent Thursday, returned today, having gone 80 miles up the river, They report that no Rebels were seen or heard crossing the River, and none appeared along the banks.
A Rebel deserter, who came in today, reports that Gen. S.D. Lee published an order to his men Friday morning, complimenting them on their bravery, devotion, and thanking them for the victory won at Franklin, and assuring them that if true to themselves now in front of Nashville, they would soon be enabled to enter and take possession of a vast amount of stores contained therein.
Two prisoners were brought in today, Lieut. Hickman, 9th Tennessee cavalry, four miles from the city, and C.H. Gardy of Ford’s 48th Georgia infantry.
The water on the shoals is nine feet deep and still rising.
Cincinnati , Dec. 3, 1864
The correspondent for The Gazette, writing from Nashville , gives the following particulars of the battle of Franklin , Tennessee :
The plan of the battle was very simple. We had no time, in fact, to get up a complete plan, as the enemy pressed us too sorely, and obliged us to fight him.
The original plan was to withdraw the force of General Schofield until the meeting of our reinforcements, and then give battle in the vicinity of Nashville; but the over sanguine Rebels pressed us too hard, and, when Schofield perceived he could not avoid a contest, he drew up his little army in line of battle in front of Franklin.
At half past three the assault was commenced by the Rebels. Cheatham’s corps was on the right, Stewart’s on the left, and S.D. Lee’s, in reserve, on the centre.
Cheatham threw his whole corps on Wagner’s division with great impetuosity, and after an hour’s desperate fighting, he pushed Wagner back on our second line, where Wagner’s men became mingled with those of Cox’s and Ruger’s, on our left and center.
The Rebels, encouraged by their success, in driving back Wagner, with loud cheers advanced on our second line.
Their order of advance was very peculiar – a semicircle of two regiments deep extending all our lines, and behind each alternate regiment was placed four others, so that the assaulting columns were six regiments deep.
Gen. Hood appeared about four o’clock p.m. at the head of his command, and pointing toward our lines, said, “Break those lines boys, and you have finished the war in Tennessee . Break them, and there is nothing to oppose your march from Nashville to the Ohio River .”
Loud and ringing cheers answered the words of the Rebel leader, while the whole space in front of our lines was crammed with the advancing enemy.
Capt. Lyman, commanding the artillery brigade in the Fourth Corps, had placed his batteries in most favorable positions, and from these storms of shot and shell were hurled in to the charging Rebel ranks.
With the most reckless bravery still the Rebels rushed on, and when within a few hundred yards of our works our boys opened upon them so terrible a fire of musketry, that it seemed as if it were impossible for anything to live before it.
But no wavering was perceived in those advancing Rebel lines. On they came to the very parapets of our works, and stuck their bayonets under the logs on our battlements.
On the Columbus pike the pressure upon our lines was so great that some of Cox’s and Wagner’s men temporarily gave way.
Up to this time the brigade commanded by Col. Opdycke, of the 125th Ohio , had been held in reserve.
Col. Opdycke, by the orders of Gen. Stanley, rushed forward with his brigade to restore our broken line.
The Rebels who had crawled over our works had not time to retire, and Cox’s and Wagner’s men, who had broken away but a moment before, rallied and attacked the enemy on the flank, while Opdycke charged on the front.
A desperate hand-to-hand fight ensued with bayonets and the butt end of muskets.
A hundred Rebels were captured here and the line was restored.
For tow hours and a half the battle now raged all along our lines.
The men of the Fourth and Twenty-third Corps vied with each other in bravery.
Riley’s brigade of the Twenty-third Corps fairly covered the ground in front of it with Rebel dead.
The Rebel General Adams was killed. He and his horse fell into a ditch in front of the 104th Ohio .
Seventeen distinct attacks of the enemy were repelled.
At dusk the Rebels were repulsed at all points, but the firing did not cease until 9 o’clock at night.
At least 5,000 Rebels were killed, wounded and captured, while our loss will probably reach 1,500.
We have taken from the enemy thirty flags. Some regiments, among them the Seventeenth Ohio, taking a half dozen each.
General Schofield directed the battle from the fort on the north bank of the stream, where some heavy guns and the batteries of the Twenty-third Corps were placed, which did great service in damaging the enemy’s right wing.
Nashville , Tenn. , Dec. 2, 1864
The enemy has been wary to day and has demonstrated with great caution against our outer line, which is carefully constructed and extends from river to river, with a radius of two and a half miles from the capitol, on the roads south of the city.
The enemy’s cavalry has been in plain view all day on the Franklin pike.
Just before dusk our cavalry pushed out toward the enemy’s line, causing him to retire.
Afterward the Rebels were reinforced. They ten took up their own line at once, and threw out skirmishers.
Some skirmishing subsequently occurred, neither party sustaining any loss.
No Rebel infantry has yet been developed.
Some firing occurred this afternoon on the left. Only a few shits were fired.
The defense are being hourly strengthened, and no apprehensions need be felt for the safety of the city.
Louisville , Ky. , Saturday, Dec. 3, 1864
The Journal of this city has the following:
A letter from Nashville states that on Wednesday evening Capton’s brigade of cavalry, consisting of the 14thIllinois, the 7th Ohio, the 5th Iowa, and the 8th Michigan cavalry regiments, was surrounded by the Rebels and only escaped by the most desperate fighting. They cut their way through the Rebel lines and found General Thomas in the rear of Franklin .
The same evening a train of cars was captured by the Rebels at Brentwood, nine miles from Nashville , on the Tennessee and Alabama Railroad.
A citizens in Nashville engaged in no ostensible business have been ordered to leave the city.
Six hundred and ninety-one Rebel prisoners, captured by Gen. Thomas in the battle of Franklin , arrived here last night on the train from Nashville . They will be sent forward to Camp Douglas as rapidly as possible, in order to make room in the military prisons here for further captures that may be made.
Louisville , Ky. , Saturday, Dec. 3, 1864
Yesterday the rolling stock of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad was ordered hither. Today the order was countermanded.
A street rumor represents that the Union forces were repulsed at Clarksville today. The story grew out of a dash of the Rebels into Gallatin yesterday, where they captured about 200 head of beeves. Our forces are pursuing, and will probably capture the raiders.
Latest from Nashville
Nashville , Saturday, Dec. 3, 1864
The enemy developed a regular line of battle about two miles from our works, between the Franklin and Hardin pikes. Our batteries opened about two o’clock. The Rebel lines did not advance. There has been skirmishing all evening, the enemy fortifying along our front. There are indications that there will be a fight tomorrow.
Riley’s brigade, which captured eighteen flags at Franklin , belongs to the 4th Division of Schofield’s Corps, not to the 4th Corps, as erroneously stated. This brigade particularly distinguished itself in the fight. I have seen the flags, bloody and torn, displayed in front of Gen. Schofield’s quarters.
The fullest security is felt in Nashville .
The following description by Union General William T. Sherman is very insightful into the advantage a defensive army has when it is entrenched. I could not help but think about how Gen Schofield must have felt similarly at Franklin (30 November 1864). Sherman talks about how mass charges in open fields were rare, how men more often fought in skirmish lines, how knowing the lay of the ground was vital, the advantage of a defensive position, etc.
Very few of the battles . . . were fought as described in European text books, viz, in great masses, in perfect order, manoevring by corps, divisions, and brigades. We were generally in a wooded country, and though our lines were deployed according to tactics, the men generally fought in strong skirmish lines, taking advantage of the shape of the ground, and of every cover. We were generally the assailants, and in wooded and broken countries the “defensive” had a positive advantage . . . for they were always ready, had cover, and always knew the ground to their immediate front; whereas we . . . had to grope our way over unknown ground, and generally found a cleared field or prepared entanglements that held us for a time under a close and withering fire . . .
When the enemy is entrenched, it becomes absolutely necessary to permit each brigade and division of the troops their own protection in case of a sudden sally. We invariably did this in all our recent campaigns, and it had no ill effect, though sometimes are troops were a little too slow in leaving their well-covered lines to assail the enemy in position . . . . Even our skirmishers were in the habit of rolling logs together, or of making a lunette of rails, with dirt in front, to cover their bodies . . . . On the “defensive” there is no doubt of the propriety of fortifying, but in the assailing army the general must watch closely to see that his men to do not neglect the opportunity to drop his precautionary defenses, and act promptly on the “offensive” at every chance.
William T. Sherman, Memoirs, II, pp. 396-397.
J.H.H. Brown
James Brown, Sr.’s father – James H.H. Brown – was a member of the 8th Georgia Infantry. The 8th was in Hood’s division at Gettysburg and among the action they saw on July 2nd was fighting in the wheatfield.
CSA General John Bell Hood was wounded severely in the arm on July 2nd and was carried off the field. Hood would later lead the Army of Tennessee into middle Tennessee commanding the Confederate army at Franklin.
… The third advance was made in connection with the entire line on that part of the field, and resulted, after a conflict in the ravine of one-half hour, in the rout of the enemy from the field. This rout was vigorously pressed… The loss of the enemy was here very great, his dead lying upon the field by the hundred. Nothing but the exhausted condition of the men prevented them from carrying the heights.
[Major H. D. McDaniel, cmdg. 11th Ga. Reg., O.R. Series I, Vol XXVII, Part 2, pg. 401-402]
Elizabeth Plank wrote: “… an ambulance arrived at the farm house and without any ceremony forced open the front door and carried in a wounded officer and placed him in the guest room and the best bed in the house… all over the floors in the halls on the porches in the out buildings, on the barn floor and every place were wounded men… many limbs and arms were amputated and their wounds dressed, while the battle raged. These wounded soldiers were left at this hospital five or six weeks after the fight. Every morning they buried their dead in shallow graves in the orchards…”
[From "A Vast Sea of Misery" by Gregory Coco, p. 143]
“… The third advance was made in connection with the entire line on that part of the field, and resulted, after a conflict in the ravine of one-half hour, in the rout of the enemy from the field. This rout was vigorously pressed… The loss of the enemy was here very great, his dead lying upon the field by the hundred. Nothing but the exhausted condition of the men prevented them from carrying the heights.”[Major H. D. McDaniel, cmdg. 11th Ga. Reg., O.R. Series I, Vol XXVII, Part 2, pg. 401-402]Read the 17th Maine Infantry’s Adjutant Charles W. Roberts’ account “At Gettysburg in 1863 and 1888.”
For a more complete story of the wheatfield action see.
At the Battle of Franklin, young Arthur MacArthur was a Major in the 24th Wisconsin and part of Opdycke’s brigade that counter charged around the Carter House to stem the Confederate breach of the Federal line. He was badly injured in this fighting with multiple wounds and was sent to Nashville where he recovered.
MacArthur was later awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Missionary Ridge, Chattanooga the previous summer. After the Civil War, Arthur fathered Douglas MacArthur of WW II fame, served in the Philippine War, and rose to Military Governor of the Philippines.
Regarding the Battle of Franklin action MacArthur saw, he stated:
Battles great for conception or political results, ought to be studied; but those that save should be commemorated and celebrated. We owe admiration to the first; gratitude to the others. Franklin was essentially a battle that saved, and as such must be classified as second only to Gettysburg in importance during the entire war.
Source: Letter from Arthur MacArthur to Charles Clark, May 13, 1895
Richmond Daily Dispatch
Wednesday, December 21, 1864
From Hood’s Army
We are again, and are likely to be for a week to come, dependent upon the Yankee press for news from Tennessee. Unofficial telegrams from Nashville state that they have at that place five thousand prisoners and forty-nine pieces of cannon, taken from Hood during the battles of the 15th and 16th. We are not in a position to disprove these statements, but we have repeatedly known quite as positive announcements to turn absolutely false and unfounded. Perhaps the telegraph is again to blame, as, from Stanton’s bulletin, it appears to have been diminishing Thomas’s casualties from three thousand to three hundred.
It is noticeable that Thomas sends no telegram on the 17th, and that the “un-official” telegrams say nothing of what is going on, and do not tell us where Hood is. It is not impossible that matters have taken a turn, at once unexpected and unpleasant to Thomas, who, on the 16th, according to his matters have taken a turn, at once unexpected and unpleasant to Thomas, who, on the 16th, according to his own account, was driving our army down ten or a dozen turnpikes at once. Perhaps General Forrest, with his splendid cavalry, have turned up in the right place and put a sudden change upon affairs. He has a way of turning up unexpectedly, and always make his presence felt. He had had abundant time to rejoin Hood, even though he were at Murfreesboro’ when the fight began; and we think there is little doubt he has done so. This assurance, and the knowledge of the weight of Forrest’s sword and presence, together with the certain conviction that Thomas would have telegraphed Stanton had he had anything agreeable to communicate, cause us still to hope that General Hood’s condition is by no means hopeless; and that his army is not, as the enemy express the hope, in danger of being “crushed”.
Gen. Thomas H. Ruger
Cowan’s recently auctioned off several items related to Gen. Thomas H. Ruger, who commanded at the Battle of Franklin.
In the first week of November, Ruger was offered command of a Division in 28th Corps in Tennessee under George Thomas unless Sherman and Slocum (who did not want to have him leave their command) could offer him one. Ruger describes his meeting with Sherman:
“I gave [Sherman] Gen. Slocum’s letter and remarked that if the two Corps of the Army of the Cumberland the 14th and 20th were to be operated as an army it would place Gen. Williams in command of the 20th Corps and that would give me the Division during the campaign at least. He shook his head and said enough to let me know he had no such intention and directed the order for my transfer to be made out, said that it was not a good plan to ’stay too long in one hole’ and besides Gen Schofield was very anxious to have me come.”
He received command of 2nd Div., 28 Corps, shortly before the Battle of Franklin, where he would earn a lasting reputation.
Nov. 28: “I want you to make your position perfectly secure so as to render it impossible for the enemy to effect a crossing at that place. You may retain the guns which you have without horses even at the risk of losing them. If the bridge is not sufficiently burned to render it useless to the enemy complete it tonight under the cover of darkness….”
At 8 a.m. on the 29th, word the order went out “The enemy is coming in force above us,” ordering Ruger to leave a regiment to guard the river.
When it was over, Ruger described the Battle of Franklin to his wife:
“The attack of the enemy was very strong and determined much the hardest I have seen west a good deal like the attacks of [Stonewall] Jackson. We repulsed the enemy with loss, but as A.J. Smith’s command and other were not up we fell back here where they are for concentration. The force we had was much smaller than the enemy….”
Historian David Fraley was a recent guest of Dr. Dobson’s Focus on the Family. Listen to the entire program.
Dr. James Dobson recently visited the Carter House, a museum located on the site where the Civil War Battle of Franklin took place in Franklin, Tenn. Here, Dr. Dobson (right) sits down to interview David Fraley, a historian and the curator of the Carter House. The two discussed the remarkable battle that occurred on the site.
O.R.–SERIES I–VOLUME XLV/1 [S# 93]
NOVEMBER 14, 1864-JANUARY 23, 1865.–Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee.
No. 1.–Report of Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas, U. S. Army, commanding Department of the Cumberland.
[The following section of Thomas' report relates specifically to the action at Franklin on 30 November, 1864.]
The withdrawal of the main force from in front of Columbia was safely effected after dark on the 29th; Spring Hill was passed without molestation about midnight, and making a night march of twenty-five miles, the whole command got into position at Franklin at an early hour on the morning of the 30th; the cavalry moved on the Lewisburg pike, on the right or east of the infantry.
At Franklin General Schofield formed line of battle on the southern edge of the town to await the coming of the enemy, and in the meanwhile hastened the crossing of the trains to the north side of Harpeth River.
On the evacuation of Columbia orders were sent to Major-General Milroy, at Tullahoma, to abandon that post and retire to Murfreesborough, joining forces with General Rousseau at the latter place. General Milroy was instructed, however, to maintain the garrison in the block-house at Elk River bridge. Nashville was placed in a state of defense and the fortifications manned by the garrison, re-enforced by a volunteer force, which had been previously organized into a division, under Bvt. Brig. Gen. J. L. Donaldson, from the employés of the quartermaster’s and commissary departments. This latter force, aided by railroad employés, the whole under the direction of Brigadier-General Tower, worked assiduously to construct additional defenses. Major-General Steedman, with a command numbering 5,000, composed of detachments belonging to General Sherman’s column, left behind at Chattanooga (of which mention has heretofore been made), and also a brigade of colored troops, started from Chattanooga by rail on the 29th of November, and reached Cowan on the morning of the 30th, where orders were sent him to proceed direct to Nashville. At an early hour on the morning of the 30th the advance of Maj. Gen. A. J. Smith’s command reached Nashville by transports from Saint Louis. My infantry force was now nearly equal to that of the enemy, although he still outnumbered me very greatly in effective cavalry; but as soon as a few thousand of the latter arm could be mounted I should be in a condition to take the field offensively and dispute the possession of Tennessee with Hood’s army.
The enemy followed closely after General Schofield’s rear guard in the retreat to Franklin, and upon coming up with the main force, formed rapidly and advanced to assault our works, repeating attack after attack during the entire afternoon, and as late as 10 p.m. his efforts to break our line were continued. General Schofield’s position was excellently chosen, with both flanks resting upon the river, and the men firmly held their ground against an overwhelming enemy, who was repulsed in every assault along the whole line. Our loss, as given by General Schofield in his report transmitted herewith (and to which I respectfully refer), is, 189 killed, 1,033 wounded, and 1,104 missing, making an aggregate of 2,326. We captured and sent to Nashville 702 prisoners, including I general officer, and 33 stand of colors. Maj. Gen. D. S. Stanley, commanding Fourth Corps, was severely wounded at Franklin whilst engaged in rallying a portion of his command which had been temporarily overpowered by an overwhelming attack of the enemy. At the time of the battle the enemy’s loss was known to be severe, and was estimated at 5,000. The exact figures were only obtained, however, on the reoccupation of Franklin by our forces, after the battles of December 15 and 16, at Brentwood Hills, near Nashville, and are given as follows: Buried upon the field, 1,750; disabled and placed in hospital at Franklin, 3,800, which, with the 702 prisoners already reported, makes an aggregate loss to Hood’s army of 6,252, among whom were 6 general officers killed, 6 wounded, and I captured. The important results of the signal victory cannot be too highly appreciated, for it not only seriously checked the enemy’s advance, and gave General Schofield time to remove his troops and all his property to Nashville, but it also caused deep depression among the men of Hood’s army, making them doubly cautious in their subsequent movements.
Not willing to risk a renewal of the battle on the morrow, and having accomplished the object of the day’s operations, viz, to cover the withdrawal of his trains, General Schofield, by my advice and direction, fell back during the night to Nashville, in front of which city line of battle was formed by noon of the 1st of December, on the heights immediately surrounding Nashville, with Maj. Gen. A. J. Smith’s command occupying the right, his right resting on the Cumberland River, below the city; the Fourth Corps (Brig. Gen. T. J. Wood temporarily in command) in the center; and General Schofield’s troops (Twenty-third Army Corps) on the left, extending to Nolensville pike. The cavalry, under General Wilson, was directed to take post on the left of General Schofield, which would make secure the interval between his left and the river above the city.
Casualty reports
The Carter Farm office building still stands. It has evidence of hundreds of bullets hitting it from the fighting at Franklin, 30 November 1864. It is THE most battle damaged (as defined by the number of authentic bullet holes) still extant, in the United States. The Federal defensive line was placed here and faced South as the Confederate Army of Tennessee made the assault that Indian summer day in late November.
Former Carter house Director, Thomas Cartwright, gives us his insights into the action and fighting along the Union line in front of the Carter house facing south that fateful day.
Strickland’s Brigade, on the Union line near the Carter House.
* 72nd Illinois
* 44th Missouri
* 50th Ohio
* 183rd Ohio
Former Carter house Director, Thomas Cartwright, delivers a visually stunning summary of the action in and around the Carter house itself, especially as it involves Strickland’s Brigade.
WARNING: graphic battle descriptions.
“The position we occupied was just in front of the Carter House, and the 50th Regiment [Ohio] actually tore down the Carter barn to help build our breastworks. It had been built of hewn logs, and we even put on a row of head logs. Our second line of works joined on to the Carter smokehouse, which lay west of the house.” – Lt. Thomas C. Thoburn, 50th Ohio, Strickland’s Brigade
Eric Jacobson describes A.P. Stewart’s Confederate Corps made up of the Divisions of Loring, Walthall and French, coming across the Eastern flank, across the McGavock farm, as the battle unfolded [Watch now, 1:42]
Read about the dedication of the marker to Loring’s Division on the Eastern flank in June 2008.
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