120th Indiana soldier’s post-war account from talking with F.B. Carter

The National Tribune, January 12, 1888

Hand-written account from 33rd Alabama Infantry regimental history tells of carnage around cotton gin

John Witherspoon DuBose wrote the original regimental history for the 33rd Alabama Infantry. Here is an excerpt of his hand-written account of the post-battle scene of carnage around the Carter cotton gin. I have estimated that between 1,000 and 1,200 Confederate casualties occurred in this two acre area, with somewhere near 200 Confederate’s outright killed.

Just how intense was the action around the Carter cotton gin at Franklin?

Just how intense was the fighting around the cotton gin at the Battle of Franklin? The pictures below shows a general area of roughly two square acres, where the cotton gin was on 30 Nov. After studying the casualties and battlefield accounts, and many other records – over many years – I have concluded that there were at least 100 Confederate dead (possibly 150-200) in this small two acre section, and another 800-1,000 wounded, lying on the field, waiting for assistance. After the battle, the Confederate soldiers who were not injured began walking among areas of the battlefield like this, where the action was hottest. Comforting their wounded. Confirming the dead. Carrying the wounded to local ‘hospitals’ in the homes of residents and the local churches. With some 800-1,200 casualties (just wounded and killed) in this two-acre section a person attending to the wounded after the battle could attend to one comrade, then turn in any direction and walk 8-10 feet and attend to another. The another . . . and another. And don’t forget, right in front of the Federal line, in the trench, the dead were likely piled 4-6 high. Imagine 1,000 people today, lying down in this two acre section, symbolizing the casualties around the Carter cotton gin.

What must the after-battle carnage looked like around the cotton gin at Franklin?

Carter cotton gin picture

Here’s a drawing of the Carter cotton gin as published in a 1910 Confederate Veteran article.