HISTORY
Prologue to Franklin
The
small town of Franklin, Tennessee had been a Federal (Union)
military post since the fall of Nashville in early 1862. Late
in the summer of 1864, Confederate President Jefferson Davis
replaced commander Joseph E. Johnston with John Bell Hood. General
Hood, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and known for
his superb record with his "Texas Brigade," suffered from a
withered arm and amputated leg (resulting from previous wounds). Hood
begins to formulate his "Tennessee Campaign of 1864" with the
main objective to retake Nashville in hopes that Sherman
would withdraw his infamous march to the sea and perhaps take
pressure off of Robert E. Lee's besieged army in Virginia.
Under
Hood's command, The Army of Tennessee moved up through Georgia,
Alabama, crossed the Tennessee River, and then entered Tennessee. November
30, 1864 had been a beautiful Indian summer day. At dawn,
the Confederate Army marched north from Spring Hill, Tennessee
in pursuit of fleeing Federal forces. General Hood was
determined to destroy the Federal Army before it reached Nashville.
The
Battle of Franklin has been called the bloodiest five
hours of the American Civil War.
Franklin:
The Valley of Death
"(Franklin)
is the blackest page in the history of the War of the Lost
Cause. It was the bloodiest battle of modern times
in any war. It was the finishing stroke to the Independence
of the Southern Confederacy. I was there. I saw
it." --Sam Watkins, 1st Tennessee Infantry
Called "The
Gettysburg of the West," Franklin was one of the few night
battles in the Civil War. The main battle began around
4:00 pm and wound down around 9:00 pm. It was also one
of the smallest battlefields of the war (2 miles by 4 1/2 miles).
The
Federal Army under the command of General Schofield
consisted
of 20,000 infantry / approximately 3,800 cavalry
23rd
Corps (Army of Ohio) commanded by Jacob Cox
4th
Corps (Army of the Cumberland) commanded by David
Stanley
The Federal Army had arrived in Franklin around
1:00 that morning. Brigadier General Jacob Dolson Cox
led the operation and woke up the Carter family, commandeering
their home as his headquarters. At that time, the Carter
Farm consisted of 288 acres on the south edge of town bordering
the Columbia Pike. Their cotton gin (pictured below)
was located 100 yards from the house where eventually the main
line of Federal breastworks were constructed. The Federal
line commander was Cox who supervised his army in a defensive
position surrounding the southern edge of town. He used
the existing breastworks built in 1863 and constructed others
on the west side of Columbia Pike. About 60 feet from
the Carter House, near their farm office and smokehouse, were
the inner breastworks.
The
Confederate Army of Tennessee under the command of General
Hood
consisted
of 33,000 infantry / approximately 5,000 cavalry
Three
corps of infantry:
S.D.
Lee's Corps - Clayton, Stevenson, Johnson's Divisions
Frank
Cheatham's Corps - Cleburne, Brown, Bate's Divisions
A.P.
Stewart's Corps - Loring, Walthall, French's Divisions
S.D. Lee's
Corps arrived late with only one division participating in
the battle.) By 2:00 pm Hood had made plans for a frontal assault. By
2:30 pm a conference was held at the Harrison House. Strong
objections were voiced from Hood's commanders. General
Cheatham said, "I don't like the looks of this fight, as the
enemy has a good position and is well fortified." Generals
Cleburne (pictured, right) and Forrest (cavalry) knew they
would be flirting with disaster. But Hood would not be dissuaded. As
Cleburne mounted his horse to leave, Hood gave strict orders
for the assault. Cleburne responded, "We will take the
works or fall in the attempt." The Army of Tennessee
knew this assault on the town of Franklin would be suicidal. They
bravely advanced toward the Carter House with their heads held
high.
The fighting
soon became brutal and fiendishly savage, with men bayoneted
and clubbed to death in the Carter yard. A Confederate
soldier was bayoneted on the front steps of the Carter House. Men
were clubbing, clawing, punching, stabbing and choking each
other. The smoke from the cannons and guns was so thick
that you could not tell friend from foe.
During the
five hours of fighting, the Carter Family took refuge in their
basement. 23 men, women and children (many under the
age of 12) were safely protected while the horrible cries of
war rang out above them. The head of the family, Fountain
Branch Carter, a 67-year old widower, had seen 3 of his sons
fight for the Confederacy. One son, Theodrick (Tod),
was serving as an aid for General T.B. Smith on the battlefield
and saw his home for the first time in 3.5 years. Crying
out, "Follow me boys, I'm almost home," Captain Tod Carter
was mortally wounded and died 2 days later at the Carter House.
After the
battle, like so many homes in Franklin, the parlor of the Carter
House was converted into a Confederate field hospital and witnessed
many surgeries and amputations.
Around midnight, the Federal Army retreated
to Nashville to join the forces of General George Thomas.
Federal
Casualties - 2,800 men
The
23rd Corps lost 958, and the 4th Corps lost 1,368. 650
men were killed, 2,100 were wounded, 1,104 captured and 287
cavalry casualties. Only 1 Federal General was wounded
(Major General David Stanley, Corps Commander).
Confederate
Casualties - 7,200 men
More
than 2,000 men were killed outright or died of mortal wounds,
5,000 seriously wounded and 702 captured (not including cavalry
casualties). 15 out of 28 Confederate Generals were casualties. 69
field grade officers were lost. Also among the casualties
that day were 3 doctors and 3 chaplains. Some infantry regiments
lost 92 % of their strength at Franklin. There were more
men killed in the Confederate Army of Tennessee in the 5- hour
battle than in the 2-day Battle of Shiloh and the 3-day Battle
of Stones River.
In
the spring of 1866, the McGavock Family of Franklin donated
2 acres near their home, Carnton, to establish a Confederate
Cemetery where 1,496 soldiers are laid to rest
The
Carter House was purchased by the State of Tennessee in 1951
and first opened to the public in 1953, today a Registered Historic
Landmark, is dedicated to all Americans who fought in this battle.
Fountain
Branch Carter
General
John Bell Hood CSA 
McGavock
Confederate Cemetery
Cotton
Gin 
