The Battle of Franklin

[Henry Moon]

On the afternoon of November 30, 1864, despite the objections of Generals Cleburne, Cheatham and Forrest, General John Bell Hood marched his Army of Tennessee down Winstead Hill to the south of Franklin, Tennessee and into battle.

As Union soldiers sang hymns and Confederate bands played "Dixie," Confederate infantrymen, exhausted, hungry and ill-clothed, charged the well-fortified Union line. The fighting was immediately brutal and savage. So much so, that the hours that followed were widely considered the bloodiest of the Civil War.

More soldiers from the Confederate Army alone were killed in those five hours than the Union Army lost in the 7-Day Battle, or the Battle of Shiloh lasting 3 days.Yet only the enduring, twisted osage orange trees bear witness to the events that occurred there 140 years ago.

However, what once was written off as lost to development, now has the opportunity to become the nation’s largest public/private Civil War battlefield reclamation project ever attempted and achieved.

http://www.franklinscharge.com/historic.html

[Henry Moon]

("Near Franklin, Tenn., Thursday, Dec. 1st, 1864)
Oh My Dear Wife,
We have passed through terrible scenes and death struggles since I stopped writing this letter on Monday evening, but that you may understand it all I will give an account of our marches...

(November 30th)
When we got within 800 yds. They opened terrifick fire of shot, shell, grape and canister, and when the troops got to within 400 yds. The musketry united with the cannon and it appeared to come by the millions. I cannot see how any human being could live 2 moments in such a place. Our Division got to within a fiew steps of the works and some went upon them. Others could not get there for a thick hedge row of thorn bushes and after a little while the troops began to faulter and were finally routed and came off in confusion, every man for himself. That is, those that were not killed or wounded. And here, Mary, I am so heart sick that I must stop writing for a while before I begin to tell of Dear friends that I have lost though I have nothing like a complete list. Now, Mary, I will give you first a list of my Co. and then such others that I have heard of what you are acquainted with. The first is my lamented and never to be forgotten friend, Lieut. J.W.E. Spencer. He fell near the enemies works, shot through the stomach. I need not say a word to you in praise towards him for you know the kind feelings that has always exsisted between us. Lewis Thompson, an other good friend of mine, was killed, shot through the head. Wounded, Jas. Vance severely in the head, but I think there is a chance for him

I cannot see how any human being could live two moments in such a place. Our division got to within a few steps of the works and some went upon them. Others could not get there for a thick hedge row of thorn bushes and after a little while the troops began to falter and were finally routed and came off in confusion, every many for himself."-

(1st Lieutenant William Harvey Berryhill, Co. D, 43rd Mississippi Infantry, in a letter to his wife, Mary)

Source: "The Gentle Rebel"
The Sassafras Press
Edited by Mary Miles Jones and Leslie Jones Martin

http://www.franklinscharge.com/soldiers.html

[StevenCone]

Thank you Terry

I posted this before but On this date in 1864 The Federals retook franklin as hoods army retreated south.. col sherwood of the 111th Ohio  in a leter to a Ohio Newspapers mention 7 graves of the 22nd alabama infantry in and around the area of the works the 111th held..  There were numerous other graves there as well but i dont recall the # or the units except one or two units being in from Johnsons Division.

Here is some info on the 111th Ohio at Franklin

They reached Franklin on the morning of November 30th, and was assigned to the front line of works, on the left flank of the Second Division, Twenty-Third Corps. In the fight of that day, out of 180 men engaged, it lost 22 killed on the field and 40 wounded, many being killed by rebel bayonets. So close was the contest, that the Regiment's flag was snatched from the bands of the Color Sergeant, but the Rebel who took it was killed on the spot. The troops on the immediate left falling back during the charge, the One Hundred and Eleventh suffered from -aim hour's enfilading fire of the Rebels. So severely had the Regiment suffered in the loss of officers, that it was found necessary to detail such from other Regiments for the command of the Companies.

Casualties of the One Hundred and Eleventh Regiment at the battle of Franklin, as reported at the time:

Company A -- Daniel Plantz and J.B. Guttew, wounded; J. Jackson, supposed killed.

Company C -- Capt. P.H. Dowling, Lieut. Isaac E. Kintigh, Philip Bush, Sergt. John E. Woodworth, Adam Miller, Geo. W. Ward and James L. Penny, wounded. Oscar B. Daniels, Althion B. Daniels, Andrew Kannaur, and David K. Mounta, supposed killed.

Company D -- Julius Greeley, Eli Bonzer and Win. Adams, supposed killed. Sergt. Alex. Rowland, Corp. G.W. Innman, J.B. Snively, F. Lawler, and T. Strickland, wounded.

Company B -- Captain T. Southworth, and J.W. Grubb, wounded.

Company F -- Sergt. Samuel Snyder, Corporals Charles A. Locost and Daniel Bear, Emanuel Byers, W.H. Lauder, Lafayette C. Olds and Warren Shaw, wounded. Corp. B. Hemenway and John Later, killed.

Company I -- Vetus Haas, killed; Henry Linker and Sergt. A. Daguer, wounded. Henry Speck, missing.

Company K -- Lieut. C. Baker, Joseph Gingery, Sergt. Samuel McCutcheon, Henry Bordue, Wm. H. Carlin, Francis M. Davenport, Thos. Irwin and David Gressinger, wounded. Sergt. Major Geo. H. Curtis, killed.

From History of Toledo and Lucas County, by Clark Waggoner
Volume I, pages 194-197
 



December 1, 1864, the Regiment marched back to Nashville, and was assigned position in the line of defenses on the left, and was severely engaged during the two days' fighting at that point. On the second day in a charge, it captured three Rebel battle-flags and a large number of prisoners, with a loss of seven killed and 15 wounded. The Regiment participated in the pursuit of Hood, when it marched to Clifton, Tennessee, where, January 17, 1865, it took transports to make the campaign of North Carolina, passing Cincinnati the 23d, and reaching Washington City on the 31st. By Ocean steamer it was taken from Alexandria for Fort Fisher, where it joined General Terry's force and took part in the capture of Fort Anderson, February 19, 1865, and in the skirmishes of Moseby Rail and Goldsboro. In fact, the work of capturing Fort Anderson, so far as land forces were concerned, was mainly performed by the Brigade, Colonel O.H. Moore commanding, of which the One Hundred and Eleventh was a part. After the surrender of General Johnston, the Regiment moved to Salisbury, North Carolina, at which place it remained on garrison duty until sent home, reaching Cleveland, Ohio, July 5,1865, and was there mustered out on the 12th.

The One Hundred and Eleventh re-enlisted as veterans in February, 1864, while in East Tennessee, but owing to the special demand for troops the veteran furlough could not be granted the men. Again (October, 1864), after the Atlanta campaign, more than two-thirds of the Regiment re-enlisted as veterans, when in consideration of Hood's campaign in the rear, the furlough was again suspended.

The Regiment entered the field with 1,050 men and received 85 recruits. Of these, 234 were discharged for disability, disease and wounds; 200 died of disease contracted in the service; 252 were killed in battle or died of wounds; and 401 were mustered out-making an aggregate of 687 casualties of the kinds named.

[Henry Moon]

Thanks Steven.  I don't remember half of the information I learned about the Spring Hill/Franklin/Nashville battles. I'm going to have to find my copy of "Confederacy's Last Hurrah" by Wiley Sword, and re-read it. I've been wanting to do that anyway because my memory is fuzzy on several things, like Forrest's manuevers with his cavalry during those 4 or 5 days.

I know what I do know mainly because of your posts on another board about this series of actions. They kindled my interest and caused me to read. So I learned about this mostly overlooked battle, which contains some of the most heroic, selfless actions of sacrifice and bravery, amidst the most perfect storm of death on a massive scale, in the dark of night (Franklin), that ever took place in the western theater of the Civil War.

Terry

[M Anthony Young]

Steven,
Can you tell me what General Adams did that was special or significant at Franklin? Was he a Federal?I've been picking up pieces about Franklin since you kinda introduced me to it and Adams seems to be reveered by the Union troops who took part.
Micky.

[StevenCone]

General Adams, as it was of his friend and classmate at West Point, Gen. Geo. E. Pickett, to reach the height of his fame leading his men in a brilliant and desperate, but unsuccessful, charge. But he did not come off so well as Pickett; for in the terrific assault at Franklin, Adams lost his life

He  was  wounded severely in his right arm near the shoulder early in the fight and urged to leave the field he said: "No; I am going to see my men through."

While leading his regiment in the midst of the deadliest fighting around the cotton gin,  witnesses recall seeing Adams astride his horse, Old Charley. Well out in front of his brigade, he dashed towards the Federal lines, seemingly impervious to the hail of bullets.

Spurring his mount to jump the parapets, (Some Union soldiers started to shout. "dont shoot that man hes to brave to Die"}  But it was to late..

The horse leaped and came crashing squarely down on top of them, dead.

Adams fell from the horse and into the ditches, his body riddled with nine bullets. Breathing his last, Adams was heard to say; "It is the fate of a soldier to die for his country."

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Adams left a Wife  4 boys and two girls to mourn his loss.

After the war the Some union soldiers who witnessed the scene returned Adams personals things to his wife   the following is letter written to her

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Lieut.-Col. Edward Adams Baker, of the Sixty-fifth Indiana infantry, who witnessed the death of General Adams at Franklin, obtained the address of Mrs. Adams many years after the war and wrote to her from Webb City, Mo.

 "General Adams rode up to our works and, cheering his men, made an attempt to leap his horse over them. The horse fell upon the top of the embankment and the general was caught under him, pierced with bullets. As soon as the charge was repulsed, our men sprang over the works and lifted the horse, while others dragged the general from under him. He was perfectly conscious and knew his fate. He asked for water, as all dying men do in battle as the life-blood drips from the body. One of my men gave him a canteen of water, while another brought an armful of cotton from an old gin near by and made him a pillow.

The general gallantly thanked them, and in answer to our expressions of sorrow at his sad fate, he said, 'It is the fate of a soldier to die for his country,' and expired."

[Henry Moon]

Geez louise, Steven...I had forgotten about that also. Your recount of the fate of General Adams and his horse sort of made my eyes fill up.  And they were already damp from thinking about the terrible, tragic waste of Patrick Cleburne's life.  What a supreme and bold last-ditch effort by General Adams in an effort to save his country and cause. Such a self-less thing he did, that his enemy tried so to comfort him in his last minutes, and even grieved when he died. Thank you. I really need to get my book out and re-read it. And Micky thanks for bringing up General Adams. There were so many Confederate enlisted men and those of high officer rank that perished at Franklin.


Terry