The Battle of Franklin

The Battle of Franklin

The bloodiest battle no one one has ever heard about.

That's how the Battle of Franklin is best described. I'd never heard of the battle either, until I read the book, "Widow of the South", a work of historical fiction based on the Battle of Franklin.

In 1864, Franklin, Tennessee was a community of less than 800 people. It wasn't a Confederate stronghold or a strategic location for the Union, even though Federal troops had occupied the town since 1862. Yet, in November 1864, 40,000 troops amassed here and when the fighting ceased, a mere five hours later, over 9,000 men were killed, wounded, captured or missing, and 80 percent of the casualties wore gray. Six Confederate brigader generals lost their lives that day, the largest loss of its kind during the entire war. The Battle of Franklin was the last offensive launched by the Confederates, and devestated the Army of Tennessee.

The battle affected everyone in town, especially the Carter and McGavock families.

Fountain Branch Carter, a native Virginian, moved to Tennessee as a young boy. He and his wife Mary  built the Federal style house in Franklin and had twelve children. His house, farm and holdings grew, and in 1860, Carter's net worth was $62,000. In 1861, when the war broke out, his three sons, Francis, Moscow and Tod all joined the Confederate army.  On the evening of Novmber 30, 1864, Carter's home would become the center of the battle etween the Union forces led by General John Schofield and the Rebel army commanded by General John Bell Hood.

The fighting began at 4:00 pm with a massive frontal assault by Hood. Twenty-eight members of the Carter family and neighbors were huddled in the home's basement as the fighting raged around them. When the family emerged the next morning, they were horrified at the carnage and the bodies of the dead and dying on their porch and heaped in piles on their land.

Carter's son Tod, a captain with the 20th Tennessee, was mortally shot less than 200 yards from the family home. He was found on the field the next day, with eight wounds to his body and a bullet lodged in his brain over his left eye. He died in the family home on December 2, 1864.   The ravages of the war can still be seen on the Carter farm; F.B. Carter's bullet-riddled office building and back porch, including a hole left by cannon fire.

The McGavock family, John, Carrie and their children also found themselves immersed in the effects of the Battle of Franklin.  Their home, Carnton, was commandeered as a field hospital for the Confederacy. Over 300 dead and dying soldiers were in their home and on their lands. Bloodstains are still evident on the floors. The bodies of four of the dead Confederate generals were laid out on the back porch to allow the soldiers to pay their respects.

In 1866, John and Carrie donated two acres of their land to be used as a cemetery for the Confederate soliders who had fallen. The McGavock Cemetery contains the remains of nearly 1500 soldiers. Carrie McGavock orgaized the cemetery by state and kept a record of of all the soldiers interred there, even though many were unknown. Carrie maintained the cemetery until her death in 1905. It is still maintained today.

Both Jason and I were intrigued and inspired by what we learned during our stay in Franklin and would encourage everyone with any interest in the Civil War or historic preservation efforts to learn more about these families and their role in the Battle of Franklin.

Our guide at The Carter House, Alan Corry, was amazing. He spoke with such passion and expertise about the events that led up to the battle, the horrific five hours of fighting, and the families it affected.  He made the battle come alive for us, and we left with a new appreciation for the sacrifices Americans on both sides made that day.

I left Franklin begrudgingly, knowing there was so much more that I wanted to know, so many more questions I had to ask and have answered, but it was time and we were soon on the road our next destination, Shiloh.

To learn more about the Battle of Franklin, the Carters and the McGavock's, check out the following websites:
- Historic Carnton Plantation
- The Carter House