Erick,
Hears a quick thought on what I have read so far.. First I want to say that I jumpd a head and started out with the ch. 10 Defeat with a Blaze of Glory being it is the section covering Johnson Division Night attack.
WOW!!!! A wonderful job sir.. By far one the best books I read on Franklin and thats just from the portion I have read..
I saw also that you put the Story of Pleasant Memory Hope in the Book.. Not sure if David told you but I found out what happened to Annie Hope.. She Married and had Children of her own and her desendants are still out there .. I found her great grandson who still living Va. : )
regards,
Steven
__________________ Steven Noel Cone Living Historian and Battlefield Preservationest
"Silver Spring Mess" ; "Citizens of the Bonnie Blue" ; "46th Tn Inf. Co. K"
I haven't reached the chapters that Steven just discussed quite yet. Been trying to finish the tax return. I have worked/read my way through the preparation for the battle at Franklin. This book has far more detail than anything I've read previously. My bucks were well spent. Since I have some local knowledge of the terrain, I'm quite impressed with Eric's effort. He didn't mention my Virginia boys, two regiments in Palmers/Reynolds/Browns brigade. (who showed up a little late for the party). Guess I'll have to write about them myself! They were in the battle of the cedars at Murfreesboro on Dec 6 and 7. The 63rd Virginia helped with the duties the morning of Dec 1 and moved on to Brentwood before being sent to Triune probably with Forrest's wagon train. Their combat would come at Murfreesboro and on the rear guard action later in December.
I've been kind of intrigued by the 63rd and 54th VA as well. Those two VA units all by their lonesome in the AOT kind of get lost in the shuffle. I have the 63rd VA installment in the Regimental Histories Series, but the 54th is OOP. Interesting outfits to be sure.
Respectfully
__________________ Up men, and to your post! And let no man forget today that you are from old Virginia!
Yes, unfortunately because Palmer's Brigade arrives so late at Franklin (according to one source they were the last unit of Lee's Corps to reach the field) they do not get any coverage. Both units are listed in the Order of Battle and Palmer's Brigade gets a mention post-Franklin. Also, not to toot my own horn but check out Sword's Order of Battle or McDonough's & Connelly's in Five Tragic Hours. Palmer's Brigade is not listed in either one. How they missed Palmer (among a number of other errors) is something I have never figured out.
McDonough did talk quite a bit about Palmer in his account of the Battle of the Cedars Dec 6 and 7. I suspect much of the 63rd including my own gg grandpa Whitfield Monroe Parker were probably left at Triune with Forrest's supply wagons and the livestock. Many of these men were ineffectives wounded in Atlanta and prior to that. Yes, some of the 63rd and more of Palmer's infantry were in the brief battle on Dec. 7. There can be little doubt they were heavily involved with the rear guard activities at Richland Creek, Anthony's Hill and Sugar Creek. I can say my ancestor rode with Forrest, one on a horse and the other in a wagon. Nathan Beford Forrest not only took a bunch of lives in this horrible war, he saved hundreds as well.
Eric, in your recent book, you also mentioned the 10th Tennessee US Cavalry several times with considerable accuracy. I also had another gg grandfather in that unit, a blacksmith. Both my guys missed the battle at Franklin, which may be one of the reasons I made it to this earth. Your account of the events at Spring Hill and Franklin, in my opinion, are the most comprehensive ever presented in easily readible, well-referenced, form.
There is no doubt piecing together the Federal cavalry was among the more difficult tasks in the book. The 10th TN U. S. Cavalry is indeed interesting; they are part of Col Stewart's command and after getting armed and fitted they bounce all over Middle Tennessee, but never get involved with the Spring Hill or Franklin fighting.
I am assuming when you mentioned McDonough you were referring to his new book about Nashville, the Western Confederacy's Final Gamble, because Five Tragic Hours does not cover the events around Murfreesboro in early December.
Not looking at it, but yes, this was a fairly recent book. He was talking specifically about the period after Franklin prior to Forrest's reconnection to the main army on about December 18.
Eric, after some time looking at the 10th TN US. I find that there is a strong possibility that they participated in the pursuit south after Nashville. They remained in middle Tennessee on guard duty for the remainder of their existance and did not go with Wilson into or away from Gravelly Springs. I'm curious how closely my blacksmith ancestor would have followed the troops in the field. There was a 'central' cavalry area in Edgefield Depot on the east bank of the Cumberland in Nashville.
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but check out Sword's Order of Battle or McDonough's & Connelly's in Five Tragic Hours. Palmer's Brigade is not listed in either one. How they missed Palmer (among a number of other errors) is something I have never figured out.
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