Battle Of Nashville And the grand Retreat

[scone]

In memory of those brave and gallant souls that fought Dec. 15th & 16th 1864 During the Battle of Nashville.

May they rest in peace !

On the night of the 16th the AOT rear guard will bivouac at the hollow creek gap just north of Franklin , Tn

On the 17th the first union assalt occured around against Stephen D Lee line occured around 5 am.

Charge after charge hit Lee's lines , but they held. Gradually Lee fell back into franklin and made a determind stand in front of the big Harpeth River, using a modified version of the hollow square.

Around 1pm Stephen D Lee was wounded in the retreating action.

His actions along with forrest all along the grand retreat to the Alabama state line. Saved what remained of the army.

1800 + confederae wounded in hospitals were captured in franklin as the AOT retreat through town Dec 17 and they were unable to go with them.

Lord knows the number that were captured on the retreat from nashville and were just to tired to go any further.. The once grand Army of Tennessee was no more .. as only a fraction of it remained to go to North Carolina.

May we never forget.

[larry_cockerham]

The battle for Nashville was not the end of the war for 15-20,000 Confederates. The worst winter of their lives was about to unfold. Hood was to "retire" in middle January and N.B. Forrest was to receive his third star. This was an army of weak legs, frozen butts, but very strong hearts. They turned their focus on kicking Sherman's ---, and gave it a helluva of a try in South Carolina. Too little, too late. Bentonville was a contest between two well-matched, yet devastated armies. Sherman had more bullets and cannons, but the Army of Tennessee held the upper hand in a desire to give their last effort at stating their position against northern politics before taking a slow and painful, yet somehow inviting, road home.

[larry_cockerham]

James Patterson Cockerham came under the direction of Major James T. Anderson who succeeded to command after General Hatch was wounded during the fight at Nashville. This unit joined in the pursuit of the Army of Tennessee as it left Nashville December 17 and broke off pursuit on December 27, 1864 in the town of Lexington, Alabama. The 10th was back in Pulaski on December 25 and 26, virtually the same spot where Private Cockerham had spent the summer. By February 3, 1865 the regiment was transferred to the 7th Cavalry Division which was headquartered at Gravelly Springs, Alabama still under the watchful eye of Gen. James Harrison Wilson.

[larry_cockerham]

December 17.--The march was continued toward Columbia--Stewart in front, Cheatham next, and Lee in the rear, with Chalmers' and Buford's cavalry. General Lee's rear harassed considerably by the enemy's cavalry near Spring Hill. Lieutenant-General Lee slightly wounded. The army camped between Franklin and Spring Hill in the order of march. Army headquarters at Spring Hill.

From the official report of Gen. Nathan B. Forrest:
On the night of the 16th one of General Hood's staff officers arrived, informing me of the disaster at Nashville and ordering me to fall back via Shelbyville and Pulaski. I immediately dispatched orders to Brigadier-General Buford to fall back from the Cumberland River, via La Vergne, to the Nashville Pike, and to protect my rear until I could move my artillery and wagon train. From this position General Buford was ordered across to the Nashville and Columbia pike, for the purpose of protecting the rear of General Hood's retreating army. My sick, wounded, and wagon train being at Triune, I did not retreat via Shelbyville, but moved in the direction of Lillard's Mills, on Duck River. I ordered Brigadier-General Armstrong to the Nashville and Columbia pike. Most of the infantry under my command were barefooted and in a disabled condition, and being encumbered with several hundred head of hogs and cattle, my march along the almost impassable roads was unavoidably slow. On reaching Duck River at Lillard's Mills I ordered everything to be hurried across, as the stream was rapidly rising. After putting over a part of my wagon train the stream became unfordable. I was therefore compelled to change my direction to Columbia, which place I reached on the evening of the 18th.

Forrest’s wagon train at Triune included 400 prisoners, 100 head of cattle, 400 hogs along with sick and wounded soldiers. I suspect the recovering Pvt. Whitfield Monroe Parker owed his life to Forrest. Whit must have been at Lillard’s Mill on December 17, 1864 where half the train was able to cross the quickly rising Duck River. In Goodspeeds’ 1886 History of Tennessee, was found the following:

Rich Creek, located between Chapel Hill and Farmington, has two merchants--J. W. Boren and D. A. Reavis. There are several country stores in the county known by the following names: Robinson Fork, New Hope, Lunn's Store, Beasley, Delina, Lillard's Mills and Cochran's Mill. The mill at the last mentioned place was built by Levi Cochran. It is a saw and grist-mill. Lillard's is a flouring-mill. [Lillard’s Mill is now on the national register of historic places, but for the hydro-electric mill built in the 1920s, the remnant of which still stands.] The river bends and widens at this site and is relatively low terrain for easy access. Forrest knew where he was, having grown to man-hood just a few miles north.

[samgrant]

Whether misguidedly or not, you can't help admire the persistent fight of those Reb soldiers, both in the East and the West.

[EricJacobson]

As I sit here at home tonight in Spring Hill, just a half mile east of Columbia Pike, I can only imagine the chaos along that road 142 years ago. Thousands upon thousands of men, horses, and wagons moving south. Motivates me to keep researching and keep writing.

[EricJacobson]

Worthy of mention is a Union soldier named Ed Peterson, Co. D, 9th Minnesota Infantry, among those who were marching south through Franklin and Spring Hill. A Norwegian immigrant this fellow fought his first battle at Brice's Cross Roads (and somehow escaped) and then at Tupelo. What a way to start, fighting Forrest's men in your first two battles. He ends up at Nashville and takes part in the assault up Compton's (later Shy's) Hill. Somehow he gets thru it all without a scratch.

When he settled in western Minnesota some years after the war he homesteaded a piece of property along the Chippewa River. He died in 1926, active till the end and loved to wear his old GAR uniform to local events. Tall and thin with striking blue eyes, the farm Peterson had started was purchased by my grandfather several years later. My father still lives there and it was where I grew up. Ed is buried barely 50 feet from my grandfather today, rather ironic.

So while I have no ancestors who fought in the war (they all came over in the 1870's and 1880's) Ed Peterson is pretty good fill in I think. God rest his soul.

[scone]

Larry.

Im amazed at those that stayed with the army.. They had to know all was lost and that it was all but over .. but yet many continued..

3rd great grandfather Daniel Craft was one of them.


Eric,
A wonderful story.

In my eyes your connection to that period of history with Ed Peterson .. is just as strong as my connection to my relatives that were there. It has shaped your life as who you are.


What a horrifying experience that had to have been for the wounded confederates in Franklin in the 41 hospital there 3 more building were used for the federal wounded... as well as the civilians of the townl.

In "Oh For Dixie" - The Civil war record and diary of Capt. William V. Davis 30th Ms Inf - Brantly Brigade / Johnson Division. (who was wounded in the foot at Franklin and was in the Figures Home that was being used as a Hospital)

Dec. 16 Wounded coming in from the front. Our troops stampede. Hiram and Fellows come in at midnight.

Dec. 17 Great confusion, Hiram and fellows leave at 9am . Army passes in confusion. Yankes enter at 12 o'clock. Raining

The fourth army corp reached the north bank of the Harpeth river on the afternoon of the 17 but were unable to cross the rain swollen river because the confederates had destroyed the bridges.

Dec. 18th Infantry passing, Dread the future, Negro troops passing. Heavy rain

Probably the 1st and 2nd colored brigade in Cruft's provision Division

Dec. 19th Rains, Cannon's Heavy

Cheatahm four gun battery entrenched on the south bank of Rutherford creek about 15 miles south of franklin.

in the days following he mentions the federals stealing and pilfering anything and everything.

[larry_cockerham]

Steven, many of the men in the Army of Tennessee in 1864 were so far from home that there was really no where to go. Transportation was limited at best and the US Army occupied much of the south as you well know. There were few if any places to purchase food and no currency with which to purchase anything. Running the risk of execution for dessertion was not much of an option either. Choices were limited at best. On the other hand, these men had been beaten, but not defeated. They were still good for another round at Bentonville and could have taken a couple of staggering swings after that. Mercifully, Sherman and Johnston called it quits to a generally positive reception by all. That's the spirit we still celebrate today. Tough.

[larry_cockerham]

December 19.--Army headquarters still at Mr. Vaught's. The army, and such trains and artillery as were not crossed over yesterday, occupied the day in crossing Duck River--Lee first, Cheatham next, and then Stewart. The enemy's cavalry appeared on opposite side of Rutherford's Creek.
[Insert – from General George H. Thomas Jan 20 1865 report: “During the 19th several unsuccessful efforts were made by the advanced troops to cross Rutherford's Creek, although General Hatch succeeded in lodging a few skirmishers on the south bank. The heavy rains of the preceding few days had inundated the whole country and rendered the roads almost impassable. Smith's and Schofield's commands crossed to the south side of Harpeth River, General Smith advancing to Spring Hill, whilst General Schofield encamped at Franklin”]