The Civil War Traveler's CompanionTell us about your favorite places to stay or eat on Civil War Battlefields. If you want to write a review of a Civil War B&B, this is the perfect place to post it.
Besides Wiley's book, try "Five Tragic Hours," McDonough. McDonough doesn't has Sword's facility for smooth reading but he does pay attention to substantiated detail. It's a small book almost exclusively on Franklin, but worth having. Check abebooks.com. Guarantee you'll have several hundred to pick from.
Thanks Ole. I get bogged down when I'm reading the detailed minute by minute accounts of battles, such as Sword's on Shiloh, and Priest's on Antietam, but I still read them because I get so much more of the feel of the battle. In fact I search them out, so I will look for Mr. McDonough's book as well. It's more of a strain on my mind to work out the scenery descriptions, artillery and troop movements, and picture them in my head, to correspond with the detail. Basically I guess I don't want to work that hard, and I feel like I'm laboring through it, but it's worth it in the end. After I've finally finished it I feel like I've learned something. It's actually easier for me to read McPherson's one volume "Battle Cry of Freedom", than it is to read a one-battle book, but you don't get the real picture of a single battle from a one-volume history of the war. Thanks again Ole.
Steve, thanks. I was kind of looking for something that would help explain the whole campaign as you mentioned. Because right now it's sort of confusing for me concerning the whole Nashville, Franklin, Spring Hill geography and troop movements, and on what days they occurred for each location, so something on the entire campaign would be great for me. Thanks again.
The following was gleaned from an internet-published report on the Lauderdale County, Alabama website. It had been published in the Times Daily of Florence, Alabama on Thursday, February 25, 1999, written by Harry E. Wallace as part of a series HISTORY OF THE SHOALS:
“Another daring episode occurred in late summer of 1864 when Gen. Joseph Wheeler's 1st Tennessee Cavalry raided into middle Tennessee and were hotly pursued by Union cavalry as they entered Lauderdale County. Wheeler sent riders ahead to find a guide for the ford location at the Bainbridge Ferry crossing at the mouth of Shoal Creek. With no guide available and the river flooded, Wheeler sent two riders into the water to find the ford. Working under the handicap of darkness and a mile wide current, the riders found the crossing and Wheeler's men rode between them to safety without losing a
man.”
“In September 1864, the legendary Gen. Forrest and his "Critter Company" crossed the river at Colbert Shoal and rode through Florence via the Huntsville Road. After capturing a Union garrison at Athens and wrecking the Nashville-and-Chattanooga Railroad in middle Tennessee that furnished supplies to Sherman's Army, he marched through Georgia. “
“Next, Forrest's cavalry re-entered Alabama with Col. W. H. Morgan's Union cavalry in hot pursuit. Forrest hoped to cross at the Bainbridge Crossing but the river was flooded. After locating a barge, his troops began a two-day process of transporting men and swimming the horses. The last regiment of Confederates was left to harass the Federals and told to meet the main body on Seven-Mile Island in two days. The two cold days on the island were spent without fires, fearing enemy detection. Incidents such as this only increased the myths and legends surrounding Forrest and his men.”
While Hood was preparing his army to enter Tennessee, General Forrest was causing considerable difficulty with Federal supplies in West Tennessee. On Oct 28, 1864 he was reported in camp at Fort Heiman on the Tennessee River. By November 3 he was on point at Johnsonville and on November 4 opened fire on that fair city which he shelled again on November 5 before leaving for Corinth, Mississippi. Damage at Johnsonville as the result of Forrest’s raid is estimated at over six million dollars in Federal supplies.
Hood in Alabama
October 22, 1864
The Army of Tennessee under Hood left Gadsden and headed for Guntersville, Alabama before being warned of Union gunboats on the Tennessee River. Hood diverted the march towards Decatur.
October 28, 1864
A skirmish with Union troops guarding the river cost the Army of Tennessee 125 men. They moved on towards Bainbridge, another known crossing possibility. The army actually arrived at Tuscumbia still some twelve miles from the eastern end of the railroad from Corinth and the only source of supplies.
November 2, 1864
On this day the corps of Gen. Stephen D. Lee crossed the river on pontoons starting an event known as the second battle of Florence.
November 3, 1864
Hood ordered Forrest’s cavalry to Bainbridge. Forrest was “busy” at Johnsonville and managed to do some “good” while General Hood was making up his mind. On this day General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard met with Hood at Tuscumbia and the decision was made to ‘invade” Tennessee. Just as is the case in 2004, the weather in November in north Alabama and Tennessee was horrible. The rains arrived right on schedule accompanied by bitter cold. Wagons were sliding off muddy roads making supplies a very precious commodity.
November 9, 1864
The pontoon bridge was knocked out by rising water and could not be repaired until the 12th when Gen. Frank Cheatham’s corps prepared to cross in the 13th.
November 14, 1864
General Forrest’s cavalry began arriving in Florence just as the rains began again with great gusto.
November 20, 1864
A. P. Stewart’s corps finally was able to cross the river via the shaky pontoon bridge completing the crossing of Hood’s army. The invasion of Tennessee was about to begin in earnest.
“After the loss of Atlanta in September 1864, Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood marched the Army of Tennessee into North Alabama in preparation for an invasion to recapture Tennessee and Kentucky. Failing to cross the Tennessee second Battle of Florence. The crossing was continually delayed by rain and flooding but eventually Hood's three corps of nearly 30,000 and Gen. W. H. Jackson's cavalry of 2,000 successfully crossed and were joined by Forrest and his cavalry of 3,000. Students of the Female Synodical College watched the crossing from the dome of the school.”
“Hood's ill-fated plans did not go unnoticed by Union Gen. George H. Thomas in Pulaski. With Forrest's cavalry in advance, Hood ordered his army to move out Nov. 20. The Army of Tennessee left Florence after a 3-inch snowfall. Gen. Benjamin Cheatham's corps moved out on the Coffee Road, Gen. Alexander Stewart's Corps left by the Military Road and Gen. Stephen Lee's corps took the Chisholm road. The advance was greatly impeded by bitter cold, snow and freezing rain.”
Journal of the Army of Tennessee
NOVEMBER 14, 1864-JANUARY 23, 1865
Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee.
O.R.--SERIES I--VOLUME XLV/1 [S# 93]
November 15, 1864.--Headquarters Army of Tennessee at Florence, Ala. Heavy rains in the last forty-eight hours.
November 16.--Headquarters Florence, Ala. In obedience to a general order from these headquarters, all military duties (except those that are absolutely necessary) will be suspended, this day having been set apart by the President as a day of fasting and prayer.
November 17.--Headquarters Army of Tennessee, Florence, Ala. Nothing of importance has transpired to-day.
November 18.--Headquarters Florence, Ala. General Beauregard moved his headquarters from Tuscumbia to Montgomery, Ala. General Stewart has been ordered to cross the Tennessee River with his corps tomorrow.
November 19.--Headquarters Florence, Ala. General Stewart's corps was unable to cross the river today in consequence of the bad weather and the slow progress made by the supply trains. General Lee's corps is ordered to take up line of march at 5 o'clock in the morning.
[Insert – General George Thomas wrote in his Jan 20 1865 report “Hood commenced his advance on the 19th moving on parallel roads from Florence through Waynesboro and shelled Hatch’s cavalry out of Lawrenceburg on the 22nd ]
November 20.--Headquarters Florence, Ala. Stewart's corps crossed the river and moved out several miles on Lawrenceburg road. Lee's corps took up line of march at an early hour and bivouacked ten miles from this place, on road between Lawrenceburg and Waynesborough roads. The whole army will move at an early hour to-morrow.
November 21.--Cheatham's corps took up line of march at an early hour this a.m. and moved out on the Waynesborough road. Army headquarters moved at 10 a.m., and were established at 5 p.m. near Rawhide, on Waynesborough road, twelve miles north of Florence. Lee's corps, on the Chisem road, and Stewart's, on the Lawrenceburg road, resumed their march this morning.
November 22.--Cheatham's corps and army headquarters were in motion at sunrise, and after a march of eighteen miles, army headquarters were established near the intersection of the Natchez and Waynesborough roads. Cheatham's corps encamped one mile south of headquarters.
November 23.--Cheatham's corps and army headquarters took another early start this morning, and after a march of eighteen miles arrived and established headquarters at the Furnace No. 96, four miles north of Waynesborough, on the Mount Pleasant and Waynesborough road.
[Insert – from General George Thomas in his Jan 20 1865 rerport: “On the 23d, in accordance with directions previously given him, General Granger commenced withdrawing the garrisons from Athens, Decatur, and Huntsville, Ala., and moved off toward Stevenson, sending five new regiments of that force to Murfreesborough, and retaining at Stevenson the original troops of his command. This movement was rapidly made by railroad, without opposition on the part of the enemy. That same night General Schofield evacuated Pulaski and moved toward Columbia, reporting himself in position at that place on the 24th”]
November 24.--Army headquarters nine miles south of Mount Pleasant, on the Waynesborough and Mount Pleasant road. Cheatham's corps continued the march on the Waynesborough and Mount Pleasant road, camping twelve miles south [of] Henryville, in the rear of Lee's corps, which came into Waynesborough and Mount Pleasant road from the Pinhook (a country road). Stewart's corps camped in rear of Cheat-ham's corps, having also come into Waynesborough and Mount Pleasant road from the Waterloo and Lawrenceburg road.
November 25.--Army headquarters at Mount Pleasant. Lee's corps camped just beyond town, on Columbia road; Cheatham's corps, five miles south of town, and Stewart's corps at Henryville.
November 26.--Army headquarters at Col. Andrew J. Polk's, five miles south of Columbia, on Mount Pleasant pike. Lee's corps continued the march on the Mount Pleasant and Columbia pike, going into position near Columbia, the right resting on the pike. Cheatham's corps followed Lee's, camping near army headquarters, between the Mount Pleasant and Columbia and the Pulaski pikes. Stewart's corps camped two miles beyond Mount Pleasant, on the Mount Pleasant and Columbia pike.
November 27.--Army headquarters moved from Polk's residence, on the Mount Pleasant and Columbia pike, to Mrs. Warfield's, on the Pulaski pike, three miles south of Columbia. Lee's corps remained in same position it occupied last night. Cheatham's corps crossed over from Mount Pleasant and Columbia pike across the Pulaski pike, going into position with its right resting on Duck River and the left on the Pulaski pike. Stewart's corps continued the march on the Mount Pleasant and Columbia pike, going into position with its right on the Pulaski and its left on the Mount Pleasant and Columbia pikes.
[The 58th North Carolina was left at Columbia to guard 1,700 Federal Prisoners sent to the unit, and to garrison the town. This detail enabled the regiment to miss Hood's twin disasters at Franklin and Nashville, Tennessee. At this time the regiment was reported to have an effective strength of 246 men, total present of 311, with an aggregate present total of 338. On December 14, 1864, the 58th North Carolina was ordered to Corinth, Mississippi with the prisoners. Here they were relieved of the guard, and on December 26, 1864, was ordered to Okalona, Mississippi to drive off a cavalry raid which had cut the rail line there. The remainder of the Brigade were not lucky, and traveled on with Hood to his great defeat. The 58th North Carolina rejoined Palmer's now very small brigade on the return of Hood's Army to Tupelo, Mississippi in January 1865.] As per cousin Jeffrey C. Weaver regarding the 58th North Carolina.
November 28, 1864.--Army headquarters continued during the day at Mrs. Warfield's residence, on the Pulaski pike, three miles south of Columbia. The army occupied the same position as designated yesterday. The enemy abandoned Columbia last night and our troops took possession at daylight this morning. General Orders, No. 37, issued to-day, prohibiting plundering by the army of both private and public property, it having been reported to General Hood that Columbia had been "wantonly and disgracefully plundered."
November 29.--General Hood, with Cheatham's and Stewart's corps and Johnson's division, of Lee's corps, flanked the enemy's force remaining opposite Columbia, crossing Duck River about three miles above the town, and moving by a country road to the Columbia and Franklin pike, struck the enemy (who, in the meantime, had begun to retire from Columbia) near Spring Hill, but without success. The command then went into camp near Spring Hill. Army headquarters for the night were at Doctor Thompson's, two and a half miles from Spring Hill and a little to the right of the Columbia and Franklin pike. General Lee, with Clayton's and Stevenson's divisions and the artillery and teams of the army, remained at Columbia.
[Insert – from General George Thomas Jan 20 1865 report: “During the 24th and 25th the enemy skirmished with General Schofield's troops at Columbia, but showed nothing but dismounted cavalry until the morning of the 26th, when his infantry came up and pressed our line strongly during that day and the 27th, but without assaulting. As the enemy's movements showed an undoubted intention to cross above or below the town, General Schofield withdrew to the north bank of Duck River during the night of the 27th and took up a new position, where the command remained during the 28th, undisturbed. Two divisions of the Twenty-third Corps were placed in line in front of the town, holding all the crossings in its vicinity, while Stanley's corps, posted in reserve on the Franklin pike, was held in readiness to repel any vigorous attempt the enemy should make to force a crossing; the cavalry, under command of Brevet Major-General Wilson, held the crossings above those guarded by the infantry. About 2 a.m. on the 29th the enemy succeeded in pressing back General Wilson's cavalry, and effected a crossing on the Lewisburg pike; at a later hour part of his infantry crossed at Huey's Mills, six miles above Columbia.”]
[The withdrawal of the main force from in front of Columbia was safely effected after dark on the 29th; Spring Hill was passed without molestation about midnight, and making a night march of twenty-five miles, the whole command got into position at Franklin at an early hour on the morning of the 30th; the cavalry moved on the Lewisburg pike, on the right or east of the infantry.]
November 30.--The march was resumed on the Columbia and Franklin pike, Lee coming up from Columbia with the remainder of his command and the artillery. Cheatham's and Stewart's corps went into position around the enemy's works at Franklin about 4.30 p.m., engaging the enemy almost immediately, Stewart on the right and Cheatham on the left. General Hood's headquarters were on the pike, about three-fourths of a mile in rear of the line of battle. The battle closed about 12 o'clock at night. Skirmishing was going on, however, till 3 a.m., when the enemy abandoned his position, and retired upon the Franklin and Nashville pike. Cheatham's and Stewart's corps and Johnson's division, of Lee's corps, were all engaged, Clayton's and Stevenson's divisions, of Lee's corps, and the artillery not having been brought into action.
[Insert – from General George H. Thomas Jan 20 1865 report: “General Schofield's position was excellently chosen, with both flanks resting upon the river, and the men firmly held their ground against an overwhelming enemy, who was repulsed in every assault along the whole line. Our loss, as given by General Schofield in his report transmitted herewith (and to which I respectfully refer), is, 189 killed, 1,033 wounded, and 1,104 missing, making an aggregate of 2,326. We captured and sent to Nashville 702 prisoners, including 1 general officer, and 33 stand of colors. Maj. Gen. D. S. Stanley, commanding Fourth Corps, was severely wounded at Franklin whilst engaged in rallying a portion of his command which had been temporarily overpowered by an overwhelming attack of the enemy. At the time of the battle the enemy's loss was known to be severe, and was estimated at 5,000. The exact figures were only obtained, however, on the reoccupation of Franklin by our forces, after the battles of December 15 and 16, at Brentwood Hills, near Nashville, and are given as follows: Buried upon the field, 1,750; disabled and placed in hospital at Franklin, 3,800, which, with the 702 prisoners already reported, makes an aggregate loss to Hood's army of 6,252, among whom were 6 general officers killed, 6 wounded, and 1 captured. The important results of the signal victory cannot be too highly appreciated, for it not only seriously checked the enemy's advance, and gave General Schofield time to remove his troops and all his property to Nashville, but it also caused deep depression among the men of Hood's army, making them doubly cautious in their subsequent movements.”]
[Palmer's Brigade missed the disastrous battle at Franklin, Tennessee on November 30, 1864. To their good fortune, Hood had them detached for other duty, guarding the ordnance train. Hood's carelessness resulted in about 7,000 rebel dead. Lieutenant Colonel James M. Ray of the 60th North Carolina wrote that after the encounter at Columbia, Tennessee, the Confederates delayed instead of pursuing the retreating Federals, giving them time to regroup and entrench at Franklin. The Confederates intended to push the Yankees into the Big Harpeth River according to Edward Pollard. Hood's men advanced across open plains to slaughter and carnage. Twelve Southern generals were killed or wounded, 13 regimental commanders were killed and 32 wounded.] Jeff Weaver writing about the 60th NC.
December 1.--The army moved out from Franklin during the morning on the Franklin and Nashville pike, Lee in front, Stewart next, and Cheatham in the rear, all camping on the pike, a few miles from Franklin. Army headquarters for the night just across Harpeth River from Franklin.
December 2.--The army again in motion on Franklin and Nashville pike, marching in the same order as on yesterday. Late in the evening we took position in front of Nashville, Lee's corps in the center, with its center resting upon the Franklin pike, Stewart's forming on his left and Cheatham's on his right, Forrest's cavalry protecting either flank, our line extending, as near as possible, from the Cumberland, above the city, to the Cumberland, below the city, curving forward from General Lee's center. (See confidential circular of December 2, 1864.) Army headquarters at Mr. Overton's residence, five and a half miles from Nashville, and near the Franklin and Nashville pike.
December 3.--The army occupied the same position as yesterday, with slight alterations. Army headquarters remained at Mr. Overton's.
December 4.--The army occupies the same position around Nashville. The skirmish line was advanced on some portions of the line. The cavalry, under Chalmers, captured two transports seven miles below Nashville, on Cumberland River, and some 300 mules.
December 5.--Army headquarters at Mr. Overton's house. Our line remains pretty much the same. The enemy, in heavy line of battle, drove in General Cheatham's skirmishers across the Nashville and Murfreesborough railroad this morning, but retired without attacking our line. Sears' brigade, of French's division, and Brown's brigade, of Stevenson's division, with a battery each, were sent to the vicinity of Murfreesborough to report to General Forrest. General Bate, with the force under his command, was also directed to report to General Forrest. Circular issued to-day to corps commanders for information of the army announcing the capture of "the block-house and fort at La Vergne, with commissary stores, 100 prisoners, 2 pieces of artillery, 100 small-arms and ammunition, 20 wagons, and some teams by General Forrest, and that General Bate had burned three block-houses." General Hood made a proposition to officer commanding U.S. forces at Nashville for an exchange of the prisoners in his hands for an equal number of Confederate prisoners.
December 6.---General Thomas, commanding U.S. forces, Nashville, in reply to General Hood's proposition for an exchange of prisoners, states "that such an arrangement is impracticable, all Confederate prisoners having been sent North, and consequently placed beyond his control." General Hood asks by telegraph of both Generals Beauregard, commanding department, and Maury, commanding Department of Alabama, Mississippi, and East Louisiana, to have the Memphis and Charleston Railroad repaired to Decatur, Ala., to which point he hopes to have the Tennessee and Alabama Railroad running in a day or two.
(See telegrams and letter book, office assistant adjutant-general.) Our lines around Nashville about the same, perhaps with slight alteration by corps commanders, under revision of General Hood. Slight demonstration on our (Cheatham's) right by the enemy. General Forrest's command invests Murfreesborough. The enemy reported very strongly fortified there, and with 6,000 or 8,000 troops in his forts. It is not yet determined whether an assault will be made by our forces.
From Nathan Bedford Forrest’s official report: On the evening of the 6th I was re-enforced by Sears' and Palmer's brigades of infantry. I ordered Colonel Palmer in position on the right upon a hill, and to fortify during the night.
December 7.--Nothing new on our line immediately around Nashville. Captain Reid, commanding at Corinth, Miss., reports, under date of December 1, the following, which was repeated by General Hood to General Beauregard, Macon, Ga., with the request that all men belonging to this army, and any re-enforcements that could be spared, be sent forward as soon as possible:
Scouts from the vicinity of Memphis report that Steele, with 15,000 men, landed at that point on last Thursday and passed up the river Saturday.
News of our forces in neighborhood of Murfreesborough being driven back by the enemy received to-night. Col. B. J. Hill, with his cavalry command, was ordered today to Bedford, Giles, and Marshall Counties, Tenn., 6, to break up and destroy the home guards, to conscribe men liable to military duty, and to protect the mills in the neighborhood of Shelbyville? (See dispatch to General Forrest, field dispatch book.)
[The rest of Palmer's brigade was with General Nathan Bedford Forrest's command in the Battle of the Cedars , Murfreesboro, Tennessee, fought on December 7, 1864.
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