Thompson's Station farm (Homestead Manor) placed in trust

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Owners hope donation may seed battlefield preservation

The Battle of Thompson's Station was fought on 47 acres surrounding the home, which was built between 1809 and 1819 and served as a hospital for wounded Civil War soldiers and as a place of refuge for those looking to hide during the war.

By RACHEL STULTS Staff Writer Tennessean


THOMPSON'S STATION — Town leaders applauded a local couple for choosing to keep their 47 acres of historic battlefield property green in the wake of rapid development.

In a ceremony Monday, The Land Trust for Tennessee celebrated its newest section of conserved Tennessee countryside at Battlefield Farm at Homestead Manor in Thompson's Station.

Local preservationists, along with Homestead Manor owner Jay Franks, also announced they are hoping to put those 47 acres toward a proposed Civil War battlefield park in Thompson's Station — a project that could result in an undeveloped area larger than Franklin's 110-acre battlefield park on the eastern flank.

Other land in the battle area is privately owned and the battlefield conservation plan is in only the talking stage at this point.

Franks, a developer, and his wife, Marcia, a prominent local real estate agent, signed the voluntary conservation agreement with The Land Trust for Tennessee to protect their historic home and surrounding property, which they bought three years ago.

"The more we learned about the property, the more we realized how important it is to preserve it," Franks said.

House linked to two wars
Homestead Manor was built by Francis Giddens between 1809 and 1819 after he and his family settled here on a Revolutionary War grant awarded to him for his service as a gunsmith. The house was the first large brick manor home in the area, and one of the few that has three stories. Homestead Manor was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

The land the manor sits on was the site of the Battle of Thompson's Station on March 5, 1863, where the Confederate Army, led by Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest clashed with Union troops. It was the county's second-largest military engagement during the Civil War.

The home served as a hospital for those wounded during the battle, and as a place of refuge for area residents who hid in the manor's cellar.

Land considered key
"For a long time in historic preservation we talked about the buildings, but really the landscape they're on really gives the context of the building. It's not just the structure, it's the land around it. And particularly this one, because it's battlefield land, it's even more important," said Eileen Hennessy, director of land protection for The Land Trust for Tennessee. "When people go back it won't be, 'Wow, I don't recognize anything.' They'll say, 'I'll remember.' This is a great way to do things as towns are tested by growth and change."

The goal is to create a contiguous stretch of preserved historic areas, from Franklin to Thompson's Station and one day on in to Spring Hill, preservationists say.

"We want to see what it can do to knit the fabric of this community together," said Jean C. Nelson, president and executive director of The Land Trust for Tennessee.

The nonprofit Land Trust for Tennessee was founded in 1999. Its mission is to preserve the unique character of Tennessee for future generations. To date nearly 17,000 acres of land has been put in trust, mostly through voluntary conservation easements given by private landowners.

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During the battle of Thompsons Station 17-year old Alice Thompson was watching the Battle from the cellar of "Homestead Manor" When she saw the the color bearer of the 3rd Arkansas Cav. fall to the ground, Alice sprang from it, picked up the flag and waved it over her head.

Colonel Samual G. Earle, of the Third Arkansas Cav. Regiment, saw her and shouted, "Boys a woman has your flag". Upon seeing this heroic action from one of their women, the Rebels raised a great battle cry and drove the Yankees back. While Alice held the flag, a bombshell fell within a few feet, throwing dirt all over her. Fortunately for her the shell did not explode And she was pushed back in the Cellar.

[larry_cockerham]

Steven, as you well know, Thompson Station is one of the few remaining locations in the south where an entire battlefield is still in more or less original conditon and is easily accessed and viewed. The challenge for the future will come from yankees wanting to build houses so they too can view the green hillside. This very generous gift by these folks will at least preserve the central part of the battle and give it breath for interpretation. For the northerners on the board who might not know about the battle, it was orchestrated by Van Dorn and Forrest. Complete Cofederate victory! About 1,200 prisoners from Wiconsin, I believe, taken by Forrest's flanking maneuver and a little help from Col. Kelly's cannons.

[larry_cockerham]

The Battle of Thompson's Station was a battle of the American Civil War, occurring on March 5, 1863 in Williamson County, Tennessee.

In a period of relative inactivity following the Battle of Stones River, a reinforced Union infantry brigade, under Col. John Coburn, left Franklin to reconnoiter south toward Columbia. Four miles from Spring Hill, Coburn attacked with his right wing, a Confederate Army force composed of two regiments; he was repelled. Then, Major General Earl Van Dorn seized the initiative. Brigadier General W.H. "Red" Jackson's dismounted 2nd Division made a frontal attack, while Brig. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest's division swept around Coburn's left flank, and into his rear. After three attempts, characterized by hard fighting, Jackson carried the Union hilltop position as Forrest captured Coburn's wagon train and blocked the road to Columbia in his rear. Out of ammunition and surrounded, Coburn surrendered, along with all but two of his field officers. Union influence in Middle Tennessee subsided for a while.

[larry_cockerham]

On March 3rd, General Rosecrans, of the Army of the Cumberland in Nashville, issued an order through his chief of staff, Brigadier General Charles C. Gilbert, commander in Franklin, to send a cavalry force down the Spring Hill Road (now the Columbia Pike) to investigate Confederate activity in that area. General John Coburn's brigade was selected to execute this mission since his troops were assembled and ready, eager for something other than camp duty. General Coburn was ordered to take with him a forage train to gather food from the countryside for the Franklin garrison. His brigade was composed of four infantry regiments: the 33rd Indiana (Coburn's old command) under Lieutenant Colonel James Henderson, the 85th Indiana with Colonel John Baird, the 19th Michigan commanded by Colonel Henry Gilbert and the 22nd Wisconsin led by Colonel William Utley. The 124th Ohio, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James Pickands was attached to Coburn's brigade.

Also in the command were about six hundred men from the 2nd Michigan, the 19th Pennsylvania and the 4th Kentucky, all veterans of a year of war. They were led by Colonel Thomas Jordan, second in command to Coburn. The weather was cold; some reports said it was snowing.

Coburn's forces were burdened by one hundred one wagons; most of the infantry regiments were brand-new to army life and none of the regimental commanders were professional soldiers. Coburn, Baird and Gilbert were lawyers, Utley a politician and Henderson a twenty-six year old teacher.

At 9 o'clock on the morning of Mar. 4th, Gen. Coburn, with 2,837 of his troops, marched out of Franklin with four wagons for each of his regiments in addition to eighty forage wagons strung out behind them in a long line. They passed the Harrison House, home of William Harrison - at one time a sheriff of Williamson County.

Confederate troops commanded by Major General Earl Van Dorn and Brigadier General Nathan Bedford Forrest were camped at Spring Hill, four miles south of Thompson's Station, on the Tennessee & Alabama Railroad. They, too, had begun a reconnaissance expedition toward Franklin to evaluate Union activity there.

There were twice as many Confederates in Van Dorn's command. It was divided into two divisions led by Brigadier Generals William Martin and William "Red" Jackson. Attached to Van Dorn was Forrest's brigade. All the units were cavalry. All the officers were native to the area, their information was good and the men were fit. All were battle veterans and led by very able officers. Major McLemore, in command of the 4th Tennessee, had been born less than two miles of the battle ground, and was thoroughly acquainted with every foot of the surrounding area.