12th Kentucky Cavalry CSA

[rgtaylor61]

Can anyone verify if the 12th Kentucky Cavalry CSA was in fact at Franklin?

 

[Stryker65]

The Kentucky Brigade was at Franklin, and the Colonel of the 12th, W. W. Faulkner, was in command of the brigade. Thus, the 12th Kentucky Cavalry was almost certainly at Franklin.

 

[Stryker65]

Taken from the following history of the Kentucky Brigade:
https://archive.org/details/historyof3d7th8t00geor/mode/2up

 

[Nathan Stuart]

I don't think the 12th. KY Cavalry CSA directly participated in the main assault on the Union fortified works at Franklin on Nov.30. (An assault that commenced at about 4 pm, followed by heavy fighting that lasted until around 9 pm).

In works read on the Confederate order of battle for Franklin, the 12th KY Cavalry appears listed as part of Col. Edward Crossland's Kentucky Brigade in Buford's Division of Forrest's Cavalry.

In the absence of any specific records found showing that the 12th KY was separately detached for other assignments, it may be instructive to follow the reported movements of Buford's command (which included the 12th KY) on that day to ascertain in what capacity (if any) this mounted regiment was engaged at Franklin.

At the start of the Confederate assault on Franklin from Winstead Hill (two miles south of Franklin), Buford's troopers were ordered to dismount and join the right flank of the infantry attack, alongside Stewart's Corps, in the area between the Lewisburg Pike and the Harpeth River (see 'OR': Vol. 45, Part 1, at page 754).

Buford's dismounted cavalry , advancing on Stewart's right, pushed Croxton's Federal Cavalry Brigade, posted on the west side of the Harpeth, back across the river at McGavock's ford (near the Carnton House, about three miles southeast of Franklin), and then waded across to the east bank to join 'Red' Jackson's troopers already on the other side. But the outnumbered Confederates were eventually forced to fall back, shortly after 7 pm, to the western side of the river by Wilson's troopers, reinforced by Wood's infantry division and because they were short of ammunition.(See 'Five Tragic Hours' by James McDonough & Thomas Connelly, at page 154).

[It was not until daylight the next morning on Dec. 1, that Buford's remounted command was again ordered to move across the Harpeth River and advance up the Wilson Pike, and strike the enemy at Owens Cross-Roads, (see 'OR': Vol. 45, Pt.1, at page 754)].

Further, Forrest's casualty returns for the month of November, '64, (see 'OR': Vol. 45, Pt. 1, at page 761) show that the12th KY suffered only five soldiers wounded (2 officers; 3 men) in a month that included the Franklin massacre. This return indicates (to me) that the 12th KY remained part of the Kentucky Brigade in Buford's Division during this period and the minimal casualty figures reported suggest that it did not participate in any heavy fighting at Franklin where higher casualty counts could reasonably be expected.

My interpretation of these reports and returns, accepting that the movements of Buford's troopers included the 12th KY (in the absence of any recorded separate detachments of the 12th KY), was that the 12th KY Cavalry was not part of the infantry attack on the Federal earthworks at Franklin or the fighting that ensued there over the next five hours. Instead, during the main Confederate assault, thought the dismounted 12th. KY was involved in light action across the Harpeth River in an engagement with Wilsons troopers and Wood's infantry about 3 miles south-east of the main battle, until forced to retire shortly after 7 pm. Thereafter, they remained in a state of readiness to launch a mounted assault (as part of Buford's Division) east of the Harpeth at daylight the next morning.

 

[rgtaylor61]

I don't think the 12th. KY Cavalry CSA directly participated in the main assault on the Union fortified works at Franklin on Nov.30. (An assault that commenced at about 4 pm, followed by heavy fighting that lasted until around 9 pm).

In works read on the Confederate order of battle for Franklin, the 12th KY Cavalry appears listed as part of Col. Edward Crossland's Kentucky Brigade in Buford's Division of Forrest's Cavalry.

In the absence of any specific records found showing that the 12th KY was separately detached for other assignments, it may be instructive to follow the reported movements of Buford's command (which included the 12th KY) on that day to ascertain in what capacity (if any) this mounted regiment was engaged at Franklin.

At the start of the Confederate assault on Franklin from Winstead Hill (two miles south of Franklin), Buford's troopers were ordered to dismount and join the right flank of the infantry attack, alongside Stewart's Corps, in the area between the Lewisburg Pike and the Harpeth River (see 'OR': Vol. 45, Part 1, at page 754).

Buford's dismounted cavalry , advancing on Stewart's right, pushed Croxton's Federal Cavalry Brigade, posted on the west side of the Harpeth, back across the river at McGavock's ford (near the Carnton House, about three miles southeast of Franklin), and then waded across to the east bank to join 'Red' Jackson's troopers already on the other side. But the outnumbered Confederates were eventually forced to fall back, shortly after 7 pm, to the western side of the river by Wilson's troopers, reinforced by Wood's infantry division and because they were short of ammunition.(See 'Five Tragic Hours' by James McDonough & Thomas Connelly, at page 154).

[It was not until daylight the next morning on Dec. 1, that Buford's remounted command was again ordered to move across the Harpeth River and advance up the Wilson Pike, and strike the enemy at Owens Cross-Roads, (see 'OR': Vol. 45, Pt.1, at page 754)].

Further, Forrest's casualty returns for the month of November, '64, (see 'OR': Vol. 45, Pt. 1, at page 761) show that the12th KY suffered only five soldiers wounded (2 officers; 3 men) in a month that included the Franklin massacre. This return indicates (to me) that the 12th KY remained part of the Kentucky Brigade in Buford's Division during this period and the minimal casualty figures reported suggest that it did not participate in any heavy fighting at Franklin where higher casualty counts could reasonably be expected.

My interpretation of these reports and returns, accepting that the movements of Buford's troopers included the 12th KY (in the absence of any recorded separate detachments of the 12th KY), was that the 12th KY Cavalry was not part of the infantry attack on the Federal earthworks at Franklin or the fighting that ensued there over the next five hours. Instead, during the main Confederate assault, thought the dismounted 12th. KY was involved in light action across the Harpeth River in an engagement with Wilsons troopers and Wood's infantry about 3 miles south-east of the main battle, until forced to retire shortly after 7 pm. Thereafter, they remained in a state of readiness to launch a mounted assault (as part of Buford's Division) east of the Harpeth at daylight the next morning.

Thank you for this information.