Maj. James W. Ratchford, adjutant general of Stephen D. Lee's staff, describes an encounter with Brig. Gen. William F. Brantley shortly after the fighting at Franklin had ended:
"After the firing had ceased, about midnight, I was sent along our corps front with orders from General Lee to the Brigadiers and Major-Generals to get ready for a renewal of the fight at daylight. … I found General Brantley, who had commanded a Mississippi brigade, sitting almost stupefied on the ground near the line of battle. I gave him the order, but he seemed not to hear me. I put my hand on his shoulder and tried to rouse him, repeating the instructions for his brigade. He mumbled, 'I have no brigade.' I asked him where the men were, and he replied, 'They're all dead.' I said, 'Surely not all,' and added that if he did not make some effort to get his men together, I would be compelled to report it to General Lee. He roused himself then and said, 'I'll see if there are any left.' … The next morning he had gathered up about two hundred men – all that remained of a whole brigade that went into the fight."
- Memoirs of a Confederate Staff Officer from Bethel to Bentonville edited by Evelyn Ratchford Sieburg and James E. Hansen II
Brantley's Brigade had lost 76 killed, 140 wounded, 21 missing at Franklin, which was more than any other brigade in Johnson's Division and was about 40% of the entire division's loss. Brantley's Brigade consisted of the 24-27th, 29th-30th, and 34th Mississippi Infantry. The brigade was one of the four in Maj. Gen. Edward Johnson's Division that was sent into battle at 7:00 p.m. (after dark) to hit the Federal right and support those of Cheatham's Corps. However, when they reached the field almost nothing was left of Cheatham's Corps except for the dead and wounded in front of the works; the survivors had either withdrawn or surrendered.
Brantley's Brigade was initially positioned behind Sharp's Brigade, but was moved up to the front line. As they neared the Federal line there was a blinding flash as the Yanks let loose a volley that ripped through their ranks. All brigade commanders of the division except for Brantley were wounded in the attack, leaving many leaderless and confused. Still, those who managed to reach the ditch in front of the Federal earthworks fought viciously. Some jumped over the works and fought hand-to-hand, and the Mississippians of Sharp's Brigade managed to capture three stands of colors.
Eventually the attack was called off by Johnson and the men made their way back individually if they could. Johnson's assault, ordered by Hood, was a worthless attempt. By 7:00 p.m. the initial attacks by Cheatham's and Stewart's Corps had already failed, and Johnson's Division could barely make their way through the dark. The division suffered 587 casualties in the assault with three of four brigade commanders wounded. The only success they could claim was sheer bravery and the colors they had captured.
A tintype of William F. Brantley.
http://msgw.org/webster/genwfbrantley.html
"After the firing had ceased, about midnight, I was sent along our corps front with orders from General Lee to the Brigadiers and Major-Generals to get ready for a renewal of the fight at daylight. … I found General Brantley, who had commanded a Mississippi brigade, sitting almost stupefied on the ground near the line of battle. I gave him the order, but he seemed not to hear me. I put my hand on his shoulder and tried to rouse him, repeating the instructions for his brigade. He mumbled, 'I have no brigade.' I asked him where the men were, and he replied, 'They're all dead.' I said, 'Surely not all,' and added that if he did not make some effort to get his men together, I would be compelled to report it to General Lee. He roused himself then and said, 'I'll see if there are any left.' … The next morning he had gathered up about two hundred men – all that remained of a whole brigade that went into the fight."
- Memoirs of a Confederate Staff Officer from Bethel to Bentonville edited by Evelyn Ratchford Sieburg and James E. Hansen II
Brantley's Brigade had lost 76 killed, 140 wounded, 21 missing at Franklin, which was more than any other brigade in Johnson's Division and was about 40% of the entire division's loss. Brantley's Brigade consisted of the 24-27th, 29th-30th, and 34th Mississippi Infantry. The brigade was one of the four in Maj. Gen. Edward Johnson's Division that was sent into battle at 7:00 p.m. (after dark) to hit the Federal right and support those of Cheatham's Corps. However, when they reached the field almost nothing was left of Cheatham's Corps except for the dead and wounded in front of the works; the survivors had either withdrawn or surrendered.
Brantley's Brigade was initially positioned behind Sharp's Brigade, but was moved up to the front line. As they neared the Federal line there was a blinding flash as the Yanks let loose a volley that ripped through their ranks. All brigade commanders of the division except for Brantley were wounded in the attack, leaving many leaderless and confused. Still, those who managed to reach the ditch in front of the Federal earthworks fought viciously. Some jumped over the works and fought hand-to-hand, and the Mississippians of Sharp's Brigade managed to capture three stands of colors.
Eventually the attack was called off by Johnson and the men made their way back individually if they could. Johnson's assault, ordered by Hood, was a worthless attempt. By 7:00 p.m. the initial attacks by Cheatham's and Stewart's Corps had already failed, and Johnson's Division could barely make their way through the dark. The division suffered 587 casualties in the assault with three of four brigade commanders wounded. The only success they could claim was sheer bravery and the colors they had captured.
A tintype of William F. Brantley.
http://msgw.org/webster/genwfbrantley.html
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