- Joined
- Feb 23, 2013
- Location
- East Texas
Part I of II
Since this is the anniversary of the Battle of Spring Hill, Tennessee, Nov. 29, 1864, which led on the following day to the Confederate disaster at Franklin I thought I'd share some photos from a memorable event commemorating the action which I attended as part of the medical department attached to the reenactment unit then known as Granbury's Brigade, seen above which was there representing its namesake. This was a sprawling affair held neither on the actual 140th anniversary dates of the battles nor on the actual battlefields, but instead the likely more pleasant first weekend in October on land that had seen part of the maneuvering and action of Spring Hill.
Oaklawn House
The authentic Confederate camps were on the grounds of the Thompson mansion Oaklawn which was used the night of Nov. 29 by General John B. Hood as his headquarters and where he slept while the Union army of Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield made its stealthy retreat under the very noses of the tired Rebel troops only a short distance away. In my photo below a group of ladies and Confederate staff officers can be seen on the side porch during a soiree or some other activity during the event.
Authentic Confederate Camps
The photo above shows only part of the very large Confederate authentic camp, no doubt much larger and nicer than anything the Army of Tennessee was capable of in the stressful Autumn of 1864. Below is a view from our hospital tent, so designated by the red flag. This was in the area of Confederate headquarters and although we had gone to considerable effort setting up our camp we had virtually no visitors at all during the four days this served as our "home". As usual, the Union camps were removed a good distance making visits a chore and the sutler area was likewise at some distance from our camp.
Franklin's Carnton House and McGavock Confederate Cemetery
Our group arrived sometime Thursday afternoon, September 30, 2004 and located our campsite and erected tentage, etc. The following day, Oct. 1, was the first day of planned activities but nothing really happened until the evening when a tactical representing Spring Hill was scheduled to occur on part of the actual battlefield. That gave us plenty of time for a side trip around noon to Franklin to visit parts of the battlefield there. We stopped briefly on Winstead Hill where our surgeon, member Doug Garnett ( @1863surgeon ) managed to start off by losing his newly purchased period glasses - an augury of what was to follow!
We only briefly stopped at the Carter House - and this was when Domino's and Pizza Hut were still very much in evidence! - so proceeded to the place I wanted most to visit, having never been there before, Carnton House. The photos above and below show the rear view including the porch where following the disasterous battle the bodies of four Confederate generals were brought from where they had fallen and laid side-by-side.
There were several groups of reenactors respectfully wandering through adjacent McGavock Cemetery below where the bodies of the fallen Confederates were interred in the years following the battle.
Next, Part II - The Reenactments
Since this is the anniversary of the Battle of Spring Hill, Tennessee, Nov. 29, 1864, which led on the following day to the Confederate disaster at Franklin I thought I'd share some photos from a memorable event commemorating the action which I attended as part of the medical department attached to the reenactment unit then known as Granbury's Brigade, seen above which was there representing its namesake. This was a sprawling affair held neither on the actual 140th anniversary dates of the battles nor on the actual battlefields, but instead the likely more pleasant first weekend in October on land that had seen part of the maneuvering and action of Spring Hill.
Oaklawn House
The authentic Confederate camps were on the grounds of the Thompson mansion Oaklawn which was used the night of Nov. 29 by General John B. Hood as his headquarters and where he slept while the Union army of Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield made its stealthy retreat under the very noses of the tired Rebel troops only a short distance away. In my photo below a group of ladies and Confederate staff officers can be seen on the side porch during a soiree or some other activity during the event.
Authentic Confederate Camps
The photo above shows only part of the very large Confederate authentic camp, no doubt much larger and nicer than anything the Army of Tennessee was capable of in the stressful Autumn of 1864. Below is a view from our hospital tent, so designated by the red flag. This was in the area of Confederate headquarters and although we had gone to considerable effort setting up our camp we had virtually no visitors at all during the four days this served as our "home". As usual, the Union camps were removed a good distance making visits a chore and the sutler area was likewise at some distance from our camp.
Franklin's Carnton House and McGavock Confederate Cemetery
Our group arrived sometime Thursday afternoon, September 30, 2004 and located our campsite and erected tentage, etc. The following day, Oct. 1, was the first day of planned activities but nothing really happened until the evening when a tactical representing Spring Hill was scheduled to occur on part of the actual battlefield. That gave us plenty of time for a side trip around noon to Franklin to visit parts of the battlefield there. We stopped briefly on Winstead Hill where our surgeon, member Doug Garnett ( @1863surgeon ) managed to start off by losing his newly purchased period glasses - an augury of what was to follow!
We only briefly stopped at the Carter House - and this was when Domino's and Pizza Hut were still very much in evidence! - so proceeded to the place I wanted most to visit, having never been there before, Carnton House. The photos above and below show the rear view including the porch where following the disasterous battle the bodies of four Confederate generals were brought from where they had fallen and laid side-by-side.
There were several groups of reenactors respectfully wandering through adjacent McGavock Cemetery below where the bodies of the fallen Confederates were interred in the years following the battle.
Next, Part II - The Reenactments
Last edited: