Franklin in Williamson County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
Battle of Franklin, Eastern Flank
McGavock Gristmill and Sawmill
Photographed By Brandon Stahl
1. Battle of Franklin, Eastern Flank Marker
Inscription.
Battle of Franklin, Eastern Flank. McGavock Gristmill and Sawmill. During the battle, Confederate forces charged a gristmill and sawmill that stood directly in front of you on the Lewisburg Pike. In antebellum Middle Tennessee, tobacco grew well in the north, while cotton blossomed in the south. Corn, wheat, and timber flourished around Franklin. This local surplus of grains and wood created a great demand for mills, and several were constructed. John McGavock and business partner C.C. Barrett erected their gristmill and sawmill here late in the 1850s to supply the town and countryside with fine flour and sawed lumber., The mill reflected the modern age as well as the ancient world. Although the machinery ran on belts and gears turned by a steam engine, the foundational device of the Industrial Revolution, a male slave whom McGavock purchased for $2,500 operated the boiler and mill. This high price (twice as expensive as most adult male slave) was due to his rare skills, he was essentially an engineer., The fates of the buildings and the slave are unknown. John McGavock likely sent the man southward early in the Civil War, as he did with most of his slaves, in an attempt to keep them from running away to freedom as Federal forces approached.
During the battle, Confederate forces charged a gristmill and sawmill that stood directly in front of you on the Lewisburg Pike. In antebellum Middle Tennessee, tobacco grew well in the north, while cotton blossomed in the south. Corn, wheat, and timber flourished around Franklin. This local surplus of grains and wood created a great demand for mills, and several were constructed. John McGavock and business partner C.C. Barrett erected their gristmill and sawmill here late in the 1850s to supply the town and countryside with fine flour and sawed lumber.
The mill reflected the modern age as well as the ancient world. Although the machinery ran on belts and gears turned by a steam engine, the foundational device of the Industrial Revolution, a male slave whom McGavock purchased for $2,500 operated the boiler and mill. This high price (twice as expensive as most adult male slave) was due to his rare skills—he was essentially an engineer.
The fates of the buildings and the slave are unknown. John McGavock likely sent the man southward early in the Civil War, as he did with most of his slaves, in an attempt to keep them from running away to freedom as Federal forces approached.
Erected by Tennessee Civil War Trails.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed
Location. 35° 54.614′ N, 86° 51.611′ W. Marker is in Franklin, Tennessee, in Williamson County. Marker can be reached from Eastern Flank Circle south of Lewsburg Pike (Business U.S. 431), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1368 Eastern Flank Cir, Franklin TN 37064, United States of America. Touch for directions.
The McGavock gristmill and sawmill may have looked similar to this one. Before the Civil War, Williamson County produced large quantities of grain, livestock, and timber. From the spring of 1862 onward, Union and Confederate armies fighting for control of this area stripped this bounty to supply and feed their ranks.
Photographed By Civil War Trust
5. McGavock Gristmill and Sawmill
Located on the Williamson Pike, the McGavock Mill was one of several that served Williamson County
Credits. This page was last revised on August 27, 2020. It was originally submitted on May 31, 2017, by Brandon Stahl of Fairfax, Virginia. This page has been viewed 302 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 31, 2017, by Brandon Stahl of Fairfax, Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.