Battle of Franklin

Battle of Franklin. . (Left Panel) , Here occurred one of the most desperately fought battles of the entire War Between The States between forces (flag) under Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield, and the attacking (flag) Army of Tennessee under Gen. John B. Hood., Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas, commanding (flag) Tennessee Dept. had placed forces of Schofield in the area around Pulaski, Tenn. (50 miles south), to contest Hood’s (flag) advance north into Tennessee., Hood’s intent was to move on Nashville there to defeat forces (flag) under Thomas, thus cutting rail and other supply lines to Sherman and other (sic) (flag) in the Atlanta-Chattanooga areas., As Hood drove northward, Schofield retreated until overtaken by Hood (flag) at Columbia (23 miles south). Crossing Duck River east of Columbia, Hood almost succeeded in getting in Schofield’s rear at Spring Hill (10 miles south), but due to miscarriage of orders, Schofield escaped northward when within gunshot of Confederate forces., Enraged and frustrated, Hood threw most of his army, but with very little artillery present, against the strongest part of Schofield’s (flag) forces., (Right Panel) , About 16,000 Confederates were in action, the Corps of Stephen D. Lee and most of the artillery having been left at Columbia to detain Schofield., The attack was brief but bloody; the (sic) (flag) made furious charges between 3:30 and 9:00) P.M. with severe losses. In two (flag) brigades, all general and field officers were killed or wounded; a Major (sic) commanding Brown’s entire division at the end of the action., In the two (flag) assaulting corps, a major general, the brigadiers and 13 regimental commanders were killed; a major general, 4 brigadiers and 33 regimental commanders wounded, with one brigadier general captured; 8 regimental commanders were missing., Total (flag) casualties were over 6,300 in killed, wounded and missing. (Flag) forces(sic) numbered about 22,000, most of whom were in the action. Killed, wounded and missing numbered over 2,300. One general officer was wounded., By midnight, November 30, Schofield withdrew to Nashville: Hood followed closely the next day and invested the city. The decisive Battle of Nashville followed Dec. 15-16.