The Carter Farm

The Carter Farm. The Breakthrough. Elements of four Confederate divisions rushed toward you on November 30, 1864, to assault the Federal line behind you. Gens. Patrick R. Cleburne, Samuel G. French, John C. Brown, and Edward C. Walthall commanded the divisions. Their men hailed from Tennessee, Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri and Alabama, and were among the toughest troops in the Army of Tennessee. Many were veterans of Shiloh, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, and Atlanta., Hundreds of men from Union Gen. George D. Wagner’s Division also raced by here with the surging Confederates in pursuit. They held an advanced line a half mile in front of you until the Southern assault overran them. As they fled toward the main Federal line, at first their comrades held their fire, but eventually the earthworks exploded with lead and iron against the pursuers., The charging Confederates crashed into the works between Columbia Pike and the Carter cotton gin just before sundown. Union Gen. James W. Reilly’s Brigade, one of three brigades in Gen. Jacob D. Cox’s Division, held at first. The 6th Ohio Battery’s two guns, posted near the Carter cotton gin at an angle in the line, inflicted horrific losses on the Confederates. Then the assault’s momentum cracked the Federal position amid vicious hand-to-hand fighting. The 100th Ohio Infantry, closest to the Columbia Pike, fell back, as did part of the 104th Ohio Infantry, which stretched east to the cotton gin. The Confederates overran the 1st Kentucky Light Artillery’s four guns and briefly held the advantage, but it would be short-lived.