The Carter Farm

The Carter Farm. The Bloody Field of Franklin. For several hours on November 30, 1864, this area was the scene of some of the bloodiest close-quarters combat of the Civil War. Federal Gen. Thomas Ruger’s Division and Confederate Gen. John Brown's Division battled each other with unbridled violence long into the twilight and darkness of that evening. Those who survived the combat often tried and failed to adequately describe what had happened. For a few moments it seemed as if Brown’s troops might be able to drive Ruger’s men from their position. But almost as quickly, the Confederate advantage vanished through a series of fast-paced and interconnected events. First, some of the Federal troops from the advanced and main lines who had been driven back began to rally in this general area along the secondary, or reserve, line. Next, the 44th Missouri Infantry courageously held its position, becoming an anchor that held the Confederate breakthrough in check. Then, after a few furious moments, at least four regiments from Col. Emerson Opdycke’s Brigade rushed into the breach from behind you and helped stabilize the line closer to Columbia Pike All three actions doomed Brown’s battered division. Col. Ellison Capers, 24th South Carolina Infantry, Brown’s Division, wrote afterward, “Torn and exhausted, deprived of every general officer and nearly every field officer, the division had only strength enough to hold its position.” The man toll in this area was very heavy. River suffered about 700 casualties and Brown’s Division tallied almost 1,200 killed, wounded, and missing.