Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-12-05
The Battle mt Franklin.


dent, under date of December ID, gives some
additional particulars of the battle al Franklin
The plan OF the battle was very simple. az
had no time to get up a complete plan as the en-
envy pressed Us too strongly and obliged Us to
fight ofi-hand. The original plan Was TO with
draw the forces Of Gen. Schofeld until meeting
our reinforcemcnts and then give battle in the
vicinity OF Nashville But the over -sangune
rebels pressed us too hard and when Gen. Scho
field perceived il. be could not avoid contest
and drew up his little army ia line OF battle in
front OF Franklin AT la lf-past three o'clock
the assault commenced. Cheatham's corps was
on the right, Stewards an the left. and ; ID
Lee corps in reserve in the centre. Chatham
threw his whole corps Wagner's division with
great impetuosisy, and after half au hours des-
peraie Sighting, pushed Wagner baek. On the
second line, where they became mingled with
COxs aud Rugers men on our left aud centre.
the rebels encouraged 10y their success in driving
Wagner back advanced with loud cheers on our
second line
Their order OF advance was very peculiar a
semi-circle two regiments deep, extended all
around our lines, and behind each alternate regi-
ment placed four others, so that the assault
ing columns were six regiments deep. Hood ap.
peared about Z. NJ at the head Of his column,
and pointing towards our lines, said: Break
those lines, bows, and you have finished the war
in Tennessee. Break those lines, and there Is
nothing TO oppose your march from Nashville 10
the Ohio river" Loud cheers answered the
rebel leader. and Immediately the whole space in
front Of our lines was crowded with advancing
multtudes. Captain Lyman, comm anding our
artillery brigade, 4th corps. had placed his bat
teres in the most favorable positions, and from
these storms of shot and shell was hurled into
the charging ranks With most reckless bravery
the rebels rushed on. and when within few
hundred yards of our works, our bows opened
upon them with 20 terrible musketry fire that
it seemed a. i nothing could live before IT. but
no waveFing was perceived in their advancing
lines On they came. rushing up to the very
parapet of our works. and stuck their bayonet'
under the logs on our battlements on the Colum
bia Pike. The pressure was so great that some
| o. Cox AMI Wagner men temporarily gave
way
Up to this time opdyke of the I25th Ohio had
been held in reserve. Col 0pdyke, by orders
| from Gen. Stanley, now rushed forward with hi
! brigade 20 restore the broken line The rebels
whoilad crowded over our works. had not tim,
TO retire. and Coxs and Wagner's men which
were broken but moment before. rallied, ant
attacked Re enemy on their flank while epdyk'
charged them in front. 4 desperate hand to
hand fight ensued with bayonets and butt-end
Of musks;s Hundr eds of'rebes were capture,
4 hcitf anu tbt itbC NdS icSbVttu iOt wv uOui
| and halt the battle ragged all along our lines
| the Of the 4th and 23d corps vieing with
each other in bravery. Riley's brigade OF 23C
corps fairly covered the ground in front of then
with rebel dead. The rebel Gen. Adams wa
killed, he and his horse fell into the ditch tc
| gether, in front of the 10th Ohio.
Seventeen attacks of the enemy were repulsed
and at dusk the rebels were repulsed at ali points
but firing did not until 9 O'Clock. A
least 1000 rebels were killed. wounded and cap
tured; while our loss probably is about 500
We have taken from the enemy thirty flags
some regiments. among them the 10Th Ohio
taking half dozen apiece. Gen. Schofed direct
ed the battle from the front On the north bank O
\ the stream. where some heavy guns and batterie
of the 23d corps were placed and which did grea
service in damaging the enemys right wing.