The New York herald., 1864-12-05
IHR BATTLE OF FRANKLIN.
Oar NashviiIe correspondence.

Oar Nashviile Correspondence.
NAsHvLLs, Tenn, Dec. l, 1864.
he vigorous OF tho General Hood for
week past have eliminated 10 battle OF considerable
magnitude, and in tho sgaal repulse and defeat OF
army. This morning the people Of this city wild with
conflicting Of victory and defeat OF safety
and our capture, Of triumph and disaster There
hundreds to welcome any positive Of defeat.
There are thousands who rejoice 10 tho report Of the
signal repuse OF the enemy but faint hearted at the
nsntIoo q the fact-now certain-that We have this
morning. aSandooed the weil.won Hed and retreat
Ing Nashville. The explanation of this retrograde
movement 10 simplc and you will Gnd in this brief
count which send you tho full history OF why We
fought, and Why, when the victory won, aban.
Aoned the 6Id
COUNCIL AT TuscuxMA, ALABAMA.
On the 18Th ut. Hood and Beaureeard sti at Tus
sumbia with their armies resting on either side Of the
Tennessee river, as Florence awaiting the anticipated
retreat Of sherman from Atlanta. Persons who
there at the time report that on the morning Of the 18th
u November Hood, Beaaregard aud the several corps
commanders At Tuscumba, In the highest spirits at
the prospect Of Sherman's discontinue. mutual ad.
mmation society formed with Bsaursgard as prnci
PAL each congratulated the others and themselves
ahe grand Of their grand strategic movement
me rst OF Shermans nglorous evacuation OF At.
anta and disastrous retreat to Nashville hourly ex
pscted. council OF war was in session at Tuscunba,
n which new plans for the destruction OF Sherman aud
The invasion OF kentucky wore discussed. Beau.
regard congratulated himself upon the fact that
- was 70 repeat Bragg's campaign OF 1862.
which he claimed TO havo planned and
vas now 20 conduct 10 person Hood imagined himself
leading legons TO unnumbered victories Cheat
ham imagined himself storming the bat.ements Of his
owu city, aud Alexander Stewart pictured himself once
strutsing the halls OF Lebanon College, The rebel
lsaders In the highest gee imaginable, when there
came, bomshels bursting n their midst, dispatches
from Wheeler and Cobb, At Macon, saying that sherman
had abandoned Atlanta indeed but that he marching
Macon. The utmost confusion followed and the coun
s OF returned 10 the consideration OF plans to
Shwars ihs impending disaster. But moment before
shey jubant this a. yet, fryitless success.
Row they CONSERVATION at the prospect In Geor
eia II WAS understood that the council OF bad
solved that Beauregard and Dick Taylor with the atter
army should rush 10 the OF Georgia, wbo Hood
should push rapidly upon Thomas and crush him,
eject, morally and strategicaliy, 10 snermans move
neut. The same day BeaureSnrd and Dick Taylor left
9uscumb Corinth where they answered the cry for
hep Georeia and Hood began hts preparations for
bis advance Nashville. The baggage and transporta
Sion of his army we're Immediately reduced, and oil the
extra supplies sent TO the One wagon alone was
allowed TO each headquarters Ony the bost animals
ordered forward and the army was pronounced &c
De In splendid condition for rapid march.
Le was n advance and already across tho river the
Get de p,r protecting the poutoou bridge which spanned
4 Florence. Forrest oast OF the stream, at ga.
vannah, and all 10 readiness for the On
che 10th utimo the advance began rebel infantry
noving rapidly forward upon waynesboro aud Law
senceburg, thus nsnkng our p sition at Decatur
aud Pulaski, aud on the limo or the Huntsville
Railroad, aud causing their evacuation The Infantry
we're al waynesboro and Lawrenceburg the night Of
November a. while the cavalry was pressing forces
81 Pulaski On the morning ot The 23j Hood continued %
press forward from waynesboro upon Columbia. and
She day General r. w. Johnston, commanding AZ
Pulaski, evacuated that position and tell back upon
Columbia. On the 23d finding he too late TO cut on
the forces at Pulaski, Hood went into camp unt
Pleasant, concentrating bis troops aud making ds
positions Forrest had now take the advance Of tho
army In person. and the morning of tho Gath engged
troops, under Colonel Caprou in front Of Coum Dia
Al the Same time Hood msrchog north BY roads
lying west OF tho Decatur aud Alabama Railroad, and
connecting with the railroad near Sprins Hili
FIGHT AT CoLtMmA.
Colonel Caprou's small force In fsout OF Columbia vros
gradually forced back upon that place by the over
wbeming numbers OF Forrest. Hs had been driven
back nearly into tho towp when he WIS oruhaey rein.
forced by Cox's corps bc rwenyhrdl which had boeu
sent Onward TO cover the retreat whch WAS ren.
dercd necessary by tho fanking operations of Hood.
General Cox took up position about milo "a front OF
Columbia, and, being reinforced by Woods disson Of
Ftpneys corps, enabled 10 hold his own tbroughou
tbs day, and give Forrest severe drubhug The enemy
took up position 10 the houses In the vlciny
aud kept up brisk skirmish during tho rest of the
day. Ihe next morning the dismounsel cavalry
o. Forrest made persistent attack but was acfesd
with severe loss hc rebel general was evidently there