The weekly union record., 1864-12-10
Great Battle at Franklin, Tennessee
Hood Defeated with a Loss of 5000!

Hood Defeated with a Loss of 5000,
The following dispatches in relation to the
great fight at Franklin, Tennessee between the
Union forces under Generals Thomas and
Scho6eld and the rebels under Hood, give a
clear account of this glorious victory
FRANKLIN (Tenn.). Nov. 30.-The enemy
made heavy and persistent attack with about
two corps, commencing at P. NJ. and lasting
after dark. He was repused at all points with
very heavy loss probably five or six thousand
men. Our loss was probably not more than
onetenth that number, We captured about
one thousand men, including one Brgadier
General. SCHOFIELD.
NASHVILLE, Dec. 2.-The battle of Franklin
was one of the most brilliant of the war. For
three days, sharp skirmishing was kept up du
ring the retirement of our army from Duck
river TO Franklin, during which time a multi
plicity of successes resulted to the national
arms. General Cox conducted a fight on the
29th, and achieved q splendid victory over the
rebels at Spring Hill, while General Wilson 5
cavalry gained series of important successes
over Forests advance, under Roddy, on the
pike between Triune aud Spring Hill During
the afternoon of November Both, the rebel
army sorely pressed US under Hood, who had
Cheatham and Stewards corps and a portion
of Dick Taylors command, numbering alto
gether 22,o00 Owing 10 Cox's gallant check
at Spring Hill, portion of the Fourth and
Twenty fifth Corps were enabled to gain
Franklin early in the day. They drew up in
lines OF works extending from one and to the
other of the curves 10 the river behind which
0ur ont inf apfr
four o'cloc P. NJ, the entire rebel force made
charge succeeding in making break on the
center commal ded by Wagner With charac
teristic impetuosily, the enemy, comprising
Cheatham's corps, dashed into the works, co
operating with the attacking party on their
left and attempting to envelop.and destroy our
right. 10 the nick of time, the troops of
Wagner were rallied. and, throwing their whole
force on the rebel column. drove back the
storming party in great disorder, capturing
several prisoners. -Four times the rebels
charged in three lines and were repulsed as
often with great slaughter. The rebels num-
bered at least two to our one. Nearly one half
the Fourth and Twentythird Corps were in
reserve. Our breast works were not over knee
high. The rebel loss in killed is three times
ours, and their wounded six times more than
livered with great accuracy. Their ammunition
consisted chiefly of shot and shell while for two
hours an immense quantity of more murdercus
missiles were hurled with fearful fury into the
rebel lines. The attempts of the rebels 10 gain
a permanent advance were frustrated and at
dark the Federal position was unchanged The
rebels retired under cover of the woods south
of tie Columbia pike. An artillery duel was
kept up till near midnight, when our troops
commenced crossing the Harpelh river, bringing
all the trains over in safety before daylight.
The army then retired to within four miles OF
this city, at which point our front line confronts
the enemy. The falling back of the army is in
accordance with the programme. The battle
at Franklin, although one Of the most brilliant
victories, was an Impromptu affair, brought
about by the necessity of checking the rebel
advance and iDsuring q safe crossing of the
river by our trains. Commodore Fitch is here
with fleet of boats and iron cladS. Sufficient
forces have arrived to insure not only the safety
of Nashville, but another Union victory IN case
OF battle.
The correspondent; of the Cincinnati Gazette
gives graphic account of the battle. He
says:
The rebels, encouraged by the success of
driving Wagner back, advanced with loud
cheers on our strong line. Their order of ad
vance was very peculiar. They came in
semi circle, two regiments deep, extending all
around our llne and behind each alternate reg
iment were placed four others, so that the as
saultiug columns were six regiments deep.
Captain Lyman, commanding the artillery
brigade of the Fourth Corps, had placed his
batteries in favorable position and from these
storms of shot and shell were hurled into the
charging ranks. With most reckless bravery.
the rebels rushed on, and when within . few
hundred yards of our ranks. our boys opened
upon them with so terrible musketry fire that
it seemed as if Dohing could live before it but
no wsvering was perceived in the advancing
lines. On they came. rushing up 10 the very
parapets of our troops. and they stuck their
bayonets under the edge of the battlemeuts
On the Columbia pike the pressure was so
great that some of Cox's and Wagner's men
temporarily gave way. AT this time a brigade
commanded by Colonel Opdyke. Of the One
Hundred and Twenty-Fifth Ohio, which had
been held in reserve. rushed forward 10 restore
the broken line. The rebel troops who had
crawled over our works had not time to retire
and Coxs and Wagner's men, broken but a
moment before, rallied and attacked the enemy
on the flank, while Opdyke charged them in
front. A desperate hand to hand fight ensued
with hayonets and butt ends of muske,s Some
of the rebels were captured here, and the line
restored. For two hours and half the battle
ragged sl along the lines. The men OF the
Fourth and Twenty-third Corps Wed with each
other in bravery. Riey's brigade of The
Tweniy-third Corps covered the ground in front
of it with rebel dead. Seventeen distinct at
tacks Of the enemy were repulsed. At dusk,
the rebels were repulsed at all points but the
firing did not stop until nine o'clock P. ". At
least 5000 rebels were killed, wounded and
captured. while our loss will probably reach
1900. We have taken from the enemy thirty
flags; some regimenis-among them the Sew
en,ieih Ohio-tsking bslf a dozen apiece.