The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-01-13

r4
seven miles, Stewart sent word to the
rear that he had brought the Fcdefals to
bay,-and they were two miles in MS
front, in line Of battle, occupying ridge
of hills.
BY the time disposition Of our forces
was made for an assault, the Yankee CO.
lumns broke into marching order and
moved On as before. A short distance
ahead the Federals again made a stand.
We prepared as before to attack. No
sooner were the preparations complete,
however, than the Yankees resumed
their march, and thus gained ti,se for
their wagon trains and artillery. On
reaching the last-nsncd ridge on which
the enemy had halted, we saw before us
the town of Franklin, and in frcnt osf ii
three strong lines of battle, in three
heavy series of brcastwo,ks.
"At first it was thought best, by reason
OF the lateness Of the hour-it now being
asternoon-to delay the attack until day
light Of the following morning, and then
to open with Il park Of one hundred
pieces Of artillery, and follow this can
nonade with charge; but the object Of
General Hood was to defeat the Yankee
army before it reached the outskirts of
Nashville, and he feared, from its demo-
ralized condition, that it would escape
during the night. AN attack was, there
fore, ordered to be made at once. Stewart
and Forrest made detour to the right,
and by o'clock had struck the enemy
stunning blow on his left nanl1 Cheat
ham now moved up, and joining his
right as near as practicable to Stewards
left, the battle was joined and waged
with ferceness On both sides.
"Thousands Of our soldiers were stand
ing once more on their own native soil,
and some in Sight of their own homes,
and they fought with every incentive in
their hearts that can urge manhood to
do noble deeds. The enthusiasm of the
troops was glorious-the country vast
unbroken plain, as level as tablc-and
the sight of those long dark lines, fringed
with tire and smoke, with twenty~thou-
sand rifles mingling their sharp notes
with the deeper thunders of the artil-
lery, was well calculated to inspire the
hcroiSm which impelled our army On to
victory; generals, hrigadiers and
colonels rode in front oftheir commands,
waving hats and urging On the troops
Men fell wounded and dead-great rents
were tore-but, with the steadiness OF
veterans, the gaps were filled by the
living, and the column moved on.
"The first line of breastworks was
swept clean. Our loss had been great.
The noble Cleburne fell, shot through
the head with four balls, and died on the
ramparts. Gist, previously wounded in
the leg, had refused to leave the field,
limping along on foot cheering bis men,
finally received a ball through the breast,
that took away his precious life; while
Brown, Manigault, johnson, Strahl, and
scores of field and staff officers, who had
exposed themselves at the head of their
troops, were either killed or wounded
Still our men faltercd not. Dashing on,
they reached the second line. The Fede-
rails were stubborn. On the right they
had charged Bates division and gained
a momentary advantage; but recovering.
that gallant officer was again at the front,
dtitt, Will ms UIGSC - -CllIItoSCaLo, .ttliiS
splendid service.
"For q time the Yankees held tyer
breastvorks, and the fighting was hand
to hand between those in the ditch on
the outside and those behind the en-
trenchments. But the struggle was not
long, and again the foe was flying across
the field 1t was night, however, and
the difficulties Of continuing the battle
so great, that at 2 o'clock A. M:, save
the occasional spattering of musketry.
the grand chorus Of battle was at an
end. The next morning it was dis
covered that the Federals had evacuated
the position and were in full retreat to
Nashville. 1t was likewise discovered
that Thomas had been largely reinforced,
and thus enabled to make the stubborn
resistance which had not been antici-
pated by General Hood"