The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-04-05
qhR Battle Of Franklin.
oxr OF THE MOST FEARFUL
oN' 'STRUGGLES OF THE WAR.

oxr OF THE MOST FEARFUL
oNh sTRUGGLES OF THE WAR.
J;u,. Samuel Hunt, Of Gen Stephen
f"N ! ll[. Sad in Charleston Weekly Nc~s.
I, was near the close of September,
,mt The Western Army, after the
i'", is"a retreat before Gen. Sherman and
!yn .vne siege of Atlanta, was resting for
wv. wv dsvs near Palmetto, Ga. Gen. John.
i." .oo M had recently been removed and Gen.
I"oj had assumed command of the
army. The army after this long retreat
.senied S.@ much dispirited. About the Goth
II ofSep,ember it was reviewed by Presi.
S.nt Davis aud Gen. Hood. Some of
I ,bs troops cheered the President with
sntblsiasm, m but others cried, Give us
Gsn @ Johnston. Give us Gen. John.
. .,ou !" Gen Hoods corps commanders
nS,e ,.O Lieutenant Generals Cheatham,
S,swart STOW and S. ID. Lee, upon whose staff
had the honor of an appointment.
Can Lees division commanders were
Major. Generals Johnson, Clayton and
S,ephenson. The army WAS now about
IA change its tactics. Instead of the de.
isn.iye il was about to assume the often.
.;ye: instead cf the long retreats it had
h,.n accustomed tG make it was now
sbou. 10 make
A FORWARD MOVEMENT.
On the Goth of September Lees corps
cros,ed the Chattahoochee River, and
bpyau the march towards the Tennessee.
In order that my story be not too long,
.ball have to omit many minute details
Of the march. We marched day after
day through rain and mud, and continued
mill we reached the Tennessee River.
We saw but little of the enemy during
the march, except at Resaca, and about
six miles beyond that plsce q severe
skirmish took place. Only two brigades
of Gen. Johnson's division were engaged
in this. About the 2lst of October the
army reached Gadsden, Alabama, where
clothes and shoes were issued to the men,
BY this time, too, q great change in its
condition had taken place. The men
we're in fine spirits and anxious to move
forward. On the 29th the corps reached
The Tennessee River near Florence, Ala
bsma. Gen. Lee Immediately proceeded
to cross. The river here is very wide,
and Florence was occupied by about
1880 Federal cavalry. BY means of
poutoon boats two bridges were first
thrown across, and it was q beautiful
sight TO see each little boat viii, its
gusd Of men advancing in line of battle
90 The water under the cover of several
batteries of artillery. AS soon as the
! troops landed they charged and drove
the enemy from Florence. The 1st of
November found the whole corps across
the Tennessee and in position beyond
4 Florence. We remained here neatly
three weeks. On the 2Uth of November,
the other two corps having crossed the
river, the whole army was again in mo-
ton, moving towards Columbia, Tennes-
see, Lees Corps in advance. We arrived
4 in front Of Columbia on the evening of |
November 26th. The enemy were here
in strong force under the command Of |
j Gems. Thomas and Schofeld. Their |
pickets were at once driven in and we
] remained in the vicinity nearly two
4 days. On the night of the 9th they
evacuated their works in Columbia,
4 crossed Duck River and entrenched |
4 themselves on the other side across the
i pike road leading to Franklin. II was
The purpose Of Gen. Hood to attack them
before they reached Nashville. With
4 this end in view, Gems. Cheatham and
Stewart with their corps and one division
a Of Lees corps were directed to cross
4 Duck River above Columbia, get in their
lear and make the attack, whilst Gen.
4 Lee with his two divisions of infantry
and all the artillery should operate in
their front. There on the 28lh of No.
'enber occurred perhaps one of the
Il most
TERRIBLE ARTILLERY DUELs
! Of the war. From early morn until late
10 the evening the air resounded with
Toe thunder of artillery, and the roar of
uusketry could be heard for miles anu
miles around, while the whole sky seemed
lighted up from the flashes Of the burst
ing bombs. Among the killed that day
y vas the brave Col. Beckham, chief of
artillery in Lees Corps. A braver man
man be never drew q sword in defence
Of hs country.
During the fight Gen. Lee sent me
WIN message to Col. Beckham. l
nand him standing on large fiat rock,
near bis guns. He was nobly cheering
Y IHTen whilst solid shot and shrieking
nels were bursting and tearing around
lln. But there he stood, firm as the
Nek Itself. 1t was the last message he
i,el received. In less than half an hour
hewas killed.
zen. Hoods programme here, though
q q y sey planned, failed in execution.
M.s das enemy succeeded in passing around
%.s pofuon of the army in their rear,
sSu mus made their escape. Early on
ae morning Of the Both Gen. Lee dis
c%,eled that they had left his front at
SHSluela. He Immediately crossed
LUCE Eiver and moved after them to.
laaa franklin. The distance from Co.
81 .snoa 70 Franklin is about twenty -four
Ila. He arrived in front of the place
S,. S halt' past 4 O'Clock p. m. Gems.
Sas SSasa.eam and Stewart had formed their
l. ,.l. aaa were now advancing to the at
Leea corps, with the exception of
n.aw n.asns division, was held in reserve.
!, i,saam -. was the left, Stewart the right.
a,S, vas lovely evening in November.
,nS SSsI.e ,h breeze lightly famed the air,
psm.s u .ae sun, with its departing beams,
H., Gsa 70 iinger upon the stern faces of
md Eager pressing column. Forward
ps.,,a all onward, it steadily pressed,
NJ ana nearer to the breastworks
SSsps S wen. The Federals behind their
WOUNDED TIGER AT BAY.
~ =, aey pressed, the whole line steady
M d.sau Su Pafade. A; wreath of smoke, a
II ans. vi name and the roar Of thousands
s,ss us a.. now burst from the Federal
asdI. !he column recoiled before this
DAN Wi1hering FIRE as the missiles Of
r,s h,s swept through their ranks. II
ao,.S ~ ;of moment. Quickly they