The Portland daily press., 1883-03-16
Death at Franklin,
"a Battle in Which Thirteen Rebel Gener-
ais Gained Their Independence.

&c. E. Roberts in Philadelphia Timesl
was the Both of November, 1864. At 4
o'oNckin the afternoon The line of battle
Waformsd, Stewart CD the right, Cheatham
on te left, heir right and left tanks inter-
lock- like Pagthian shields, composing the
cent? Gen. Stephen D. Lees corps was
held reserve. Clsburne's position was in
the cere; his division formed in three bat
tie ilntand he atits head. Thus arranged,
HooG she was nearly two miles long, adj
yancln Curved like Mussulman's scimi-
tar win ne blade to the foe. But let us
follow Csfnne. Bugles were blowing,
drums being and bands playing. A couri-
er dashedo to Cleburne's presence and
soon the ord Attention. was given
then 'FcrNd, marchv' and the column
passed over hill and through the little
sklrt OF Wooa Soon they emerged into an
open field ansteadily thew passed on with
proper caaen' toward the rampant Of
blood ana deaf The federal batteries be-
gan 10 open. st came solid shot booming
over the eartn I'd tearing and crashing
through the ram then the shrieking shells
new tnrough ther on the wings of de-
structioii, purstih under and above and
around inc men, at every explosion IN
plnding more eVISlan ever flew out of
Iahaora poA. :, l light was coming on.
FORWARD meh! repeated all along the
| their ranks. But thaen pressed forward
until the terrific roaran from center to
! flank, from wing to w
Night came and II two armies fouobt
| like two blind giants ilespair Cleburne's
| old war cry rang out ale the din Of arms
ssFollow me, boysp' OF AGAIN and arain
and again. seven times, t.hnrne,s division
and indeed all of Hood srnv CHARGED the
breastworks. And once can and aoain
and again, seven times, We 3ev rennIsed
Every time they formed an Horned nm.
der most CALLING fire. Alton time inst
after dusk, Cleburne captura ABORTION If
the works and turned the gus I .. federal
battery on their former owners; b If was
only for few Moments little ,var riff
in the battle clouds that enveoped,im in
darkness. 1t was the hottest fire .hurne
had ever met. 1t was but one sim nj
blazing hell. Confederates were on ( e;de
of the breastworks and federals on the be a
Men fell fiat on their faces and fred .o,,,
behind the bodies of their dead comles
Dead soldiers filled the intrenchmSss
Blood made the earth as slippery as an
pond. Thus the firing was kept up III
after midnight, and gradually died out.
both armies held their own. The confed
ates passed the night where they were, j
outside the breastworks. The federals, o
few feet off, held their cover until d
break, when they quietly marched away 9
retreated back to Nashville.
But when the morroW's sun began to Ii
up the sky the surviving soldiers looked
upon sad battle field. The dead were pi
one on top of the other in awful heaps
the wounded seemed thicker than the
counted stars. Horses, like men, had
game upon the defenses. Cleburne's b.
lay there on top of the breastworks, CHA
in the sleep Of death, peresd With 4 blu RHl
lore feet on top of the works, dead in I
position.
Not far from where Cleburne lay was s,
the dead body of Gen. Adams. His he
~ ne dfsat g, g. Of thesWo
eral seemed to have been caught so thai
was held to the horses back, sitting bolt
right in his saddle. as if living, riddled ;
torn with balls. Gen. Stahl Law by the re
side and his horse by his side both de
and all his staff. Gen. G1st, from So
Carolina, was lying with his Sword. rea
ing across the breastwork, still grasped
) his hand. He, too, was dead. Gen. On
berry of Texas and his horse were Sc
: horse and rider, right on top of the bre
works, dead. All dead! -Four thous
five hundred soldiers all lying side by
/ in death. Thirteen confederate gene
were killed and wounded. Six broth
, members of Mississippi regiment, wer,
dead 'sThis was the bleodiest picture
9 the book of timer'