The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-12-20
A TERRIBLE FIGHT.


An ex-Confederate officer who re-
Gently visited the spot where the battle
of Franklin, Tennessee, was fought
says: The good people of Franklin
may enjoy the distinction of having
furnished the locality of the bloodiest
battle in history, ancient or modern.
1t is recorded that Grant in one hour
lost 10000 killed and wounded at Cold
Harbor, but he had nearly 100, 900 men
to lose that number from-lO per cent
in sixty minutes. Gen. Hood, just be-
fore sunset Nov. so, 1864, moved about
IL, 900 Confederates against the strong
breastworks at Franklin, where his cas-
ualties were reported $500, or about 80
per cent in twenty-five minutes.
The soldiers under Gen. Schotield
were intrenched to the chin. A half
dozen forts belched their thunder from
as many hilltops-long lines of abattis
and chevaux-de-frise impeded every as
sault-all round the works shrapnel
and grape swept down our ranks from
fiery embrasureS.
The casualties in this handful of men
may be estimated when it is stated that
we lost thirteen generals killed, wound
ed, and missing. Down this red val
ley of death rode no Drawer soldier than
Gen. George W. Gordon, the youngest
Brigader in our Western army. can
see him in fancy now, as | saw him
then for the first time, mounted on a
fiery steed, his long hair swept back
ward by the breath of battle, as he rode
into that maclstrom of iron hail. be-
lieve he went over the works and was
captured. There fell, his noble breast
pierced through, the invincible Pat
Cleburne, the idol of his division as Of
his State. Gen. John Adams and his
little bay both fell dead together across
the enemy's breastworks. Gen. Thorn
as M. Scott was endorsed by the explo-
sion of a shell.
On the right of the McGavock pike
stands the old gin where gathered the
central whirlwind of the storm. Across
the broad, open fields leading from the
McGavock residence our doomed bat
talions marched. Along that line of
fence beyond his house the brave ranks
were formed look back across the
tide of twenty Hateful years, recalling
the then light heart and thoughtless
words of youthful ardor as we moved
into the fight. | see now, through a
mist of unbidden tears, the unreturning
braves who, in the face of that leaden
doom, with dauntless tread, passed
cover the perilous edge of battle to the
harvest home Of death" swept in the
twinkling of an eye from our sight for
ever into the shoreless gulf. ] wonder
now, as sit here and recall that terri
BILE day, how we could have been so
thoughtless and unconcerned. AS we
formed in line to move upon the foe,
Youthful eyes flashed fire and downy
cheeks glowed with the rapture of the
coming fight. ! know this surgeons
rendezvous full well, for along this
pathway, after the surgery, we passed
along to the friendly Shelter of Col.
John McGavock's house. There it
stands as it stood then-twenty years
ago! How dear to the old Rebel"
heart is the name of Col. John McGav-
ock and his family! How many torn
and bleeding bodies were borne into
this asylum! Through all the long
night the good man, assisted by his
wife and daughters, bent like minister
ing angels above the dying and the
dead.
Everything they had God bless them)
was devoted to their deeds of mercy.
But words lose their native force as in
memory | 90 back to that night of
ceaselcss ministrations.
There died Col. Nelson of the Twelfth
Louisiana. Both legs were crushed by
cannon ball and his bowels torn by
iron grape. Poor fellow! Such agony
for several hours few men ever endur-
ed. His eyes, through exhaustion
caused by pain, sank deep back into his
head before death came to his relief.
Give me forty grains of morphine, "
he called out all through the night
"give me forty grains of morphine and
let me die. ., can't die! My poor
wife and child-my poor wife and