The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-02-07
BATTLE OF FRANKLIN.
ACCOUNT OF AL EVENT TWENTY
YEARS AGO.
Fanny Courtney's Dcscrip tion-Tcr crribie
lighting on the Retreat to Nashville
In the Midst of the Fight-In
the Hospital.


November 20 1914, the battle of Franklin,
Tenn. was fought, and in the opinion of
the lest military students, its success made
possible the defense OF Nashville, rs Hool :
army had to halt after the battle Co recuper-
ate, In Response to = request OF tie United
States sanitary comm ss:on, who sought to
gather all the facts they could in reference
10 the battle, the report, from which tho fol
lowing extracts are made, waswritten under
date OF March, 1865. 1t is OF especial inter.
est, "a the authorass of il, who was the
daughter of Confederate then residing
there. Is now the wife Of Cen T.. {. Caring
ton, u. =. A., and u resident of Boston. The
report was addressed 10 f. Roo, Esq =,
I United States sanitary commission Nash
Vile
"On the morning of Nov 80, tho retreat
ing army arrived at this place, tired AMI
almost exhausted; but, notwithstanding this,
they commenced Immediately throwing up
breastworks. Nou would have teen as
touished 10 see how quickly the WORK was
comllated, and with what siren tn. We
felt great unaasineSs of mind, fearing that
there would ba a great battle We asked of
almost every oac passing II that would lie
the case They replei: we will only
skirmish with the rebels till wa get our own
Z
Nashville
"iiut We were doomed to disappointment
About $50 O'Clock, was sitting at tho din
ncr table, when hearl the roar Of artillery.
/ ran into tbs yard to listen. There
was skirmishing for few moment,
only, when with a tremendous yell, and
tho "-hals mIdo a charge alonI the
whole liu". The bullets were rut.i-- 40.
thick it was unsafe TO remain longer l
stool within tue door, and IN a few minutes
al was in perfect confusion. Non, women
ana children wcro running ia every direction
together with unmanagab.e teams, loose
horses and mules. My position was no longer
safe. hastenel TO tho cellar with the rest
Of the family aud cishbois who sought pro
lection with Us. The smoke was so densl
that darkness came on very soon. Oh, how
happy wa felt when it WAS really dark; Tor
then, Wc Thought, tho lighting would he
over. But, alas, the charges were fearful,
ami made with rcdonbed fury the darker it
grew. About 10 o'clock suddenly tho firing
ceased for "A few hours.
"A"oth r desp rate charge Such ye.ls!
never can forget them! ran again into
the cellar In very short time three
wounded Federal soldiers came i'll from the
battlefield, ana stopped in the yard, for
mrn outside to bring them into the cellar
! Two were slightly wounded. The thirl was
strJck in tho arm, and the main artery was
cut. 10 was bleeding profuscly. One oi
the mel lhLors ran up. at the risk Of his life,
ali brought n bucket Of water. Ny
mother hai some cotton near.
poured water on the wound for some
time / then put cotton OH each side, wh,r
the ball cntcrei and came out, bound IL W
with nay handkerchief, and, with two Others
belonging to my sister aud little brother,
made for him sling. lie lay down to rest,
lut complained Of being cold from loss OF
blood. had nothing u cover him with.
/ What WAS TO do' A thought struck me.
! / took OIL my wooden skirt AMI tucked il
/ round him. he remained for some time,
: ta"'"sa All the while bleeding n little HIS
conrade decided 10 try To ovntaRe an am.
/ hulance with him, and | suppose they did,
/ as they did not return.
"Soun fire broke out ia town. II was
/ fearful enough, for we thought OF nothing
else but being harmed alive in tho cellar, a.
there was no way Of getting out, If the fire
continued TO spread The rebels could see
the position OF our forces, and consequently
the fighting was more terrific. Several
| buildings were consumed, but, thanks % a
kind Providence, the fire was extinguished
ly tho timely interference OF soldiers, as.
sisted by citizens. About thirteen chargesin in
all wevo made by the rebels. At midnight
the Federal army began 10 retreat, the
wagon trains being safe, and gradually the
firing ceased Oh! how grateful we felt II
God that ID was over, as we thought Of tn,
dying and dead OF the battlefield.
"At O'Clock, again, such cannonadiug
~ tl..a n ~ n L A
the house, and everything seemed in motion
above and below. 1t was farewell SALUTE
sent by the rebels to tho retreating army
now far away ! was frightened.
sIrang up and aroused every ono to get u
the cellar Immediately or VIC should bs
killed Iremaincd TO close the house, to ds
which, though it took me but two minutes
seemed an age. just as / reached the cellar
| door toutsido the house, shell exploded
closely, and had been three seconds later ia
passing should have been struck by some OF
/ the fra gments which few about In about
half an hour we knew that the battle had
/ ended
while we sat thinking and talking OF thu
dreadful night we had passed we heard foot
steps at the door. The bell rang, and
| with strange, nervous feelings
/ opened the door, who should stand face t.
face with mo but my own dear brother and
/ cousin They were just from tho field
/ Words are inadequate Ia express my happi
mes Thy had been in the rebel army over
/ three years. We had not seen them for two
/ years. There wos CONSERVATION i'll tho house
/ for whiie. Ny mother was overjoyed that
she was onco more permitted TO clasp hei
! boy To her heart. He remained with US one
/ day AMI night, AMI then rejoincd his COM
mand near Murfreesboro We saw him nc
/ more
Early the next morning, after the battle
/ | went Ia the field. Tho sight was dreadful
( II seemed that could scarcely move fol
: fear OF stepping on men, either deal or
/ wounded. Ny mother ard took charge oi
! ~ wounded men, who occupied tho Prcsby-
ter.an church. it being the largest Federal
| hospital ami, with what time we could
/ spare, assisted a. another, which was in a
/ house owned by my mother and near oul
I own home. When we first went to the hos
I lital the wounded men told us that they Ead
| had nothing 10 cat for two days. We frs.
! furnished them with bread, meat, tea
AMI coffoe, and every little luxury We could
/ prepare for several days. Then they drow
scanty rations from the rebels--hour Of
the color If ashes and little poor boef no,
eult'oie iui "eH ihci' hiuSh ics' iof "ouiide I.
I All tle cooking was done, and, in truth, ev
I crytI6ng ,atable furnished at our house
/ Wefed the men twice day. SJmstimes at
/ 10 o'clock at night we could carry then
/ something prepared with our own hands.
I Everything moved on in this way fol
about two weeks. when tho rebel army he
gan u retreat What happy set of mel
tho Union wounded were when they heat
( the glad news"
I...I.