The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-07-16
Battle of Franklin.

doOd couid not resist the tempta.
ton to pursue Schotield (who had but
seventeen thousand men, while he had
over forty thousand, whom he hoped
to overtake and destroy before he
could reach Nashville. It was a race
between them. Schofeld had passed
through Columbia in rapid march, the
enemy in hot pursuit. The next point
he was aiming to reach was the village
of Franklin. which lies in the bend Of
little river that sweeps around it. II
he could but get his artillery and bag
gage trains safely across that river it
would afford him a line of defense
which he could hold till he could con-
tinue the march in safety. Accordingly
he had sent forward pressing mes
sage to have pontoons at that point to
construct a bridge, that he might pass
over without delay. What was his
CONSERVATION on arriving to find that
not single pontoon had been provid-
ed! Nothing remained but to throw up
hasty earth-works across the river,
and drawing his little army within it,
to make his stand there, to live or to
die. The confederates came on in
force, and attacked with the utmost
fury. Drawer men never marched to
battle. The events ofwar. as of peace,
sometimes depend on very slight
causes. 1t is said that the day before,
Hood had been in i'll humor, and had
reproached his generals for allowing
the federal army to escape at Spring
Hill. Such reproaches stung the proud
spirit OF brave men. and they went IN.
to battle with q bitter feeling, deter,
mined to leave no chance for reproach
hereafter. In this mood Cleburne, who
made that gallant charge at Chicka-
manga, led his division into the fire,
and was actually squirting his horse
over the breastworks, when horse
and rider fell under a shower of balls.
His death recalls an incident OF which
Sam Jones makes very effective use.
1t seems that the confederate line, as
it advanced, was entiladed by a federal
battery. Seeinghi men cut to pieces,
Gen. Hood sent one of his aides with
the following order: "Give my compli-
ments to Gen. Cleburns, and tell lin
to do me the favor to take that hat.
tery!" The aide disappeared, and
quickly returned with the message:
"Gen. Cleburne is dead, SIR" Again
the commander spoke: "Give my COM
pliments to Gen. Adams, and tell him
to carry that battery"
The carnage was fearful. In those
five hours ithe battle began at four
O'Clock in the afternoon, and continued
till nine, and ut that season-it was
the last day of November, when the
sun sets before five o'clock-it was
chiefly after nightfall, SO that both
sides GOULD see to fire only by the
flashing 81 each othel''s gunsf the con.
federates lost SIX thousand men! The
number of officers killed was such as
was seldom known in the war. Mr..
Cunningham, of the Nashville Ameri-
can, says that, though he was little
more than q boy he was in the ranks,
and In 'thevery front. The first charge
OF the confederates had broken our
line III the centre, and though they
were soon driven back, they still held
q portion Of the breastworks; while
behind Il. fit The tw sl We're T Sas tWeaty e
Vineyards apart, and at this close range
nthar md thot vhan ha M n,a - ~
ditch T. was f;1lej With the iv;, w o vn
tba daaj e. that l,a hn5 IL oEn S T
then ~ ~ oa at'D ~ e tLa w. bsaa r.n nfep
THOSE stond H. +; ~ tho s;+ai, IaaIad -
rifles and nnssel them mn to those s; IN
front. who thus keen nm n constant
firino. Inf nectinG every ,non,ant n .
~, - ,.. "J '.i's',1 eo' sss
'lo f'sss.".1 seel,'e'A "ope,e'ss' ~ receive
an or!ef rom Zen. etahl' VINO was
Pa tI1s sMH" 'e anII;.. .e III, l, e.'
w .us stiHt eolu'er, VIII. "erhiah
i;rinoiS When he too Was ,sifi,ad WIFI,
Bullets IA thel ear carried hin, ofra VIM.
the command to him, who continued
the desperate battle till he, too, was
s s'.in aoSm' az. ana las ,tov, Iox' OF Ohio,
WI VINO We. NUS ~ Inc oi'tle' una mas writ
t zen t me m n.s OF tne campaign,
ie' H., LIP ~ sai?rW 10 was ~, SO walled
t" e. ny .ns s .saa. 'nas ne couia not
lam, ;, a. d' H. ..,e,e wa" ga, seen IN inc
e.Iy W Ciie ihOfHiiS sGiii erecC, dS II