The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-11-23

deeds and matchless individual prowess,
yet noted for the absence OF anything like
strategy or tactics Hoods 90, 900 soldiers
attempted to run down and overwhelm
Schofeld's 90, 900. The resultant struggle
was purely physical one, and had Soho
field lost tho day the disaster might have
changed the face of things In the west.
Two features OF the battle OF Franklin
placed 10 among the brilliant and bloody
contests Of the time--namely, tho fiery
charge of General Cleburne's Confederate
division and the equally fierce counter
charge Of General Opdyckes Union bri-
gsde, and there was something unusual on
foot acting an spurs to martial valor.
Hood had entered upon the march from
Columbia toward Nashville In hopes Of
surprising the defenders of middle Ten
nessee, and Schofeld, with an inferior
force placed across the Confederate front,
had impeded the march. Only the day be-
fore, Hood had almost surrounded Schofleld
ut Spring Hill, but owing, % he asserted,
TO the slowDess of his subordinate gen.
erals In attacking, the Union forces had
slipped out Of the trap in the pjght and
by forced march reached franklin, on
tho south bank Of the Harpeth river.
At Franklin Scho1eld halted his ool-
umns on the southern border OF the town,
where q line OF slight intrenchments was
hastily constructed, and the weary sol
diers lay down on their arms 10 enjoy
brief rest while the long army tyains werc
crossing the rivor over . couple Of rude
Bridges TO q safer position north Of the
stream. The troops of Sohohelds Twenty.
third corps, commanded by General j. ID.
Cox, occupied the main line of works,
which extended across the Columbia and
Nashville pike, along which Hood was
marching In active pursuit. The extrem-
tiles Of the works rested on the river bank
above and below the town, and the only
break In the line was st the point where
the pike ran through. There a gap had
been left In order TO accommodate the
trains and artillery ~ we'll a. the brigades
bringing up the roar. These latter, three
In number, belonged to General ID. M.
Etanley's Twenty fourth corps and consti-
tuted Wagner's division. Stanley crossed
the Hsrpeth with Woods division Of his
corps, leaving Wagner TO handle the rear
guard. OF the thrce brigades In Wagner's
ision two, Comrades and Lanes, were
haltod by General Cox's order on knoll
half mile In front Of the general line
and covering the gap In the works at the
General Emerson Opdycke, acted as ex-
trome rear guard throughout the march
from Spring Hin to Franklin and several
times checked the impetuous Confederate
advance. Late In the afternoon it fled
through the gap into the works at Frank.
lin, and the mon rested in reserve behind
Cox's own division, close to the pike.
Schoheld had no object In accepting bat.
tla "A Erankl lin Tn AafanA hia
sage over the river, which was to commence
at dark. But Hoods main body reached
the vicinity soon after noon, and the open
nature Of the ground enabled the antago.
nists to view each others movements To
Hoods men the spectacle was tantalizins
In the extreme for there, with q river at
his back, lay the foo that had so often
eluded their blows. Besides, the words Of
recrimination over the issue at Spring
Hill spoken by Hood that morning and
the night before burned in tho veins Of HE
generals, and the spirit aroused by them
communicated itself to tho men. Cle-
burne especially, renowned and gallant
leader, was deeply cut by Hoods declara-
tion that his favorite troops, naming Cle-
burne's, had disappointed his hopes at the
most critical point In the campaign.
When the Confederate lines were FORM
ing for the attack, Cleburne's division
held the right and rested on the pike con-
fronted by the Union works and troops nj
ready described. Hood stated TO his SUBJ
ordinates that he desired that the enemy
be driven into the Harpeth river at all
hazards, and anticipating hot work Gle
burne asked permission to form his divi-
sion into three lines of one brigade each.
Hood granted the request although Stew
arts corps Of his army had not come up,
and his line was shorter than he desired.
After forming his column Cleburne rode
back to Hood and said, General, l am