The National tribune., 1896-10-15
FIELD oRaFRANKLIN.
An ex-Johnny Tells of the Horrors of that
Great Battle.

Great Battle.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Some dates
| in the history of quondam Confederate sol
dier are associated with flood of painful
"reminiscences, and among them that of the
battle of Franklin occupies a prominent
place. This sanguinary fight occurred Nov.
80, 1864.
After the capture of Columbia, Tenn, on
the night of Nov. 29;the Army of the Ten
nessee, about 10000 strong, fired by the
sanguine spirit of Gen. Hood, pursued the
Federals with great viger. Sometimes they
would make temporary stand to delay our
progress, but by 4 o'clock p. III. we came up
with them at Franklin, where elaborate
preparations had been made for our recep-
| ton.
Immediately on the confines of the town
the Federals had erected a strong log fortlfi-
cation about six feet high, which was still
| further strengthened by deep ditch before
| it. Just in front of the town is a large
open field extending for about 500 yards on
| both sides of the turnpike, through which
our forces had to pass, owing to the nature
Of the ground and the river at the back of
the town, beyond which the enemy had
placed heavy batteries, raining an incessant
shower of shot and shell into our lines.
Being SO close, our artillery could not reply
to their fire. as they did not want to ip.jure
friendly city.
The Federals, about $4,000 strong, under
Gen. Schofeld, displayed conspicuous
bravery. The severest fighting took place
on the left of the turnpike. Here the field
was almost entirely denuded of trees, but
the approach to the breastworks had been
made difficult by cheyaux de frise and
abatis, which rendered running almost out
of the question, and many of our soldiers
were shot down before they had an oppor
tunity of returning the fire Of the enemy.
Those who had finally overcome these inn
pediments had to get down into the ditch
and try to climb the breastwork, but nearly
all were shot down or dubbed before they
had an opportunity to do any damage.
For four long hours the terrible conflict
ragged, as division after division Of our army
was hurled against the Federals by the rash
and reckless Hood, who was mile from the
scene of battle, calmly smoking cigar in a
garden by the waysde But finally all SUBJ
sided into stiffness, only broken by the ter
rible cries and wailings from the wounded
in the field hospital close by.
When the morning light dawned upon us
a terrible sight presented itself, which drew
tears from the eyes of many of our soldiers
Far as the eye could reach the field was COW
cred with the dead. and from the place where
/ was cooking my breakfast l could have
stepped from one corpse to another for hun
dred yards; but when | came to the ditch
before the breastworks | found it level full
of the dead, and on beth sides of the turn
pike they were lying in heaps. Here 1t was
where Gen. Cleburne and four other of our
Generals fell dead fighting in the forefront
Of the battle like ahy stonmon soldier.
The first business to which some after an
engagement with the enemy apply them
selves is to taking of clothing and other
things from the dead First, the pockets
are examined for money and other valua-
bles. Then the body Isl Invested of its over
coat; pants and coats were less in demand,
on account of their color, but generally they
were highly appreciated by our sable camp
followers. A pair of fine boots was always
welcome, nor were~minor articles of apparel
disdained. 1t was therefore often the case
that the dead bodies were consigned to their
mother earth as nude as when they came
into the world.
Shocking as this Ray appear to the sens-
bilities of all people who have not witnessed
the horrors of war, and to every one whose
susceptibility has Rdt been blunted by the
frequent recurrence of the same spectacle,
there was yet some excuse for our soldiers,
who were often subjected to the keenest suf-
ferings for want of proper clothing. 1t is
said that necessity knows no law, yet must
say for myself that have always considered
the robbing Of the dead no less than sacri-
lege, and have never participated in it to the
slightest degree.
On the morning in question one of our
men had been going through the pockets of
a beardess German boy in the Federal
service, but had found little to satisfy his |
cupidity besides q letter in German and |
pocket edition of the New Testament, in the |
same language. These he handed to me as
being OF no value to himself. / am sorry |
that lost the letter soon afterwards, as it |
might have been the means of communities !
ton with the parents of the owner. But, as
near as l can remember the contents were as
follows: The father told his son of having
heard that soldiers, when in the enemys |
land, would sometimes commit depredati0ns
and rob the unfortunate and defenseless, who
were within their power; but he hoped his
son would never be guilty of so base an act,
and he exhorted him to diligently read the
Bible which his mother gave him on part
ing, ever to remember that he was the son Of
parents, and act accordingly.
l still have the Testament in my posses
sion, and prize it highly; but if, after the
lapse of these years, either of the parents
Of the unfortunate young man should still
be alive, and the restitution of the little
book would afford them any comfort, I
should cheerlully restore it to them.-OTTo