The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-12-15
Battle or Franklin.

NV IltcIdtulc VI INC NINll w at is
vast. 1t IS not yet complete. Many
historic, OF the conflict have been so
bitterly partisan as to spoil their value
as serious review Of great subject.
THE battle Of Franklin (Tcnn.) },
November. 1864 is described and
studied by Jacob ID. Cox, late Major
General, commanding Twenty-third
Army Corps. The book is published
by the Scribncrs and contains many
maps Of the territory in question.
General Cox states that he promised
to write the story Of the battle, upon
which his friends insisted, if he should
live to sec the completion Of the great
work undertaken by the Government
in printing the "Oficial Records of
the Union and Confederate Armies.
AS the last volumes Of the principal
series of those records are passing
through the press, General Cox re-
deems his promise.
The situation of the forces of the
Union and Confcdcracy in the fall Of
1864 was this {: Grant was watching
Lee in Virginia. Sherman was at At
lanta with large army: and Hood
forces were in camp in Northern Gcor-
gia. 1t appears that it was Hoods
idea to turn Sherman position by q
somewhat wide dctour to the west of
Atlanta, and to carry the war again
into Northern Georgia, or even into
Tennessee. Sherman decided TO con
ccntratc his own forces Of Atlanta,
and to send an army under the com
mand Of Thomas in pursuit of Hood.
General Cox is very complimentary
to Hood. lie remarks upon his mili-
tary ability and energy of character.
The author says: "The effective force
under General Thomas, in Middle and
Southern Tennessee, was 65, 900, Off
GERS and men present for duty, equip
ped, which was the official phrase in
dicating complete readiness for active
service. The aggregate present was
some 10000 more. These figures do
not include the troops in Schofield's 8
department Of the Ohio in East Ten
nessee and Kentucky, nor those of the
military division between the Tennes-
see and Mississippi Rivers, all Of
which were subject to Thomas orders.
Hoods army in the fcld numbered
AZ 900 or 43, 600 men Of all arms, and
had. been very closely estimated by
General Sherman.
LAS early as October 90, Sherman,
in promising to send Schofeld back,
had urged Thomas to break up all
minor posts aud get about Columbia
as big an army as you can, and go at
him. Again, two days later. he reit-
Grated: You must unite all your
men into one army, and abandon all
minor points, if you expect to defeat
Hood"
General Cox's purpose in writing
his book was principally to controvere
many statements and misstatments Of
some Of his colleagues in che Union
Army. He has designed his book as
q military study. He reviews, in
separate chapters, the work Of the va
rions divisions os the armies. Here
IS the description of the Confederate
attack which the author quotes from
speech of General George w. Gordon
at the unveiling of statute to Gen
eral Cleburne. General Gordon was
captured by the Union Army in this
engagement:
"As the =--=y," s=;a, Genera! Cor
don, with front of two miles or
more in length, moved steadily down
the heights and into the valley below
with flying banners, beating drums
and bristling guns, it presented q
scene Of the most imposing grandeur
and magnifcence. When we had ars
rived within about 400 PAGES Of the
encmy's advanced line Of intrench-
ments our columns were halted and
deployed into two lines Of battle pre-
paratory to the charge. This advanc-
ed position of the enemy was not a
continuous. but q detached line,
manned by tvs brigades and situated
about GOO PAGES in front of his main
line of formidable works, ana was i'm
med;s.cl: ii front Of Gieburn' left
and Cheatham's right. When all was
ready the charge was ordered. With
wild shout, we dashed forward upon
this line. The enemy delivered one
volley at our rushing ranks, and pre-
cipitately fed for refuge to his main
and rear line. Tho shout was raised,
GO into the works with them This
cry was taken up and vociferatcd from
| a thousand thrcats as we rushed on