The National tribune., 1902-06-12
BATTLE OF FRANKLIN.
A Member of the Second Brigade, Second
Division, Fourth Corps, Tells of Fierce
FIGHTING

| tails or battle are usually omitted by the
historian, as matter of little interest ex.
well as eye-witnesses, differ widely as tC
| details. In the issue of May l Capt
Rice, of 125th Ohio, writes of the battle
of Franklin.
In stating that Gen. Schofield reached
Franklin soon after sunrise" Capt. Rice
not only contradicts Gen. Schofield him.
self, who says "a little before daylight,
and Gen. Cox, who says it was IAN houI
before daybreak," but leaves the reader
| to infer that the General had an Oppor-
| tunity to view and to give direction as to
| the line chosen for defense. 1t is an I'M
disputed fact that neither Gen. Schofield
nor Gen. Stanley considered an assault b!
| the enemy probable; hence their inatten
| ton to the placing of the troops and means
| of defense. which is further evidenced by
the fact that those most important duties
| were left entirely to subordinates. 1t is
not claimed by any one, so far as l am
aware, that Gen. SchOfeld was at any
| time after daybreak on or near the line of
battle, but busted himself wholly with the
movement and disposition of his trains.
Having competent Engineers and Quar-.
termasters, it does seem that the safety
of the trains at Franklin could have been
well intrusted to them, and that had the
commanding General given his entire time,
as he should have done, in observation Of
the movements of the enemy and the prop
er disposition Of his forces. the intentions
of the enemy would have been as appar-
tha i;nn nnI thn 49,, " e,,td i' t vi
-, - ,,' I'D Ia Az L., "o' ~ no' nav
81 :. r. - 80 nc eiI
Gems. Schoield and Stanley no one felt
like directing the Over-confdent Wagner
to withdraw the misplaced brigades of
Lane and Conrad. and thus have avoided
Cnnt R;n.,s &c Sta,nn ~, ,hat C use" a..
Low ca,,,o nv &c. thn IN h"a he,,, III,
ros,orad 49, he ,, .n III. nnu p tf n"ii.
rooohnJ .hn L. ~ H.. h :I: ~
I'd, a,a .h;, ' hn 'n'a HI .'', ,,,i
,r"nnded 10 in .n"a;e. r.;th .,n n'a ,i VI "
ranortS nf cans S,n,hor ond Ca o nn,'.
.t Spoi. ~ VI lens; o.huie! Anu Cox, except
Jiotoiy af,ar heinz r,o,,ndna ie'u i"iiie
Con Stap,ev deo,.ras nxn,;o;t,, :, hi,
renort tbot ho roo oLn. 0,,J,nI.a,n p. ~ n,s
before :, for,,.d sar,,ho H., .,a3 h
,yas WITH TIT hr;aadn e.. 80 I'D ia. Nv
while ntaLima mat and hoId;n ,oi ,h ~ Inn minutes
that while r;l;na 70 thn lott In, ' th1
Inc "mr. horsa ,nos k;,ind "a a ' VI.
had repnineJ NV fset than ,"I r no iooIe,
mnslot haii thrnn,,h ~ eu
neck y and odds. NJ ,ns n"h h ", my
did mot nrevent my, ioor;nn " ,bn s,IJ :;
Con Stopier,. ronnr, non ho ,.n,;fn5 L.,
,n.n, ,;tn':s.,, ~ 80 'e 'eii'u 's
EcuaIiu ~ to,;,t ~ ,h .o.
nont tbat bic hr;aod L. III ';t; So
100 vords 70 ~ roa IVY ~, Posl.,4 ; .p'i.
echeion eouallv divida5 an ho,b a;das az ~
~ II s,uin. VI ~ " p'tn S'ueS VI
rnn because ,me .E,'sane eea nn
70 he ,oor wa" a., .i,n ,;'h. apo .h ~ .aias
Dill va '-'e is"' vi INC 0'iui'''i
ri c.:
.roane iap peiin I'll ny no'es thal ,he
49, l;naS,;aaa ;; ,ru ""1 'ioheh
ments shrntnd go .h ,i ne ohi!
80 I'm iioii ine me ~ the In I'm
pn5 I'll; M enen. weie tne pun; ISoti
thn E E9S ri par. Vi anf loitn ohio ana
,ror,d ;ndido. that i,.'npers anu Service
, as a.e ,,'at .ns! were US iuiiy eA-
pand do any o''iei 'ioopS III the coih-
IT, r.,
he, ne,l;aI ~. niaue ny Coi. otrichland III
HE s,,hnra;,'n ,oa y as aiso :losc ihaoe py
r,a u, I'm - COMMANDING tne regl
M H. Al ,;a LIE I'M Ia ilne' uS 10 .heI, relak
S 81 .H i'H in, 'eu ueHs' .user, Iox ana
a., ln'o eioi III s,a..hS that our
onor,r III, "no,S rroccupiei anu tne
and 4, 80 ou., WHEREAS the iact ,s
anan,w tnoI, ,.a e'heeueS, !iiIl me
e.' .o'N poSaesSioi VI StrickEiid
,hrnuoh IN a. IL 'ne outslal,' ana heiu !.
~ Il ,rns y. ' nv, D ~, anu maj ho par.
Cartor, a. any 'iine Ieco, ol
80. H. , a.u ~ Gsee ,ol .he past oo
y, r,od;ntn w. s'! n M iines; anu
IT, III ,a; We, Vi lne CoiuiilDla rlke. |
a., III. WI Nc ~ a. IN sou'h sue vi the gar
.Sn E Mas IN ne ntn ONO next the PIKE, with
'n1 ~ ~ ~ IN. %. i,s risat.
,aot sse ,h ~ me VI ,he gafaeI, 10 1eet
81 coz 20 .me pihe was an once iINi1.
,rno,,o 80. . . oiiiee WIS the prick
-ha a,nnIn -, a. .ae s1utiwest corner Oh
- ,,nnI..o no'e 'o1iicNiailu secoiiu iilie
- ~ Ns Ses"n, anu was occupied as Iar
III s noe. 80 . py the ffth NO.
-, -. SUI iioh .he PIKE 10 the once
.as p,'oap,y uIoccupiea When tne pattie
,peh no., ~ the Ilhpact OF the Coniederates
u fe - .'oth emo ana ga III. were llfted out
~ .he wplhs at the sonth me OF the gar
80 any ~ ia lucia Among the ffth MO. ana
ABOUT the Garter House, which stood 20
ZEE norm OF me once. Inc enemy filled
,as saruel' ana one passed east OF the
' " .i ana sought shelter at the south end
u the front steps OF the Garter House,
snere ne soon lost MS life and his body
1 " io"iiI the next morning:
Two others burrowed under the cave
u the s1hoKenouse on the south side. and
nus sneitered survived the connict with
tut scratch.
Every other person who entered that
'arden whlie the battle ragged was driven
'ut or reported among the losses, except
,ossloly capt. Rice, because lodged against
ne WORKS on the South side were the
confederate brigades of Strahl, GIst and
Iarter, win parts OF GordOn's and Sears,
enforced after dark by Manigaults, of
ohhson DIVISION, Lees Corps, while the
Vorks at the north line of the garden. 20
'ards distant, were firmly held by Strick-