The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-10-01
BATTLE OF FRANKLIN.
v0rka


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In the ex-
cellent history by Gen. Raum, with the
Western Army" think he overlooked
somewhat the hard work done by the First
and Second Brigades of Cox's Division Of
the Twenty-third Corps at the battle of
from the Columbia pike to-almost to the
river The components OF the First Bril-
gade were: Ohio. Tooth and 104th, in the
front works, with Sth Tenn. and Ky. 18th
and 18th close in reserve. l was in that
brigade with the Sth Tenn, and l know
how they were located. When the Tooth
and 10th Ohio were forced from the
works Opdycke's Brigade must necessarily
have run over the Sth Tenn. and the 18th
and 18th Ky. to get into the abandoned
works.
l do not have to rely upon memory, as
have my diary, written at the time. In
that l read that the battle occurred on
Nov. 80, 1864. We had marched "a miles,
and arrived at Franklin at 4. M. when
We formed battle front and ct once COM
menced to construct works. Hoods forces
appeared about 3 p. m. in column four
lines of battle deep, along our entire front.
At 4 o'clock Hood moved upon our works
which were crescent-shaped, which COM
PEELED the enemy to double his lines as he
advanced, his being the outer circle.
Stanley's men were some 200 yards in
advance Of our works and held their lines
until the enemy were within 10 PAGES OF
them, when they fell back to our works.
with the rebels at their heels. We could
not fire until Stanley's men were in; then
the fight was at close quarters. We poured
volley after volley Of grape and canister
and musket balls into their columns and
piled up their dead in heaps, sometimes
moving a swath 10 or II feet wide through
their ranks; but the gaps were instantly
closed and the columns pressed on and into
our works, by terrific assault forcing the
Ohio regiments to fall back. At the same
time the line in front Of Opdycke was as
saulted. The Sth Tenn. and the two Ken
lucky regiments mentioned, and also OPP
dycke's brigade, were ordered to the front
when the Ohio regiments were driven back.
The Ohio regiments at once reformed and
returned with the reserves and attacked
the enemy, now in possession of our works
Men fought with dubbed muskets and
grappled each other by hand, struggling
to the death. This lasted for 80 minutes,
and we repossessed the works. The enemy
brought up two columns of reinforcements
as we recovered our works. From our lines
there was n continuous hail of lead and
iron into the enemy, who, nevertheless,
reached the works, but failed to again get
within. They tried to push the top logs
Of the works off. to the inside; but we re-
pulsed them. This fight lasted for two
hours, and their dead filed the ditch be-
fore the works. 80 --..--,
In front of the Second Brigade the rebel
dead and wounded were heaped in wind
rows, five or six deep, and the enemy ac-
tually used the bodies Of their dead as
breastworks.
The enemy then concentrated on STAN
ley, but failed. The battle lasted about
five hours.
The charge of Pickett on Meade's center
at Gettysburg did not compare with this
assault. The number of men assaulting
was about alike; the Franklin fight was
much longer, the losses much heavier; our
loss was about $500, while the enemy
lost between 5000 and COCOA. A.
JONES, Sth Tenn, Toledo, o. .,.......,