The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-12-29
[copyright. 1904. by G. L. KiImer. l

Oh L EduhllI lISplI was SdNeu
by Opdycke's brigade of Stanley's
Fourth corps Using the same course
of reasoning, General Stanley saved
the battle of Franklin by his activity
and frmness during the preceding
twenty-four hours.
The Federal forces engaged at Frank
lin the Fourth and Twenty corps,
belonged to the army of General Thorn
as, who was at Nashville. The two
corps were acting as one body, and
General Schofield, commander of the
Twenty third corps. was in command.
Thomas had ordered Schofield to
march in retrograde before Hoods ar
my of Confcderates from the banks of
the Duck river along the Columbia
pike, through Franklin and across the
Harpeth river at that point. with all
possible haste toward Nashville But
Hood nearly spoiled the game the even
ing before Franklin was fought by
throwing FORESTS cavalry and the adj
vance of two corps of infantry around
Schofield's column on each flank and
intercepting the retreat at Spring Hill.
several hours march south of Frank
lin.
Stanley and his corps had the lead of
Schofield's column and drove Forrest
away from Spring Hill, bluffed Hoods
corps and division commanders and
kept the Confederates at arms length
while Schofeld's wagon trains and ar
tillery and infantry of the Twenty
third corps marched through under
cover of the darkness on the retreat to-
ward Franklin. At daylight on the
Both Hood again pushed forward. and
Stanley's troops, bringing up the rear,
kept the Confederates in check all the
way to Franklin.
Schofield had no intention of max
ing a stand Mt Franklin, but in order to
cover the crossing Of Harpeth river
stationed his own Twenty-third corps
upon line around the village from
bank to bank on the south side.
He did not expect attack on the south
bank, out thought that Hood would at
tempt to pass around the TANKS as he
had done before and cut the army off
completely from Nashville He took
all the artillery of the Twenty-third
corps with him to the north bank and
portion of the Fourth corps artillery.
One of the three divisions of Stan
ley's corps. Woods. was ordered by
Schotield to cross to the north bank.
Stanley, who was i'll, accompanied
Woods corps.
The pike along which the army had
marched from Spring Hill bisected the
Twenty third corps line of defense on
the south bank, and where it passed
through n gap was left for the move
ment of wagons and troops. Atthatpoint
much of the Fourth corps artillery was
massed. Wagner's division of Stan
ley's corps brought up the rear and
took position two miles in front of
Franklin. About 2:8O p. m. finding
his flank turned by heavy columns of
the enemy, Wagner decided to with
draw his command to a position about
third of a mile in front of the TWEEN,
ty-third corps center-that is, where
the pike passed through the fortified
line. Opdycke's brigade passed inside
the works as reserve to the Twenty
third corps line on the pike, 200 or 300
yards in rear
The interest of the battle turns upon
the action of Opdycke's brigade and of
Conrad's and Lanes at the extreme
front. The Confederate attack, when
1t came about 4 o'clock in the after
noon, was very sudden, and Wagner
ordered Conrad and Lane to fight. This
they did stubbornly, checking the adj
vance of the Confederates When at
last, being overwhelmed in front. their
right and left TANKS turned, they did
retreat, they We're followed with
rush by the Confederates, who felt
sure that Schotields army was in
trap and that they would drive it into
the river. The soldiers of Conrad and
Lane reached the works with broken
ranks. Nevertheless they had suf-
ficient self control to rally and take
part in the recovery of the line. This
counterstroke was initiated by OPP
dycke and his brigade, Stanley having
been anticipated by just so much time
as it took for him to ride from the
north bank Of the river to the scene of
danger
There was no more brilliant episode
in the whole war than the ride of Stan
ley from the north bank of the river
to the scene of fighting ON the south
bank. He was distant from Wagners
exposed brigades when they began to
fire upon the advancing Confederates
about one mile. Leaping into his sad
die, he galloped across the bridge,
through the ranks of the stragglers,
his face set in the direction of the bat
tie. 1t was then o'clock, and for
more than four hours the officers and
soldiers had been aware that the whole
army was to cross to the north bank
the river at dark. Retreat and not
attic was in the air
But the ball was open, and the well
known figure of Stanley was seen
rushing to the front. Without waiting
for orders Opdycke had set his brigade
in motion to recover the guns and para
pets abandoned to the COnfederates.
Squirting his horse forward and strik-
ing and shooting right and left, he set
the example for his officers and sol
diers. Two regiments were at his heels