Video: 'Franklin: Animated Battle Map'
(Wednesday, November 30, 1864, midnight local time; the Battle of Franklin, part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign during American Civil War) — In what is described as one of the most disastrous engagements for the Confederate States Army, the Battle of Franklin unfolded today, leaving a staggering toll on General John Bell Hood’s Army of Tennessee.
The battle, part of the ongoing Franklin-Nashville Campaign, saw the Confederates launch repeated and bloody frontal assaults against the entrenched Union forces commanded by Major General John Schofield.
Despite Hood’s determination to crush Schofield’s army before it could withdraw, the Union soldiers held firm in their fortifications, repelling wave after wave of Confederate attacks.
By the close of the day, Schofield’s troops executed a skillful and orderly retreat to Nashville, leaving the Confederate army reeling from the devastating losses.
Video: 'Civil War Combat: Decisive Union Victory at the Battle at Franklin (S1, E4) | Full Episode'
Hood’s assault, involving six infantry divisions, nearly 20,000 strong, has drawn comparisons to the infamous Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg. Today’s attack, now dubbed the “Pickett’s Charge of the West,” exacted a grievous price on the Army of Tennessee, with the Confederates suffering catastrophic losses.
Fourteen generals—six killed, seven wounded, and one captured—were among the casualties, as were 55 regimental commanders.
The Army of Tennessee is left in tatters, both in manpower and leadership. While Schofield’s forces moved unimpeded toward Nashville, the Confederates’ ability to sustain the fight has been critically diminished. This battle follows a smaller skirmish in Franklin last year, but today’s clash will be remembered for its scale and bloodshed.
The future of the Confederate war effort in Tennessee looks grim, with Hood’s army now in disarray, having failed to prevent Schofield’s escape. With rumors of an impending Union counteroffensive led by General George H. Thomas, many fear that today’s defeat could mark the beginning of the end for the Army of Tennessee.
