The Battle of Franklin / Carnton Plantation
Being born and raised in the south, I have always had a place in my heart for southern history, in particular the Civil War.
Laying aside the political debates, the reasons and motives, yes I believe some things were wrong, but it breaks my heart to read and hear the stories of all the lives lost, all the destruction and wounds, both physical and mental. When we visited Shiloh battlefield for the first time, I stood in the woods and just listened. I seemed I could hear the battle, the cries of the wounded. Their blood still calls out.
But that is not my focus today. Last weekend my family and I visited The site of the Battle of Franklin and Carnton Plantation. We toured the house and grounds and I was fascinated. I'm so glad there are those who care enough to preserve our history and heritage, good or bad it is still our history.I will forever cherish the memories from that day.
I want to share just a little history of the battle and a few photos from that day.
The Battle Of Franklin - November 30th 1864
The day was beautiful, the skies were clear, but by late
afternoon things changed.
20, 000 Confederate soldiers advanced toward the
enemy.
It was over in just a few hours and by the time
the sun set the battle had reached its climax and the dead
and wounded began to arrive at Carnton plantation, the
chosen place for a field hospital.
Carnton stands less than a mile from the site of the battle.
Standing out in history is the mistress of Carnton,
Carrie Winder McGavock. She cared for the wounded
and held the hand of the dying. The scenes and heartache
from that evening and night would forever haunt her memory.
Among the dead and wounded were six Confederate
generals who were laid on the back porch of Carnton
plantation.
On the west side of Carnton plantation house stands a giant
Osage Orange tree. It is called the Witness Tree because
it saw the bloody battle of Franklin and the many
wounded and dying on that late afternoon and into the
night. The tree has stood there since before the Civil
War, and has witnessed many happy times and a lot of
sad times.
The McGavock family cemetery is located on the grounds and also the McGavock Confederate Cemetery.
"The nearly 1,500 Confederate soldiers buried there were casualties of the Battle of Franklin that took place November 30, 1864. They were first buried at the battleground, but were interred in 1866.
George Cuppett wrote the names and information related to the identity of each soldier in a cemetery book. After he finished the re-burials in mid-1866, he turned over the care of the book to the McGavocks."
(From Wikipedia)
The tree and plantation house and the cemeteries are a treasured part of Southern history.
A piece of photo art I created from one of the photos of the plantation house.
