The Battle of Franklin

The Battle of Franklin Tennessee was probably the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, since it only lasted for one hour of daylight. General Cox, the Union front line commander, revisited the battlefield two weeks later and put the Confederate grave count at 1,800. Modern research has counted nearly 300 dead that were buried elsewhere, putting the CSA death toll at a conservative 2,000 plus. In addition, to the 5,000 plus wounded and the 300 captured.

The casualty count in generals alone was the greatest in the history of war. One Federal general was wounded, and 15 Rebel generals were casualties (six killed, eight wounded, and one captured). In addition, 66 regimental commanders were casualties.

General Hood, Commander of the Army of Tennessee, presented President Davis with a plan to march through Tennessee and Kentucky, into Ohio; turning northward to link up with General Lee. If this had been accomplished, public outcry might force Mr. Lincoln to sue for peace. However, the unnecessary slaughter at Franklin, ordered by General Hood, turned out to be the last gasp of the Confederacy. You will be taken through the Battle from the viewpoint of a private in the infantry.

In 1905, the United States Congress voted to spend $500,000 each on four of the most important Civil War Battlefields, Gettysburg, and Franklin being two. Franklin would be as important as Gettysburg is today except that the money was never spent on Franklin.

George Davis has a BS in Education with minors in History and English from the University of North Texas. He served on three different aircraft carriers in the Navy Fighter Squadron VF112. He taught history for nine years in Texas Public Schools before moving to Arkansas in 1984. He has been a civil war reenactor since 1995 and a member of Little Rock’s own Company A, 6^TH Arkansas Volunteer Infantry. Mr. Davis reenacted the Battle of Franklin three times. He was fortunate enough to spend the night with Company A on the grounds of the Carter House, which was the high point of the Battle of Franklin. The invitation was at the special invitation of the Carter House Museum

Papers will be available contrasting the casualty with modern day wars; and comparing the charge at Gettysburg and Franklin,

A graphic representation of Carter House.

NEW CHAIRMAN

At the January meeting the Chairman of the Central Arkansas Civil War Heritage Trail, was elected. Mike Loum was nominated and elected. Mike is not only a member of the CWRT, but adjutant of the R. C. Newton Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, In addition, he is a reenactor in the Capital Guards and the 37^TH Illinois.

A reminder about your 2005 dues

 If you have paid your dues and your name is not on the list, contact Brian.

PERRYVILLE NAMED

PRESERVE AMERICA COMMUNITY

PERRYVILLE, KY—Perryville was one of four Kentucky towns recently designated as a Preserve America community by First Lady Laura Bush.  The Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association, which submitted the application, was encouraged to apply by the Kentucky Heritage Council, the state office for historic preservation. 

Perryville Mayor Bruce Richardson received a letter from Mrs. Bush, notifying the community of this designation.  In addition to gaining national recognition, the Preserve America status gives Perryville the right to use the Preserve America logo, lists Perryville on a government web-based directory showcasing preservation and heritage tourism efforts, and will make the community eligible for grants that have been proposed by the federal government for the fiscal year 2005.

“We’re hoping that this designation will lead to more funding for preserving the battlefield and restoring Merchants’ Row, the town’s 19^th century commercial district,” said Stuart Sanders, director of the Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association, who wrote the application.  “Since Preserve America is the first federal preservation program to be created in many years, we’re honored that our application was accepted.”

Preserve America is a White House initiative to encourage and support community efforts for the preservation and enjoyment of America’s cultural and natural heritage.  Goals include a greater shared knowledge about the nation’s past, strengthened regional identities and local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country’s cultural and natural heritage assets and support for the economic vitality of communities.  Towns, cities, counties, and Indian tribes are eligible to apply for the designation.

With 50 Preserve America communities, Kentucky now has more designations than any other state.  In addition to Perryville, Cloverport, Hopkinsville, and Nicholasville are the most recent additions to the program. 

The Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association (PBPA) is a non-profit organization charged with preserving and interpreting Kentucky’s largest Civil War battleground.  Since 1995, the PBPA has increased the amount of protected battlefield land from 98 to nearly 600 acres.  In addition, the Association has protected several important structures, including two military headquarters and nine buildings along Merchants’ Row, the town’s 19^th century commercial district.

COMING PROGRAMS

July 26, 2005 – TBA

August 23, 2004 – TBA

October 25, 2004 –TBA

November 22, 2005 – TBA

Election of Officers

December 2005 – No meeting Scheduled

 We Who Study Must Also Strive To Save!

 BATTLE OF LITTLE ROCK

In this vicinity on September 10, 1863 an invading Federal column, under Gen’l Frederick Steele defeated Confederate Forces under Gen’l John Marmaduke in the Battle of Little Rock

 Civil War Roundtable of Arkansas
September 16, 1988

 
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Visit

www.civilwarbuff.org

Receive your newsletter on-line.

http://civilwarbuff.aristotle.net/newsletter.asp

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

CORRECTION – CORRECTION

Last month, in the rush to publish the newsletter, a mistake was madein the print edition. Many of you took time out of your busy schedule to point out the error to me. I of course blame it on gremlins, Yankee gremlins. The Intended photograph was to be J. O. Shelby and instead it was J.  S.  Marmaduke.

March 19, 2005

History

Of the Capital Guards

(http://www.geocities.com/capitalguards/home.html)

The 6th Arkansas Infantry Regiment was mustered and organized at Little Rock, Arkansas on June 10, 1861 with the election of Col. Richard Lyon as Colonel, A.T. Hawthorn as Lt. Col., and D.L. Kilgore as Major. C.A. Bridewell was appointed adjutant and John F. Ritchie as adjutant. Company commanders were Co.A, the "Capital Guards" of Little Rock, Cpt. Gordon N. Peay; Co. B, the "Dallas Volunteer Rifles" of Calhoun county, Cpt. P.H. Echols; Co. C, the "Dallas Rifles", Cpt. F.J. Cameron; Co. D, the "Ouachita Voyageurs" of Ouachita county, Cpt. J.W. Kingswell; Co. E, the "Dixie Grays" of Arkansas county, Cpt. Sam G. Smith; Co. F, the "Lafayette Guards"of Lafayette county, Cpt. Sam H. Dill; Co. G, the "Columbia Guards" of Magnolia county, Cpt. J.W. Austin; Co. H, the "City Guards"of Camden, Cpt. S.H. Southerland; Co. I, the "Lisbon Invincibles" of Union county, Cpt. Sam Turner; and Co. K, the "Ouachita Grays" of Ouachita county, Cpt. Hope T. Hodnett.

The regiment was initially armed mostly with flintlock M1816/M1822 .69 cal. smoothbore muskets seized from the Little Rock arsenal in February, 1861. Co. A, the right flank company, was armed with a mixture of M1841 "Mississippi rifles" and .69 cal. smoothbores, as there weren't enough of the rifles to go around.

Uniforms at this point were mixed, with some of the older militia companies wearing their pre-war uniforms, others mustering in civilian clothing. Later in 1861, the regiment was issued state commutation uniforms from the Little Rock Depot, consisting of a gray jean-wool frock coat and matching jean-wool trowsers. Following their return from the Kentucky campaign in November 1862, the regiment received its first issue from the Confederate central clothing depots, and was likely outfitted with the Columbus Depot pattern uniforms or the Atlanta pattern for the rest of the war.

After organization, the regiment marched on June 19, 1861 overland to Pocahontas, Arkansas. Measles broke out in camp, and a great many died here. In September, 1861, the regiment was transferred to Confederate service in the brigade (consisting of the 2nd, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Arkansas Infantry regiments) commanded by Brig. Gen. William J. Hardee. Company B, as well as a number of individual soldiers from the other companies, declined to enlist for Confederate service here, and were released to return home, where many later joined (or were conscripted) into other units.

After a short raid into Missouri, Hardee's troops (and the 6th Arkansas) established camp at Pittman's Ferry on Current River. In the latter part of September 1861, the brigade was moved to southeast Missouri, and thence by boat to Columbus, KY, arriving on October 3. From there, it was sent to Cave City, Barren County, KY, where it spent the winter of 1861. While camped at Cave City, the 6th Arkansas smelled its first powder, and a deep companionship with Terry's Texas Rangers and Swett's Mississippi Battery was formed in a skirmish with a Union patrol. Colonel Lyon was killed in an accident on October 10, 1861, while supervising the crossing of the regiment over the Tennessee River, when his horse fell over a precipice with him. Lt. Col. Alexander T. Hawthorn succeeded to Colonel in his place, and Gordon N. Peay of Company A was promoted to replace Hawthorn as lieutenant colonel.

On December 17th, the 6th Arkansas supported the 8th Texas Cavalry (Terry's Texas Rangers) and Swett's Mississippi Battery in a skirmish at Woodsonville, KY, when Colonel Terry was killed. The regiment occupied this advanced position until the fall of Fort Donelson, when it moved with the remainder of the army to Corinth, Mississippi under General Albert Sydney Johnston. BG Hardee having been promoted to Major General, Col. T.C. Hindman of the 2nd Arkansas was promoted to brigadier general and the brigade command until he was promoted to major general, and Col. R.G. Shaver was appointed as his successor. Col. Shaver commanded the brigade gallantly at the vicious battle of Shiloh, General Hindman commanding the division. The 6th Arkansas was decisively engaged at Shiloh with the Confederate left wing, engaged against Sherman's Federal troops. The 6th Arkansas was able to re-arm itself with "Springfield rifles" (probably .58 cal. M1855 rifle muskets) from Federal weapons left on the field at Shiloh.

When Corinth was evacuated, the brigade retreated to Tupelo, MS where it remained until July 1862. Then the 6th Arkansas was sent to Chattanooga, TN, with General Bragg as part of General Patrick R. Cleburne's division, and from there on to the Kentucky campaign. It was present when 4,500 Federals surrendered at Munfordville, KY, and was in the line at Richmond and at Perryville, when Adjutant Sampson Harris, of Company A, was mortally wounded. Sergeant W.W. Carter of Company A was promoted to lieutenant and succeeded Harris as adjutant. Before the regiment had left Corinth, approximately 200 men of the 12th Arkansas, which had escaped from Island No. 10, were organized into two companies and attached to the 6th Arkansas. In December, at Shelbyville, TN, these two companies were returned to their own regiment as the 12th Arkansas had been exchanged by that time. Casualties at the battle of Perryville had already weakened the regiment, as well as decimating the 7th Arkansas, so the 6th and 7th Arkansas regiments were consolidated into one unit on December 15, 1862.

The regiment was heavily engaged at the battle of Murfreesboro, TN (Stone's River) on December 31, 1862, through January 2, 1863; and in the spring advanced to Bell Buckle TN, where it remained until June 24, 1863, when it was hastily ordered to the front to Liberty Gap, where it found and reinforced the 5th Arkansas in dealing with a large Union force. It retreated from middle Tennessee to south of the Tennessee River, and went into camp at Chickamauga Station, a few miles south of Chattanooga, and remained there until about the 1st of September, when Bragg began maneuvering for the battle of Chickamauga. The regiment was engaged, actually, or in line of battle, all through the Georgia campaign -- at Chickamauga, the siege of Chattanooga, and stood with Govan's Brigade in the successful defense of Tunnel Hill, the Atlanta Campaign and the defenses of Atlanta where they, along with the rest of Govan's Brigade, were captured en masse near Jonesboro, GA. They were exchanged three weeks later, and rejoined the Army of Tennessee at Palmetto, GA. and were at the battles of Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville, TN. The few survivors of the 1864 Tennessee campaign were collected and reorganized near Tupelo, Mississippi early in 1865, and then traveled by rail to North Carolina where they participated in the last grand charge of the Army of Tennessee at the battle of Bentonville, NC. The remaining survivors of Govan's old Arkansas Brigade were consolidated into a single regiment, the 3rd Confederate Infantry Regiment, Consolidated, containing the survivors of the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 13th, 15th, Dawson's 19th, and 24th Arkansas and the 3rd Confederate Infantry at the last reorganization of the Army of Tennessee at Smithfield, NC on April 9, 1865, only to be surrendered with General Johnston's army near Durham Station, NC on April 26, 1865. Of the nearly 1000 men mustered with the 6th regiment, only about 150 remained with the colors at the surrender.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Coming

March 12, 2005 ––

The Capitol Guards and the 37th Illinois combine to  march in Little Rock’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Representing the “Irish Brigade” the troops will join the Irish through downtown on March 12. Pictured are the troops lined up for last year’s parade.

VISIT THE BATTLEFIELDS WHEN YOU CAN...WHILE YOU CAN

 SEE YOU TUESDAY NIGHT

For George Davis

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Copyright ©1997 Civil War Round Table of Arkansas