Today in History:

670 Series I Volume XLV-I Serial 93 - Franklin - Nashville Part I

Page 670 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA. Chapter LVII.

November 24. - Army headquarters nine miles south of Mount Pleasant, on the Waynesborough and Mount Pleasant road. Cheatham's corps continued the march on the Waynesborough and Mount Pleasant road, camping twelve miles south [of] Henryvville, in the rear of Lee's corps, which came into Waynesborough and Mount Pleasant road from the Pinhook (a country road). Stewart's corps camped in rear of Cheatham's corps, having also come into Waynesborough and Mount Pleasant road from the Waterloo and Lawrenceburg road.

November 25. - Army headquarters at Mount Pleasant. Lee's corps camped just beyond town, on Columbia road; Cheatham's corps, five miles south of town, and Stewart's corps at Henryville.

November 26. - Army headquarters at Colonel Andrew J. Polk's, five miles south of Columbia, on Mount Pleasant pike. Lee's corps continued the march on the Mount Pleasant and Columbia pike, going into position near Columbia, the right resting on the pike. Cheatham's corps followed Lee's, camping near army headquarters, between the Mount Pleasant and Columbia and the Pulaski pikes. Stewart's corps camped two miles beyond Mount Pleasant, on the Mount Pleasant and Columbia pike.

November 27. - Army headquarters moved from Polk's residence, on the Mount Pleasant and Columbia pike, to Mrs. Warfield's, on the Pulaski pike, three miles south of Columbia. Lee's corps remained in same position it occupied last night. Cheatham's corps crossed over from Mount Pleasant and Columbia pike across the Pulaski pike, going into position with its right resting on Duck River and the left on the Pulaski pike. Stewart's corps continued the march on the Mount Pleasant and Columbia pike, going into position with its right on the Pulaski and its left on the Mount Pleasant and Columbia pikes.

November 28. - Army headquarters continued during the day at Mrs. Warfield's residence, on the Pulaski pike, three miles south of Columbia. The army occupied the same position as designated yesterday. The enemy abandoned Columbia last night and our troops took possession at daylight this morning. General Orders, Numbers 37, issued to-day, prohibiting plundering by the army of both private and public property, it having been reported to General Hood that Columbia had been "wantonly and disgracefully plundered."

November 29. - General Hood, with Cheatham's and Stewart's corps and Johnson's division, of Lee's corps, flanked the enemy's force remaining opposite Columbia, crossing Duck River about three miles above the town, and moving by a country road to the Columbia and Franklin pike, struck the enemy (who, in the meantime, had begun to retire from Columbia) near Spring Hill, but without success. The command then went into camp near Spring Hill. Army headquarters for the night were at Doctor Thompson's, two and a half miles from Spring Hill and a little to the right of the Columbia and Franklin pike. General Lee, with Clayton's and Stevenson's divisions and the artillery and teams of the army, remained at Columbia.

November 30. - The march was resumed on the Columbia and Franklin pike, Lee coming up from Columbia with the remainder of his command and the artillery. Cheatham's and Stewart's corps went into position around the enemy's works at Franklin about 4.30 p. m., engaging the enemy almost immediately, Stewart on the right and Cheatham on the left. General Hood's headquarters were on the pike, about three-fourths of a mile in rear of the line of battle. The battle closed about 12 o'clock at night. Skirmishing was going on, however, till 3 a. m., when the enemy abandoned his position, and retired upon the Franklin and


Page 670 KY., SW. VA., TENN., MISS., ALA., AND N. GA. Chapter LVII.