AussieAndy | 10 Nov 2014 7:10 p.m. PST |
Hello I was hoping that someone might be able to give me some information on the artillery present at the Battle of Franklin. I am looking for details of the number of batteries with each division or corps and the number of guns in each battery (or at least the total number of guns with each army). The sources that I have looked at differ on the number of batteries and don't address the number of guns at all. Thank you for your assistance |
ACWBill | 11 Nov 2014 5:19 a.m. PST |
Hi Aussie this is from the Fire & Fury Scenario I wrote back in 1999 for Franklin. I show 13 US and 18 CS Batteries. Send me a PM and I will be happy to send it by US Corps and CS Divisions. ……………………………UNION CONFEDERATE Infantry………………….. 177….. 165 Cavalry ………………….. 33….. 30 Artillery ………………… . 13….. 18 Leaders …………………. 10….. 16
Bill Moreno |
DisasterWargamer | 11 Nov 2014 7:55 a.m. PST |
The important thing as you look at the artillery is that every source I have come across (Jacobson, Wiley, McDonough, Cox, OR, and Walker) all state that the majority of the artillery Hood had was back with Lee's Corps (who had arrived at Spring Hill the morning after the Union Army had slipped away) his orders were to rest a few hours and follow Hood to Franklin I haven't come across anything indicating that they reached the field of battle in time I believe the first elements of the rear group were committed to battle around 7 pm (later they were used at Nashville casualty numbers from Franklin seem to bear this out as well). It appears that there were 2 batteries of confederate guns (1 per corps) that did fight. On the Union Side Guns were located at Fort Granger and the Franklin Lines. On the Franklin lines several batteries were split into 2 gun sections. There were a couple of scenarios also published in MWAN. Im currently working on a regimental version but not finished yet. |
AussieAndy | 11 Nov 2014 8:03 a.m. PST |
Thank you Bill. I have sent a PM. Thank you DisasterWargamer. The scenario that I have been looking at distributes the Confederate artillery evenly among the corps (which didn't seem right to me) and ignores the existence of Fort Grainger. |
Major Mike | 11 Nov 2014 8:21 p.m. PST |
The bulk of the artillery had been used to support the feint river crossing at Columbia as Hood attempted to outflank Schofield which led to the battle at Spring Hill. The Artillery had to then catch up to the rest of the army and the roads were not in the best of conditions. Hood would not wait for his artillery to catch up before attacking at Franklin. IIRC Hoods artillery commander was either killed or severely injured at Columbia as Union and Rebel artillery dueled. |
AussieAndy | 11 Nov 2014 11:59 p.m. PST |
Thank you. I have given the bulk of the Confederate artillery to Lee. |
ACWBill | 12 Nov 2014 9:25 a.m. PST |
Source for my scenario assignments of batteries. Embrace an Angry Wind Wiley Sword Embrace an Angry Wind The Gamers various others 23rd Army Corp Brigadier General Jacob Cox E 5 Batteries of Corps Artillery 4th Army Corps Major General David Sloane Stanley E 5 Batteries of Corps Artillery Wilson's Cavalry Corps 3 Batteries Corps Horse Artillery Benjamin Franklin Cheatham's Corps 5 Batteries Corps Artillery (1 Present at Spring Hill) Alexander P. Stewart's Corps 5 Batteries Corps Artillery (1 Present at Spring Hill) Stephen Dill Lee's Corps 5 Batteries Corps Artillery (None Present at Spring Hill) Nathan Bedford Forrest's Cavalry Corps E 3 Batteries Horse Artillery |
DisasterWargamer | 12 Nov 2014 10:53 a.m. PST |
Bill, Love Wiley Sword though I take his book along with Jacobsons for Cause and Country to try and nail down some of the information. As to the Confederate Artillery On page 182 of Wiley Swords The Confederacy's Last Hurrah (First published as Embrace an Angry Wind) he states "Only two 6-gun artillery batteries were then with the army, most of the artillery still being en route from Spring Hill with S.D. Lee's Corps. Hood thus assigned one battery to each corps, but directed they be split up into sections to fill the intervals between divisions." Footnote 55 referring to Cox 87 and the OR 45-1-708 As example Part of OR 45-1-708 From reports of Lient. Gen. Alexander In the meantime Cheathams corps was also formed for attack, and the two corps were to move for-ward simultaneously. I had one battery only, the pieces of which were distributed to the three divisions. BTW – the Batteries that I find most mentioned are Bowen's Battery (Ferguson SC Battery) with Cheatham's Corps) and the 1st Missouri Field Battery with Stewart's Corps – in particular around Lorings division. Also interesting is some correspondence from Cowan's Battery saying that they were outfitted with infantry weapons and set in with a companion brigade hoping to capture some Union Guns and turn them on the Union. Lastly there are some references to Hood Chief Engineer Presstman taking change of one of the battery sections that was initially at the Everbright (Bostick) Mansion but moved up in support of the Floridians in Bullocks Brigade. |
ACWBill | 12 Nov 2014 12:01 p.m. PST |
Yes, that sounds about right. I am taking the information from my "Hood's 1864 Tennessee Campaign" mini-campaign. This included Spring Hill, Franklin and Nashville. I probably should have written a small scenario for Columbia, which could be a really intriguing what if as well. However, when I wrote this, it was just to small for Fire & Fury. Now with regimental, who knows. In any case, this was the artillery as originally assigned to each army. This can be found in Sword's book. Not sure of the page numbers when released as "Confederacy's Last Hurrah". |
DisasterWargamer | 12 Nov 2014 12:10 p.m. PST |
Even having read some of the reasons speculated – I cant help but wonder if I would have had the courage for a frontal assault on a reinforced – somewhat tiered defensive line – against some repeating rifles – with no artillery support and over a Corps of infantry still marching up from Spring Hill and Most of the Cavalry across the river. All that and the Rebels almost carried the day – except for Wagner, Opndycke, and others defending the position. While they ended up with the terrain the next day after the union withdraw – The Army of the TN had been dealt a near death blow |
ACWBill | 12 Nov 2014 12:28 p.m. PST |
For me, one of the more heroic and tragic accounts is that of Tad Carter, dying in his own yard in front of the house his father, Fountain Branch Carter, built on the edge of town. What a twisted fate that if written into a hollywood script, would be rejected as a being too ridiculous to believe. I visited the site in late 80's as a reenactor during the 125th anniversary event and again as a tourist two years ago. The entire group of buildings is pocked by minie-balls. |
DisasterWargamer | 12 Nov 2014 12:33 p.m. PST |
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DisasterWargamer | 06 Dec 2014 7:06 p.m. PST |
Found a new piece on this today link Period source indicates the bulk of the Confederate artillery didn't get there until about 3 am One of the things often remembered about Gen. John Bell Hood's attack is that it was made without artillery support. Like many of the aspects of Franklin, this isn't entirely true. In fact, there were a few batteries present, one of which was Guibor's Missouri Battery. The following is the harrowing account of Franklin from a red legs perspective, Gunner Samuel Dunlap: … "As the fighting finally died down about 9 p.m., that evening the guns were ordered back a short distance for the night. They were awakened at 3 a.m., though, and as the bulk of the army's artillery arrived on the field, they were ordered into position to bombard the Federal positonsbut come dawn, the positions had been abandoned." |
49mountain | 08 Dec 2014 12:36 p.m. PST |
I seem to recall that the batteries in Fort Granger were heavy artillery. Does anyone have information on the size of the guns inside Ft Granger? |
DisasterWargamer | 11 Dec 2014 7:05 p.m. PST |
link Sketch of Ft Granger link 3 inch rifled guns firing a 10 lb projectile Cockerills Battery D 1st OH Light Artillery multiple sources for the information – I haven't found a lot of information about the number of guns in the battery – but according to a tour pamphlet it was 4 – 3 inch rifled guns |
GIORGIO | 09 Jan 2015 11:57 a.m. PST |
hi all, I'm new here, greetings to all from Italy. I have a question. I'm going to refight the 3 battles of Hood's campaign with my friends. We played Spring Hill and now are organizing for Franklin. For Artillery I'm going to provide 2 bases to confederates (1 for Cheteam and 1 for Stewart) and 10 for invaders (yes I play with patriots ;-) ). In the initial deployment are there artillery bases with Wagner advanced position (I mean Lane and Conrad divisions)? Thanks in advance for your help and congratulations for the terrific site! Giorgio |
GIORGIO | 17 Jan 2015 12:40 p.m. PST |
Anyone can help about union artillery distribution? thanks |