3 minute read
History
Battle of Franklin &
BY ABBI WILT
History enthusiasts flock to Franklin year after
year to learn about its storied past centered around the Battle of Franklin, one of the bloodiest battles of America’s Civil War. More than 150 years later, the stories of both despair and heroism have been carefully preserved and shared daily with visitors from all over the world. Four local Civil War sites and homes - Carnton, Carter House, Rippavilla, and Lotz House - each has a unique story to tell regarding the Battle of Franklin. All four historic homes offer incredible guided tours led by knowledgeable staff to share moving stories of that fateful day.
VISIT LOCAL LANDMARKS
Carnton is one of Franklin’s most famous landmarks
- a beautiful 19th century home depicting the classic Southern wealth of the McGavock family. During the Battle of Franklin, however, this home - known in social circles for its gracious host Carrie McGavock - became a field hospital for hundreds of dying soldiers.
Visitors can tour Carnton to experience first-hand Civil War history as well as the grounds, where the home’s ornamental vegetable garden has been closely restored to its former glory by master gardener Justin Stelter.
History lovers may also want to stop by Carter House, an 1830s brick farmhouse built by Fountain Branch Carter for his large family. During the Civil War, Carter House was commandeered as a Federal Command Post for its
proximity to the battle. The Carter family - along with their neighbors, the Lotz family - took refuge in the basement as Confederate General John Bell Hood organized his attack. The home and farm office building took brutal fire - about 1,000 bullets, in fact. Visitors can see the bullet holes to this day, making the farm office at Carter House the most bullet-damaged building still standing from the Civil War. Just across the street stands the Lotz House, abandoned by its family during the battle, with similar scars. Tours are available for both homes.
Twenty miles south of Franklin, on the afternoon of November 29, 1864, over 25,000 Federal and Confederate soldiers converged on the small village of Spring Hill. The Battle of Spring Hill was the genesis of the nightmare that unfolded on the fields south of Franklin in the waning autumn light as the American Civil War spiraled toward its violent conclusion. Today, visitors can tour Rippavilla, a Greek Revival-style home that was built in the mid1850s by a Civil War major and a significant Battle of Spring Hill site.
Beyond
EXPERIENCE THE FULLER STORY
Though Franklin’s history has long been dominated by white voices, the Fuller Story Project is dedicated to sharing the bigger picture - a history of African Americans’ slavery and successes in Williamson County.
Around the Courthouse Square where families were torn apart through the buying and selling of slaves, five Fuller Story markers tell the story of United States Colored Troops (USCT) soldiers, the 1867 race riot, the Battle of Franklin, Reconstruction, and the African American experience before, during, and post-Civil War.
On October 23, 2021, a statue dedicated to the honor and memory of the U.S. Colored Troops who fought for freedom in the Civil War from 1863 to 1865 was
unveiled on Franklin’s public square. Through the statue sculpted by Joe F. Howard - officially named the “March to Freedom Statue” - and the Fuller Story markers, visitors can learn about Franklin’s rich African American history and the stories of those who courageously gave their lives for freedom, liberty, and equality.
March to Freedom Statue
