Confederate dead at Franklin

[DougCooper]

Re: Confederate dead at Franklin

Gang, I think it is safe to say that there is no photo of the real deceased CS generals as they lay on the porch, or anywhere else. If there were it would be one of the single most popular and reproduced photos of the entire war. You would think that said mythical photographer might also have taken a few other shots just for the heck of it. For those of you who believe you might have seen one at some time - by all means give us a site, book or call Franklin itself and ask them. I was just there - no photo nor knowledge of one.

They do have a totally cool modern photo of the Carter House yard with Troiani's Opdyke's Tigers superimposed over the photo (for sale I think). Attached is the Troiani painting.

[john duffer]

Re: Confederate dead at Franklin

I know for a fact there's a photo, I was portraying Hiram Granbury when they took it.

[rkg]

Re: Confederate dead at Franklin

Hey All,
I'm sure I saw a picture of this when I was a kid, it may have been in the American Heritage book on the Civil War that came out during the early 60' centennial. I don't have this book, so if anybody does give it a look and let us know if it is in there.

[roundshot]

Re: Confederate dead at Franklin

It's not. As noted above, it does not exist.

[CornFedComrade]

Re: Confederate dead at Franklin

I have a copy of "The Golden Book of the Civil War" adapted from American Heritage printed in 1961. It seems to be an appended version for younger readers so this isn't conclusive evidence, but the photo does not appear in my copy. I also have a 1996 edition of "The American Heritage New History of the Civil War." It doesn't appear to be in that book either. I can also add that I have no recollection of seeing this photo, but my memory is far from perfect (protecting myself in case this mysterious picture surfaces).

[Enfilade]

Re: Confederate dead at Franklin

I can also add that I have no recollection of seeing this photo, but my memory is far from perfect (protecting myself in case this mysterious picture surfaces).[/QUOTE]

Now that's funny! Myself? I suffer from CRS disease. "Can't remember s*%t".:wink_smil


Mark Berrier
North State Rifles

http://www.northstaterifles.com

[vamick]

Re: Confederate dead at Franklin

by gawd I know I saw one and now my new mission in life as we know it is to find it and post it!...they ( or at least a row of bodies) were laid out under the right side windows on the back porch and if it aint in Millers its somwhere else, stay tuned I aint crazy...yet

[Agate]

Re: Confederate dead at Franklin

Gary,

You ain't crazy at all my friend, and your memory isn't shot either.

The image has nothing to do with the images taken at Corinth. Nor is it a modern staged scene.

I'm going down Saturday to look it up at our library. Believe I know where the image is. That is, if Gary doesn't beat me to it first.:) You boys got him riled.

John

[celtfiddler]

Re: Confederate dead at Franklin

Not sure if one exists. I've struck out checking the online image database at the Army's history center, Smithsonian Art Museum image database, using a general google search, searching the proquest military database. I've also tried the military and historical image bank website too.

I haven't had the chance to do a full search of Miller's Photographic History of the Civil War on google books yet.

I'd suggest trying the Tennessee State Archives to see if they may have the image in their holdings.

[hiplainsyank]

Re: Confederate dead at Franklin

I think perhaps that picture that the original question refers to is actually a "modern" picture of the porch at Carnton House, with the caption The Carnton House porch held the bodies of five Confederate generals after the battle.
This black and white photo is on page 555 of my edition of The American Heritage Pictoral History of the Civil War that dates to no later than 1980 when it was given to me. I suspect that the caption so capatured many readers' imaginations so that they remembered this photograph with the bodies of the dead laid out.

[vamick]

Re: Confederate dead at Franklin

Thats possible, the mind is "a terrible thing"...but heres what I remember of the picture:

The back of Carnton looking down the length of the porch..?? it ( in my mind anyway) is a 'period' pic, and if not, then it is done on wet plate, or is B&W after the war?, since it is fairly darkish, there are a few men standing by ( as is common in CW pictures) some with hats off, some not... maybe even a 'servant'?...and on the porch floor under a set of windows are several bodies lain out on blankets, some with blankets over them from a distance of maybe 5/10 yrds? one cannot see their faces well ect because I tried to find Cleburne.. and for some reason I tend to think it came out of Miller's Photographic History ect. because they have many unpublished photos, and because I went thu every one of them my local library had as a kid of bout 12 ( a few were in rough shape due to water damage from a fire)..now maybe Ive only seen a picture set that way of the empty porch..but I have seen 'something':D AND just to add more fuel per fire ratio!...I believe in the same place I saw a pic of the open ditch in front of the federal works filled with the muddy twisted bodies of the slain ( but not the Cornith image this ditch was FILLED and some bodies were forced in a semi stand)..lets just say they made an 'impression' on me wherever I saw em.( it was far worse than Bloody Lane!) I studied them under a magnafying glass, and it was....very very nasty! and Franklin and especially Carnton has given me a lil shiver ever since!

[Pat.Lewis]

Re: Confederate dead at Franklin

Seriously,

This just seems too improbable to keep discussing. As popular as Cleburne and Franklin have gotten in Civil War memory in recent years, if this photo existed it would be the hottest thing going right now and terribly easy to find. He is the new face of the Confederacy. Young, Irish (a people whose history and culture are popular enough on their own currently), proposed emancipation, the guy is a PR dream. And we cant find a copy of an extant photo of the martyred general (and a few more for good measure) laid out just after his death at the ultimate Lost Cause battle? Come on. You can't say there wouldn't be 1,000 copies if there were one.

[vamick]

Re: Confederate dead at Franklin

tell ya what, if and when I find it, whatever it was I saw I'll post it..
and as for the Irish being popular, well some folks have always known quality !:D be they in a 'lost cause' or a found one its 'up tha rebels' a chairde!

[LWhite64]

Re: Confederate dead at Franklin

I think that all of this comes from an old Civil War Times Illustrated article, I believe an issue from the late 60s titled, "The Myth of Five Generals", the article has a postbellum photograph of the backside of the mansion. Nothing in Millers.

Lee

[Agate]

Re: Confederate dead at Franklin

"I suspect that the caption so capatured many readers' imaginations so that they remembered this photograph with the bodies of the dead laid out."


When folks start telling me that I've "imagined", or made something up, is when I step out of a discussion. Whether it's asserted I've made it up intentionally or not.

I also don't deal well with "students" or professional researchers of any subject who claim to have seen everything ever published, written or what have you on a certain subject, especially one such as Civil War photographs.

The subject doesn't really merit any more comment IMO, because those of you who have commented that the image doesn't exist have already made up your minds. I, for one, learned a long time ago regarding anything to do with the Ameircan Civil War, to never, ever, say "never".....but that's just me, I guess.

My only interest was to get something that I thought would be of interest to those of you who have an interest. As I really don't care, and as you have made up your collective minds anyway, not really much point I suppose.

Good luck to all,

John

On the shanks mare.