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It is my opinion that some of the most desperate fighting of the war took place at the Mule Shoe at Spotsylvania and in front of the Federal earthworks at Franklin.
The Civil War Preservation Trust is joining with Franklin's Charge to attempt to purchase land adjacent to the historic Cotton Gin property at Franklin.
This should stike a chord with Missourians. Although Franklin is often popularly associated with Cleburne and his command, the Missouri Brigade was right in the thick of it and was decimated at the Cotton Gin. They advanced into battle with their band playing. After the battle they were in such bad shape, they were left behind to guard railroads instead of making the advance to Nashville. Many of these men lie buried in the cemetery at Carnton.These men are often overlooked in the history of the war yet they were some of the most elite shock troops that fought on either side.
I would like to quote from a recent letter sent by the CWPT about this effort:
"One of the first units to hit the Union defensive line in the area we are seeking to preserve was Francis M. Cockrell's Confederate Missouri Brigade. The Union commander on this part of the line described the action as "terrible slaughter".
Cockrell himself, after having two horses shot out from under him was hit four times by the relentless fire. Confederate Captain Patrick Canniff got to within ten yards of the Union line before he was blasted from his horse, bleeding profusely from his right shoulder. As he tried to raise his head, another bullet crashed through his skull and exploded out near his chin.
As historian Eric Jacoboson has noted in his recent book, 'Everyone was being shot down... entire companies almost ceased to exist as the inferno continued...In one particularly horrible scene, a Missouri drummer, no more than 15 years old, jumped in front of one of [the Union] Napoleons and shoved a fence rail into the smoking tube. What he did not know was that the gun had just been loaded. As the boy strained to jam the rail in as deeply as possible, the gun suddenly went off. In a split second, the young boy, who had run forward with his drum still strapped to his back, simply vanished, his body blown away in shreds 'so that nothing was ever found of him' "
Such men deserve to be rememberd. Such men deserve to be honored. Let us remember them by working to save this important ground where so many drew their last breath.
Let us honor those that left Missouri in 1861 and 1862 to cross over the river for the cause of the Confederacy - most never saw their home again.
I have donated to help save the hallowed ground at Franklin several times. I plan on doing so again. Who will join me?
The Civil War Preservation Trust is joining with Franklin's Charge to attempt to purchase land adjacent to the historic Cotton Gin property at Franklin.
This should stike a chord with Missourians. Although Franklin is often popularly associated with Cleburne and his command, the Missouri Brigade was right in the thick of it and was decimated at the Cotton Gin. They advanced into battle with their band playing. After the battle they were in such bad shape, they were left behind to guard railroads instead of making the advance to Nashville. Many of these men lie buried in the cemetery at Carnton.These men are often overlooked in the history of the war yet they were some of the most elite shock troops that fought on either side.
I would like to quote from a recent letter sent by the CWPT about this effort:
"One of the first units to hit the Union defensive line in the area we are seeking to preserve was Francis M. Cockrell's Confederate Missouri Brigade. The Union commander on this part of the line described the action as "terrible slaughter".
Cockrell himself, after having two horses shot out from under him was hit four times by the relentless fire. Confederate Captain Patrick Canniff got to within ten yards of the Union line before he was blasted from his horse, bleeding profusely from his right shoulder. As he tried to raise his head, another bullet crashed through his skull and exploded out near his chin.
As historian Eric Jacoboson has noted in his recent book, 'Everyone was being shot down... entire companies almost ceased to exist as the inferno continued...In one particularly horrible scene, a Missouri drummer, no more than 15 years old, jumped in front of one of [the Union] Napoleons and shoved a fence rail into the smoking tube. What he did not know was that the gun had just been loaded. As the boy strained to jam the rail in as deeply as possible, the gun suddenly went off. In a split second, the young boy, who had run forward with his drum still strapped to his back, simply vanished, his body blown away in shreds 'so that nothing was ever found of him' "
Such men deserve to be rememberd. Such men deserve to be honored. Let us remember them by working to save this important ground where so many drew their last breath.
Let us honor those that left Missouri in 1861 and 1862 to cross over the river for the cause of the Confederacy - most never saw their home again.
I have donated to help save the hallowed ground at Franklin several times. I plan on doing so again. Who will join me?
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