Anderson Daily Mail
April 24, 1914
BATTLE
OF FRANKLIN, TENN
Part
Taken in Fight by South Carolina Troops
The News and Courier
Enclosed
I hand you an extract from the official report of Col. (afterwards Brig.
Gen.)Ellison Capers of the part his regiment, the 24th South
Carolina, bore in the battle of Franklin, Tenn., November 30, 1864. It is taken from Volume XLV, Part 1, Series
1, Pages 733-39, of the “Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies,”
in the war department library. As it
refers to the heroism and gallantry of some of the officers and men of that
regiment, I think it fitting that is should be published for the benefit of
their descendants, as well as for the whole state.
The
24th and 16th South Carolina regiments grandly
illustrated your state in that battle, as well as in all others in which they
participated, and I think the descendants of the men should be reminded of
it. The colors of the 97th
Ohio volunteers, captured by Lieut. Tillman and his gallant men, I saw the
morning after the battle and was told they had been captured by a lieutenant of
the 24th South Carolina, but I did not know the officer’s name until
I read Col. Caper’s report.
I
was a member of Company C, 2d Georgia battalion sharpshooters, in Gist’s
brigade, and we led the attack in advance of the division that day. I will be glad if you will publish this and
that some one will send me a copy of that issue. The extract follows:
“About
10 or 10:30 o’clock Lieut. James A. Tillman of the 24th South
Carolina, led his own company, (I) and men from other companies of the regiment
in charge against the enemy over the work and captured the colors of the 97th
Ohio volunteer infantry and some forty prisoners. The regiment held its position, as did the
brigade, against repeated attempts to drive it from the work, until about
midnight, when the enemy retired and left our army in possession of the bloody
field of Franklin. I was shot down
before reaching the last work, and have reported the facts occurring after my
wound upon the statement of the men and officers who visited me at the hospital
on the next day. “At the close
of the battle Capt. Gillis, of the 46th Georgia, was the senior
officer of the brigade; of the general’s (Gist) staff, Capt. H. D. Garden alone
remained. Before we reached the locust abatis the ranks of the regiment were decimated by the
direct and enfilade fire of the enemy, and the lieutenant colonel and myself
had both been shot down, yet the company officers led their men forward, worked
their way through the abatis and assaulted the main
work. Lieut. Gailey,
of Company F, and Lieut. Padgett of Company I, with many of the men, were
killed beyond the work.
I
would specially commend the gallant conduct of Lieut. James A. Tillman,
commanding Company I, who led his company over the work and captured the flag
and some forty prisoners of the 97th Ohio regiment. Lieut. Tillman specially commends the
gallantry of Privates J. P. Blackwell, Anderson Wallis and J. E. O. Carpenter
in this affair. I would also mention
specially the gallantry of Privates Prewett and Mock,
both of whom were killed on the last line of the enemy. Lieut. W. M. Beckham of Company G, acting
adjutant; Capt. Powers of Company D; Lieuts. Clause
S. Beaty, Company F; Adrian C. Appleby, Company C; C.
D. Easterling, Company B; McDaniel, Company N and
Andrews, Company K, were conspicuous in the field for their gallant conduct.
“The
conduct of these officers came under my notice, but I have no doubt others
acted with equal gallantry whose conduct did not come under my immediate
notice. Private Adam Carpenter bore the
flag with courage and faithfulness, and Color Corporals Jones, Company B, and
Morgan, Company K, were both wounded. Lieuts. Weeks, Company C; Tatum, Company H, and Millen,
company H, were severely wounded on the field.
I would specially commend the gallantry and devotion of the ____ corps,
under Private Joseph Breland. They kept up with the regiment and rendered
prompt assistance to the wounded, several of them being themselves wounded on
the field.”
Frank
Stowall Roberts
Washington
, D. C.
[Transcribed by Sharon Strout]
