Benjamin Franklin Cheatham

Benjamin Franklin Cheatham

Benjamin Franklin Cheatham was born at Nashville in 1820. At twenty-six years of age he entered the army for service in the Mexican War. As captain and colonel he won fame in this war and at its close was appointed major general of Tennessee volunteers. In 1849 he went with the great throng of fortune hunters to the gold fields of California, but soon returned to Tennessee. At the beginning of the Civil War he was made a brigadier general in the Confederate Army and served with distinguished honor throughout the war, rising to the rank of major general. He was a stern, hard fighter, but a kind man, much beloved by his soldiers, who affectionately called him "Old Frank." Of course they never used this title in speaking to their general, but around their camp fires they rarely gave him any other. It is a custom among soldiers to nickname the commanders they love.

After the Civil War General Cheatham returned to Nashville. When General Grant became President he offered General Cheatham an appointment in the civil service of the United States, but Cheatham did not accept it. The two men were warm personal friends, though they had taken opposite sides in the war. In 1872 General Cheatham, Andrew Johnson, and Horace Maynard were candidates for congressman at large. That is, Tennessee was entitled to one more representative in Congress than there were districts in the state, so one representative had to be elected by the votes of all the people of the state. Maynard was elected. In 1875 Cheatham was made Superintendent of State Prisons, and held the position for four years. In 1885 he was appointed postmaster at Nashville, but died in September, 1886.

SOURCE: Gentry Richard McGee, A History of Tennessee from 1663 to 1914, p. 211-2

Captain Charles Wright Wills: September 3, 1864

September 3, 1864.

Rebels still here. Congratulatory order from Sherman commences, “Slocum occupied Atlanta yesterday at 11 a. m.” We can see nothing of our position here. I don't know where the 23d and 14th are. Our line here is very crooked, but generally faces southeast. Commencing at our right our line runs 17th, 15th, 16th and 4th. Kilpatrick is on our right or in the enemy's rear. Can't hear a word of Hood's or Polk's old corps or the militia. Hardee is in our front, and they are the only Rebel troops I know aught of. Cheatham's Division faces us, and a S. C. Brigade is opposite our brigade. Captain Wilkinson was wounded in the arm to-day.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 298

Captain Charles Wright Wills: June 19, 1864

June 19, 1864.

This is the 50th day of the campaign. Our brigade has been under musketry fire 12 days, artillery about 30. We have as a brigade fought three nice little battles, in as many days, repulsing two charges, and making one which was a perfect success. We have captured all told about 650 prisoners, and I think 1,000 a very low estimate of the number we have killed and wounded. I think Cheatham's and Bates' Rebel divisions will say the same. We have thus cleared ourselves with a loss to us of nearly 300, or fully one-fifth of the command. The other nine days we were on the skirmish line, in the rifle pits or front line.

This morning an order was read to pursue the enemy immediately and in ten minutes the “assembly” was sounded. The enemy had fallen back on his flanks, and maybe was intending to evacuate, for our right had swung around him further than I, if in his place, would consider healthy. But he had not yet left the Twin Mountains. The line now runs from right to left by Corps 23d, 20th, 4th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th. The 14th Corps lost heavily to-day, but drove the Rebels four miles. The 23d Corps was still going at last accounts. The artillery firing to-day was beautiful. Our division advanced about one-half mile only. The Twin Mountains are right in front of us, and I have seen the Rebels shooting from six batteries on the crest and sides. Our batteries on a line 600 yards in front answer them promptly.

Only one shell has burst near us, and that 100 yards to our right.

The 55th had one killed and two wounded just in front of us, by shells. All parts of the line advanced from one to five miles to-day, the right swinging forward farthest, a-la-gate. Osterhaus' headquarters are 30 yards to our right. A solid shot from the mountain went through one of his tents yesterday. It has rained hard all day, but nobody minds it a particle. The general feeling is that the Rebels have fallen back to their main position, although they have abandoned ground that we would have held one against five. I can't hear that any line of battle has been engaged to-day, but the force on the advance skirmish lines was probably doubled at least. You would not smile at the idea of sleeping on the ground allotted to us to-night. Mud from six to eight inches deep.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 263-4

Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864 — January 23, 1865: No. 108. Reports of Col. Orlando H. Moore, Twenty-fifth Michigan Infantry, commanding Second Brigade, of operations November 21-30 and December 15-16, 1864.

No. 108.

Reports of Col. Orlando H. Moore, Twenty-fifth Michigan Infantry, commanding Second Brigade, of operations November 21-30 and December 15-16, 1864.

HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., SECOND DIV., 23D ARMY CORPS,                     

Nashville, Tenn.: December 8, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations of my brigade since leaving Johnsonville, Tenn.:

On the morning of November 21 the One hundred and eleventh Ohio Infantry started by rail, in accordance with orders from the general commanding the division, for Columbia, Tenn., and on the 23d of November four other regiments of my brigade, with my headquarters, took cars at Johnsonville and proceeded by way of Nashville to Columbia, arriving at 2.30 a.m. on the 24th. The troops were immediately disembarked and massed on the hill near the fort. At 9 a.m. I received orders to move my brigade out upon the Mount Pleasant pike, and placed it in position, with one regiment on the right of the Hampshire pike, having its right wing at the mill on Little Bigby Creek and the left wing near the Hampshire pike where it crosses the creek. At 8 p.m., in accordance with orders from the general commanding the division, I moved the brigade across the pike, having its left rest upon it, with the right at the Little Bigby Creek mill, and one regiment, One hundred and eighteenth Ohio Infantry, on the bank of the creek about half a mile farther to the right. The troops remained in this position throwing up breast-works until near midnight of the 25th, when I was ordered to move by the right flank to Duck River railroad bridge. Owing to the extreme darkness of the night, and having to move through a dense wood without reads, there was some irregularity in this movement. The brigade arrived at the bridge at daylight. Here the brigade was put in position, with its right across the railroad near Duck River, and its left near the road leading from the ford near the railroad bridge to Columbia. They were immediately set to work throwing up earth-works, covering nearly three times their front. I threw out a strong picket-line at night, and during the night withdrew my brigade across Duck River, and on the morning of 28th placed the brigade in position on the high ground near the river, with my left resting near the railroad, and right near the riverbank, with two regiments in reserve. One-half of the One hundred and eleventh Ohio Infantry, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Sherwood, was sent two miles down the river to guard a ford. The brigade threw up a strong line of earth-works and held the position until the morning of the 29th. At this place considerable skirmishing was kept up, resulting in the loss of a few men in my brigade.

At 9 a.m. on the 29th I was ordered to move with my brigade, following the Third Brigade, leaving the One hundred and eleventh Ohio Infantry to occupy the works and rejoin the brigade at midnight. Shortly before reaching Spring Hill I was ordered to place one regiment on the right flank of Third Brigade, which was then advancing in line of battle. I sent out the Twenty-third Michigan Infantry, Colonel Spaulding. In taking his position he came suddenly upon the enemy's pickets, and captured an adjutant-general belonging to Cheatham's (rebel) corps. The remainder of my brigade was formed in line of battle across the road, forming a second line, and advancing in this order until after dark, halting near town for a short time, when I received orders to march on the Franklin pike, with one regiment thrown out as an advance guard. Halted at midnight and put the brigade in position to cover the cross-roads near Thompson's Station. Marched again at 2 a.m. on the 30th, arriving at Franklin at 7 a.m.

On the morning of the 30th the One hundred and eleventh Ohio Infantry, with a detachment of Twenty-fourth Missouri Infantry, repulsed an attack made by rebel cavalry upon our wagon train, losing one man wounded; they then resumed the march, arriving at Franklin at 12 m., and were put in position on the left of my brigade. I put my brigade position, under the direction of the general commanding the division, with its right resting on the Centerville pike, and left on the northwest slope of the hill near the Columbia pike, on the west side of the town, and immediately commenced in trenching the position. The line occupied by the brigade was so long that I found it impossible to fill it properly with my brigade, and applied to the general commanding the division for more troops, and received a company of fifty men of One hundred and eighty-third Ohio Infantry, which I put in position between the left of Twenty-third Michigan and right of One hundred and twenty-ninth Indiana Infantry, near the center of my line. The officers and men were very much exhausted, having been worked night and day for several days previous, and not having enjoyed a night's rest since leaving Johnsonville, yet they went to work cheerfully and threw up a strong line of works. At noon I received orders to make a detail of six officers and 175 men for picket. These were posted under the direction of Major Huston, Twenty-third Michigan Infantry, field officer of the day. There was very little skirmishing in my front, but at 4 p.m. the enemy advanced his troops in three lines of battle, driving in the pickets and pushing boldly up to the works, evidently hoping to carry them with ease, but he was met by a firm line and driven back in confusion. The men of my brigade stood to their works without flinching, but the company of One hundred and eighty-third Ohio Infantry which I had placed near the center of my line gave way. After another charge the troops on the immediate left of my line left their works, and the enemy occupied them, flanking the One hundred and eleventh Ohio Infantry, which was on the left of my brigade. At this juncture I ordered two companies of the Eightieth Indiana Infantry to the left to support the line, and gave orders to flank the whole brigade, if necessary, in order to close the breach made to the left of my line, and then ordered the Second Pennsylvania Battery, which was in position on the right of my line, to turn their guns from the embrasures to the left and fire upon the ridge upon the left flank of my brigade, and shell the rebel columns which were massing to charge that point. This was done with good effect. At this juncture Capt. P. H. Dowling, acting assistant inspector-general on my staff, rode forward, placed the troops in position, and endeavored to rally the troops, which had been driven back from the works, and by his heroic bravery and unsurpassed gallantry succeeded in driving the enemy from the front of the works, and saved the troops from a defeat which otherwise would have been inevitable. It was an important movement, which Captain Dowling fully appreciated, and under the most terrible fire of the enemy he nobly and gallantly cheered forward the officers and men to victory, receiving a severe wound in the arm. Too much cannot be said in praise of Captain Dowling for his important and gallant services.

I will also here state that the gallant manner in which Capt. H. A. Hale, assistant adjutant-general, Lieut. J. D. Bolles, aide-de-camp, Lieut. W. H. Clements, aide-de-camp, and other members of my staff, discharged their duties, under the hottest fire of the enemy, was worthy of the highest commendation.

The enemy made repeated charges at short intervals with fresh troops until late at night, nearly every time reaching the works at some point in my line. The many hand-to-hand encounters over the works are strongly attested by the number of bayonet wounds received by the men. The enemy succeeded in planting his colors twice upon the works of the Twenty-third Michigan Infantry, and the colors of the One hundred and seventh Illinois Infantry were seized by a rebel, who was killed in attempting to carry them away. The colors were recovered by a private of the regiment named Bailey Walker, a member of Company G, who went over the works and brought them back.

During one of these charges Lieutenant-Colonel Lowry, commanding One hundred and seventh Illinois Infantry, received a mortal wound in the head. He had distinguished himself throughout the action by his coolness and bravery. Though at other times a man of very quiet and even temperament, he displayed on this occasion great activity, at all times regardless of personal danger. By his strenuous efforts, he contributed largely to the success of the day. His loss is deeply felt by all who knew him, and particularly in his own command, where he was best known.

The distinguished professional services of L. A. Brewer, brigade surgeon, during this battle, were highly appreciated, not only in his careful treatment of the wounded, but in his patriotic efforts in cheering the soldiers to nobly do their duty.

The following is a list of the casualties in my brigade:

Report of casualties in Second Brigade, Second Division, Twenty-third Army Corps.

Command.	Killed.		Wounded.		Missing.		Total.		Aggregate.
	O	M	O	M	O	M	O	M
Brigade headquarters			1				1		1
2nd Michigan Infantry	1	1		13		3	1	17	18
80th Indiana Infantry				6				6	6
129th Indiana Infantry		4	1	12		1	1	17	18
111th Ohio Infantry	1	11	4	30		8	5	49	54
118th Ohio Infantry.		1		5				6	6
107th Illinois Infantry	1	1	2	15			3	16	19
Total	3	18	8	81		12	11	111	122

[O = Officers  M=Men]

Respectfully submitted.

ORLANDO H. MOORE,     

Colonel Twenty-fifth Michigan Infantry, Comdg. Brigade.

 Lieut. S. H. HUBBELL,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. Gen., Second Division, 23d Army Corps.

_______________

HDQRS. SECOND BRIG., SECOND DIV., 23D ARMY CORPS,                     

In the Field, December 22, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by my brigade in the battles of the 15th and 16th instant near Nashville, Tenn.:

I broke camp on the morning of the 15th, and had my command in readiness to move at 5 a.m., in pursuance of orders received from the general commanding the division the previous evening. Marched at 9 a.m., following Harvey's battery across the Franklin and Granny White pikes; halted near the Hardin pike and formed line of battle in rear of the First Brigade; remained in this position until 1 p.m., when I received orders to move by the right flank, conforming to the movements of the First Brigade, and moved to the right of General Smith's line. The lines were advanced a short distance, when the enemy opened fire upon us -with artillery and infantry. I was ordered to move my brigade on the left of the First Brigade and then charged the enemy. The enemy's artillery was soon captured by the troops on my right, and his infantry routed. The troops moved on in disorder, owing to the roughness of the ground and the rapidity with which they advanced. The enemy made very little resistance; many of them were captured, and the rest fled in confusion. After following them nearly a mile I halted my command, formed line of battle in an advanced position, and, as night was setting in, threw up a line of breast-works and occupied the position during the night, my line connecting with the First Brigade on the right and General Smith's command on the left. Two of my regiments, Twenty-third Michigan Infantry and One hundred and twenty-ninth Indiana Infantry, were sent, by direction of the general commanding the division, to the right of the division during the night. On the morning of the 16th the line was moved a short distance to the right to close an interval, and remained in the position until 3 p.m. The One hundred and eleventh and One hundred and eighteenth Regiments Ohio Infantry were moved out on the right of General Smith's command for the purpose of supporting the lines in making the charge upon the enemy's works. The lines were advanced across the Granny White pike, following the enemy, and halted a little before dark. My brigade massed in the woods about one mile in advance of the position occupied the night previous.

Two stand of colors and about 200 prisoners were captured by my brigade on the 15th instant.

The following is a report of casualties:

Command.	Killed.		Wounded.		Missing.		Aggregate.
	O	M	O	M	O	M
111th Ohio Volunteer Infantry		1		7		1	9
23d Michigan Volunteer Infantry.			1	8			9
118th Ohio Volunteer Infantry			1	5			6
107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry			1				1
129th Indiana Volunteer Infantry				6			6
80th Indiana Volunteer Infantry		1		3			4
Total(*)		2	3	29		1	35

[O = Officers  M=Men]

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ORLANDO H. MOORE,     

Colonel, Commanding Brigade.

Lieut. S. H. HUBBELL,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Second Division.

_______________

* But see revised table, p. 99.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 45, Part 1 (Serial No. 93), p. 378-82

Official Reports of the Campaign in North Alabama and Middle Tennessee, November 14, 1864 — January 23, 1865: No. 99. — Reports of Brig. Gen. Thomas H. Ruger, U. S. Army, commanding Second Division, of Operations November 30 1864

No. 99.

Reports of Brig. Gen. Thomas H. Ruger, U. S. Army, commanding Second Division, of operations November 30 1864.

HDQRS. FIRST DIVISION, TWENTY-THIRD ARMY CORPS,

Columbia, Tenn., December 31, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by the Second Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, in the battle fought at Franklin, Tenn., November 30, 1864, between the forces of the United States, commanded by Major-General Schofield, and the rebel army, under General Hood:

The division arrived at Franklin soon after daylight on the 30th of November, 1864, having marched during the night from Spring Hill, and had been for several days previously almost constantly either marching or working in throwing up breast-works at Columbia, Tenn, and at Duck River, near the railroad bridge. On arriving at Franklin I received orders from Major-General Schofield to report to Brigadier-General Cox, commanding Third Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, and for the time being in command of the corps for assignment to position. I was directed by Brigadier-General Cox, commanding corps, to place my division in position next on the right of the Third Division at the Columbia turnpike. I placed the division in the position indicated, the Third Brigade, Col. S. A. Strickland, Fiftieth Ohio Volunteers, commanding, on the left of the division, and next on the right of the Third Division, its left resting on the Columbia turnpike, on a hill of moderate elevation just at the outskirts of the village of Franklin, and the Second Brigade, Col. Orlando H. Moore, Twenty-fifth Michigan Volunteers, commanding, on the right of the Third Brigade. The right of the Second Brigade rested on the Carter's Creek turnpike. The Third Brigade was in two lines formation; the Second Brigade in single line formation. Breast-works were at once commenced along the whole line and completed about 2 p.m. The general line of our forces was that of an arc of a circle, with the convexity toward the enemy. Immediately in front of the line the ground was open, the left of the line commanding the ground in its front; in front of the center of the line, and distant about 150 yards, was a slight elevation; in front of the right of the line, distant about 250 yards, there was a ravine, which could not be swept by the fire from the line, extending diagonally to the front and left and departing from the line; in front of a portion of the division line, near the left, was a small locust grove, which was felled, forming a fair abatis in front of that portion of the line; a slight obstruction was also made by cutting a row of fruit trees that was in front of the right of the line; in front of and extending to the left of the division line there was a range of hills commanding the line and varying in distance from three quarters to a mile, and affording good positions to the enemy for artillery, and still farther distant a high range of hills, affording a good view of our lines.

Owing to the relation of the line to that which would be occupied by the enemy in case of all attack on us, being that of all inner arc of a circle, the enemy's being the outer are, and affording, particularly to my left, positions for artillery which could enfilade and fire in reverse on the right portion of the line, I caused the line of breast-works to be made in the form of a broken line, thus obviating that difficulty, and also giving a cross-fire on portions of the ground in front, particularly the slight elevation before spoken of, as being about 150 yards in front of the center of the line of the division. The only artillery placed in position under my direction was a section of the Twentieth Ohio Battery, commanded by Lieutenant Hadley [Burdick?], which was placed in rear of the right of the Third Brigade, and commanded the approaches to the center and right of the line, and could also cross-fire with a battery in position on the Carter's Creek turnpike by Brigadier-General Kimball, whose division of the Fourth Army Corps was next on my right, connecting with my right at the Carter's Creek turnpike. About 2 o'clock the enemy's skirmishers appeared in front of my line of skirmishers, which was posted at a distance of from half to three-quarters of a mile in front of the main line. The enemy was observed to be developing in front soon after. About 3.30 o'clock I received information from Colonel Zollinger, One hundred and twenty-ninth Regiment Indiana Volunteers, commanding my line of skirmishers, that the enemy was advancing in force. Like information was also sent to me about the same time by Brigadier-General Cox, commanding the corps. The enemy advanced in three lines, covering the whole front of the division, drove in the skirmishers, who fell back slowly, firing as they came. At about 4 p.m. the attack of the enemy was made with great boldness and determination, but was everywhere resisted with firmness, except on the left of the division, the enemy being checked within 100 yards by a steady fire of our men from the breast-works, and finally driven back, with very heavy loss, whilst our loss was comparatively slight.

On the slight elevation in front of the line before referred to the enemy's line was brought up by our fire, and from its elevated position it was clearly defined against the sky to the view of our men, and I distinctly observed it gradually waste and disappear under our fire. This attack of the enemy continued for about one hour. At the first onset of the enemy the left of the line, held by the Fiftieth Ohio Volunteers and the Seventy-second Illinois Volunteers, fell back some fifty yards from the breastworks, at which position they were rallied and maintained a firm stand, holding this new position, which was hastily intrenched during the intervals of the fighting. The enemy got possession of the outer portion of the breast-works, and apparently would have swept the line back and gained strong hold of the key point of our lines, had it not been for the timely assistance received by that portion of the line by other troops, particularly a brigade of the Fourth Corps, commanded by Colonel Opdycke. Much was due also, in restoring order and firmness to this part of the line, to the personal exertion and direction of Brigadier-General Cox, who was present on that portion of the line at the critical moment. It is reported by the commander of the Third Brigade that the left of his line temporarily gave way, owing to the line being shattered immediately on his left. From my own observation and what I have otherwise learned, I am of the opinion that the right of the Third Division and the left of the Second Division, commanded by myself, were temporarily thrown back and disordered to some extent at about the same time, and from the same cause, which was as follows: General Wagner's division, of the Fourth Army Corps, occupied a line on both sides of the Columbia turnpike in front of our main line, and did not retire until either forced back by the enemy, or until the enemy was so close as to be enabled to follow at its heels, and strike our breast-works at the Columbia turnpike close after, thus preventing an effective fire of our infantry or artillery at this point on the approaching lines of the enemy. General Wagner's division, of the Fourth Army Corps, also in coming in on so small a portion of our line disorganized it to a considerable extent by its pressure and by the hurry of its movements and its disorganized and crowded condition, inevitable under the circumstances.

It was an error that General Wagner's division should have remained so long in  front of the line that the enemy's masses were enabled to crowd it back and follow it pell-mell on to our main line. On whom the responsibility for such a condition of things rests is better known to my superior officers on the field than to myself. The advantage gained by the enemy was but temporary, our lines being soon restored, and the repeated attempts thereafter made by the enemy to force us from the position were successfully resisted and the position firmly held by us, and the enemy in every instance repulsed with loss. After a short interval, under cover of approaching darkness and the obscurity caused by the settling of the smoke on the field, the enemy made another fierce and persistent attack in heavy force, covering, so far as my line was concerned, from near the right of the division to its extreme left. This attack was made with great boldness, the enemy in some places reaching the breastsworks and attempting to force our line with the bayonet. Our men at this juncture behaved gallantly, defending their breastworks and repulsing the enemy's attack with the bayonet wherever occasion required, making a considerable capture of men and officers, among the latter several field and staff officers. After the repulsing of this the second heavy attack of the enemy, some further attempts, but comparatively slight, were made on the line up to as late as about 9 o'clock in the evening. The forces of the enemy actually engaged in the attack on the position held by our army, so far as I was able to learn from prisoners, were the corps of the rebel Generals Cheatham and Stewart and one division of the corps commanded by General S. D. Lee.

All things considered, this battle of Franklin is one of the most remarkable of the war, both for the bravery, energy, and persistence of the attack by the enemy, he continually bringing up fresh troops, apparently confident that each new effort would enable him to force our lines, and also for the courage, firmness, and patience with which his repeated attacks were received and repulsed by our men.

Considerable captures were made by the division, of officers and men, the precise number of which I do not know, as the prisoners were at once passed to the rear. From my personal observation I should judge the number to be from 150 to 200 men.

The division remained in position until 12 o'clock at night, soon after which time, in accordance with orders, it withdrew to the north bank of the Harpeth River and took up its march for Brentwood with the rest of the army.

The First Brigade of the division, Brigadier-General  Cooper commanding, and the Ninety-first Indiana Volunteers, Col. John Mehringer commanding, and One hundred and twenty third Indiana Volunteers. Col. J. C. McQuiston commanding, were not present With the division at this battle, having been previously detached to guard the fords on Duck Creek below Columbia, and did not rejoin the division until after its arrival at Nashville, Tenn. The Seventy-second Illinois Volunteers, Lieut. Col. J. Stockton commanding, and Forty-fourth Missouri Volunteers, Col. R. C. Bradshaw commanding, were temporarily assigned to the division and attached to the Third Brigade. Both regiments did efficient service. Colonel Bradshaw fell severely wounded while in the act of leading his men in the endeavor to force back the enemy in his front. Also at about the same time Lieutenant-Colonel Stockton and Major James, of the Seventy-second Illinois Volunteers, were wounded and disabled.

The section of the Twentieth Ohio Battery, Lieutenant Hadley [Burdick?] commanding, fought gallantly. Lieutenant Hadley [Burdick?] was mortally wounded, also his orderly sergeant. I regret that I have no official report from this section, which was only temporarily under my command. The conduct of Lieutenant Hadley [Burdick?] and of his sergeant, whose name I do not know, was represented as most gallant.

I was indebted to Brigadier-General Kimball, commanding division of the Fourth Army Corps, next on my right, for the timely assistance of five companies of the One hundred and first Ohio Volunteers, commanding, which fought bravely and did efficient service. Col. S. A. Strickland, commanding Third Brigade, and Col. Orlando H. Moore, commanding Second Brigade, contributed much by their personal bravery and activity to the success of the division in resisting the enemy.

There were present on the field with me of my staff, Lieut. S. H. Hubbell, acting assistant adjutant-general; Lieut. George L. Binney, aide-de-camp; Lieut. E.G. Fay, aide-de-camp; Captain Milholland, acting assistant inspector-general; Capt. J. A. Lee, commissary of musters; Captain Spain, provost-marshal, and Lieut. J. Clingman, ordnance officer, who rendered valuable assistance. Each did his duty bravely and faithfully. Surg. J. W. Lawton, U.S. Volunteers, medical director of the division, was present with the division and used all means at his disposal for the care and transportation of the wounded.

Accompanying are the reports of the brigade and regimental commanders, to which I respectfully refer for details of the part taken by the brigades and various regiments of the division in the battle. The losses of the division, as appear by the reports of brigade commanders, are as follows:

Command.	Killed.		Wounded.		Missing.		Total.		Aggregate.
	O	M	O	M	O	M	O	M
Second Brigade	3	18	8	81		12	11	111	122
Third Brigade	6	67	19	159	2	278	27	504	531
Total	9	85	27	240	2	290	38	615	653

[O = Officers  M =Men]

Some errors exist in the reports of the regimental commanders. Persons are reported killed who were not, but are prisoners. So soon as I can procure corrected lists of the casualties I will forward them.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOS. H. RUGER,

Brigadier-General of Vols., Comdg. 2d Div., 23d Army Corps,

And at this date Comdg. First Division, Twenty-third Army Corps.

Maj. J. A. CAMPBELL,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

_______________

HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, TWENTY-THIRD ARMY CORPS,

Nashville, Tenn., December 3, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to submit the following report of prisoners, arms, and flags captured by this division in the engagement at Franklin, Tenn., November 30, 1864:

Command.	Officers.	Men.	Flags.
Second Brigade.
107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry		20
129th Indiana Volunteer Infantry		2
23d Michigan Volunteer Infantry	2	24
80th Indiana Volunteer Infantry		40
Third Brigade.
50th Ohio Volunteer Infantry	1		1
183d Ohio Volunteer Infantry	3	30
Total	6	116	1

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

 THOS H. RUGER,

 Brigadier-General of Volunteers, Commanding.

Capt. C. A. CILLEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Ohio.

_______________

HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, TWENTY-THIRD ARMY CORPS,

Nashville, Tenn., December 3, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of casualties in regiments temporarily attached to this division during the engagement at Franklin, November 30, 1864:

	Officers.				Men.
Regiment.	K	W	M	T	K	W	M	T
72d Illinois Volunteer Infantry		6	3	9	10	56	83	149
44th Missouri Volunteer Infantry	4	2		6	30	35	86	151
Total	4	8	3	15	40	91	169	300

[K = Killed     W = Wounded     M = Mission     T = Total]

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

 S. H. HUBBELL,

 Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

Capt. C. A. CILLEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General Army of the Ohio

_______________

HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, TWENTY-THIRD ARMY CORPS,

Nashville, Tenn., December 3, 1864.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of casualties in Second Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, in the fight at Franklin, Tenn., November 30, 1864, in which two brigades of this division were engaged:

	Officers.				Men.
Regiment.	K	W	M	T	K	W	M	T
Second Brigade.
23d Michigan Volunteer Infantry	1	1		2	2	13	3	18
80th Indiana Volunteer Infantry.						9		9
Illth Ohio Volunteer Infantry	1	3		4	10	25	9	44
129th Indiana Volunteer Infantry.			1	1	4	15	2	21
107th Illinois Volunteer Infantry.	1	1		2	3	14	1	18
118th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
Third Brigade.
183d Ohio Volunteer Infantry..	1		4	5	2	44	17	63
50th Ohio Volunteer Infantry..		2	3	5	5	15	95	115
Total.	4	7	8	19	26	135	127	288

[K = Killed     W = Wounded     M = Mission     T = Total]

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

S. H. HUBBELL,

First Lieutenant and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.

 Capt. C. A. CILLEY,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Army of the Ohio.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 45, Part 1 (Serial No. 93), p. 364-9