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[520] delivered their fire, until they again became the front company, when they again retired as before. In this manner, though exposed to a heavy fire from the enemy, we kept them on a pace less than double-quick, until we gained the town, where we took advantage of houses, yard-fences, hedges, etc., which we converted into rifle-pits, from whence we poured into the enemy's ranks a murderous fire. The right and left regiments of his line were repulsed, and they retreated to his main reserve; his centre only passing into the town. For this they were severely punished by our continuous fire and soon retreated in the utmost confusion. We saluted their retreating and confused ranks as we had welcomed their approaching line of battle, with a murderous fire. After they had fallen back, several pieces of his artillery, which he had placed in battery near our picket post on the Columbia road, opened on us with grape and shell. Our batteries and siege-guns at the fortifications then opened on them and drove them from the field.

At five o'clock P. M., our regiment was again formed near the pontoon-bridge, from whence in a few minutes we moved forward and again took our former position at our guard-lines.

During the action every officer and man did his duty nobly. My commands were promptly obeyed and executed under a heavy fire of the enemy, with a promptness that would do credit to the ordinary drill on the parade-ground. Capts. Meagher and Ent, First Lieuts. Roop, Allen, and Smith, and Second Lieuts. Peck and Harp, each commanding a company, and the only companies engaged, deserve particular mention.

Our loss was, killed, three; wounded four; and missing ten. Their names accompany this report. The enemy's loss was: killed, two captains and fifteen men; wounded, one major and thirteen men, and thirteen prisoners, beside over one hundred horses, riderless, escaped within our lines and were taken.

In reporting their loss, I only mention those who fell in our (Fortieth Ohio's) hands, except the horses. He took with him the greater part of his killed and wounded. His total loss may be safely estimated at one hundred and fifty in killed and wounded.

I have the honor to be, Colonel, your obedient servant,

Chas. G. Matchett, Captain Commanding Fortieth Ohio. April 10, 1863.

Official list of killed, wounded, and missing of the Fortieth Ohio volunteer infantry, in the engagement at Franklin, Tenn., April tenth, 1863:

killed--Orderly Sergeant Wilson Burrows, company A; privates Washington Link and Thomas Huntington, company C.

wounded--Privates Alpheus Babb, company B; Martin Woolether, company C; Samuel I. Morrow, company B; and James Bradley, company C.

missing--Sergeant Jesse Norain, Elwood Hale, and John Fleming, company B; Albert Williams, Wilson Olney, Oscar Duvall, and Samuel Hubbard, company A; Adam Suverly, Wallace Bennett, and Michael Madigan, company C.


Nashville Union account.

Franklin, Tennessee, April 11, 1863.
We have been so much accustomed of late to skirmishing, that any serious thought of an attack on this place was not entertained, and even when, on yesterday, about one P. M., the firing became continuous, no excitement was manifest either in the citizens or soldiers. Not until the loud yells of the advancing rebels, and the furious flight of some of our cavalry through town, accompanied by numbers of riderless horses, were we aroused to the belief that any thing more than a demonstration was intended on our front, and ere we had time to take a calm glance at the subject, the matter was decided by seeing our own and the rebel cavalry coming down our main street pell-mell, ours slightly in advance, but the rebels “gaining on ‘em” every jump. They dashed through town, and some of them reached the pontoon-bridge, under the very muzzles of our guns.

So sudden and impetuous was the charge, that every one was taken by surprise, and no doubt its very boldness saved them to some extent. Dearly, however, they paid for it, as a very small proportion of them escaped either death or capture. Van Dorn advanced on the Columbia pike with a battery of artillery. Cosby came by the Lewisburgh pike, while Starnes and Forrest were essaying to make the rear of our works by a road crossing the Harpeth three miles east of town, and known as the Nichol Mill Road. In anticipation of this move on their part, Gen. Granger had sent a large body of cavalry, under Gen. Stanley, to guard that crossing and check their advance. Meantime Cosby's force advanced on our pickets, (Fortieth Ohio,) who fought them most handsomely for an hour or more, but finally fell back under cover of our guns. The rebels formed and advanced until within range of our siege-pieces in the fort, planting their battery west of the Columbia pike and firing into the town. Our battery fired shell into their lines, and succeeded in forcing them back and breaking them. We had some fine artillery practice, indicating great skill on the part of our gunners.

When they had fallen back from our front we heard continuous firing from the forces of Stanley. Here the Fourth regulars distinguished themselves by one of the finest charges of the war, capturing the rebel artillery and two hundred prisoners, but which unfortunately we could not hold, and all the artillery, with most of the prisoners, were retaken. Our loss on this part of the field was slight, not amounting to more than twenty, that of the rebels unknown, as they carried off their dead. Infantry reenforcements were sent out from here, but the rebels fell back toward Spring Hill. The fight near town resulted in the loss to the rebels of fifteen killed, including two captains and one lieutenant, six wounded, and taken, including a major, and twelve prisoners. The total number of prisoners taken here and by Stanley is about seventy; among them several officers. Captain Freeman, of Freeman's battery, (rebel,) is among the killed.


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