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Wilson, meanwhile, had been driven back by Forrest, and crossed the Harpeth river above Franklin, leaving the national left and rear entirely open to the rebel cavalry.
On the 30th, Schofield ordered him to send a division forward again, and hold Forrest in check till the troops and trains could all reach Franklin.
This task was committed to Hatch, who performed it with great success, and then re-crossed the river and connected with the infantry.
A short time before the principal assault, Forrest forced a crossing above Franklin, and seriously threatened the trains, which were accumulating on the northern bank, and moving towards Nashville.
Wilson, however, drove him back to the southern side, and the immediate left and rear were again, for a time, secure.
In the battle of Franklin, Schofield had not more than twenty-two thousand infantry and four thousand three hundred cavalry engaged.1 Hood's force was at least thirty thousand infantry and seven thousand cavalry.
Schofield lost one hundred and eighty-nine killed, one thousand and thirty-three wounded, and eleven hundred and four missing; total, two thousand three hundred and twenty-six.
The rebel loss was seventeen hundred and fifty killed, three thousand eight hundred wounded, and seven hundred and two prisoners; total, six thousand two hundred and fifty-two.2 Six general
1 ‘The Fifth division contained at this time but 2,500 men, Croxton's brigade about 1,000, and Capron's 800—in all, about 4,300 men.’—Wilson's Report.
2 ‘At the time of the battle the enemy's loss was known to be severe, and was estimated at 5,000; the exact figures were only obtained, however, on the reoccupation of Franklin by our forces, after the battles of December 15 and 16, at Brentwood Hills, near Nashville, and are given as follows: Buried upon the field, 1,750; disabled and placed in hospital at Franklin, 3,800; which, with the 702 prisoners already reported, make an aggregate loss in Hood's army, of 6,252.’—Thomas's Official Report.
The later rebel estimates do not place their loss at less than 5,000 or 6,000.
New York Appleton 1885.
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