Adam Badeau, Military history of Ulysses S. Grant from April 1861 to April 1865. Volume 2

Meanwhile, Wilson had hastily mounted two divisions of his command, and directed them to move along the Granny White road, so as to reach Franklin in advance of the flying enemy. But the troops had pushed on so far, dismounted, that time was necessarily lost before the horses could be brought up. The column then pushed on, but had not proceeded more than a mile when the advance came upon the rebel cavalry posted across the road, behind barricades. The command was again dismounted, and a battle ensued after dark. The rebels were scattered in all directions, but the delay was of inestimable value to the routed army. It saved Hood from annihilation, for Wilson proceeded no further, but went into bivouac, while the rebels continued their flight on the Franklin road. A victorious army seldom equals a routed one, in speed.

At Brentwood, about four miles from his line of battle on the morning of the 16th, Hood was first able to collect some of his scattered troops, and S. D. Lee took command of the rear-guard, camping for the night in the neighborhood of the Brentwood Hills, which were filled with fugitives, unable to escape by the roads. The enemy had abandoned all his dead and wounded on the field. Four thousand four hundred and sixty-two prisoners were taken during the two days battle, and fifty-three pieces of cannon. When the rebel guns were placed in position on the night of the 15th, the horses had been sent to the rear, and the giving way of the lines was so sudden that it was impossible to remove the artillery. The killed and wounded were not numerous on either side; for after the first break in front of Smith,