of November 30, they begin to build earthworks. The fortifications constructed by the U.S. Army formed an approximate semicircle around Franklin from the northwest to the southeast. The Harpeth River, running along the north side of Franklin, formed the other half of the circle. On November 30, realizing that the U.S. forces had slipped past him, Hood and his forces headed north in pursuit. By 11 a.m. Forrest’s cavalry caught up with the last of the of U.S. forces and pushed them from Winstead Hill south of Franklin. Between the Confederates at Winstead Hill and the southernmost fortifications of the U.S. troops at Franklin was two miles of generally open ground. The U.S. Army had assembled a forward line of earthworks, a main line near the Carter House, and a reserve line to the rear. At 4 p.m. that afternoon, the Confederate forces formed a two-mile-wide front and advanced across open farmland as they approached the U.S. earthworks. Confederate forces quickly crushed the Federal advanced line. The resulting retreat of U.S. troops, who were driven back to the main line, provided cover for the advancing Confederates. Just before sundown before 4:30 p.m., Confederates broke through the Federal Line near the Carter House. The Confederates crashed into a secondary line, occupied by newly recruited troops. Additional reinforcements under the Col. Updyke also advanced to support the U.S. main line. While U.S. forces regained the earthworks east of Columbia Pike, on the west side of Columbia Pike, Confederate forces remained within the fortifications in the garden of the Carter House where fighting was particularly brutal. Despite the arrival of additional Confederate troops around 7 p.m., the U.S. line held and the Confederates pulled back, allowing U.S. forces to continue north to Nashville late that night. In the aftermath of the fighting, dozens of Franklin buildings became makeshift hospitals to attend to the wounded. The losses from the one-day battle were devastating, particularly to the Confederate forces. Of the estimated 10,000 casualties, over two thirds were Confederate. Carter House (Source: Tennessee Encyclopedia) (Source: American Battlefield Trust) 47
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