Franklin-Nashville Campaign

The Franklin-Nashville Campaign, also known as Hood's Tennessee Campaign, was a series of battles fought in the fall of 1864 in Alabama, Tennessee, and northwestern Georgia during the American Civil War. The Confederate Army of Tennessee under General John Bell Hood drove north from Atlanta, threatening William T. Sherman's lines of communications and central Tennessee, but Union forces under General George H. Thomas defeated Hood decisively at Nashville, Tennessee.

Prelude

After his successful Atlanta Campaign, William T. Sherman occupied Atlanta and John Bell Hood, who was forced to evacuate the city, regrouped at Lovejoy's Station. For almost a month, the normally aggressive Sherman took little action, while his men sat about idly and many left the army at the end of their enlistments. On September 21, 1864, Hood moved his forces to Palmetto where, on September 27, he was visited by Jefferson Davis. The two Confederates planned their strategy, which called for Hood to move toward Chattanooga, Tennessee, and operate against Sherman's lines of communications. They hoped that Sherman would follow and that Hood would be able to maneuver Sherman into a decisive battle.

Related Topics:
Atlanta Campaign - September 21 - 1864 - Palmetto - September 27 - Jefferson Davis - Chattanooga, Tennessee

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Although Sherman was planning to march east to seize the city of Savannah, Georgia, the campaign that would be known as Sherman's March to the Sea, he was concerned about his lines of communications back to Chattanooga. One particular threat was the guerrilla leader and cavalry commander Nathan Bedford Forrest, who had long bedeviled Union expeditions with lightning raids into their rear areas. On September 29, General Ulysses S. Grant urged Sherman to dispose of Forrest and Sherman sent General George H. Thomas to Nashville, Tennessee, to organize all of the troops in the state. Sherman sent another division, under Brigadier General James D. Morgan, to Chattanooga.

Related Topics:
Savannah, Georgia - Sherman's March to the Sea - Nathan Bedford Forrest - September 29 - Ulysses S. Grant - Nashville, Tennessee - James D. Morgan

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So far, the Confederate strategy was working, because Sherman was being forced to disperse his strength to maintain his lines of communications. However, Sherman was not about to fall into Hood's trap completely. He intended to provide Thomas with sufficient strength to cope with Forrest and Hood, while he completed plans to strike out for Savannah. On September 29, Hood began his advance across the Chattahoochee River, heading to the northwest with 40,000 men to threaten the Western & Atlantic Railroad, Sherman?s supply line. On October 1, Hood's cavalry was intercepted by Union cavalry under Generals Judson Kilpatrick and Israel Garrard in a raid on the railroad near Marietta, but Sherman was still uncertain of Hood's location. For the next three weeks, Sherman had difficulty keeping abreast of Hood's movements. Hood moved rapidly, screened his march, and maintained the initiative. The Union cavalry, which Sherman had neglected to train adequately, had a difficult time following Hood and reporting his movements.

Related Topics:
September 29 - Chattahoochee River - Western & Atlantic Railroad - October 1 - Judson Kilpatrick - Israel Garrard - Marietta

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On October 3, Sherman left Henry W. Slocum in Atlanta and moved toward Marietta with a force of about 55,000 men. Hood split his force, sending the majority of his command to Dallas, Georgia. The remainder, a division under Maj. Gen. Samuel G. French, moved along the railroad toward Allatoona, where a brigade under John M. Corse had been sent to block them.

Related Topics:
October 3 - Henry W. Slocum - Dallas, Georgia - Samuel G. French - Allatoona - John M. Corse

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