The Carter Farm

For several hours on November 30, 1864, this area saw some of the bloodiest close-quarters combat of the Civil War as Federal Gen. Thomas Ruger’s Division and Confederate Gen. John Brown’s Division battled with unbridled violence long into twilight and darkness. For a few moments it seemed Brown’s troops might drive Ruger’s men from their position, but the Confederate advantage quickly vanished through a series of fast-paced and interconnected events: some Federal troops from the advanced and main lines who had been driven back began to rally here along the secondary, or reserve, line; the 44th Missouri Infantry held its position and became an anchor that checked the Confederate breakthrough; and at least four regiments from Col. Emerson Opdycke’s Brigade rushed into the breach and helped stabilize the line closer to Columbia Pike. These actions doomed Brown’s battered division. Col. Ellison Capers of the 24th South Carolina Infantry wrote afterward that, torn and exhausted and deprived of every general officer and nearly every field officer, the division had only strength enough to hold its position. The toll here was very heavy: Ruger suffered about 700 casualties, and Brown’s Division lost almost 1,200 killed, wounded, and missing.

Franklin, Tennessee · United States