In the early morning hours of Friday, December 16, 1864 Union forces under George Thomas renewed their attack against John Bell Hood’s Confederates, assaulting Hood’s right flank which guarded the road to Franklin. While S.D. Lee’s Confederates withstood this attack, a subsequent Union movement against the Confederate left flank resulted in Union cavalry turning Hood’s flank, placing his army in jeopardy. Then in the late afternoon the main Union assault was delivered, and Hood’s army essentially crumbled, with his troops fleeing in confusion. Approximately 4500 Confederates were captured, with dead and wounded totally 1500. Thomas’ successful forces suffered in excess of 3000 casualties. Nashville was the last major, western battle of the Civil War and forever ended the dream of a Southern force advancing into the American North.
00000174-b11b-ddc3-a1fc-bfdbb1a20000The Schreiner University Department of History is honoring the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War with a series of short vignettes focusing on events from 1861 through 1865. The Civil War was the most destructive conflict in American history, but it was also one of our most defining moments as a people and as a nation. Let us know what you think about "This Week in the Civil War." E-mail your comments to Dr. John Huddleston at jhuddles@schreiner.edu.Airs: Weekdays at 5:19 a.m., 8:19 a.m., 4:19 p.m. on KTXI and 4:49 a.m., 9:29 p.m. on KSTX.