ea, the leading features of the battle came under
my personal observation, but wherever that observation was wanting for
giving a clear account I have supplied the deficiency with information
gathered from other reliable sources.

I was commanding Company B, Sixty-fourth Ohio regiment, Conrad's brigade,
Wagner's division, Fourth corps. Wagner's division was the rear guard on
the retreat to Franklin, and about mid-forenoon of November 30, 1864,
arrived on top of the Winsted Hills, two miles south of Franklin. Halting
there long enough to snatch a hasty breakfast, the division then hurried
into battle line to delay the columns of the enemy, in close pursuit, by
compelling them to deploy. The position was held as long as possible
without bringing on a battle and then Wagner began to retire slowly
towards Franklin. The town lies nestled in a little valley in a bend of
Harpeth River. A stand was made to get the artillery and the long wagon
train over the river and while our commanding general, Schofield, was
giving his personal attention to the facilities for crossing, the main
body of the army, under the supervision of General Cox, was engaged in
establishing our defensive line, which stretched across the river bend, in
the arc of a circle, inclosing the town. As fast as the troops arrived and
were placed in position they hurried to cover themselves with breastworks,
and by the time the enemy was ready to attack, Cox's line was well
intrenched. The train got over the river in time for the troops to have
crossed before the enemy appeared, but the opportunity thus offered for
securing a much stronger defensive position, with the river in front
instead of in rear, was not improved.

By one o'clock Wagner had fallen back so close to Cox's line that he began
a movement to withdraw his division behind that line. Conrad's brigade had
been called in from the left flank and was marching in column of fours
along the Columbia Pike, with the head of the column approaching the
breastworks, when Wagner received an order from Schofield to take up a
position in front of Cox's line. In obedience to this order Conrad
counter-marched his brigade a short distance and then deployed it in a
single line of battle, having a general direction nearly parallel with
Cox's line. Five of the six regiments composing the brigade were posted on
the east side and one on the west side of the pike, four hundred and
seventy yards in advance of Cox's line, as m