Carnton Plantation and The Confederate Cemetery

 This past weekend I had the pleasure of entertaining my family from Ohio.  Initially my brother-in-law suggested attending The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.  With the CMA Festival occurring and expected crowds of 100K each day, I quickly nixed the idea.  Both the crowds and limited parking space were a big deterrent!

My community of Spring Hill and Franklin to the north is full of much Civil War history and many battles.  We were in full agreement to visit the Carnton Plantation and the Confederate Cemetery which had been owned by the McGavock family.  On the afternoon of November 30, 1864 more than 20,000 Confederate soldiers headed north toward the entrenched Federal troops. As the battle raged,  the Carnton house became the field hospital.  By the end of the evening 300 wounded soldiers had been administered to.  Ten thousand casualties occurred during a five-hour battle - 2000 dead, 7000 wounded and 1000 missing.  The house and surrounding fields would never be the same.  

In 1866 the McGavock Confederate Cemetery was created and became the final resting place of approximately 1500 killed during the Battle of Franklin.

Our tour guide Shelia was extremely knowledgeable and a wonderful storyteller.  Often I felt I was back in time experiencing the events firsthand.  It was a very memorable day.