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We went to Nashville over the weekend and one of the things we did is visit Carnton. If you've never been, go. Disclaimer: As always, some of my facts may need verifying. This is how I remember what we heard during a tour of Carnton. This is an old antebellum home that was owned by the McGavock family. The brutal of Battle of Franklin took place on down Lewisburg Pike closer to town. But Carnton served as a hospital for the Confederates. There are blood stains everywhere. The battle was a five-hour blood bath fought in complete darkness. They couldn't see each other, so they didn't shoot much. It came down to bayonet, knives, hitting with rocks, strangling, biting -- whatever.
After the Civil War (or as a friend of mine calls it, the "War to Prevent Southern Independence"), the Confederate dead didn't get to be buried in newly established national cemeteries, such as Chattanooga's, that are filled with yankees. The CSA was the enemy of the USA! They were looked at as scum. Sometimes they were dumped into mass graves. And many of the graves were too shallow. So there are many privately funded Confederate cemeteries around the South and midwest. One of those is at Carnton, where the McGavock family lovingly oversaw the internment of CSA soldiers, kept records, etc. Really incredible.
Also, many times, if a building as significant as Carnton were important to the USA, it would be made into a national park. Or a state park. But if it were important only to the CSA, the USA said, no thanks. So Carnton is run by a foundation without any tax assistance. A pretty awesome undertaking. But it is beautiful. They have bought the adjoining former Franklin Golf Club and it is now a grassy field with historical infomational markers on it.
One more thing. Ever notice at Chickamauga-Chattanooga Battlefield (Chick-Chatt, as we call it) and Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge you never see monuments with the names of Southern states? That's because the north won. But at Carnton and the cemetery there, you see monuments with the names of Southern states. Interesting to see monuments to Missouri and Kentucky. Those states never seceded, but they have stars on the Confederate battle flag.
BTW, it is called Carnton from the word "cairn." A stack of stones to honor significant places, such as graves.
After the Civil War (or as a friend of mine calls it, the "War to Prevent Southern Independence"), the Confederate dead didn't get to be buried in newly established national cemeteries, such as Chattanooga's, that are filled with yankees. The CSA was the enemy of the USA! They were looked at as scum. Sometimes they were dumped into mass graves. And many of the graves were too shallow. So there are many privately funded Confederate cemeteries around the South and midwest. One of those is at Carnton, where the McGavock family lovingly oversaw the internment of CSA soldiers, kept records, etc. Really incredible.
Also, many times, if a building as significant as Carnton were important to the USA, it would be made into a national park. Or a state park. But if it were important only to the CSA, the USA said, no thanks. So Carnton is run by a foundation without any tax assistance. A pretty awesome undertaking. But it is beautiful. They have bought the adjoining former Franklin Golf Club and it is now a grassy field with historical infomational markers on it.
One more thing. Ever notice at Chickamauga-Chattanooga Battlefield (Chick-Chatt, as we call it) and Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge you never see monuments with the names of Southern states? That's because the north won. But at Carnton and the cemetery there, you see monuments with the names of Southern states. Interesting to see monuments to Missouri and Kentucky. Those states never seceded, but they have stars on the Confederate battle flag.
BTW, it is called Carnton from the word "cairn." A stack of stones to honor significant places, such as graves.
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