DATE: January 27, 2016
TO: Board of Mayor and Aldermen
FROM: Eric Stuckey, City Administrator
Lisa Clayton, Parks Director
SUBJECT:
title
Consideration of Carter Hill Battlefield Park Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding (01/26/16 Worksession)
body
Purpose
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide information to the Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BOMA) concerning the formal request to enter into an agreement and memorandum of understanding with the Battle of Franklin Trust, Franklin's Charge, Inc., the Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County, the Carter House Association Inc., and the Civil War Trust collectively be referred to as the Battlefield Organizations to actively work with the City to create and enhance a Civil War battlefield park open to the public known as the Carter Hill Battlefield Park.
Background
Located along Columbia Ave (U.S. Highway 31) generally running between East Fowlkes Street and Strahl Street on the west side of Columbia Ave and running immediately south by Cleburne Street on the east side of Columbia Ave. The ground just east of Columbia Pike, where the Carter cotton gin once stood, was witness to some of the Battle of Franklin's most furious fighting. The main Federal line of defense cut diagonally through this area and was held by a brigade of 23rd Corps troops under the command of Gen. James Reilly. His men were assaulted by elements of Gen. Patrick Cleburne's Division and Gen. Samuel French's Division and the Confederate troops briefly penetrated the Federal line. A vicious counterassault led by two Kentucky regiments and a new Ohio regiment helped push the Southern troops back and secure the main line. Fighting raged around the cotton gin and along the line for hours and upwards of 2,000 men became casualties on this ground, which was long covered by five houses, a strip mall, a Pizza Hut, and a Domino's pizza. Confederate...
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