Columbia
Other Names: None
Location: Maury County
Campaign: Franklin-Nashville
Campaign (1864)
Date(s): November 24 [24-29], 1864
Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield [US]; Gen. John
Bell Hood [CS]
Forces Engaged: XXIII Army Corps and elements of IV Army Corps [US]; Army of Tennessee [CS]
Estimated
Casualties: Unknown
Description:Conflict near Columbia, during Hood’s 1864 Tennessee invasion, constituted a Confederate
diversion as part of a maneuver designed to cross the Duck River upstream and interdict the Union army’s line of communications
with Nashville. As Gen. John Bell Hood’s army advanced northeastward from Florence, Alabama, Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield’s
force quickly withdrew from Pulaski to Columbia, arriving on November 24, just ahead of Forrest’s Rebel cavalry. The
Federals built two lines of earthworks south of the town while skirmishing with enemy cavalry on November 24 and 25. Hood
advanced his infantry on the following day but did not assault. He made demonstrations along the front while marching two
corps of his army to Davis Ford, some five miles eastward on the Duck River. Schofield correctly interpreted Hood’s
moves, but foul weather prevented him from crossing to the north bank before November 28, leaving Columbia to the Confederates.
The next day, both armies marched north for Spring Hill. Schofield had slowed Hood’s movement but had not stopped him.
Result(s):
Confederate victory
CWSAC Reference #: TN034
Preservation Priority: IV.2 (Class C)
Tennessee Historical Commission marker 3D 19 near St. John's Episcopal Church
and Leonidas Polk's former Ashwood Plantation, Mount Pleasant, Tennessee:
November
24, 1864, Forrest's Cavalry, screening the advance of Stewart's Corps on Columbia met Capron's Cavalry Brigade in this locality
and chased it back to Columbia...
 |
| 5 miles towards 1-65 from Elm Springs |
 |
| St. John's Episcopal Church / Mt. Pleasant |
Confederate general saved Elm Springs General Frank Armstrong’s brigade of Smoke was curling from a closet under the big staircase as shots
rang out from the front yard. Samson and the troopers grabbed buckets of water
from the cistern just outside the back door and quickly doused the flames. One of the troopers pulled a charred broom handle
from the closet and showed it to his mates. Union soldiers, under orders to burn every building on the south
side of Columbia, had set the broom alight and thrust it under the stairs. One
of these men now lay dead in the front yard. As the troopers stepped out the
front door to see the commotion they witnessed, another Union soldier shot down across the road. This one was headed toward the house on the opposite hill and as he fell a burning torch and a bundle of
kindling scattered on the roadside about him. It was November of 1864, and Armstrong’s cavalry
was in the vanguard of John Bell Hood’s Army of
We have come to call this the “burn line,” and it followed today’s
This was not General Frank Armstrong’s first visit to
Elm Springs, the scene of this drama, had been built nearly 30 years before, in 1837, by Nathan Vaught for Sarah Dick
Todd and her husband, Christopher. Sarah’s brothers had made it big in
the shipping business down in An interesting “find” now on display within the house
is a stack of custom made curved bricks that were used to build the columns on the front porch. During repairs to one of the chimneys, these were found behind the
firebox and used as a filler. They pulled them out. And they are on display in
the gift shop. They have a giant ginger bread house that matches Elm Springs and
you can bet the place crawls at times with re-enactors, but any soldiers among them will be in much better spirits that those
who passed that way during Christmas of 1864. Whatever you do, do not take a
burning broom near any of the closets. Written by Bob Duncan, Maury Co. Archives.
November 20, 1864 "Hoods column was at Lawrenceburg, some 16 miles due west of Pulaski, his goal
to interpose his force between Schofield and Nashville....and where there were less than 800 men to guard the bridges. The
situation at Pulaski, with an enemy nearly three times its size fairly on its flank ...was not cheering. Warned by the reports
of Hatch and Croxton (Thomas ordered Schofield to fall back on Columbia)....and Cox’ and Wagner’s divisions were
ordered to march to Lynnville--about half-way to Columbia - on the 22d. On the 23rd the other two divisions, under General
Stanley, were to follow with the wagon trains. It was not a moment too soon. On the morning of the 24th General Cox, who had
pushed on to within nine miles of Columbia, was roused by sounds of a conflict away to the west. Taking a cross-road, leading
south of Columbia, he reached the Mount Pleasant pike just in time to interpose his infantry between Forrest's cavalry and
a hapless brigade, under command of Colonel Capron, which was being handled most unceremoniously. In another hour Forrest
would have been in possession of the crossings of Duck River, and the only line of communication with Nashville would have
been in the hands of the enemy. General Stanley, who had left Pulaski on the afternoon of the 23d, reached Lynnville after
dark. Rousing his command at 1 o'clock in the morning, by 9 o'clock the head of his column connected with Cox in front of
Columbia having moved thirty miles since 2 o'clock of the preceding afternoon. These timely movements saved the little army
from utter destruction. November 23, 1864 On the 23d, in accordance with directions previously given him, General Granger
commenced withdrawing the garrisons from Athens, Decatur, and Huntsville, Ala., and moved off toward Stevenson, sending five
new regiments of that force to Murfreesborough, and retaining at Stevenson the original troops of his command. This movement
was rapidly made by railroad, without opposition on the part of the enemy. That same night General Schofield evacuated Pulaski
and moved toward Columbia. November 24, 1864 Schofield in position at Columbia on the 24th. November 27, 1864 Schofield moves his command to north bank of Duck river to prevent Hood from
cutting him off. November 29, 1864 About 2 a.m. on the 29th the enemy succeeded in pressing back General Wilson's
cavalry, and effected a crossing on the Lewisburg pike; at a later hour part of his infantry crossed at Huey's Mills, six
miles above Columbia. Communication with the cavalry having been interrupted and the line of retreat toward Franklin being
threatened, General Schofield made preparations to withdraw to Franklin. General Stanley, with one division of infantry, was
sent to Spring Hill, about fifteen miles north of Columbia. Hood’s mismanagement of his troops at Spring Hill allows Schofield to
escape to Franklin, Tennessee by a forced night march past Cheatham’s encamped Corps. Conditions in Maury County resulting from the march of Hood's army The Southern Army has done me great damage the five days they were here. They have taken 140 acres of corn, burned 30,000
rails, mostly cedar, cut and destroyed over 25,000 trees that will average over 2 feet across the stump, took 30 fattening
hogs that would average 250 pounds each, took two horses and the Otey [a neighbor] filly worth $1,000.00 in gold, took off
5 or 6 head of cattle, the English beeves among the best. We are trying to get in enough wood to keep warm. The snow
is three inches deep frozen into a sheet of ice. This may well be called the cold Sunday. My son Thomas stayed all night
with me. It was a sad time, with him rejoining the [Confederate] army today The parting hear [sic] heart rending. I am not
able to describe it, it speaks for itself in silence. Diary of Nimrod Porter, December 11, 1864.
November 27, 1864-4.20 p.m.
MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
HDQRS. FRIST Brigadier, SIXTH DIV., CAVALRY CORPS,
MILITARY
DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
November 28, 1864 - 2.10 p. m.
Page 1111 Chapter LVII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.
Volume: XLV
Hurt's Cross-Roads, November 29, 1864 - 1 a. m.
Page 1143 Chapter LVII. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION. Volume: XLV
Hurt's Cross-Roads, on Franklin and Lewisburg Pike,
Lt. Gould was stabbed to death June 26,
1863 in Columbia, Tenn. by his commanding officer, Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, during an altercation. Forrest was shot and
wounded.
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