Join Abe Lincoln along with other living history re-enactors at the Carnton Plantation for Blue & Gray Days November 28 – 30. This annual event is a prelude to the 145th Anniversary of the Battle of Franklin. The pageantry of Blue & Gray Days brings tourists and historians from across the country to remember the soldiers who fought on this land for their country.
Guests will have the rare opportunity to go back in time to the 1860’s and witness a Civil War battle re-enactment complete with cavalry units and soldiers.
Guided house and cemetery tours make this a must for Civil War buffs. Other program highlights throughout the Anniversary of the Battle of Franklin weekend include artillery demonstrations, period appropriate vendors, a tintype photo tent, and Civil War medicine.
Although the November 30, 1864 Battle of Franklin was one of the smallest battlefields of the war, only 2 miles long and 1 ½ mile wide, it is described by historians as the five bloodiest hours of the Civil War because of the number of soldiers injured, killed or missing, approximately 10,000 soldiers from both Union and Confederate forces. The main battle began around 4:00 pm and wound down around 9:00 pm.
Carnton’s role in the Civil War battle came when the home served as the largest field hospital in the area of hundreds of wounded and dying Confederate soldiers. It is adjacent to the McGavock Confederate Cemetery which is home to the New York Times bestseller, The Widow of The South, by Robert Hicks. Hick’s second novel, A Separate Country, focuses on the life of John Bell Hood and is already receiving rave reviews.
The Carnton Plantation recently opened its $1.2 million dollar visitor center. The Fleming Center is named after Sam Fleming, a Franklin native and Middle Tennessee banker who was a lifelong supporter of the museum. The 7,000 square foot facility houses an expansive gift shop, Carnton offices and an exhibit space featuring “Hood’s Legacy,” which focuses on the Confederate General John Bell Hood, the commander of the Tennessee army who was defeated at the Battle of Franklin. “This exhibit is believed to be the largest collection of Hood artifacts gathered since his death in 1879,” says Joanna Stephens, Carnton’s curator. The Hood exhibit runs through December 1, 2009.
The Blue & Gray Days begin Saturday, November 28th from 9:00 a.m. to 5 P.M. and Sunday, November 29th from 12 noon-5 p.m. and Monday, November 305h from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Please note that Monday, November 30th from 9:00 am to 1:00 p.m. is reserved for school field trips.
Tickets include house tour and admission to the grounds where the re-enactors and historic artisans will be located. Tickets are $12 for Adults, $10 for seniors over 65. Children ages 6-12 are $6. Children under 6 are free. Ground Pass only is $5 and will allow guests to enjoy the artisans and re-enactors. All proceeds fund historic preservation activities for the Battle of Franklin Trust.
The Battle of Franklin Trust is a 501 (c) (3) management corporation acting on behalf of Franklin’s battlefield sites to contribute to a greater understanding and enrich the visitor experience of the November 30, 1864 battle. It’s organized for the charitable and educational purposes of preserving, restoring, maintaining and interpreting the properties, artifacts and documents related to the battle so as to preserve an important part of the nation’s history. Learn more at www.battleoffranklintrust.org or call 615-786-1864. The e-mail address is info@battleoffranklintrust.org.
