Battle of Spring Hill

Battle of Spring Hill Began: November 29, 1864 Ended: Same day Location: Maury County, Tennessee Theater: Western Theater Campaign: Franklin-Nashville Campaign Outcome: Union victory Combatants IV Corps XXIII Corps Army of Tennessee Commanders John M. Schofield Major General, USA John B. Hood Lieutenant General, CSA Strength 7,000 12,000 Casualties 350 500
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Spring Hill was the prelude to the Battle of Franklin. On the night of November 28, 1864, Gen. John Bell Hood’s Army of Tennessee marched toward Spring Hill to get astride Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield’s Union army’s life line. Cavalry skirmishing between Brig. Gen. James H. Wilson’s Union cavalry and Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Confederate troopers continued throughout the day as the Confederates advanced. On November 29, Hood’s infantry crossed Duck River and converged on Spring Hill. In the meantime, Maj. Gen. Schofield reinforced the troops holding the crossroads at Spring Hill. In late afternoon, the Federals repulsed a piecemeal Confederate infantry attack. During the night, the rest of Schofield’s command passed from Columbia through Spring Hill to Franklin. This was, perhaps, Hood’s best chance to isolate and defeat the Union army. The engagement has been described as “one of the most controversial non-fighting events of the entire war." (NPS summary)