Guns of the West

Guns of the West

Generals Forrest, Cleburne and Granbury

Spring Hill, Tennessee

November 29, 1864

The leaves of autumn had changed into tones of fiery reds and yellow as the  Confederate Army of the Tennessee, under the leadership of General John Bell Hood, advanced into the rain-soaked countryside of Middle Tennessee. Atlanta had fallen despite Hood's aggressive defense of the city. General Hood's plan was to destroy Federal communication and supply lines and force Sherman to pursue him out of Georgia and into Tennessee.

Hood's force was spearheaded by some of the most talented and gallant generals in the Southern Army. His cavalry commander was Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest, who rode his famous horse "King Philip". Known as the "Stonewall Jackson of the West", Major General Patrick R. Cleburne led his division on his favorite horse "Red Pepper", with General Hiram B. Granbury commanding a brigade of deadly Texans. It was a powerful force to be reckoned with.

On the evening of November the 29th at Spring Hill, Hood's force would briefly skirmish with Federal infantry. The attack was made at sunset. Unsure of enemy strength, General Hood did not give orders for a full-scale engagement. Hood's force had greatly outnumbered the Federals, and more decisive action would have given him a quick victory. The next day Hood would send wave after wave of southern soldiers into Federal fortified positions, at Franklin, Tennessee, silencing many of the guns of the west.