In Franklin

On Saturday of Kay & Colton's visit, we stayed closer to home; downtown Franklin. Mike, Taryn, The Braggs, and I were all in on the expedition. Mariah already had plans with a friend, but they could join us in the evening. Taryn had a friend who was supposed to join us but it didn't work out.

Our first stop of the day was the Carter House, the unfortunate epicenter of the Battle of Franklin in 1864. We had a very dramatic tour guide who loved his subject matter. We learned that the Carter family was a true example of a house divided. Father was loyal to the Federal army and 3 of his sons joined the Confederate cause. Rob, our tour guide was impartial and we didn't have any Southern Loyalists, much to Mike's disappointment, but Rob was quite emphatic about the battle being without a purpose except as a stopping point in Schofield's retreat as Hood tried to beat him to Nashville to retake control of the city. While Franklin wasn't burned to the ground, it suffered a brutal burden by being the point where the Harpeth River's flood stage prevented Schofield from crossing on his advancement to Nashville.

At one point to illustrate the defenses the Federal troops set up, and Hood's strategy in breaking through them he took one person randomly from the group - Kay who was standing across from Taryn and I. She was the last line of earthworks before the Carter House. Then he grabbed another young lady from the group - Taryn. She was the small number of Federal soldiers at the next round of earthworks about 1,000 yards away who were in a very weak position and turned to run back to the Carter House and it's better defended position when they felt, saw, and heard 22,000 rebels descending upon then. Then he took me and made me the Confederate Army. He turned Taryn around and put me at her back and started walking us to Kay. It was kinda funny to us, being that we're family. It illustrated perfectly though how Hood almost succeeded by using the human shields of the 1300 men "escorting" them and showing them the way into the earthworks. As it was, however, after 5 hours of fighting, mostly in the dark, it was a tragic loss of life with 2,500 dead, 6,500 wounded (many of whom died later) and 1,000 missing. Saddest of all was Tod Carter, who returned to his home via the battlefield only to be shot 9 times just within view of his family home. He died 3 days later.

That night, we furthered delved into Civil War interest, by attending a twice annual graveyard reenactment where people are dressed in civil war era clothing as famous figures of the time and tell the audience their story while standing by their graves. Afterwards you could ask them questions. That was pretty cool. Tod Carter and his father, Fountain Branch Carter, were amongst the historical people telling their tales. We finished at the Grave of the Unknown Soldier whose remains were found in 2009 just about 2 hundred yards north of where we were standing. The person there represented all the women whose sons, husbands, fathers and brothers, never returned and nothing was ever told to them about how or where they died. They had no burial for their loved one. But almost 150 years later, her son had a glorious burial! An entire city came out to bury him. It was a powerful ending, especially when she sang.

In the middle of the day, we went to The Factory where there was an art show going on in addition to all the interesting shops that are always there. I think Colton really enjoyed that. He was the last to emerge. We walked the hot and humid streets of Downtown Franklin but I don't think anyone had the heart for it. Trudging was more like it. Poor Taryn pooped out right about then.

We had an early dinner at Riffs Burgers, a new joint in town. Gib loves their hamburger with grilled pineapple and chipolte sauce on it. He, unfortunately, left on Friday to go canoeing in Canada, but we went there in his honor. I thought it was better the first time I went, but for a cool (as in air conditioned) place to hang out for awhile until it was time to go to the cemetery, it was perfect. Mariah and her friend, and Grammy, joined us for dinner. The girls came to the cemetery to go on the "Grave Matters" tour and to tag along with Colton taking pictures.

Mariah learned some new photography techniques from Colton and enjoyed getting to know her cousin alot. We ALL enjoyed the bonus time we got to spend with Kay and Colton!! I think anytime y'all need to buy a car, you oughta do what Kay did and come for a visit, and take that baby on a road trip home!