Hood's line ran from the Chattanooga railway on the right across the Franklin and Granny White turnpikes to the Hills boro' road. His left was sharply refused, extending i,000 yards behind a stone wall alongside that road. He had thrown up some redoubts on detached hills beyond his left, and established a strong skirmish line along his front, terminating on Montgomery hill, close to the Hillsboro' road. But the line was too long to be held by his attenuated force, and his left was very much "in the air." Having detached Forrest with two cavalry divisions to raid the Chattanooga railway, he had but one division left to watch the wide gap between his left and the river. Thomas's plan of battle was to make a grand left wheel with his right wing, consisting of Wilson's 12,000 cavalry, fighting dismounted, and Smith's corps, which should outflank and crush the enemy left, whilst Steedman's division held their right fast by a vigor ous demonstration. The IV. Corps under Wood was to storm Montgomery hill and press in upon the Confederate salient on the Hillsboro' road. Schofield's corps was at first held in reserve, but was finally thrown in between Wilson's and Smith's corps. Had not the Federal advance been delayed by fog in the early morning, flood would probably have been completely defeated on the His whole left wing was driven back in great con-. fusion to the Granny White turnpike. Darkness stopped the pur suit, but Hood, who dared not retreat because Forrest could not rejoin for at least 24 hours, during the night formed a fresh and much shorter line 2 m. further back, each flank resting upon a hill. Cheatham's corps was shifted from the right to the left, which again was sharply bent back just beyond the Granny White turnpike, and extended to the Brentwood hills along a line of lesser heights. S. D. Lee's, which had scarcely fired a shot
the previous day, held the right, and A. P. Stewart's, after its heavy defeat, was placed in the centre. But again Wilson's dis mounted troopers, fighting their way through the smaller hills, turned the Confederate left, and getting into its rear attacked from behind, whilst Schofield and Smith assaulted its front. Under this double pressure Cheatliam's corps broke and with its flight Hood's resistance collapsed, although earlier in the day an attack by Wood and Steedman on the right had been handsomely repulsed. His army fled down the Franklin turnpike, the only line of retreat left. But two brigades, which retained their or ganization, and Chalmers's cavalry division held the Brentwood hill's passes long enough to enable the larger part of Hood's army to escape. The Federals took up the pursuit next day, hoping to intercept the flying enemy on the Duck river, but For rest, who rejoined Hood at Columbia, organized a rearguard with his cavalry and eight infantry brigades under Walthall, and cov ered the retreat to the Tennessee, which was recrossed (Dec. 27). Thomas's fighting force at Nashville numbered between 5o,000 and 55,000 men; his casualties were just over 3,000. Hood estimated his own force at 23,000, but this is almost certainly an under statement ; some authorities put it as high as 39,000. He made no return of his casualties, but stated that they were "very small." But Thomas captured nearly 4,500 prisoners in the battle itself, and many more were taken during the ten days' pursuit.
(W. B. Wo.)