Collin Czarnecki

cczarnecki@tennessean.com

Sounds of cannons rumbling and rifles crackling echoed across Carnton Plantation and throughout Franklin on Saturday afternoon as Union and Confederate soldiers clashed.

Standing amid the clatter and smoke from artillery fire was a record-breaking crowd of 5,000 spectators who gathered to witness 700 reenactors commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Franklin during a reenactment at Eastern Flank Battlefield Park, adjacent to the Carnton Plantation.

"This is really a one of a kind, once in a lifetime event," said Eric Jacobson, CEO and historian of the Battle of Franklin Trust. "I mean, look (at this) crowd. It's fabulous."

Saturday's re-enactment, which involved infantry and artillery, depicted a scenario that took place Nov. 30, 1864. On that day, Federal soldiers clashed in vicious fighting with Confederate troops across Columbia Pike and near the Carter House.

The battle is followed by a Sunday re-enactment that begins at 2 p.m. at Carnton Plantation. Jacobson said 2,500 tickets already have been sold for Sunday's event.

Civil War historian Thomas Cartwright said the weekend's events serve as a way to not only shine a light on the Battle of Franklin, but also the individuals involved.

"It's not to glorify their deaths; it's to glorify their lives," Cartwright said. "It's not just dates, figures and facts; it's stories. There's so many stories here that are timeless. They're dateless. And there's so many people here that are here to see the re-enactment but also to hear the stories."

From explaining gruesome details of the bloody battle to specific names of soldiers and their family members, Cartwright is practically a human encyclopedia of Civil War knowledge. And by sharing that knowledge through events like reenactments, he hopes they never will be forgotten.

"They're not old stories; they're new stories for new generations," he said.

After this weekend, the commemoration of the Battle of Franklin continues through the end of November.

"Once we get through this, we've got two more weeks until the actual anniversary of the battle," Jacobson said. "And we have a whole weekend full of commemorative events scheduled for that, culminating with the illumination on Nov. 30, which will be a really special event."

During the illumination ceremony, the Battle of Franklin Trust will light 10,000 luminaries, or bags with lights inside, at dusk in honor of the event's sesquicentennial.

Reach Collin Czarnecki at 615-852-1130 and on Twitter @CollinReports