Saturday, 17th.—This morning found us at Franklin, a badly demoralized army. 39th sent back to river. Soon Yanks came up.. Our corps in rear. Our brigade rear guard. Formed in line across the old battlefield at Franklin. Federal cavalry dashed after us, but a few shot from cannon sent them back. Then the retreat began, one line being formed and fighting until another could form in the rear and so protect while the other, the first line, moved back, and so that continued all day. Late in the evening came very near surrounding our division, but Clayton’s Division coming back, fired into them and saved us. While the two brigades were engaged in front, and the three pieces of artillery were moving back in the dark, about twenty Yankee cavalrymen dashed in the rear, cut the horses loose from the artillery, and cut one wheel down, so we lost the three pieces.
(Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)