At Nashville, Tennessee after days of waiting for the weather to clear George Thomas’ Union forces struck John Bell Hood’s Confederates a devastating blow. After successfully demonstrating against the Confederate right flank, some 35,000 Union troops attacked the Confederate left flank, driving the enemy toward the rear for approximately one mile. Even though Hood had been decisively defeated, by nightfall he still held the key road to Franklin and thus assumed new, and shorter, defensive positions. While Thomas no doubt expected Hood to withdraw, Union forces soon learned that Hood had consolidated his defenses and intended to continue to confront Thomas’ troops. The following morning President Abraham Lincoln wired his heartfelt congratulations to George Thomas and urged his general to continue the attack against Hood’s now depleted forces.
00000174-b11b-ddc3-a1fc-bfdbb1a20000The Schreiner University Department of History is honoring the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War with a series of short vignettes focusing on events from 1861 through 1865. The Civil War was the most destructive conflict in American history, but it was also one of our most defining moments as a people and as a nation. Let us know what you think about "This Week in the Civil War." E-mail your comments to Dr. John Huddleston at jhuddles@schreiner.edu.Airs: Weekdays at 5:19 a.m., 8:19 a.m., 4:19 p.m. on KTXI and 4:49 a.m., 9:29 p.m. on KSTX.