Patrick Cleburne
During war, soldiers generally follow the orders of their commanding officers even when the orders seem to take them in dangerous positions on the battlefield. Before the Battle of Franklin, Confederate General Patrick Cleburne ’s regiment, most of whom, like Cleburne, were from Arkansas, were assigned the responsibility of attacking directly in front. Hood’s officers argued with him over this battle plan, but he insisted on a frontal attack.
Cleburne and one of his brigade leaders, Daniel Govan, went to a hill overlooking the Union lines and observed the Union troops who were entrenched and fortified . Goven paused and observed that few of the men would ever return to Arkansas after the next day’s battle. Cleburne replied that if they were to die, they should die like men.
The next day Cleburne’s body was found on the battlefield beside a great number of his men. Govan survived.
Dig Deeper: Why would Gen. Cleburne, who was popular with his men, follow orders with which he disagreed and which would cause casualties among those men?
Civil War and Reconstruction >> Civil War >> Battles >> Franklin/Nashville
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