Marching with Great, Great, Great Granddad

As it turns out, Santa Claus does read blogs, and this year, under my tree, was a prettily wrapped present containing For Cause and For Country by Eric Jacobson and Richard Rupp. I’ve only just started reading this account of 'the Affair at Spring Hill and the Battle of Franklin', but I’m already very much enjoying it.

Basically in late 1864, after the Confederates had abandoned Atlanta, General John Bell Hood led the butternuts on their last major offensive in the Western Theatre. After a chapter of introduction, the book gets down to business with the Confederate advance into Tennessee.  Leading that advance was Cheatham’s Corp, which contained Brown’s Division, which in turn contained Gist’s Brigade, which included the 16th South Carolina Volunteers, led by Col. James McCullough .   While individual regiments rarely get mentioned in large campaign histories, I can easily follow my ancestor's basic course as part of the larger organizations.

As the Confederates started off into Tennessee, they were caught up in a terrific snowstorm. I’ve read numerous accounts of marches through bad weather, but there was something different knowing that those snowflakes stung the face of my ancestor. I could imagine the scene like never before.

I can’t wait to see what the rest of the book will bring.