With the most reckless bravery the rebels rushed on. When within a few hundred yards of the National works, the Unionists opened upon them a terrible fire of musketry. It seemed impossible for anything to live before it. But no wavering was perceived in the advancing rebel lines. On they came, to the very parapets of the Unionists’ works, and stuck their bayonets under the logs on the opposing battlements.
On the Columbus pike the pressure was so great that some of Cox’s and Wagner’s men temporarily gave way.
Up to this time the brigade commanded by Colonel Opdyke, of the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Ohio, had been held in reserve; and now Colonel Opdyke, by orders of General Stanley, came forward, with his brigade, to restore the broken line.
The rebels, who had crawled over the works, had not time to retire, and Cox’s and Wagner’s men, who had broken away but a moment before, rallied and attacked the enemy on the flank, while Opdyke charged on the front. A desperate hand to hand fight ensued with bayonets and the butt ends of muskets. A hundred rebels were captured here, and the line was restored. For two hours and a half the battle now raged all along the lines. The men of the Fourth and Twenty-third corps vied with each other in bravery. Riley’s brigade, of the Twenty-third corps, fairly covered the ground in front of it with rebel dead. The rebel General Adams was killed. He and his horse fell into the ditch in front of the One Hundred and Fourth Ohio. Seventeen distinct attacks of the enemy were repelled.
At dusk the rebels were repulsed at all points, but the firing did not cease until nine o’clock at night.
At least five thousand rebels were killed, wounded and captured. The National loss was about fifteen hundred.
General Schofield directed the battle from the fort on the north bank of the stream, where some heavy guns and the batteries of the Twenty-third corps were placed, which did great service in damaging the enemy’s right wing.
The following dispatch from General Schofield apprised General Thomas of the leading facts of this battle:
“Franklin, Tenn., Nov. 30, 1864.
“Major-General Thomas:—