Battle of Franklin

The Greatest Story of the Civil War

The Battle of Franklin was one of the bloodiest battles of America’s Civil War. More than 150 years later the stories of both despair and heroism have been carefully preserved and shared daily with visitors from all over the world. The three Civil War sites – Carnton, Carter House and Lotz House – each has a unique story to tell regarding the Battle of Franklin.











 

Carnton still stands as a memorial to the Battle of Franklin. This majestic antebellum home would inescapably become a field hospital for hundreds of wounded and dying Confederate soldiers. As guests tour the former home of the McGavok family they learn what the experience was like not only during the Battle of Franklin, but also for the years that followed. The largest privately owned Confederate cemetary in the county is located at Carnton, and today guests can walk the entire grounds of the property to learn the stories of the African Americans that were at Carnton, see the gardens that are kept in the same manner they were at the time of the battle, or visit the on-site museum for an in-depth look at the Battle of Franklin.







 

The Carter House stands today with one of the most bullet-riddled buildings of the Civil War on its property; the walls tell the story of the epic day of conflict between North and South. As guests take a guided tour of the Carter family’s former home they will learn how the family experienced the entire battle from the basement of the house, the stories of family members who participated in the battle, and of the lasting affects the battle had on both the Carter family and Franklin as a whole.



















 

Across the street from the Carter House, the Lotz House bears its own battle scars including the charred indention in the hardwood floor where a cannonball flew through the roof. Guests can tour the house that served as a showplace for master woodworker Johann Lotz and see how both the house and the Lotz family were forever changed following the Battle of Franklin.







 

Gifted storytellers and historians give daily tours that help to usher in the intense passions and sacrifices on both sides of the battle. Museums, artifacts, and well-preserved sites allow you to walk in the footsteps and hear the stories of the people there that November day. Tickets to each Civil War home and various battlefield tours can be purchased on-site. Additionally, combination tickets that grant access to multiple sites can be purchased at the Visitor Center in downtown Franklin, or at etiher Carnton or Carter House.









Address
1345 Eastern Flank Cir
Franklin, TN 37064

Phone
615.791.1861