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For Cause & for Country: A Study of the Affair At Spring Hill & the Battle of Franklin
American history buffs and Civil War enthusiasts will delight in this well-written exploration of one of the bloodiest and most costly campaigns of the Civil War. For Cause & For Country revisits the battles of Spring Hill and Franklin, using previously untapped resources to shed an entirely different light on those dark and difficult days.
630 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
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December 16, 2024
The Civil War battles of Spring Hill, Franklin and Nashville in late 1864 represented the one-two-three punch that knocked Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood’s Army of Tennessee out of the war and cost the Confederacy the Western Theater. This book covers the “one-two” but not the “three,” as Jacobson explains that even though Nashville was the “crucial and ultimately decisive battle… Spring Hill and Franklin deserve to stand alone.”
I’m not entirely sure I agree, since bringing his story to a close required Jacobson to spend part of the book’s final chapter briefly telling about what happened at Nashville anyway. It might have been a stronger book had it followed the campaign from beginning to end instead of essentially wrapping it up in the middle, but what is included is strong in its own right.
The opening chapters provide a well-written history of the war so far, particularly focused on Union Gen. Sherman’s ultimately victorious campaign in Georgia, which sent Gen. Hood fleeing the state, defeated but determined, ambitious but aimless. Hood had no real plan at first about what to do next, as Jacobson portrays him and the entire Confederacy as wondering “how long would the fighting be prolonged and could someone in the South perform a miracle to turn the tide?”
That’s when Hood devised a plan to strike at Tennessee and, if successful, continue even further north, launching a full-fledged invasion into Union territory.
In many ways, it seemed like a pipe dream. In other ways, it seemed like a campaign that Hood somehow ought to have won. After all, from Columbia to Spring Hill, to Franklin, to Nashville, Hood’s army kept attacking and pushing Union forces back in retreat. If conquering territory was the goal, the Confederates were succeeding.
But Union forces were engaging in tactical retreats. Their positions became progressively stronger the further north they went, and the Confederates suffered progressively more losses until they could no longer sustain the fight.
As he sets the scene for the first major battle at Spring Hill, I appreciated Jacobson’s style in acknowledging that we know how things ultimately turned out. He doesn’t try to build suspense by pretending we don’t know what’s going to happen, as some Civil War authors sometimes do (Albert Castel went so far as to write in the present tense in his Decision in the West: The Atlanta Campaign of 1864, in order not to foreshadow anything beyond what was known at the time). Instead, Jacobson is able to build suspense by depicting a pervading sense of looming disaster that hangs over Hood's every move.
The first such disaster occurs at Spring Hill, where the two sides’ first major clash leaves the Confederates with the sense that it was all for nothing, as they squandered any after-battle advantage by allowing Union forces to slip away in the night. “But Spring Hill only opened the door to something worse and far more tragic,” Jacobson writes.
The subsequent Battle of Franklin that follows is the centerpiece of the book. It gets underway in an epic ~100-page chapter that’s exponentially longer than any other. There is a bit of extremely detailed troop positioning descriptions (“the 40th Indiana formed the extreme left of Lane’s line and was posted next to the 15th Missouri of Conrad’s Brigade,” etc.) But for the most part, Jacobson is able to turn the ensuing battle into a comprehensive but easy-to-follow narrative that incorporates the stories of individual soldiers in addition to the big picture of how the battle played out, without overdoing it with regimental details and other specifics.
The battle was again a costly one for the Confederates, as Union forces pulled back yet again and left their opponents with little to show for their efforts. And still Hood pressed on, obstinately and insensibly. “Hood gambled with the lives of his men after Franklin,” Jacobson writes. “He obviously understood the condition of his army following the battle yet still chose to continue onward.”
At this point, as mentioned, the final battle at Nashville is only briefly summarized, portrayed as something of a fait accompli. And there’s not much in the way of post-battle analysis, as the last chapter moves on to discuss the creation of a cemetery at Franklin, postwar reunions at the site, and efforts (with mixed results) to preserve the battlefield and notable private homes that played a role in the campaign. The specific focus on two particular homes - one that served as Union headquarters and the other that served as a makeshift field hospital - was curious, until I realized Jacobson’s personal involvement in the organization that has preserved them.
It was enough to make me wonder whether I had just read a promotional project, aimed at playing up the importance of Franklin, deemphasizing its larger neighbor Nashville, and advertising the existence of the two well-described private homes that are now open as museums. I did get a very good feel for what happened there, and the book did kind of make me want to visit those homes someday, so in that, it succeeded. But as well-told as this particular story was, by avoiding the campaign’s final chapter in order to emphasize the beginning and the middle, I now find myself looking elsewhere in order to complete the story.
I’m not entirely sure I agree, since bringing his story to a close required Jacobson to spend part of the book’s final chapter briefly telling about what happened at Nashville anyway. It might have been a stronger book had it followed the campaign from beginning to end instead of essentially wrapping it up in the middle, but what is included is strong in its own right.
The opening chapters provide a well-written history of the war so far, particularly focused on Union Gen. Sherman’s ultimately victorious campaign in Georgia, which sent Gen. Hood fleeing the state, defeated but determined, ambitious but aimless. Hood had no real plan at first about what to do next, as Jacobson portrays him and the entire Confederacy as wondering “how long would the fighting be prolonged and could someone in the South perform a miracle to turn the tide?”
That’s when Hood devised a plan to strike at Tennessee and, if successful, continue even further north, launching a full-fledged invasion into Union territory.
In many ways, it seemed like a pipe dream. In other ways, it seemed like a campaign that Hood somehow ought to have won. After all, from Columbia to Spring Hill, to Franklin, to Nashville, Hood’s army kept attacking and pushing Union forces back in retreat. If conquering territory was the goal, the Confederates were succeeding.
But Union forces were engaging in tactical retreats. Their positions became progressively stronger the further north they went, and the Confederates suffered progressively more losses until they could no longer sustain the fight.
As he sets the scene for the first major battle at Spring Hill, I appreciated Jacobson’s style in acknowledging that we know how things ultimately turned out. He doesn’t try to build suspense by pretending we don’t know what’s going to happen, as some Civil War authors sometimes do (Albert Castel went so far as to write in the present tense in his Decision in the West: The Atlanta Campaign of 1864, in order not to foreshadow anything beyond what was known at the time). Instead, Jacobson is able to build suspense by depicting a pervading sense of looming disaster that hangs over Hood's every move.
The first such disaster occurs at Spring Hill, where the two sides’ first major clash leaves the Confederates with the sense that it was all for nothing, as they squandered any after-battle advantage by allowing Union forces to slip away in the night. “But Spring Hill only opened the door to something worse and far more tragic,” Jacobson writes.
The subsequent Battle of Franklin that follows is the centerpiece of the book. It gets underway in an epic ~100-page chapter that’s exponentially longer than any other. There is a bit of extremely detailed troop positioning descriptions (“the 40th Indiana formed the extreme left of Lane’s line and was posted next to the 15th Missouri of Conrad’s Brigade,” etc.) But for the most part, Jacobson is able to turn the ensuing battle into a comprehensive but easy-to-follow narrative that incorporates the stories of individual soldiers in addition to the big picture of how the battle played out, without overdoing it with regimental details and other specifics.
The battle was again a costly one for the Confederates, as Union forces pulled back yet again and left their opponents with little to show for their efforts. And still Hood pressed on, obstinately and insensibly. “Hood gambled with the lives of his men after Franklin,” Jacobson writes. “He obviously understood the condition of his army following the battle yet still chose to continue onward.”
At this point, as mentioned, the final battle at Nashville is only briefly summarized, portrayed as something of a fait accompli. And there’s not much in the way of post-battle analysis, as the last chapter moves on to discuss the creation of a cemetery at Franklin, postwar reunions at the site, and efforts (with mixed results) to preserve the battlefield and notable private homes that played a role in the campaign. The specific focus on two particular homes - one that served as Union headquarters and the other that served as a makeshift field hospital - was curious, until I realized Jacobson’s personal involvement in the organization that has preserved them.
It was enough to make me wonder whether I had just read a promotional project, aimed at playing up the importance of Franklin, deemphasizing its larger neighbor Nashville, and advertising the existence of the two well-described private homes that are now open as museums. I did get a very good feel for what happened there, and the book did kind of make me want to visit those homes someday, so in that, it succeeded. But as well-told as this particular story was, by avoiding the campaign’s final chapter in order to emphasize the beginning and the middle, I now find myself looking elsewhere in order to complete the story.
September 5, 2020
For Cause and Country by Eric Jacobson is a detailed account and exploration of the battles of Spring Hill and Franklin fought on subsequent days at the end of November in 1864. The books focus is the characters, decisions and events that led to the battles and the two separate but co-joined battles. By not proceeding on to the subsequent battle of Nashville, Jacobson has been able to give the two earlier battles (which largely predetermined the outcome of the third) his full focus. It pays off enormously. The incredible and unlikely events of Spring Hill are wonderfully presented. Franklin, the bloodiest few hours of the Civil War, is portrayed in all its devastating horror.
In particular I enjoyed the attention given to the rank and file soldier. While the story of the battle, by necessity, must be viewed through the motivations and histories of the generals, Jacobson doesn’t ignore the common soldier. He portrays just how terrible the battle was for them, how many of them met their end and how many more suffered and died often weeks or months after the battles.
This is a comprehensive study, meticulously researched. A wonderful book for any student of the Civil War.
In particular I enjoyed the attention given to the rank and file soldier. While the story of the battle, by necessity, must be viewed through the motivations and histories of the generals, Jacobson doesn’t ignore the common soldier. He portrays just how terrible the battle was for them, how many of them met their end and how many more suffered and died often weeks or months after the battles.
This is a comprehensive study, meticulously researched. A wonderful book for any student of the Civil War.
May 1, 2015
I have read many books on the Spring Hill trap set for Union troops by John Bell Hood's Army of Tennessee. I have not yet read anything that explains well why his forces--so well positioned to inflict a heavy defeat on the northern troops--went awry. And this is another volume that leaves that question unanswered.
Nonetheless, this volume provides a detailed picture of Hood's army moving north toward Tennessee and its efforts to thwart troops from Sherman's forces reinforcing General George Thomas' contingent in Nashville. Union commander Schofield had a sense of desperation as he tried to move toward Nashville without being attacked by the Confederate army. His troops maneuvered well and his officers showed initiative in trying to prevent a staggering defeat.
The volume also describes in detail the Confederate march on Franklin, where Schofield's troop had dug in. Some of the elements of the Union army were deployed poorly by their leaders--but all ended up well for the northern troops. The carnage among Confederate forces at Franklin is well described. A victory in a narrow sense for Hood's troop--the Union forces withdrew. By the heavy casualties suffered in a foolish attack on prepared positions left Hood in a bad way as he moved on toward Nashville.
All in all, a good work for those who want to learn more about Spring Hill and Franklin. . . .
Nonetheless, this volume provides a detailed picture of Hood's army moving north toward Tennessee and its efforts to thwart troops from Sherman's forces reinforcing General George Thomas' contingent in Nashville. Union commander Schofield had a sense of desperation as he tried to move toward Nashville without being attacked by the Confederate army. His troops maneuvered well and his officers showed initiative in trying to prevent a staggering defeat.
The volume also describes in detail the Confederate march on Franklin, where Schofield's troop had dug in. Some of the elements of the Union army were deployed poorly by their leaders--but all ended up well for the northern troops. The carnage among Confederate forces at Franklin is well described. A victory in a narrow sense for Hood's troop--the Union forces withdrew. By the heavy casualties suffered in a foolish attack on prepared positions left Hood in a bad way as he moved on toward Nashville.
All in all, a good work for those who want to learn more about Spring Hill and Franklin. . . .
August 27, 2020
For Cause and Country by Eric Jacobson is a detailed account and exploration of the battles of Spring Hill and Franklin fought on subsequent days at the end of November in 1864. The books focus is the characters, decisions and events that led to the battles and the two separate but co-joined battles. By not proceeding on to the subsequent battle of Nashville, Jacobson has been able to give the two earlier battles (which largely predetermined the outcome of the third) his full focus. It pays off enormously. The incredible and unlikely events of Spring Hill are wonderfully presented. Franklin, the bloodiest few hours of the Civil War, is portrayed in all its devastating horror.
In particular I enjoyed the attention given to the rank and file soldier. While the story of the battle, by necessity, must be viewed through the motivations and histories of the generals, Jacobson doesn’t ignore the common soldier. He portrays just how terrible the battle was for them, how many of them met their end and how many more suffered and died often weeks or months after the battles.
This is a comprehensive study, meticulously researched. A wonderful book for any student of the Civil War.
In particular I enjoyed the attention given to the rank and file soldier. While the story of the battle, by necessity, must be viewed through the motivations and histories of the generals, Jacobson doesn’t ignore the common soldier. He portrays just how terrible the battle was for them, how many of them met their end and how many more suffered and died often weeks or months after the battles.
This is a comprehensive study, meticulously researched. A wonderful book for any student of the Civil War.
May 15, 2021
It is not always the best read, and at times I wanted more maps, but as a work of research and analysis it is peerless. The description of the fighting is superb, even if it mostly involves the longest chapter I have yet encountered, one over 100 pages long.
October 10, 2020
By the end of 1864 Civil War veterans had learned to quickly construct defensive positions to thwart off offensive operations by their opponents- a lesson that many senior military commanders failed to apply to tactics as late as World War I. John Bell Hood was an early example of this type of leadership failure as he recklessly ordered his troops to advance on the hastily prepared Union prepared defenses at Franklin, Tennessee late on the last day of November 1864 resulting in approximately 10,000 combined Union and Confederate casualties in a four hour period. In a battle that compares to the Union advance at Fredericksburg or Picket's charge at Gettysburg, this engagement was even more personal as hand to hand combat in the dark was commonplace and union artillery using canister rounds resulted in horrible carnage to Confederate infantry including the deaths of six of their generals. Author Jacobsen expertly describes the events that led to Hood's decision to attack that day and evening and the aftereffects of the confrontation to the Army of the Tennessee and the Confederate cause. Since this battle occurred in the Western theater late in the war it has been widely overlooked and Mr. Jacobsen single handedly remedies this anomaly in this detailed account of the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee.
December 17, 2017
I have read hundreds of Civil War books over the past thirty years and this one ranks in my top five. It is one of the best Civil War books written in the modern era. Though he covers a lot of ground, starting with the war's beginning, by the time he gets to Franklin, it all makes sense. He balances historical research with personal accounts and vivid descriptions which makes it much more interesting than a boring academic monograph. The narrative is strong, the language is clear and the facts are clearly presented. He also does a great job in busting myths that have been spread throughout the years. The best way he busts the myths is by actually examining them from different angles to see if they have any merit, and then gives us the most plausible scenario based upon the evidence. It is a very hard hitting and truthful book... as hard hitting as the hand-to-hand combat experienced on November 30, 1864.
November 4, 2023
This is a very detailed account focused on the Spring Hill and Franklin portion of Hood's 1864 Tennessee campaign. Jacobson has headed the organization preserving the Carter House (at the center of the Battle of Franklin) and nearby Carnton since 2006 and head of the Battle of Franklin Trust since 2014, so he is well acquainted with the ground and has been immersed in the history of these events. The book includes a number of his descriptions of the areas and many photographs that he personally took.
One major section of this book is his efforts to clarify the events that took place in Spring Hill on the night of November 29/30. This represented one of the great missed tactical opportunities of the American Civil War and had implications for the Battles of Franklin and Nashville that would occur later. Due to its impact, the events that occurred on November 29 and the following night have been subject to much speculation, discussion, and controversy. Jacobson and Rupp work carefully to lay out the events of that critical period, presenting evidence and support for each item and presenting what is likely fact versus what is interpolation or speculation. The end result is an account that offers some clarity into what is known, what is unknown, and where some of the disputes and mythology about these events has arisen.
Jacobson and Rupp then move on to a thorough description of the Battle of Franklin, one of the most dramatic events of the Civil War. For perspective, the authors point out that approximately the same number of Confederate soldiers died in the 5 hour Battle of Franklin as in the 2 day Battle of Shiloh. There were factors that drove this - there was a higher proportion of Confederate dead in Franklin due to how the battle occurred, but it also reflects the intensity of the battle.
There are a number of elements of this book that I appreciated. The authors take a careful approach to the historic evidence, providing the basis for their declarations and conclusions, being careful to delineate factual basis from conjecture - particularly important in looking at the Spring Hill events. Jacobson's knowledge of the ground and the area come through in several areas. The individual impact of the battle can often become lost in statistics, but one thing Jacobson and Rupp do is to discuss a number of individual soldiers and lower level officers, helping to add a more human face to the battle and moving it beyond a list of unit moves and casualty figures.
There were some items that detracted from the book, in my view. One is that the authors' style often moves into the area of hyperbole and cliche. They are at their best in relaying the events at both Spring Hill and Franklin. It's important to have background from the Atlanta campaign to help understand the strategic situation and the mindset of key leaders, but in my view, the authors spend more time here then is needed.
All in all, a thorough, good account of the engrossing set of events in Spring Hill and Franklin in late 1864.
One major section of this book is his efforts to clarify the events that took place in Spring Hill on the night of November 29/30. This represented one of the great missed tactical opportunities of the American Civil War and had implications for the Battles of Franklin and Nashville that would occur later. Due to its impact, the events that occurred on November 29 and the following night have been subject to much speculation, discussion, and controversy. Jacobson and Rupp work carefully to lay out the events of that critical period, presenting evidence and support for each item and presenting what is likely fact versus what is interpolation or speculation. The end result is an account that offers some clarity into what is known, what is unknown, and where some of the disputes and mythology about these events has arisen.
Jacobson and Rupp then move on to a thorough description of the Battle of Franklin, one of the most dramatic events of the Civil War. For perspective, the authors point out that approximately the same number of Confederate soldiers died in the 5 hour Battle of Franklin as in the 2 day Battle of Shiloh. There were factors that drove this - there was a higher proportion of Confederate dead in Franklin due to how the battle occurred, but it also reflects the intensity of the battle.
There are a number of elements of this book that I appreciated. The authors take a careful approach to the historic evidence, providing the basis for their declarations and conclusions, being careful to delineate factual basis from conjecture - particularly important in looking at the Spring Hill events. Jacobson's knowledge of the ground and the area come through in several areas. The individual impact of the battle can often become lost in statistics, but one thing Jacobson and Rupp do is to discuss a number of individual soldiers and lower level officers, helping to add a more human face to the battle and moving it beyond a list of unit moves and casualty figures.
There were some items that detracted from the book, in my view. One is that the authors' style often moves into the area of hyperbole and cliche. They are at their best in relaying the events at both Spring Hill and Franklin. It's important to have background from the Atlanta campaign to help understand the strategic situation and the mindset of key leaders, but in my view, the authors spend more time here then is needed.
All in all, a thorough, good account of the engrossing set of events in Spring Hill and Franklin in late 1864.
November 7, 2025
A detailed telling of the Civil War battles at Spring Hill and Franklin, Tennessee, where the Confederates missed a chance for a major victory and blundered into a horrifying defeat. It's hard to grasp the medieval thinking going on in the heads of the generals who would charge their men across open ground in the face of repeater rifle and cannon fire. It's hard to imagine what would make men do that. So much lead in the air that a grove of trees was annihilated and many of the bodies were recovered with 5 to 10 bullet wounds.
My only complaint about this book was it needed many more maps. I found myself continually puzzling over what the scene the author was describing looked like and even remembering which side each of the many players was on when a series of maps would have made it very apparent.
My only complaint about this book was it needed many more maps. I found myself continually puzzling over what the scene the author was describing looked like and even remembering which side each of the many players was on when a series of maps would have made it very apparent.
March 5, 2017
The most comprehensive and well researched work on the battle that has been published so far. The author brings to light many stories and events that are not covered in other works, as well as laying out the events of the battle from a different time line than all previous works. I highly recommend this book for anyone wishing to study the Battles of Spring Hill and Franklin or the 1864 Tennessee Campaign.
November 23, 2017
A good read, just very technical and lays out painstaking detail, which is appreciated however probably not for an audience such as me. Last 1/3 of the book covers the battle and it's when his detailed writing makes it real.
June 24, 2020
The Spring Hill incident was still very confusing. Could have used more maps in that section. The description of the battle of Franklin is powerful, moving and thorough. Well written. Excellent book.
October 6, 2017
Great historical detail, especially with the units involved in the fighting. Good description of the topography.
October 24, 2018
For Cause & for Country is the book to own for a full and complete account of the November 1864 Battles of Spring Hill and Franklin – certainly one of the best to be published in recent years. Exceptionally well researched and footnoted, it is much more than a detailed account and analysis of the fighting. It is also a fresh and evenhanded explanation of the decisions and actions which led to the narrow escape of one army and the near ruin of another. Jacobson offers a tremendous amount of new material along with the gripping narrative of a fine storyteller.
I first read the book while planning a visit to Franklin in 2010, and then again in August 2014. It was surprisingly easy to plow through all 519 pages (including extensive footnotes, army organizations, bibliography, and index) in just a few sittings. The author’s narrative style helps to visualize the scenes and connect with the soldiers who joined in the bloodbath at Franklin. As a personal side note, my wife and I met the author when we visited Franklin in 2010. He was gracious enough to spend more than an hour answering our questions and providing insight into the part my great grandfather’s regiment had in these battles.
The Battles of Spring Hill and Franklin can be complex for general readers to grasp. Eric Jacobson provides a real service for them and for serious students of the Civil War in Middle Tennessee. Finally, here is a book that gives the focused attention these linked battles justifiably deserve.
I first read the book while planning a visit to Franklin in 2010, and then again in August 2014. It was surprisingly easy to plow through all 519 pages (including extensive footnotes, army organizations, bibliography, and index) in just a few sittings. The author’s narrative style helps to visualize the scenes and connect with the soldiers who joined in the bloodbath at Franklin. As a personal side note, my wife and I met the author when we visited Franklin in 2010. He was gracious enough to spend more than an hour answering our questions and providing insight into the part my great grandfather’s regiment had in these battles.
The Battles of Spring Hill and Franklin can be complex for general readers to grasp. Eric Jacobson provides a real service for them and for serious students of the Civil War in Middle Tennessee. Finally, here is a book that gives the focused attention these linked battles justifiably deserve.
August 31, 2014
Very in depth look at essentially two days in November 1864 that was the "affair" at Spring Hill (when a Union army snuck directly by a Confederate army without being attacked) and the tragic Battle of Franklin the next day. Looking ahead to the 150th anniversary of the battle this fall and planning a history hike on the battlefield for the Cub Scouts.
Four stars for the detail and the balanced view of the battle. The author didn't present strong opinions on the Confederate leadership, but did address some of the rumors surrounding the battle. However, he tended to get bogged down in casualty lists for the various units.
Four stars for the detail and the balanced view of the battle. The author didn't present strong opinions on the Confederate leadership, but did address some of the rumors surrounding the battle. However, he tended to get bogged down in casualty lists for the various units.
October 3, 2018
A great book on a terrifying battle
Very detailed account of the Spring Hill fiasco (for the Army of Tennessee) and the brutal combat at Franklin. Very well written with impeccable sourcing, one of the best books on the subject.
Very detailed account of the Spring Hill fiasco (for the Army of Tennessee) and the brutal combat at Franklin. Very well written with impeccable sourcing, one of the best books on the subject.
February 10, 2013
The definitive work on the Battle of Franklin. Excellently researched and the story is expertly told.
October 3, 2015
Fantastic book on a very forgotten battle field. very detailed and fun to read. have read it 3 times.
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