![\"photo](\"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/photo-1216-1864-nashville-battle.png\" "\\"photo-1216-1864-nashville-battle\\"")
<\/a>GenealogyBank gives you the news as your ancestors lived it, providing more context to your family story than is available from other genealogy sources. Newspaper coverage of the Civil War was extensive and vivid, with many reporters giving first-hand accounts of battles they witnessed from up close. Newspapers also published actual Civil War battle reports from the officers, and letters from the soldiers in addition to their own personal war stories.<\/p>\n
For example, here are three first-hand accounts of the Battle of Nashville directly from the battle field.<\/p>\n
This historical newspaper article featured General Thomas\u2019s official report of the battle.<\/p>\n \u201cI attacked the enemy\u2019s left this morning, the 15th, and drove it from the river below the city, very near to the Franklin pike, a distance of about eight miles. I have captured Chalmer\u2019s headquarters and train, and a second train of about twenty wagons, with between eight hundred and one thousand prisoners, and sixteen pieces of artillery. Our troops behaved splendidly, all taking their share in assaulting and charging the enemy\u2019s breastworks.\u201d<\/p>\n Read the entire news article: Battle At Nashville Official Dispatch from General Thomas–The Enemy to be Again Attacked<\/a>.<\/p>\n This old newspaper article included further stories from the battlefield.<\/p>\n \u201cThe western telegraph lines are working very badly, on account of the snowstorms prevailing. Just returned from the battle field. Battle severe and terrific. Our forces victorious\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cHood has fallen back, and is apparently doing his best to get away, while Thomas is pressing him with great vigor, frequently capturing guns and men. Everything so far is perfectly successful, and the prospect is fair to crush Hood\u2019s army.\u201d<\/p>\n Read the entire historical newspaper article: Great Battle at Nashville. Decisive Union Victory. Rebel Army Defeated, He is Trying to Escape<\/a>.<\/p>\n This old news article about the Civil War presented a reporter\u2019s exciting description of the fighting.<\/p>\n \u201cOur own troops were disposed in the following order: Wilson\u2019s cavalry on the extreme right; Schofield\u2019s 23d corps consisting of Couch\u2019s and Cox\u2019s divisions, at first held in reserve, but before the main battle opened had taken position on the left of the cavalry thus forming the right of our infantry line; A. J. Smith\u2019s 16th<\/sup> corps, consisting of the divisions of McArthur, Garrard and Moore, came next on the left of Schofield. On the left of Smith the magnificent 4th<\/sup> corps of T. J. Wood, consisting of the divisions of Kimball, Elliott and Sam Beatty was formed in close order of battle and partially massed. Steedman with Cruft\u2019s division and two brigades of colored troops held the extreme left\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cLonger, perhaps, than any troops ever remained in such a position, they stood and fired fast and furiously at the enemy, but they could not remain there and live, and a few gave way and fled in disorder. The whole line staggered, and had the rebels done nothing more than keep up their deadly fire we should have been driven back, but they made a movement to shift their artillery, which our men received as an indication that they were about to abandon their line and retire. Raising a loud shout, the division, with fixed bayonets, rushed impetuously forward and, swarming over the works, captured such rebels as hadn\u2019t fled. They had time to get away two guns, but the rest fell into our hands.\u201d<\/p>\n Read the entire old newspaper article: Battle Before Nashville. Interesting Particulars. 5,000 Prisoners and 37 Cannon. Complete Route of the Enemy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a>