Devs, please add The Battle of Franklin!!

[Galacticfish]

Brief history for those who aren't familiar with the battle that happened on 11/30/1864. In an assault twice as big as Pickett's Charge-- 20,000 Confederates started the "charge" at 4:00pm going about two and a half miles across open fields. 20,000 or so Federals formed on a defensive line of works just South of the town of Franklin,TN. What evolved was the five most brutal and bloody hours of the entire Civil War, much in darkness. I've read battle accounts that are savage, but this battle makes me tear up. I really hope the devs include this forgotten battle.

Just one account- "The slaughtering could be seen down the line as far as the Columbia and Franklin Pike, and where the works crossed the pike . . . Our troops were killed by whole platoons, Our front line of battle seemed to have been cut down by the first discharge for in many places they were lying on their faces in almost as good order as if they had lain down on purpose; but no such order prevailed among the dead who fell in making the attempt to surmount the Cheval-de-frise, for hanging on the long spikes of this obstruction could be seen the mangled and torn remains of many of our soldiers who had been pierced by hundreds of minie balls and grape shot ... The ditch was full of dead men and we had to stand and sit upon them. The bottom of it from side to side was covered with blood to the depth of shoe soles" - James M. Copley 49th Tennessee Quarles' Brigade"

[CurleyJoe]

Here here galacticfish! I totally agree with the inclusion of Franklin. After visiting the battlefield last summer and after many years of studying this horrendously brutal battle, I can try to make the case that THIS may have been the "high water mark of the Confederacy." Gettysburg, due to the proximity to Washington, D.C. and the culmination of years of conflict between the more well-known generals, gains more notoriety in the history books and popular culture. They made a major motion picture (a good one, to be sure), which helped the main-stream amateur historians out there more aware of this battle. Heck, I was one of them!

But when you start reading about the importance of railway lines-the impact on supply (Nashville/Atlanta), the sheer passion of the soldiers, the "what if's" of potential battle outcome-changing decisions, the horrific drama of one of the most terrifying experiences a human being can go through, you realize just how fascinating and potentially pivotal the Battle of Franklin truly was!

The thought of seeing Winstead Hill, the long valley in front, Franklin itself with the Carter, Lotz, and Carnton houses, the orange osage covered trenches rendered in the way of Ultimate General is quite interesting! The campaign leading up to the Battle of Nashville (if Hood had a more intact army at Nashville) would lend itself well to a flow of "what if" battles (Spring Hill)! The colorful commanders on both sides, while not as well known due to popular culture as those at Gettysburg (Lee, Meade, Stuart, Hancock), certainly can be appreciated with tremendous respect from the community that would support this title (Hood, Schofield, Forrest, Opdycke, Thomas, and Cleburne). The fact that 6 Confederate generals were killed leading the charge offers that "what if" scenario of "what if Patrick Cleburne survived the battle?" The battlefield itself, with the Harpeth River (a major defile), the Federal entrenchments on the Columbia Pike and the use of artillery, the way to the Federal left possibly by way of Carnton exploited by Forrest, are just some examples of uses of the ground.

Finally there is a huge effort in the town of Franklin by Franklin Trust, an organization led by Eric Jacobson, which is restoring original battlefield buildings, purchasing ground to be protected due to historic significance, and working to educate the public on the importance of this conflict. I'm sure they would not only help in the research and development of an inclusion of Franklin into this game, but would potentially encourage sales!

Please keep me posted as to further developments into your efforts and know that I share your enthusiasm to make this happen!