Group Buys Battle Land At Franklin, Tenn.

FRANKLIN, Tenn. - Save The Franklin Battlefield Inc. (STFB) has purchased the 3.22-acres Collins' Farm of core battlefield. The property is on the extreme Confederate right/Federal left. Gen. W.W. Loring's Division passed over the site Nov. 30, 1864, as they climbed the railroad embankment and got entangled in the osage orange abatis in front of the Federal trenches.

During the war years, Collins' Farm was the home of William Collins, overseer of Historic Carnton Plantation. The main part of the house was built about 1830 and added onto several times. The property was recently rezoned for commercial development.

The property sold for $227,000. It includes the home and outbuildings and was most recently used as a tea room and gardening and herb business. Commercial interests were looking at the property which was on the market.

The all-volunteer STFB led an eight-month process of raising funds and negotiating the purchase deal which was finalized June 15. Donations and pledges totaling $21,000 were raised from the membership, private donors, and from several Civil War Round Tables, including sizable gifts from the Capital District CWRT of Albany, N.Y.; the Salt Creek CWRT of Wheaton, Ill.; and the San Diego, Calif., CWRT. The Old Baldy CWRT of Philadelphia, Pa., and the CWRT of Worcester, Mass., also made donations.

These funds were then matched with $21,850 from Rob Hodge's 2000 Preservation march and the Central Virginia Preservation Trust.

"This matching donation was the deal-closer," said STFB Treasurer Sam Huffman. "Without the generous assistance of Rob and his group, we would still be trying to make the puzzle pieces fit together."

After the battle, the house and the grounds around it were used as a hospital for hundreds of casualties. Although trees have grown up on the property, the topography of the 3.22 acres is essentially unchanged. Save The Franklin Battlefield plans to interpret the Collins‚ Farm site with signage and to open the grounds to the public.

The house has been rented to help pay down the debt amount. The property will be secured with an historic easement to finalize its preservation.

According to president Joe Smyth, Save The Franklin Battlefield, Inc. has two years to pay off the $200,000 interest-only loan. An escrow account was established to guarantee the first few payments as fund raising gets under way. Fund-raising plans include grant requests, attendance at events, and a 20-minute slide presentation that is available as a meeting program in Middle Tennessee. To schedule the program call (615) 500-6612.

Smyth said, "[we] hope and expect several preservation groups to help us to some extent. We want to add their names to the list of organizations and private citizens who have helped to rescue part of the Franklin Battlefield."

A reenactors' preservation march is planned between Nov. 16-18 to help reduce the $200,000 loan. One reenactor from each state that fought at Franklin will participate. They will cover 30 miles of marching, ending at the newly acquired property. Donations towards the march may be mailed to the STFB.

Save The Franklin Battlefield Inc. is a non-profit organization of volunteers dedicated to saving a portion of the Franklin Battlefield as a battlefield park. The organization leads tours of local Civil War sites, provides speakers, donates to land acquisition projects, erects historic battlefield markers, and publishes a monthly newsletter.

Donations and pledges can be sent to Save The Franklin Battlefield Inc., P.O. Box 851, Franklin, TN 37065. STFB can electronically accept gifts of appreciated securities. Contact Sam Huffman at (615) 370-3842 or sam@jsp.net for a broker's instruction sheet. For more information, call (615) 500-6612 or visit the www.franklin-stfb.org.