Carnton Plantation

The Carnton Plantation is the most famous site that was associated with the 1864 Battle of Franklin, Tennessee. It was completed in 1826, and inhabited by the Randal McGavock family. McGavock had come to Tennessee from Virginia and became a prominent politician. He had served a one year term (1824) as Mayor of Nashville. He became close friends with both Andrew Jackson and James K. Polk. Both men and their families were often guests at Carnton. McGavock's daughter Elizabeth later met and married William Giles Harding of the nearby Belle Meade Plantation. All of these families all became intertwined, and if one pays attention to street names in and around the Nashville area, you will see the names of these families. Randal McGavock named his new house and land Carnton after his father's birthplace in County Atrium, Ireland. The name Carnton comes from the root word "cairn," which means "a pile of stones." McGavock constructed his home in the Federal architectural style. Carnton was constructed of brick, following the lead of Thomas Hardin Perkins and his Meeting of the Waters. When Randal McGavock passed away in 1843, Carnton was left to his son John and his wife/cousin Carrie. The younger McGavock quickly set to work putting his own touches on Carnton. Due to the rise of the Greek Revival architectural style, John McGavock added a full height entry porch to the main facade of the home, along with a transom and side lights. On the rear elevation he added a full facade porch. This porch was designed so that the house would benefit from a strong southerly wind. Inside, McGavock updated Carnton with wallpapers and carpets popular for the time. He made sure to keep his father's designs intact while putting his own touches on Carnton. John McGavock also put his touches on the landscape architecture of Carnton. He planted cedar trees along the driveway leading to the house. He also designed a one acre garden to the west of the house that was based on the writings of Andrew Jackson Downing. McGavock, like his father, continued to use the plantation for agricultural production. Crops grown on the plantation included wheat, corn, oats, hay, and potatoes. At its peak Carnton consisted of 1,400 acres of land, 500 of which was used for agricultural production. When the Civil War broke out, McGavock was forty-six and to old to fight. Instead he helped outfit Southern troops, and he helped recruit soldiers. His wife Carrie worked as a seamstress. By 1864, as the fighting got closer to home, McGavock sent his slaves to Louisiana so they would not be seized. When Middle Tennessee fell into Federal hands, crops and livestock were seized from Carnton. Following the 1864 Battle of Franklin Carnton became the largest temporary field hospital in the area. Approximately 300 soldiers were cared for inside the McGavock family home. Approximately 150 of them died the first night they were there. Members of the family assisted the doctors and surgeons in any way they could. Blood from various surgeries and open wounds spilled out onto the floor and carpets of the home. These stains were never removed, and are visible today. General John Schofield and his Confederate army had no time to stay and bury the dead. The McGavock family and citizens of Franklin were faced with having to bury over 2,500 deceased soldiers. The soldiers were buried as best as they could be based on where they were from. Headstones were made out of wood from bed headboards. Over time these boards began to rot. John and Carrie McGavock donated two acres of their plantation for a new cemetery. The soldiers were exhumed and reburied on the McGavock family plantation. A total of 1,481 soldiers and one civilian were buried in the two acres given by the McGavock family. George Cuppett and Carrie McGavock made sure that all the names of the soldiers interned in the McGavock Cemetery were recorded in a book. This cemetery serves as a reminder today of what the Franklin community went through during the Civil War, and its location near Carnton serve as a reminder of the role the home played immediately following the battle. Following the Civil War, John McGavock continued to use Carnton for agricultural production. His former slaves were given sharecropping opportunities. When he passed away in 1893, Carrie McGavock took over management of the plantation and the cemetery. The cemetery was her pride and joy and she cared for it faithfully until her death in 1905. Son Winder McGavock inherited Carnton following the death of his mother. Sadly he died in 1907, and his widow and children left Carnton. In 1909 a tornado destroyed the eastern section of the house, and in 1911 Winder McGavock's window sold the house and property. For the first time in one hundred years Carnton was not owned by a member of the Carnton family. Various people owned Carnton in the following years, and by the late 1960s and early 1970s the house had fallen into neglect. In 1977 the Carnton Association was formed to raise money to purchase, and restore the house. In 1978 Dr. and Mrs. W.D. Sugg donated the home to the Carnton Association. A full restoration of the house, plus purchase of an additional thirty-eight acres of land was completed in the early 1990s. In 1973 Carnton was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today the Carnton Plantation operates under the oversight of the Battle of Franklin Trust. This organization is entirely self supporting, receiving no funds from local, state, or the Federal government. The Carnton Plantation serves as a somber reminder of the Civil War and the Battle of Franklin. The Carnton Plantation is also a perfect example of historic preservation success. However for every Carnton there are thousands of historic sites that still need to be preserved. At Moore Historical Consulting historic preservation is my #1 priority. Do you know of a site that needs to be preserved? If so contact Moore Historical Consulting today to learn more and get started.

Blood stains on the floor of Carnton serve as a somber reminder of the events following the 1864 Battle of Franklin.

The McGavock Cemetery also serves as a somber reminder of what Carnton witnessed in 1864.

This New Year why not make a resolution to yourself to finally uncover more about your families history? More about your property? Or if you are the owner of an historic home or building, why not make 2018 the year you decide to list it on the National Register of Historic Places? Moore Historical Consulting is able to assist you with all of these projects, contact me today to learn more and get started. I make exploring your past fun and easy!!