What occurred over the next five hours at Franklin was one the great cataclysmic tragedies of the American Civil War. For the size of the forces engaged and the short duration of the fighting, the Battle of Franklin ranks among the great blood baths of the Civil War, or of any other American war. This horrific battering of the Confederate Army of Tennessee at Franklin and its near-disintegration two weeks later after the Battle of Nashville essentially ended the war in the Western Theater.

Yet despite its significance in our American history, almost all of the Franklin Battlefield has become suburban neighborhoods and small business establishments. The few parcels which remain are fast being lost to development. As you read this, the fate of this precious ground on which so many Americans fought and died is still very much in doubt.

Who will ensure that these sites will not be trampled under the relentless march of economic development here in Williamson County??