Early in September 1860 while court was in session at Winchester two or three public meetings of a political nature were held and speeches were made by M. Turney, A. S. Colyar, T. W. Newman, H. T. Carr, Jesse Arledge, Dr. B. W. Childs, and others. Much excitement prevailed and the following was offered by H. T. Carr:

"Resolved That it is the sense of this meeting that in the event of any one of the Southern States" or more should under the grievous wrongs now pressed upon by the sectional States of the North secede from the Union we hold it to be our duty to sympathize with aid and assist our Southern brethren if an attempt is made to coerce them into submission."

Pending the discussion of the resolution the meeting adjourned without action thereon. The citizens of Franklin County were mostly extremely Southern in sentiment and as soon as South Carolina and other States seceded from the Union were anxious that Tennessee should do likewise.

The most intense excitement prevailed and early in the spring of 1861 companies began to form and drill for the contest; and soon Capt. Miller Turney's Company C, Capt. Clem Arledge's Company F, Capt. Jos Holder's Company I, and Capt. N. L. Simpson's Company D, of Col. Peter Turney's First Regiment Tennessee Infantry were completely organized and ready for the service. These companies were led with their regiment into the Confederate service long before Tennessee seceded from the Union. Then followed Capt. A. S. Marks' Company E, Capt. James Engle's Company I, and Capt. Thomas H. Finch's Company D, all of the Seventeenth Regiment Tennessee Infantry. Many joined the Forty-first Regiment Tennessee Infantry some joined Forrest's cavalry and many others joined other commands. Including all of the foregoing together with the recruits that subsequently joined these and other commands it is safe to say that the county furnished over 8000 soldiers for the Confederate Army.

The first command of Federal troops that made its appearance in this county was that of Gen. Lytle who came here in the spring of 1862 with a small command from General Mitchell's division then encamped at Huntsville. He was in search of Terry's Texas Rangers who were encamped at Goshen. The day after the arrival of the Federal troops Col. Cox came in on the Decherd road with a squad of rangers. A sharp skirmish ensued in which one ranger was killed. Col. Cox then retired and two days later Gen. Lytle returned with his command to Huntsville. Soon thereafter Gen. Negley with his command passed through Winchester on his way to Chattanooga. Gen. Buell's army advanced to Decherd but retired therefrom when he fell back toward the Ohio River in August 1862. On July 2, 1863 the army of Gen. Rosecrans took possession of Winchester and in force occupied all the surrounding country. Gens. Rosecrans, Garfield, McCook, and others had their headquarters at private houses in the town. The provost-marshal occupied the old office of Dr. Wallis Estill and Rosecrans' staff occupied the building of the Mary Sharp College. The Normal School building (then Carrack Academy) was used as a hospital; and when Winchester was in the rear of Bragg's army almost every available house was used as a hospital. Briggs & Herrick kept a store in Winchester while it was under Federal rule and were allowed to sell goods to the citizens. Rosecrans was here about six weeks during which time all the forage in the surrounding country was gathered in for the support of his army. Soon after the Federal Army left a company of citizens galloped into town and gutted the store of Briggs & Herrick carrying away nearly all its contents. Gen. Slocum and his command occupied the town a short time thereafter and Gen. Sherman's army passed through Winchester on its way to Chattanooga in the winter of 1863-64.

Franklin County was directly on the line of the contending armies and consequently her citizens suffered greatly from the ravages of war. No great battles were fought nor were any extensive fortifications made within the county and strangers passing through it now could not observe that there had ever been a war here.


Source: History of Tennessee, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1886