It's a beautiful Cemetery on the grounds of the Carnton Plantation! It sent chills up my back to think of the battle of Franklin and all the young men that lost their lives in that 5 hours of our history!
My family and I visited the cemetery while visiting Franklin. We were the only people there which was nice. It is very well maintained and a very nice setting.
Part of Carnton Plantation; largest Confederate Cemetery in country and very interesting to read the headstones. One quarter of yard is unknown soldiers, rest are arranged by State. One boy from Georgia, I think, was only sixteen when he fell here on November 30th, 1864.
This is a beautiful cemetery. To think that the McGavocks organized the re-internment of all these Confederate dead is inspiring. The fact that they privately maintained this cemetery for years is a tribute to those who gave their lives in the Battle of Franklin. This battle was huge, but was never really spoken of in our history lessons. Thankfully the citizens of Franklin have had the historical awareness to preserve the many Civil War sites in their community. It's a wonderful town to visit. Reading The Widow of the South gives you a picture of the time of the battle and its aftermath. The cemetery helps you to realize the immensity of the battle.
My great grandfather and his own father fought for the CSA in the battle of Franklin. John Samuel Monk, Jr, buried his father on the battlefield during that conflict. I never met the son, but his son, Joseph Rufus Monk, is my grandfather, and he was very special to me. He died in 1952. I have many good childhood memories of him. Once, he and I were in his truck hauling watermelons from somewhere to Birmingham to sell them, and a axel broke on the truck and we crashed into a ditch beside the road. Watermelons were busted open everywhere. He and I ate the hearts out of delicious watermelons until we nearly exploded. He was a good man.
When people visit me and want to experience Franklin history, I take them to the free McGavock Confederate Cemetery. Even non-history buffs are amazed because it is such a remarkable place. It is astounding to see how many soldiers died just on one side of the Battle of Franklin, and how meticulously their graves were maintained through the foresight of the McGavock family.
The largest privately owned Confederate cemetery in the US. Well maintained, and there is a private guidebook to help you locate individual gravesites. Cemetery is organized by state. A fitting tribute to those who fought and died in the Battle of Franklin, November 30, 1864. Without this place many who died without family or family knowledge of their death would have meant they would have been in a mass grave or in unmarked plots.
Whenever I'm in Nashville I always make it a point to stop by the McGavock Confederate Cemetery. I'm a Civil War enthusiast and I never tire of taking a few moments, thinking back on the sacrifices these soldiers made for their country. It is a peaceful place for quiet reflection in an all too hectic world. I enjoy every moment I spend here and look forward to coming back every chance I get. What an amazing place.
The story behind this cemetery is simply very moving. I enjoyed my visit, tour of the plantation and family home and I can't wait visit again the next time I am in the area. What an honor to be there.