Carnton | |
Location | 1345 Eastern Flank Circle, Franklin, Tennessee |
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Coordinates | 35°54′11″N 86°51′30″W / 35.90309°N 86.85834°W |
Area | 48 acres (19 ha) |
Built | 1826 |
Architectural style | Federal; Greek Revival |
NRHP reference No. | 73001857 [1] |
Added to NRHP | January 18, 1973 |
Carnton is a historic plantation home built in 1826 in Franklin, Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The property, comprising 1,420 acres (5.7 km2), played an important role during and immediately after the Battle of Franklin during the American Civil War.[2] Carnton was situated less than one mile (1.6 km) from the location of the 1864 battle's Union Army eastern flank, and it became the principal temporary field hospital for tending the wounded. More than 1,750 Confederate soldiers lost their lives at Franklin, and on Carnton's back porch four deceased Confederate generals' bodies were laid out for a few hours after the battle.[3] The life of Carrie McGavock, who lived at Carnton during the civil war, was the subject of a best-selling novel in 2005 by Robert Hicks, entitled The Widow of the South.[4] The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, and became a museum managed by The Battle of Franklin Trust, a non-profit organization.