This last weekend I attended an event that has been going on for 146 years. Now I’m 51 and had never even heard of this happening until just a few days ago. The event I’m speaking of is the 146th anniversary of the Battle of Franklin. From what I’ve been told, this was the bloodiest and worst loss for the Confederate States of America. Well, every year to honor the fallen soldiers of this battle, the city of Franklin lights 10,000 luminaries on the Eastern flank of the battlefield. It was a pretty impressive display to view, and to think that each candle represented a life that was lost.
During this skirmish, over 7000 Confederate soldiers and 2500 Union soldiers lost their life. The Carnton plantation (upper right corner of the photo below) became a field hospital. When you take the tour of the planation, you can still see the blood stained floors in the house. After the battle was over, and the Union troops moved on to Nashville, Confederate General John B. Hood gave orders for the dead to be buried by regiment. The markers below are laid out by state. Over 1450 soldiers were buried in the field beside the plantation, while more of them are buried at the Stones River Battlefield site. To see the re-enactors move through the cemetery during twilight this last weekend was truly an awe inspiring and touching tribute!
Well, that’s about it for this weeks Sweet Shot Tuesday. Jump on over to Darcy’s site and show some love. She does an awesome job of educating, motivating and inspiring me on a daily basis!
With this week being Thanksgiving, I am reminded that we should be thankful for all we have and do! Me, I’m thankful everyday for the little things. I heard this statement once from a youth pastor at a retreat, about a million years ago, “If God can’t trust you with the little things in life, how can He bless you with the big things”. My life is a little thing in the scheme of things. It’s the little things that I’m thankful for. What about you?
