Baptism of Fire

In the fall of 1864, the American Civil War was three and a half years old. Over half a million soldiers were already dead, and the war dragged on with cruel impunity. That autumn the beautiful hills and valleys of Middle Tennessee bore witness to the last great campaign of the war, one that ultimately helped to decide its outcome. At Franklin a fateful and vicious battle would be fought, one that remained seared in the minds of those who managed to survive it. In the midst of its awful fury were three regiments of United States soldiers who had never before been in combat. These men from Missouri and Ohio played key roles in helping to decide the conclusion of the battle, and never before has their story been fully understood or explained. Baptism of Fire is a detailed and compelling look at these long forgotten regiments, with much emphasis on the men who composed them. Much more than a battle history, this book relates the individual stories of the soldiers who left their homes to fight for what they believed to be right and how they ended up at a place called Franklin.

Eric A. Jacobson has been a student of the American Civil War since the mid-1980s. He has authored two prior books, For Cause & For Country and The McGavock Confederate Cemetery, and has a deep and heartfelt interest in elevating the stories about Spring Hill and Franklin to their appropriate place in history. For many years he has assisted a variety of organizations, from Franklin s Charge to the Civil War Trust, in their efforts to preserve and reclaim critical portions of both battlefields, which are so crucial to a great understanding of the men and boys who fought there in late 1864. Eric works in the historic Franklin community, and nearly every day he walks the hallowed ground on which so many Federal and Confederate soldiers so valiantly struggled. His interpretive and preservation efforts at Carnton and the Carter House, in particular, have been extensive. He lives in Spring Hill with his wife, Nancy, and their two daughters.