Carnton

04/30/2026

Williamson County historian Rick Warwick is at Carnton today recaning some of our rocking chairs and telling stories.

04/28/2026

By late April, 160 years ago, the reburials at the McGavock Confederate Cemetery had been going on for almost a month. John McGavock wrote a letter to update Mary Ann Gay, whose brother Lt. Thomas Stokes was killed at Franklin, and who had raised $400 to fund the removal of the Texas dead. "A portion of the letter was republished in a Galveston, Texas newspaper. He said the 'work of reinterring the Texas dead was completed on Monday. The number is 65.' He also wrote that 117 from Tennessee, 140 from Mississippi, and 130 from Missouri 'have been removed.'" The number of Texans was, in fact, not complete. The final total was 89.

Each body "was laid to rest in a small coffin 'of oak, neatly and compactly made.' The soldiers were buried in state sections and 'by platoon, 15 in each.' Two long columns of these platoons were created and 'separated by an avenue 14 feet in width.'"
"Barely a month into the work tragedy struck. Marcellus Cuppet, who was just twenty-five years old, became desperately ill in the last week of April. What caused his illness is unknown, but he became sick on Sunday, April 22, and was delirious by Tuesday. He died the following day and was buried on April 26...Today Marcellus lies next to some of the men he was helping identify..."

*Quoted material from The McGavock Confederate Cemetery by Eric A. Jacobson. Find it in our shops and online here:

https://store.boft.org/books-and-dvds/p/the-mcgavock-confederate-cemetery-a-revised-and-updated-compilation

04/16/2026

02/03/2026

Carnton is having a birthday this year! Randal McGavock finished his home in 1826, and over the past two centuries a great many guests have been welcomed into this central hall.

A new exhibit is being installed in the museum today at Carnton that tells about Randal's early life on the frontier. We look forward to welcoming you soon!

*photograph c.1900

01/27/2026

Carton will be open tomorrow at 9:00. Come see us!!

01/25/2026

We will be closed on Monday, Jan 26, and very likely Tuesday, Jan 27, too. The ice and cold temperatures are a real problem.

01/24/2026

Due to the snow we are closed today and Sunday. It is likely we will be closed on Monday, too.

01/07/2026

Carnton in the mist.

01/03/2026

“At the beautiful home of Col. John McGavock, Thursday, Jan. 3rd, at 4 o’clock pm, Miss Hattie, only daughter of Col. And Mrs. John McGavock, was united in the holy bans (sic) of matrimony to Mr. George L. Cowan, of Nashville, by Rev. G.A. Russell, in his most felicitous and impressive manner. The bride was attired in a dress of handsome moiré, of a rich cream color, and Duchess lace, with a tulle veil embroidered in margarites. The wedding was a very quiet and recherche affair, there being very few invited guests, with the exception of the immediate relatives of both families. The spacious double parlors were exquisitely decorated with flowers and evergreens, a lovely bridal wreath being suspended above the contracting parties. At the lower end of the back parlor on and above the piano, were sitting and hanging the many presents of this popular and handsome young lady. She was the recipient of some very artistically executed paintings, and silverware almost untold. Mr. Cowan is a most pleasant, fascinating and excellent gentleman in every respect, and a very eligible match for this lovely and lovable young lady. In the words of the old song, 'none knew her but to love her.'”

~local newspaper article, January 1884

12/30/2025

Check out this superb new video from our friends at the American Battlefield Trust about the Battles of Spring Hill and Franklin in the context of the Tennessee Campaign. Animated maps along with dramatic portrayals vividly bring the story to life. Outstanding!!

After the fall of Atlanta on September 1, 1864, John Bell Hood and his 30,000 men raced to Tennessee, hoping to divert William T. Sherman’s attention by thre...