Following the victory at 
Franklin, Confederate General 
Hood was determined to 
continue the pressure on the 
Union army in central 
Tennessee.  Therefore, he 
decided to attack Thomas' 
forces in Nashville.

After his cavalry 
reconnaissance verified 
that Thomas' force outnumbered 
him by almost three to one, it 
became obvious that a frontal 
assault against the 
entrenchments would be 
suicidal and doomed to 
failure.  He decided to 
set up his own defensive 
fortifications within sight 
of Nashville.  Eight roads 
converged at Nashville - 
Hood's line covered four of 
them.  Unfortunately for the 
Confederates, that also meant 
that four of them were open.

Thomas' attack began with 
Steedman's corps making a 
feint against Hood's right 
flank.  The bulk of the Union 
army used the open roads on 
Hood's left flank.  
Schofield's corps swung far 
out past the left flank and 
attacked the Confederates 
from the rear.  The left 
flank immediately collapsed.

Hood was unable to cover the 
retreat with his untouched 
center and the right flank.

Twilight ended the battle for 
the day.  Thomas held his 
position in anticipation of 
destroying Hood the next day.  
Hood, meanwhile, was 
establishing a second 
defensive line of a much 
shorter length.  This new 
position covered only two of 
the roads from Nashville.

On the second day, Thomas 
repeated his assault against 
the Confederate left flank.  
Once again, a Union corps 
marched around the flank and 
took the enemey in the rear.  
This time there would be no 
second position.  The retreat 
became a rout.  The center 
and right, which had once 
again fought well and held 
their positions, became 
infested with the panic and 
fled with the rest of the 
army.  Hood's adventure in 
central Tennessee was over.

Union losses were about 3,000.
Confederate casualties were 
about 1,500 but the number 
of captured raised the total 
to about 6,000.  This was a 
loss the Confederacy could 
not afford.