November 30, 1864
Franklin, Tennessee
General John B. Hood marched in rapid pursuit of John M. Schofield's retreating Union army. Schofield's advance reached Franklin about sunrise on November 30 and quickly formed a defensive line on the southern edge of town. The Confederate attack began at 3:30 p.m. Cheatham's and Stewart's Corps attacked the Federal line. (Stephen D. Lee's Corps - and the 52nd GA - had not yet arrived on the battlefield) The Confederates took the first line of Yankee entrenchments, but the Union soldiers didn't retreat. They remained in the second line of defenses. All that separated the two armies was a mound of dirt. they fought into the night, shooting into each other from a distance of just a few feet. Sometime during the night the Federal soldiers quietly abandoned this line and marched quickly out of Franklin.When Lee's Corps arrived that night, the 52^nd Regiment was placed in the second line of the abandoned Yankee works, near the Columbia turnpike.

December 15-16, 1864
Nashville, Tennessee
After the battle of Franklin, Hood marched his army onward to Nashville. The army of Tennessee entrenched South of the city in the frozen soil. General Hood spent his time from December 2nd to the 15th desparately requesting reinforcements from the Confederate government, while his shoeless soldiers tried to keep from freezing to death in the unusually harsh Tennessee winter. The 52^nd was in the center of the Confederate line. Attacks on the Confederate left began on the afternoon of the 15^th, and the weary Confederates were pushed back. By this time it was dark and fighting stopped for the day. During the night, Hood drew his army into a U-shaped line in the Brentwood Hills. Now Lee's Corps, who had held the center, were now on the far right side of the Confederate line. Here the 52nd GA, along with the rest of Henry D. Clayton's division, defended against an assault by two Federal Corps. This assault was beaten back violently. Brigade and division commanders in Lee's Corps had to restrain their men from counterattacking against the failed bluecoat assaults.
The left side of the Confederate line wasn't nearly as successful, and eventually the corps of both Cheatham and Stewart retreated. Stephen D. Lee and his troops were left to defend the rear of Hood's army. Clayton's Division was rearguard for the army of Tennesse until they reached Duck River, where they were relieved by Forrest's cavalry. Hood retreated to Tupelo, Mississippi, where he resigned his command on January (Friday) 13th, 1865.

March 19 - 21, 1865
Bentonville, North Carolina
Although outnumbered by the Federal troops 2 to 1, General Johnston decided to make a stand at Bentonville, North Carolina. After repulsing the Federal attack on the right flank in the morning, the right wing of the Confederate army went on the attack around 3:00pm. The Union left was crushed by this assault and fell back in confusion. Only the timely arrival of Union reinforcements stopped the advancement of the tattered Southern army. Fighting ended at dusk, though intermittent firing continued. There was no fighting the next day, but more Union reinforcements arrived. Johnston's army was now outnumbered 3 to 1.
Cumming's Brigade arrived in Bentonville just in time to beat back an assault by the Federal troops. Along with members of the 8th Texas Cavalry, the 52nd regiment forced back the Union troops a distance of 1 1/2 miles before stopping. On the evening of the 21^st, Johnston ordered his men to begin a withdrawal across Mill Creek and onward to Smithfield.