They were too late.

The enemy already had possession of Franklin, and was beyond them.

It now became a chase in which the Confederates had the lead.
Our troops continued the pursuit to within a few miles of Columbia, where they found the rebels had destroyed the railroad bridge as well as all other bridges over Duck River.

The heavy rains of a few days before had swelled the stream into a mad torrent, impassable except on bridges.
Unfortunately, either through a mistake in the wording of the order or otherwise, the pontoon bridge which was to have been sent by rail out to Franklin, to be taken thence with the pursuing column, had gone toward Chattanooga.

There was, consequently, a delay of some four days in building bridges out of the remains of the old railroad bridge.