"After the battle of Franklin, a serious problem confronted our officials. We had more than a thousand wounded soldiers on the ground, and no railroad or other means of conveying them to Southern hospitals. People for many miles around came for their relatives and friends and did much to relieve the situation. All the wounded who could walk were given 'Leaves of Absence' to go to their homes provided they were in any reasonable reach of the same, or friends who could care for them until able for further service. This was the best and only reasonable thing that could be done for our relief. It was the 4th day of December before this plan of relief was put in operation and on that day myself and two other wounded men of my company, John Cotton of Putnam County and John Bryan of Macon County started for our homes."
Talley suffered a gunshot wound to the head, removed from the field by "our litter corps", and received initial treatment at a field hospital by Dr. O. C. Kidder. He found his way home near Nashville. As the area around his home was controlled by Federal troops, he eventually turned himself in to preclude retribution to his family by the Yankee army for harboring a Confederate soldier. Because he took the amnesty oath before Lee's surrender, he was disallowed a Tennessee Confederate pension. Not withstanding receiving three grievous wounds during the war.