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Text originally published in 1975 under the same title.
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JOHN BELL HOOD: A BID FOR FAME
by
LTC DANIEL C. WARREN
ABSTRACT
John Bell Hood was appointed to the United States Military Academy from Kentucky and graduated 44th in a class of 52 in July 1853. The next eight years were spent in infantry duties in California and cavalry service in Texas. With the outbreak of the Civil War Hood resigned his commission and entered the Confederate Army as a resident of Texas.
Originally appointed a first lieutenant he served on the Virginia peninsula in 1861 and received rapid promotion to major from Brigadier General John Magruder. By September 30, 1861, he was the Colonel of the Fourth Texas Regiment under Brigadier Louis T. Wigfall. When the latter resigned, Hood, who was engaged to Wigfalls daughter, was promoted in March 1862 to brigade command, over more experienced officers.
During the Peninsular Campaign, Hood actively sought opportunities for combat and established a reputation as an offensively-minded, daring combat leader. He received favorable mentions in official reports, especially at Gaines Mill, though taking heavy casualties. At Second Manassas, it became necessary for the Corps commander, Longstreet, to caution him against over-rapid advancement. His first clash with a fellow officer (Evans) also occurred at this time, resulting in Hoods arrest. He was released by General Robert E. Lee just prior to Antietam, and the matter dropped. As the result of his efforts he was promoted to major general.
He received a wound in the left arm at Gettysburg after protesting the orders which he received to advance on .Little Round Top, Upon recovery he went west with Longstreet, but lost his right leg from a wound at Chickamauga. During his convalescence, he was introduced to Richmond society, and became well acquainted with Jefferson Davis, an enemy of Wigfall. He broke his engagement to Louise Wigfall, and transferred his affections to socialite Sally Preston.
Despite his incapacitating wounds, which necessitated his being strapped to a horse in order to ride, Hood was promoted to lieutenant general and sent as a Corps commander to the Army of Tennessee, apparently with a prior understanding with President Davis by which Hood would urge Johnston to the offensive.
During his service under Johnston, Hood systematically undermined the latters already tenuous relationship with Richmond, He was named a full general and replaced Johnston as commander of the Army of Tennessee July 18, 1864.
Assessment of his subsequent performance as a commander is buried in a mountain of post-war charges and recriminations. Sustaining a series of defeats, he constantly fought with his subordinate commanders and disparaged his troops. In late 1864 he invaded Tennessee, an operation which culminated in the total destruction of his army at Nashville in December 1864. He was subsequently relieved of command at his own request.
Hoods career is characterized by ambition, bravery, and the use of influential friends to gain positions of high responsibility. While his tactical conceptions were sound, they failed at higher .levels of command because of his inability to work with subordinates. On various occasions he circumvented or ignored his own superiors. His style of command was modeled after that of Lee but was unsuitable to the Army of Tennessee, and he demonstrated a lack of managerial and logistical understanding. These factors, with his early successes which carried him to a level beyond his ability, account for his defeat with the Army of Tennessee.
LIST OF FIGURES
Locations of Lt. Hoods Texas Service
General Twiggs Commendation, August 5, 1857
W. N. Hoods Letter of April 29, 1861 to Leroy P. Walker, Secretary of War, Provisional Confederate Government
Congratulatory Letter from General Lee, July 15, 1861
Battle of Elthams Landing Hoods First as a General Officer
Longstreets Letter, Written after Chickamauga, Recommending Hood for Promotion to Lieutenant General
Endorsements on Longstreets Letter of September 24, 1863
Hoods Letter Indicating His Readiness for Duty, after Convalescing from His Second Wound
Davis Annotation on the Reverse of Hoods Letter of January 29, 1864 (which Hood mid-dates 1863)
Beauregards Order of January 23, 1865, Relieving Hood
Examples of Hoods Signature in December 1861 (upper) and March 1864 (lower)
General Officers of the Confederacy from Texas 1861-63
INTRODUCTION
Following his entrance into Confederate service in April 1861 as a Lieutenant of Cavalry, John Bell Hood attained the rank of brigadier general by March of the following year. Seven months later, he was promoted to major general and in September 1863, to lieutenant general. During this meteoric rise, he attained fame as a skillful, offensively-minded leader of great promise, and came to be considered one of the Confederacys best young general officers. In July 1864 he received a temporary promotion to general (one of only eight Confederate officers to hold that rank) and was assigned to command the Army of Tennessee, relieving General Joseph E. Johnston before Atlanta. After the fall of that city, Hood undertook offensive operations into Tennessee which culminated in the total defeat and disintegration of his army at Nashville, Tennessee. He subsequently resigned his command and reverted to his permanent grade of lieutenant general.
The reasons underlying General Hoods lack of success with the Army of Tennessee still remain historically unclear, and are complicated by bitter post-war recriminations and exchanges. The hypothesis developed in this study is that Hoods defeats are best explained by his lack of the administrative ability needed for independent command. Evaluation of this hypothesis is developed through an analysis of Hoods understanding of superior and subordinate relationships and his ability to successfully coordinate the varied functions necessary for operation of an army in the field. Certain facets of Hoods personality are presented as they relate to his rise to high command. These include the use of both political and social leverage, a characteristic not limited to Hood.
Primary sources used were the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion , Hoods post-war autobiography, and works by his contemporaries, A limiting factor was the inaccessibility at the Command and General Staff College of other important primary sources such as collections of papers and letters, including Hoods (in the National Archives,). Secondary sources have been used in such cases.
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