John Bell Hood
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General John Bell Hood |
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|---|---|
Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood
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| Nickname(s) | Sam |
| Born |
June 1, 1831 or June 29, 1831 Owingsville, Kentucky |
| Died | August 30, 1879 (aged 48) New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Place of burial | Metairie Cemetery, New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America Confederate States of America
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| Service/branch |
 United States Army Confederate States Army
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| Years of service | 1853–1861 (US) 1861–1865 (CSA) |
| Rank |
 First Lieutenant (US) Lieutenant General (CSA) General (temporary) |
| Commands held | 4th Texas Infantry Texas Brigade Hood's Division, First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia Second Corps, Army of Tennessee Army of Tennessee |
| Battles/wars | |
| Signature |  |
American Indian Wars
American Civil War
John Bell Hood (June 1 or June 29, 1831 – August 30, 1879) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Hood had a reputation for bravery and aggressiveness that sometimes bordered on recklessness. Arguably one of the best brigade and division commanders in the Confederate States Army, Hood gradually became increasingly ineffective as he was promoted to lead larger, independent commands late in the war, and his career and reputation were marred by his decisive defeats leading an army in the Atlanta Campaign and the Franklin-Nashville Campaign.
Hood's education at the United States Military Academy led to a career as a junior officer in both the infantry and cavalry of the antebellum U.S. Army in California and Texas. At the start of the Civil War, he offered his services to his adopted state of Texas. He achieved his reputation for aggressive leadership as a brigade commander in the army of Robert E. Lee during the Seven Days Battles in 1862, after which he was promoted to division command. He led a division under James Longstreet in the campaigns of 1862–63. At the Battle of Gettysburg, he was severely wounded, rendering his left arm useless for the rest of his life. Transferred with many of Longstreet's troops to the Western Theater, Hood led a massive assault into a gap in the Union line at the Battle of Chickamauga, but was wounded again, requiring the amputation of his right leg.
Hood returned to field service during the Atlanta Campaign of 1864, and at the age of 33 was promoted to temporary full general and command of the Army of Tennessee at the outskirts of Atlanta. There, he dissipated his army in a series of bold, calculated, but unfortunately bungled assaults, and was forced to evacuate the besieged city. Leading his men through Alabama and into Tennessee, his army was severely damaged in a massive frontal assault at the Battle of Franklin and he was decisively defeated at the Battle of Nashville by his former West Point instructor, Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas, after which he was relieved of command.
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Wikipedia