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I think Hood has 39,000 to Schofeld's 34,000 and Thomas has 25K +/-
There is a portion of the plan which is clearly far-fetched and incredulous.
Notwithstanding, in my opinion, Hood simply doesn't have the means to accomplish a seizure of Nashville, he certainely bleeds his way into Franklin.
Hood also thinks that he's going to get local support as people rally to the banner which is a strategy that has clearly failed for both Bragg in Kentucky and lee in Maryland.
Folks around Nashville and Franklin certainly 'rallied to the banner'. The problem was that all the able bodied men were already in Hood's army. Spy activity from Confederate supporters was alive and well, though Sam Davis was gone. A few rutabagas and parsnips were supply when the opportunity arose, but in the dead of winter, not much help to be had. This was a poorly managed affair at best.
__________________ Ancestors in US Army: 13th TN Cav; 10th TN Cav; 3rd NC Inf
Ancestors in CSA Army: 48th VA; 63rd VA, 5th NC Cav; 37th NC
Wife and Grandson's CSA: 15th AL, 51st GA, 41st TN; 36th TN; GA Mil 1197 Dist
[quote=EricJacobson]Funny how some today get quite a chuckle about Hood's Tennessee Campaign and just ramble on about how foolish it was. When it was happening, even after the horror at Franklin, many Confederate soldiers believed they were succeeding. They were driving the Yankees north, pushing them out of Middle Tennessee. Even Gen. A. P. Stewart, AFTER the campaign, said it the best plan available at the time. So did Gen. S. D. Lee. Yankee soldiers to a man talked about how close it really was, how worried they were that the Rebel offensive might succeed."
The Rebels may well have believed they were succeeding. But the Yankees, up to and including the President, shared the same belief in triplicate. Halleck discovered that Sherman had not left Thomas with adequate troops, Lincoln asked Stanton about it. Stanton immediately sent a note to Grant to look into Thomas ‘inactivity.’ Grant then went silly demanding Thomas attack on ice, without adequate cavalry, with 15,000 rookie troops and so on. Seems like a whole bunch of folks, on both sides, thought poor old Hood had a chance.
Folks around Nashville and Franklin certainly 'rallied to the banner'. The problem was that all the able bodied men were already in Hood's army. Spy activity from Confederate supporters was alive and well, though Sam Davis was gone. A few rutabagas and parsnips were supply when the opportunity arose, but in the dead of winter, not much help to be had. This was a poorly managed affair at best.
Hood fully envisions marching through not only TN, but also KY and he fully envisions that this action will act as a force multiplier, he's counting on much more than simply 'support' in the sense that you describe it in your post. The problem is that the Confederates had ample experience both in KY with Bragg and Lee in MD where the presence of a large Confederate force simply did not translate into additional recruits.
Quote:
Originally Posted by oneplez
The Rebels may well have believed they were succeeding. But the Yankees, up to and including the President, shared the same belief in triplicate. Halleck discovered that Sherman had not left Thomas with adequate troops, Lincoln asked Stanton about it. Stanton immediately sent a note to Grant to look into Thomas ‘inactivity.’ Grant then went silly demanding Thomas attack on ice, without adequate cavalry, with 15,000 rookie troops and so on. Seems like a whole bunch of folks, on both sides, thought poor old Hood had a chance.
If the Federals truly felt that Hood was a mortal threat, Sherman would have been turned around.
In any event the reference that you are making to Lincoln's insistence for Thomas to attack while Hood is before Nashville is not so much because they really think Hood has a chance (I don't even think Hood himself at that point actually believes he can seize Nashville), but because Hood is in fact there ; so where else would you attack him?
The second consideration is the election of 64. If the Confederates can hold Atlanta or pull Sherman away from it, does McClellan win? My point is that while Sherman is quite literally putting the dagger into chest of the Confederacy; Hood is off at Nashville literally getting his army annihilated.
His initial plan literally calls for a thrust straight up to Ohio where he could then turn on DC and/or relieve Lee at Petersburg, it demonstrates a complete lack of knowledge as to the means at his disposal AND shows a complete disregard for the the political situation.
By Autumn 1864, the Confederacy SHOULD be fighting to put McClellan in the White House.
This is going to turn into a pro-Thomas anti-Grant and Sherman thread very soon unless we stick with the topic of Hood's Tennessee Campaign.
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
Geez Ole, is this not what I am discussing? Its important to consider the totality of the circumstances; Hood's offensive obviously does not occur in a vacuum.
"The second consideration is the election of 64. If the Confederates can hold Atlanta or pull Sherman away from it, does McClellan win? My point is that while Sherman is quite literally putting the dagger into chest of the Confederacy; Hood is off at Nashville literally getting his army annihilated."
But what was left of Atlanta was gone and Sherman was eating shrimp in Savannah watching while Hood and the rest of the AOT were freezing butts in Tennessee. Without Interstates 24 and 65 going up the Cumberland rim north of Nashville, Hood really wasn't going to Kentucky. That was an illusion on some idiot's part.
__________________ Ancestors in US Army: 13th TN Cav; 10th TN Cav; 3rd NC Inf
Ancestors in CSA Army: 48th VA; 63rd VA, 5th NC Cav; 37th NC
Wife and Grandson's CSA: 15th AL, 51st GA, 41st TN; 36th TN; GA Mil 1197 Dist
“If the Federals truly felt that Hood was a mortal threat, Sherman would have been turned around.”
How do they get to him to give the order? The only contact they (the ‘Federals’) had was when Rebel newspapers occasionally reported his supposed depredations.
How do they get to him to give the order? The only contact they (the ‘Federals’) had was when Rebel newspapers occasionally reported his supposed depredations.
Good point. Didn't Lincoln hisself say something like "We know what hole he went in, but we don't know what hole he's going to come out." Another point, not as good, is that Hood can't chase Sherman. The debbil has a head start and is leaving little to live on in his wake. There is no line of communication to cut.
ole
__________________ I never knew a man who wished to be himself a slave. Consider if you know any good thing that no man desires for himself. A. Lincoln
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