Hood's Tennessee Campaign

[larry_cockerham]

Sherman's goal was to reach North Carolina or Virginia and link with Grant, thus crushing Lee. As it turned out Grant didn't need his help and the AOT were probably slightly more resistance than Sherman would have preferred. The battle at Bentonville was no picnic, but the results of the war were no longer in question by then.

[PINCKNEYUSMCRET]

Thanks, it just seemed to me that Hood was d******if he did and d****** if he didn;t. I believe he was a warrior, and I am partial to warriors.

Pinckney

[ole]

Good posts gentlemen. It does seem that Hood had to do something. But what? He could rest and refit his troops in Mississippi and Alabama until next spring. He could take off on a useless chase of Sherman, travelling the burned ground Sherman left. (He might have considered moving a southern route and trying to beat Sherman to Savannah.) Or he could make a move on Nashville. Maybe recapture Vicksburg? Memphis? Nah.
Ole

[PINCKNEYUSMCRET]

What I find interesting is that a great many of the Generals had been Lieutenants in the US Army in 1861, and rose to general in 4 years. Some adapted better than others, Hood made his mistakes, and part of his problem was he had no senior general to pull his chain and put him on the right track. But perhaps it was just too little too late. It appears to me that the AOT CSA was one bunch of warriors.

Pinckney

[larry_cockerham]

Originally Posted by ole

Good posts gentlemen. It does seem that Hood had to do something. But what? He could rest and refit his troops in Mississippi and Alabama until next spring. He could take off on a useless chase of Sherman, travelling the burned ground Sherman left. (He might have considered moving a southern route and trying to beat Sherman to Savannah.) Or he could make a move on Nashville. Maybe recapture Vicksburg? Memphis? Nah.
Ole

I've been reading a good history of Wilson's cavalry between Oct 1864 and war's end. It's apparent, one more, that Hood squandered so very many opportunities for victory against Schofield and then taking Nashville, simply because of the weather and his inaction and lack of communication from Beauregard and Davis. Forrest had Croxton and Wilson whirling in the Tennesse hackberries trying to figure out what to do next. Hood could have taken Nashville if all the factors working against him had fallen in place. A little Divine providence might be a possibility. As it happened Davis did pull his chain into retirement in January and the little army of the AOT went on with it's war effort. A bit outmanned, but tough to the end.

[ole]

It appears to me that the AOT CSA was one bunch of warriors.

Without a doubt, Pinckney, unfortunately it was a bit short on competent leadership.

Ole

[ole]

It's apparent, once more, that Hood squandered so very many opportunities for victory against Schofield and then taking Nashville, simply because of the weather and his inaction and lack of communication from Beauregard and Davis.

Hood can't be blamed for the bum weather; he can however, be charged with being unprepared for its probability. That said, his move from Florence to Spring Hill looks like a smoothly operating machine that broke at Spring Hill.

I don't believe Hood had much of a chance in taking Nashville -- even if he scattered Schofield, didn't bash his troops in Franklin, and Smith didn't arrive on time.

Ole

[larry_cockerham]

Ole, I've moderated my thought on Hood's never realized chances a bit after recent deliberation and some of Trice and Eric's comments. His lack of faith or communication with Forrest between Florence and Henryville cost him lots of points, possibly even the elimination of both Croxton and most of Schofield's army. The weather was **** poor, but assuming he could have gotten all the boys across the river at Florence, he could have easily bettered Schofield had he moved north a week or two earlier. That would have prevented the disaster at Franklin and would have put him into Nashville ahead of the yank reinforcements. Perhaps a different, albeit bloody, ballgame. If you consider that happening, he then commands Nashville and cut off a port that Sherman no longer depended on for support. Sherman was chomping on stolen Georgia pork chops by then. Hood would have been a wounded commander of Nashville. The war was headed to North Carolina without him either way. (I love a good censor!) Seems to me those four asterisks draw far more attention to the word than the word would have?

[ole]

Taking Nashville, assuming it were possible, would have gained him zip, except for a better historical treatment of his leadership. Sherman was still going to get to NC, Grant was still going to force Lee out of Petersburg, Thomas would be villified, and the result would have been the same.

Taking Nashville would have gained his remaining victorious army horses, horseshoes, fodder, clothing and other much needed supplies. With all that, he is going to do what? March to Cincinnati? Go to Knoxville and ride the rails to Lee's support? Clean out all the Yankees in middle Tennessee? And, while he is doing that, what are Grant and Sherman doing? No way is the AoT getting to NC other than the way it eventually did -- down to the coast and cross country to NC.Would the AoT with an extra 15,000 men have been able to beat Sherman? Change Lee's circumstances? Doubtful.

Ole

[larry_cockerham]

Ole, one of those occasions when you are essentially correct. Salute. Hood hung himself out to dry when he left Georgia with the AOT.