What if Hood's Tennessee Campaign had been successful?

[Ter61]

After the fall of Atlanta, what if Hood had managed to defeat Schofield and Thomas in Tennessee? What would have happened next? Would Sherman have been forced to pull out of Georgia to deal with Hood? How much longer could the war have lasted?

[richard]

Sherman would have stayed his course. He was living off the land so to say. It is hard to say what Hoods next target would have been. Most likely it would have been Louisville. The main reason this would be his target is the railroad. Louisville had the river port and the railhead that lead to Nashville.

By this late in the war, Hood may have gained some new men from Kentucky and Middle Tennessee but even with what supplies he would gain at Nashville it was only a matter of time before the war in the east would have put an end to his victory.

[larry_cockerham]

Richard, you're quite correct in my humble opinion. Nashville first off was insurmountable, just too many Union soldiers, guns, horses and ammunition for Hood to deal with the challenge. Sherman had discounted Hood in the fall of 1864 when Hood and Beauregard had the silly notion to attack Tennessee. A p poor chess move at best, leading to checkmate at Nashville. The fight and the outcome of the war centered on Sherman's movement to link with Grant. Didn't matter where, whether South or North Carolina or Virginia. That was the release of the pimple. The Confederacy shot itself in the foot in west Georgia.

[ole]

Sherman couldn't easily have returned along the path he took without rebuilding the RRs he destroyed. He'd have been compelled to continue to the coast for resupply. Looking at the complications that would have ensued, it's easy to see Sherman's confidence in Thomas.

Hood, although not having free-reign, would have been a major snag in the Union effort. Manpower and resources would have to have been redirected to his capture, crippling Grant's efforts at Petersburg.

I don't see Hood surviving long in Kentucky. Although his people and animals might have fattened up, where were the shoes, clothing, tentage, and other supplies to come from? Going for Louisville would have given the Confederacy a major boost in morale, but what good is a port on a Union-held river? Could he, as intended, have marched east to join Lee?

Conclusion: A successful Hood would have given heart to the Confederacy and given Davis a stronger position from which to sue for peace. Actual strategic gain? Nada.

Ole

[samgrant]

Originally Posted by Ter61

After the fall of Atlanta, what if Hood had managed to defeat Schofield and Thomas in Tennessee? What would have happened next? Would Sherman have been forced to pull out of Georgia to deal with Hood? How much longer could the war have lasted?

That's one Big, Fat "What If"!

But for the fates (?) Hood may have taken care of Schofield. Then what? No Franklin? Maybe.

Still a Nashville then. Without the command losses of Franklin would Hood have attacked the well defended Nashville?

Would Thomas attack that force not depleted by Franklin?

What of the order from Grant to replace Thomas if he did not move?

All in all, I'd suggest that even had Hood's army had not been decimated at Franklin, that he would never have taken Nashville by attack.

[larry_cockerham]

Sam, you are quite correct, no surprise. The only real thing that kept Thomas from attacking what was left of Hood's army was the weather and the fact that he didn't have to. Nashville had fortifications including Ft. Negley and six other hilltop defense points quite ready to repell any attack from Hood. The key was Harrison's huge fresh mean cavalry and a bunch of brawny well-fed, well rested foot soldier yanks just spoiling for a good fight. Ole seemed to suggest that Sherman would have considered returning to find Hood. I rather doubt that. Nashville was of no value to the Union effort after 1864. The fight was on the east coast. Tennessee and Kentucky had no resources worth the attention and nothing left with which to fight except the Confederate spirit. Without horses, horse feed and bullets, that spirit was about to become just a gleam in an SCV member's eye.

[ole]

Ole seemed to suggest that Sherman would have considered returning to find Hood. I rather doubt that.

Larry: I was pointing out the difficulty Sherman would have had in returning had he been required to do so. I neglected to factor in the great numbers of panicky politicos that might have required a retrograde movement.

Bringing it back to Ter's original question: "Hood defeats Schofield and Thomas (takes Nashville). What happens next?" We all seem to agree that a victorious AoT would gleefully starve all over Tennessee and maybe Kentucky (assuming Thomas destroys stores).

Another question: What does Thomas do -- assuming that he his driven out of Nashville (I know, Sam -- fat chance)? Does he march his still-significant force to Virginia? What are Grant's instructions to Schofield? (Wouldn't Grant have cashiered Thomas on the spot? Or was Logan still there?) It's far too far-fetched to suppose the Yanks are captured, so what do they do? Better still, what does Lincoln accept as a plan?
Ole

[OpnDownfall]

Panicky orders from D.C. would have taken too much time to reach Sherman, before he reached Savannah.
IMO the Only viable plan that would have had the 'Potential' of significantly affecting the war, would be to break contact with Thomas and move north east to link up with Lee, if such could not be effected then anything thing less would have be just dust in the wind. The odds would have been prohibitive, but the hour was late, the Confederacy was entering its death throes, nothing less than the above would, IMO, suffice.

[EricJacobson]

Oh boy, here we go. If Hood somehow managed to make magic in Middle Tennessee the possibilities are endless. As long as his casualties were not astronomical I think Sherman may have been forced to send additional troops back to confront Hood. Not his entire army, but at least some of it. The argument that Tennessee and Kentucky were not important, as made previously, I think is without merit. If that was indeed the case Sherman would not have sent the 4th Corps and 23rd Corps to defend Nashville and the 16th Corps would not have been shipped in from Missouri. Read the contemporary accounts. Federal authorities were in full-fledged panic over Hood's invasion of Tennessee.

Hood lays out a pretty "blue sky" plan in his memoirs about jaunting into Kentucky and either linking up with Lee or at the very least taking pressure off him. In reality, however, Hood's success in Tennessee would have only ensure one thing....that the war would drag on even longer. Perhaps deep in 1865. But in my opinion there was no way Lincoln was ever going to give in. His reelection virtually assured the South either four more years of war or its collapse, whichever came first.

[richard]

If Nashville had fallen and Hood moved north east to help join up with Lee, he would have had to have crossed over through Knoxville. That would have been the fastes and easiest route. There presents a problem for him. Union control of East Tennessee around Knoxville and the supply line from Chattanooga was in place. The rail line from Strawberry Plains east to Virginia was still out of commission. Crossing the Holston river, the Tennessee, or the French Broad would have been a major problem from them at that time of year. East Tennessee has always had a rainy season in November and December.

Longstreet, the year before had problems with the rivers and heavy rains. Also moving 25000 men, and supplies through the or near Sparta with little forgage on the 100 mile trip to Knoxville would present many problems for him.

If he went through Kentucky, it is possible that he could have been cut off by union forces comimg from Ohio. Again, the Kentucky area that he would have to cross would offer very little to live off of.

In MHO, Hood would be starving his men and horses on a very long and difficult march east, filled with natural barriers, Union forces and no reinforcements or supplies.