Harms88
Sergeant
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2019
Shrouds of Glory is the story of Hood's command of the Army of Tennessee. Starting with the storm of battles that raged around Atlanta, it ends at Nashville, where his army is irrevocably broken, shattering the last slim hope of the Confederacy.
This book is not out to paint Hood as a megalomaniac. It does not go out of its way to describe him as a drunkard and a druggie. Instead, it shows him as a man who was perhaps above his talents, out of his element, and trying to be a Lee or Jackson in the West. Trying to be a Lee or Jackson with an army that was by no means the Army of Northern Virginia, one accustomed to defeat, not victory.
If anything, this book shows him, and even Thomas, as victims of politicians who wanted the war done decisively and quickly. Hood originally only wanted to raid into Tennessee, only to have Davis show up and declare wildly that he expected Hood to take his small army, reconquer Tennessee, take Kentucky and get clear into Ohio. He was being backed into a corner by an administration who not only publicly declared that he was going to do this, but also making promises that he would get 20,000+ reinforcements from the Trans-Mississippi Theater from Kirby Smith; never informing him that Smith was notorious for hording his resources and was unwilling to share.
It also takes on the controversies of the campaign in a balanced way, take Spring Hill. Never assigning sole blame for the debacle, it shines light on many baffling aspects. Such as Cheatham being ordered to block the turnpike, only not to. A member of Hood's staff would admit he fell asleep without finishing the order to send it. Yet Cheatham claims he did receive the orders but that it wasn't that clear. So....how did he get a letter that was never finished nor sent? And how did this member of the staff not finish an order that was received?
The book is written like a novel, with Hood and the Army having their own character arcs. It's well-written, easy to follow. Some of the more interesting tidbits, such as Forrest threatening to whip Hood during the campaign, is missing, which is unfortunate. There is some weird formatting here and there, usually involving when age is given for a character. Sometimes it's written like, "Thirtysix years old" "Thirty-six yearsold" Or "Thirty-sixyears old". But that doesn't break up the flow of reading.
I'd give it a 8/10. It's pretty-well done, missing a few of the most well-known and interesting tidbits of the campaign, but written in such a way that you easily follow it.