Soldiers opinion on Hood

[rgtaylor61]

I'm curious about the overall opinion of the common soldier on John Bell Hood. Was he despised as much as its been written? Insights?

 

[jepridgen]

Most of what I've read leans toward negative, but they did not necessarily despise him (see Sam Watkins). As with all things, the more I've read on the AoT the more I've read some soldiers who at least had somewhat positive feelings especially before Atlanta fell. I suspect it was more of a more mixed opinion at first than we think now but got worse as it became clearer he wasn't a good army commander. I've often wondered if the negativity by participants towards him in postwar writings might've been a bit of hindsight being 20/20 rather than exactly what they thought at the time.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

I'm curious about the overall opinion of the common soldier on John Bell Hood. Was he despised as much as its been written? Insights?

The brooding and self-serving Hood was entirely unfit, both physically and mentally, to command an entire Army. In short, he made emotionally-based decisions rather than thoughtful sensible ones, and applied duplicitous means to promote himself.

The Army of Tennessee was generally demoralized by the appointment of Hood to replace the popular able Johnston, as its commanding General. At the time, he was viewed by ordinary soldiers with uncertainty and a lack of confidence. This lack of confidence in him grew with the rising casualty counts in the battles he fought. However, the dedicated soldiers in the Army of Tennessee generally obeyed orders, even without belief in his command competence.

By Dec 1 (the day following the Battle of Franklin), morale plummeted in the Confederate ranks. After this slaughter, with frightful casualties, the Army's spirit was broken. Hood's soldiers were in deep shock from the carnage and many developed (and now expressed) the sentiment of anger towards him. This hatred is perhaps demonstrated in the below diary entry extracts from an enraged soldier in Cleburne's Division after the battle:

…"General Hood has betrayed us……The wails and cries of widows and orphans made at Franklin, Tennessee, November 30th,​ 1864 will heat up the fires of the bottomless pit to burn the soul of General J. B. Hood for murdering their husbands and fathers….Hood's actions can't be called anything else but murder….He sacrificed those men to make the name of Hood famous; when if the history of Franklin is ever written it will make him infamous….The men had the right to be told the truth;… therefore,….Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord, and it will surely overtake him."….

(From the Diary of Captain Sam Foster, 24th​ Texas Cavalry dismounted, Granbury's Brigade, Cleburne's Division, as reported by Wiley Sword in 'The Confederacy's Last Hurrah', at page 268)

The survivors of Hood's Army continued to loyally follow him until it was finally routed at Nashville, in mid-December. It is safe to assume that with its spirit completely crushed by then, any remaining confidence of the Army in Hood was now obliterated.

 

[lupaglupa]

Hood strikes me as a pretty extreme example of the Peter principle.

 

[rgtaylor61]

Hood strikes me as a pretty extreme example of the Peter principle.

That is a great observation.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

The brooding and self-serving Hood was entirely unfit, both physically and mentally, to command an entire Army. In short, he made emotionally-based decisions rather than thoughtful sensible ones, and applied duplicitous means to promote himself.

The Army of Tennessee was generally demoralized by the appointment of Hood to replace the popular able Johnston, as its commanding General. At the time, he was viewed by ordinary soldiers with uncertainty and a lack of confidence. This lack of confidence in him grew with the rising casualty counts in the battles he fought. However, the dedicated soldiers in the Army of Tennessee generally obeyed orders, even without belief in his command competence.

By Dec 1 (the day following the Battle of Franklin), morale plummeted in the Confederate ranks. After this slaughter, with frightful casualties, the Army's spirit was broken. Hood's soldiers were in deep shock from the carnage and many developed (and now expressed) the sentiment of anger towards him. This hatred is perhaps demonstrated in the below diary entry extracts from an enraged soldier in Cleburne's Division after the battle:

…"General Hood has betrayed us……The wails and cries of widows and orphans made at Franklin, Tennessee, November 30th,​ 1864 will heat up the fires of the bottomless pit to burn the soul of General J. B. Hood for murdering their husbands and fathers….Hood's actions can't be called anything else but murder….He sacrificed those men to make the name of Hood famous; when if the history of Franklin is ever written it will make him infamous….The men had the right to be told the truth;… therefore,….Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord, and it will surely overtake him."….

(From the Diary of Captain Sam Foster, 24th​ Texas Cavalry dismounted, Granbury's Brigade, Cleburne's Division, as reported by Wiley Sword in 'The Confederacy's Last Hurrah', at page 268)

The survivors of Hood's Army continued to loyally follow him until it was finally routed at Nashville, in mid-December. It is safe to assume that with its spirit completely crushed by then, any remaining confidence of the Army in Hood was now obliterated.

Exactly. I was going to put in something from the men but you did it. Lee had doubts about promoting him higher or taking control of an army. He knew he was a fighter but was impetuous. But Davis was NEVER going to let Johnston take command and I think that was only other choice. Davis let his prejudice cloud his thinking. Franklin, with the pointless assaults, was a slaughter, pure and simple.

Watkins didn't wish his soul into damnation but he said he was entirely unfit in every way to lead.

 

[rgtaylor61]

…"General Hood has betrayed us……The wails and cries of widows and orphans made at Franklin, Tennessee, November 30th,​ 1864 will heat up the fires of the bottomless pit to burn the soul of General J. B. Hood for murdering their husbands and fathers….Hood's actions can't be called anything else but murder….He sacrificed those men to make the name of Hood famous; when if the history of Franklin is ever written it will make him infamous….The men had the right to be told the truth;… therefore,….Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord, and it will surely overtake him."….

(From the Diary of Captain Sam Foster, 24th​ Texas Cavalry dismounted, Granbury's Brigade, Cleburne's Division, as reported by Wiley Sword in 'The Confederacy's Last Hurrah', at page 268)

This is a powerful quote.

 

[jepridgen]

…"General Hood has betrayed us……The wails and cries of widows and orphans made at Franklin, Tennessee, November 30th,​ 1864 will heat up the fires of the bottomless pit to burn the soul of General J. B. Hood for murdering their husbands and fathers….Hood's actions can't be called anything else but murder….He sacrificed those men to make the name of Hood famous; when if the history of Franklin is ever written it will make him infamous….The men had the right to be told the truth;… therefore,….Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord, and it will surely overtake him."….

(From the Diary of Captain Sam Foster, 24th​ Texas Cavalry dismounted, Granbury's Brigade, Cleburne's Division, as reported by Wiley Sword in 'The Confederacy's Last Hurrah', at page 268)

This is a powerful quote.

Yeah, after Franklin, I suspect there weren't many AoT soldiers who would've given positive opinions on Hood particularly those who actually were in the main assault. He had long since shown his inability to command a full army by that point.

 

[Sheltowee]

Would it be accurate to state that Hood was an effective brigadier and/ or divisional commander- just not up to snuff for larger commands?

Trying to throw a line to a fellow Kentuckian!

 

[Luke Freet]

Would it be accurate to state that Hood was an effective brigadier and/ or divisional commander- just not up to snuff for larger commands?

Trying to throw a line to a fellow Kentuckian!

I'd say he had creativity as an army commander. At Corps, his only real shining moment I'd say is Chickamauga, and people can argue about how much of what happened was due to his efforts. And at army command, while I can appreciate his strategic vision (compared to his predecessor Johnston who had none), he never could truly command the army. Most battles he seems comparatively hands off, allowing his subordinates to work out the situation, to horrible effects as his subordinates aren't great. Men like Cheatham are put in places of command and bungle things constantly, resulting in heavy casualties or missed opportunities, and Hood is often not present to deal with the situation personally. Add to that his awful staffwork, and yeah, him getting significant victories would have been a miracle.

 

[Luke Freet]

I'm curious about the overall opinion of the common soldier on John Bell Hood. Was he despised as much as its been written? Insights?

To answer the question: it seems that his announcement of his command over the AoT around Atlanta was at best lukewarm. Only a few men seemed to have been excited for his promotion, and it seems significantly more were upset with the loss of Johnston...but its hard to corelate if those men had any specific feelings over Hood's capabilities at that point.
And then after Franklin, I'd say every account you can find of veterans of that battle (those that they wrote in diaries at the time) take him to task for the whole affair. Sam Foster's December 1st entry about the battle is sharp in tongue, and he feels nothing but anger for Hood, who to his mind broke his promises to avoid such a battle.