- Joined
- Aug 25, 2012
My copy of The Civil War Monitor arrived yesterday, and as usual, reading Civil War Magazine cause me to think of questions. Andrew S. Bledsoe has an article in The Civil War Monitor "The Hero of Franklin". It is not a bad article, but it got me thinking about how the Battle of Franklin impacted the Battle of Nashville. Hood had acted aggressively at the Battle of Franklin, but had only partly achieved his goals. Hood had attacked Schofield and had taken Franklin. Hood had damaged Schofield command, but failed to destroy them. In the end Hood's victory at Franklin was at best incomplete and he would have to face the remnants of Schofield combined with the Army under Thomas at the Battle of Nashville.
Question 1: Should have Hood simply repeated his aggressive nature at Nashville and attack as so as he arrived? I know he hopped that Thomas would attack him and he could counter attack. Once Thomas's army was crushed, Hood could then easily capture Nashville and advance to the Ohio River. Still an attack by Hood as soon as he reached Nashville may have paid higher dividends. I am not sure time was on Hood's side.
Question 2: Hood expected to gain 20,000 recruits in Tennessee and Kentucky. In December of 1864 and January of 1865 could Hood have gotten his 20,000 recruits? Were the men in Tennessee and Kentucky willing to join the Confederate cause in these kind of numbers, so late in the War?
Question 1: Should have Hood simply repeated his aggressive nature at Nashville and attack as so as he arrived? I know he hopped that Thomas would attack him and he could counter attack. Once Thomas's army was crushed, Hood could then easily capture Nashville and advance to the Ohio River. Still an attack by Hood as soon as he reached Nashville may have paid higher dividends. I am not sure time was on Hood's side.
Question 2: Hood expected to gain 20,000 recruits in Tennessee and Kentucky. In December of 1864 and January of 1865 could Hood have gotten his 20,000 recruits? Were the men in Tennessee and Kentucky willing to join the Confederate cause in these kind of numbers, so late in the War?