John B. Hood has always been an enigma in the study of the Civil War. He routinely is described as 'aggressive', 'reckless' 'fiery' by various Civil War historians. Most of what was written about Gen. Hood usually references that Hood's records and battle reports were missing/destroyed - especially in relation to the Atlanta & Tennessee Campaigns. I have always thought that students of the Civil War hadn't received the full story regarding John B. Hood. Stephen Hood's book proved that assumption correct.
Unfortunately, the lack of records can/does often lead to the development of a revisionist record that once repeated in one footnote - seems to be accepted as the norm forever more. In the case of John B. Hood (JBH) this seems to be the norm.
Stephen Hood's discovery and painstaking review of documents provided to him though members of the Hood family debunks many of the historically accepted - but not verified - assertions made in regard to the performance of John Bell. Hood. The book is worth a read and his points should be well considered when reading any statements regarding J. B. Hood.
Through the discovery of original documents - many copies of which appear in this fine book - Stephen Hood has presented a compelling argument that sets the record straight in many areas. First of all the book is any easy read, it arrived on 2/13 - and thanks to a snowstorm - I finished it on 2/14. Secondly, my primary interest in purchasing this book was the action on November 29/30 at Spring Hill, Tenn and Hood's performance during the Atlanta Campaign.
Regarding Spring Hill - I have always been impressed how little credit was bestowed on JBH for the conduct of the Tennessee Campaign up and until Spring Hill. Spring Hill was to be a masterful trap that JBH had sprung on Union Gen. John Schofield that would have trapped virtually the entire command of Gen. Schofield. The planned attack was bungled and never brought to fruition by such revered Confederate stalwarts like Benjamin Cheatham, Nathan B. Forrest and Patrick Cleburne. I and many others have wondered How? Why?
I never really accepted the historic line that the orders were 'confused' and 'Hood was not at the front'. JBH had clearly let his subordinates know what his intentions were and yet the orders were not executed. I found the historic rationale of 'the Confederates slept while Schofield's Corps passed stealthily by in the dead of night' as being suspect and not complete as to what had actually occurred.
S. Hood has provided letters written by Gen. S.D. Lee (albeit in the 1870's) that framed the inaction of Gens. Cheatham and Cleburne at Spring Hill. The letters describe Cheatham's/Cleburne's disdain for making a night attack on November 29/20 as the rationale for refusing
to follow Hood's orders.
Students of Civil War history know that soldiers/generals had a dislike for any form of night time fighting. S Hood makes excellent reference to the wasteful night attack that Gen. Cleburne conducted at Chickamauga on 9/19/63 as being a possible rationale for eschewing the night attack at Spring Hill (Cheatham's troops were near Cleburne's Division at Chickamauga). Cheatham also failed to place his division astride the Clombia-Franklin Turnpike blocking Schofield's escape. The combination of Cheatham disregarding JBH's order to block the pike and Cheatham's/Cleburne's failure to conduct the night attack is the only rationale that makes sense of the failure at Spring Hill. Cleburne was killed leading his division at Franklin on November 30.
Even though JBH possessed the information that Cheatham & Cleburne did not did not follow his orders, JBH did not call either to task in his book 'Advance & Retreat'. One can assume that JBH did not wish to defame the honor/memory of the revered Patrick Cleburne in 'Advance & Retreat' - but what of Benjamin Cheatham? My one criticism of this chapter would have been to have S Hood offer a rationale (even if it would have been an educated theory) as to why JBH choose not to reference Cheatham's failure to block the pike - even though he was ordered more than once to do so. It would have made for good food for thought.
The written historic record stated that JBH's performance in the Tennessee Campaign was influenced by a combination of alcohol and opiates as having impact on JBH's performance. S. Hood provides ample evidence that the often repeated footnote is one that was birthed well after the turn of the 20th Century and not one that ever existed in 1863-65.
With regard to JBH's performance in the Atlanta Campaign - the primary criticism by historians has always been that JBH was insubordinate and conspired to have Ge. Jos. Johnston relieved from command. After Johnston's dismissal, historians next described Hood as 'reckless' in how he managed the defense of Atlanta.
I have never held much sympathy for the Fabian tactic of yielding space for time that was employed by Gen. Johnston. As a student of the Atlanta Campaign, the action at Cassville has always been one in which JBH was blamed for the rationale of Johnston having to yield a strong position to Sherman's army. Through the discovery of post war letters written to JBH by his peers, S. Hood has provided a new way of looking at that event.
The retreat from Cassville has historically been described as being necessary due to JBH's failure to make an attack that was ordered by Johnston. It seemed ironic to me that one supposedly so 'aggressive' as JBH would fail to make an attack. S. hood revels that the rationale for the failed execution of Johnston's order was due to a Union attack on JBH's flank. What is not surprising is that JBH and Gen. L. Polk urged Johnston to make a attack at dawn on the Union position. Equally not surprising was the failure of Gen. Johnston to order a retreat rather than to make an attack that was a gamble but would have yielded great reward if successful. Historians have blamed JBH for Johnston's retreat from Cassville but now documentation exists that calls that rationale into question.
Letters regarding JBH's wife, family (he had 10 children), the adoptions of the children after the death's of John Hood and his wife Anna are very interesting. S. Hood also provides a section of Miscellaneous Letters, the Wigfall Letters and other documents regarding the career of John Bell Hood.
As stated above, the book is an easy read. If the reader is interested in getting a bigger picture regarding John Bell Hood in comparison to what is written as a part of undocumented history, this book will certainly satisfy that need.
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![“The Lost Papers of Confederate General John Bell Hood (English Edition)”，作者：[Stephen M. Hood]](https://images-cn.ssl-images-amazon.cn/images/I/41YLYycNaQL._SY346_.jpg)
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