¥-(y tt^mntmamamet. T K E LIFE AND CHARACTER GEN. JOHN B. HOOD. By MRS.C. M. WINKLER, Corsicana, Texas. WRITTEN AT REQUEST, AND Published by authority of Hood's Texas Brigade As- sociation, and read before the Association by the authoress, June 27, 1885. Dr.\ughon & Lambert, Printers, JOHN SOUT^GATE, Binder, Austin, Texas. i'^ T ri E LIFE AND CHARACTER OF GEN. JOHN B. HOOD By Mrs. CM. WINKLER, Corsicana, Texas u WRITTEN AT REQUEST, AND Published by authority of Hood's Texas Brigade As- sociation, and read before the Association by the authoress, June 27, 1885. DUAUGHON & LAM15ERT, PriuttUS, John Southgate, Binder, Austin, Texas. ■^i^iA .^^^ \V ^o336 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF GENERAL JOHN B. HOOD, By MRS. C. M. WINKLER, Corsicana, Texas. READ BEFORE HOOd's TEXAS BRIGADE ASSOCIATION, JUNE 2 7, 1 885. CHAPTER I. Perhaps in the range of possibility there could have been no more pleasant task assigned me than to prepare a paper for your annual re-union upon the subject of the life and character of the General you all loved so well, in whose military genius you felt the most implicit con- fidence, and in whose judgment you relied in every hour of your connection together as soldiers of a common cause. I know in the estimation of the brave men forming now only a remnant of a once courageous band, the Generals, highest in your scale attaining human perfec- tion, were Robert E. Lee and John B. Hood. The brilliant achievements of the great Stonewall Jackson inspired you with the loftiest enthusiasm, and each one to-day is proud to remember he served with that illus. trious Confederate in the army of Northern Virginia, 4 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF but Robert E. Lee was the man 3-011 unquestionably obeyed, while John B. Hood was the man 3'ou followed upon every battlefield. He was the man you loved as a dear friend and brother, and around your exploits upon the various fields of strife, where foe met foe in deadly conflict, hang with yours the unfading laurels of his mili- tary fame, destined to remain to posterity the deathless inheritance of unselfish patriotism. In the examination of his character, the principles that influenced ever}- action of his life, the high sense of honor, the proud record he labored to make for his men and himself, the noble sacrifice of mere personal advancement, the devotion to the cause he followed with persistence, we shall endeavor to faithfuU}' portray his actions in a proper light, while we shall strive to do injustice to no human being. Refined and cultivated, he was elegant and courtly in manner and a Chesterfield in politeness. As a friend, he was generous and true, possessing the rare faculty of remembering not only the faces, but the names of e\'er}' man under his command with whom he e^'er came in contact, which was remarkable, considering the num- ber of people with whom he had been thrown at differ- ent periods of his life. So true was he to the deep affection he entertained for each member of his " Old Brigade," that he visited as many of them, as possible, at their homes during a tour he made through Texas after the war was over, refusing the hospitality of many others to enjoy with the men he loved a few hours to re-cement the bond of friendship formed in camp, upon GENERAL JOHN B. HOOD. 6 the weary march, in the hospital, or upon the battle- fields he had helped mark as monuments of daring courage, of matchless bravery, of unparalled success. When the decree went forth that the warriors' banner must be furled, and the Stars and Bars, with their em- blematic Southern Cross, must no more be flung to the breeze, and hope no more tinged with radiance the horizon of our sky, around no life of all who had ren- dered the "Lost Cause" such noble service linsfered more of the poetry, romance and chivalry of the fruit- less undertaking than clustered about the name of Gene ral John B. Hood.\ Only at times, now, do we dare approach the beautiful Confederate Temple in Ennis ; only at times do we pass with reverential tread over the crumbling doorstep, matted with weeds and covered with moss, and stand within the edifice overgrown with honeysuckle and ivy. The mosaic pavement wrought by the hands of sister States is stained with the blood of heroes and damp with the tears of widowhood and orphanage. We are privi- leged to brush the cob-webs and dust from the beautiful images of our great men who have left their impress upon the century, and are forever set up in the sculp- tured niches there, for the admiration of coming ages. Only at times, like the present, do we. wreathe their brows once more with the green cedar of undying re_ membrance, and turning to the daisy-starred graves of our dead brethren, who there too repose, scatter the roses and lillies of our hearts' best appreciation above the loved and lost. 6 LIFE AND CHARACTER OP At such times, then, it becomes our right to recall again the grandeur of the past, and amid the busy tur- moil of the world, with its rushing business, its man}^ cares, we to-day turn our steps to our temple in the wild wood, and will devote this hour to the contemplation of one forever gone out of the weariness and strife. He is living still in the memor}- of all who cherish kindly feeling, noble sentiment, and exalted patriotism, en- shrined in that most sacred chamber of all our hearts, as one we knew and loved, destined also to live forever upon the page of history as long as the archives of the great American nation shall be preserved and its history shall be read b}- the admiring millions who will come after us, in the cycling ages of the future. ^ General John Bell Hood was born at Owensville, Bath county, Kentucky, June 29, 183 1, and was brought up at Mount Sterling, Montgomery county, Kentucky. Of his childhood and youth we know nothing, except that his father was a physician, who occupied a high position in the medical world, and was desirous his son should adopt the same profession, offering the induce- ment of completing his studies in Europe. The young gentleman, howev^er, had his dreams of future glory and his heart set upon a military life, as his ardor had been excited by the deeds of daring of both his grand- fathers, who were soldiers under Washington. They were of English origin, had settled in Virginia, but emi- grated to Kentucky, the "dark and bloody ground," where they li\-ed in constant warfare with the Indians, GENERAL JOHN B. HOOD. 7 and one had married at Fort Boonesboro, the first forti- fication constructed in the State. His anxiety upon the subject of a military education induced his maternal uncle, Judge French, then a mem- ber of Congress, to obtain for him an appointment to West Point. He entered that military academy in 1849, at the age of seventeen, and graduated in 1853, in the class with Sheridan, McPherson and Schofield. He A\^as appointed brevet second lieutenant of the fourth in- fantry, then serving in California. Sailing from New York via Panama, he reached San Francisco and was stationed a short period at Benica Barracks, where he was directed to report for duty at Fort Jones, Scott's Valley, in the northern part of California, where he found Colonel Buchanan in command of a regiment, with Captain U. S. Grant as quartermaster. While here, game was plentiful and Lieutenant Hood and another member of his mess sent their surplus game to market, cultivated a field and sowed wheat. Before this financial scheme came to perfection and the wheat was harvested, he was ordered in command of a detach- ment of dragoons to serve as escort to Lieutenant Wil- liamson, of the topographical engineers, upon a surv^ey- ing expedition in the direction of Salt Lake. These duties were soon brought to a close by an appointment as second lieutenant in the second cavalry, a new regi- ment organized by act of Congress in 1855, commanded by Colonel Albert Sidney Johnson, with R. E. Lee as Lieutenant-Colonel, and George Thomas and W. J. Hardee as Majors. Lieutenant Phillip Sheridan 8 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF relieved him, and he returned to San Francisco, en route for Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, the rendezvous of his regiment. Here me met in his bank W. T. Sherman. Thus early was he thrown with the men who were des- tined to be engaged on different sides of one of the most desparate contests that had ever engaged the attention of the American people — men who afterwards, all be- came distinguished actors in the great military drama enacted upon the battlefields rendered illustrious by their skill and valor. CHAPTER II. While at Jefferson Barracks, he received his share of the profits of the wheat crop — one thousand dollars in gold. In November, he marched with his regiment to Fort Belknap, Texas (there were no railroads at this time through this portion of the country), reaching the fort in December. Camp Cooper was established soon afterwards upon the Clear Fork of the Brazos. The government had under advisement the construction of a fort, and Colonel Lee was in the habit of riding over the country in search of a suitable location, taking some of his officers along to get their opinion with regard to establishing a suitable militar}' post. Lieutenant Hood frequently accompanied him on these excursions, and here he spent a most delightful season of enjoyment, galloping over the beautiful prairies, breathing the balmy air, and in association with cultivated gentlemen, There was formed that attachment between Generals Lee and Hood which was never interrupted throughout their lives, the young lieutenant listening to his elder's words of wisdom and gauging his conduct by the high stand- ard of morality set up for his emulation by the living example of the model gentleman who was his daily companion, Perhaps more than any other, this associa- tion had a directing influence upon all his future life, as all who knew General Hood are familiar with his keea 10 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF sense of honor, his high-bred avoidance of the debasing vices that cast such a blemish upon man}' human char- acters. He was ordered to Fort Mason, near the Llano river, during the latter part of this year. On Jul}^ 5, 1857, he left Fort Mason in command of twenty-five men on a scouting expedition in search of Indians. Provided with thirty days rations, with an Indian guide and compass, and, actuated by youthful aspirations, the little party traversed the country between the Concho rivers and Mexico, struck a trail, and followed the red men in ■spite of the desert country or Staked Plains which lay between, the scarcity of water in their canteens, and the danger of getting so far away in the wilderness. Orders had been received at camp from Washington before they left that a part}' of Tonkaway Indians were expected at the reservation, and would raise a w^hite flag as a signal of their approach, and it must be respected. Lieutenant Hood came up with the Indians at a range of hills, and as they raised a white flag, he did not attack. Suddenly, the wily foe threw down the treach- erous signal and commenced firing. The struggle now commenced and grew desparate, the Indians coming up and fighting hand to hand. Their ammunition w^as all expended, the ground, covered with a growth of Spanish daggers, strewn with the dead and wounded, while two ■of the scouting party were killed and several, amongst them Lieutenant Hood, wounded, the latter having his hand pinned to his bridle with an arrow. The attacking party were Comanches and Lipans. The howl of dis- GENERAL JOHN B. HOOD. 11 tress from the Indians indicated that they had fought long enough, and when night approached they gathered up their dead and wounded and moved toward the Rio Grande. The troops returned to Fort Mason. General Twiggs, commanding department, complimented them on their exploit, saying in his official report: " Lieu- ten? nt Hood's affair was a gallant one, and much credit is due to both officer and men " It was afterwards learned that the Indians lost nineteen warriors. Not long after his return to Fort Mason he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant and placed on duty at Camp Colorado, gaining his first distinction by a display of bravery, at Devil's river, Texas. In 1858 he established Camp Wood, on the Nueces river, and continued at this post, until, while he was on a leave of absence in November, i860, he was ordered to report for duty as chief of cavalry at West Point. He went to Washington and asked to be relieved from the order, stating that he feared war would soon be declared, in which event he preferred to act with freedom. Colonel Cooper, Adjutant General, exclaimed: "Mr. Hood, you surprise me. This is a post and position sought by everv soldier." He acceded to the request, and before his leave of absence expired, hostilities were declared. He immediately returned and parted with his command, who were on dut}^ at Indianola Texas, where he bade his comrades a reluctant farewell, but his duty to his native South seemed paramonnt to that he owed the United States government, and he felt compelled to obey the dictates of his conscience. 12 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF Becoming convinced no action would be taken in a decided manner by Kentucky, he proceeded to Mont- gomery, Ala., then the seat of the Confederate govern- ment, and offered his sword to its service. He was ordered to report to Colonel R. E. Lee at Richmond, who had been placed in command of State troops by authority of the Governor of Virginia. We have been particular to notice all these circumstances minutely, to explain General Hood's affection for Texas, and his preference upon all occasions for Texas troops. He had visited, during his long service on the Texas frontier, many portions of the beautiful countr}^, and was impressed with its vast and undeveloped resources and had determined, whenever he tired of the military, to make it his home. When Kentucky, therefore, failed to act, he entered the service from Texas, and ever spoke of it afterwards as his adopted home. Colonel Lee sent him at once to Yorktown to report to Colonel Magruder, who assigned him to the com- mand of some cavalry companies, with the rank of major After the battle of Big Bethel, he led his men out into the swamp, and attacked the Federals upon the spot where Colonel Dreux, of the Louisiana battalion, had been killed. While here, annoying with his cavalry the troops in the vicinity of Fortress Monroe, he was promoted lieutenant-colonel, and in September was sum- moned to Richmond, appointed colonel and directed to organize the Fourth Texas Regiment of infantry, which had arrived from that State and were lying in camp near GENERAL JOHN B. HOOD. 13 the city, styled "Camp Texas," in honor of the Lone Star State. Had President Davis looked into the future with pro- phetic vision he could have made no wiser selection — and doubtless it was after consultation with General Lee, and after mature consideration, the appointment was made. Whatever may have been the motive, Colonel Hood felt no higher compliment could be paid him than to be placed in command of men from the State he loved, and from whence he had thrown his fortunes with the Confederate cause. There had been some dis- satisfaction amongst the Texas companies with regard to their organization, and it was feared they would be pleased with no man the offlcials might select. Very few had ever known Colonel Hood personally, but if any objection was raised the feeling soon gave wa}', and every one became perfectl}' contented and proud of their commanding officer. Colonel Hood was six feet two inches in height, broad full chest, without an}- surplus flesh, light brown hair and beard, blue eyes, with the softest, tenderest expres- sion, except when excited, then flashing with lightning- like rapidity, commanding in appearance, dignified in manner, courteous to officers and men, and yet strict in his ideas of discipline. He was a man of great personal magnetism, capable of holdmg the lo\-e and command- ing the respect of all who came within his influence. His men found him able and ready to give all necessary instruction, not only in drilling them for the field, but, *'also in the forms and technicalities of the clothing. 14 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF commissary, ordnance and transportation departments, for the want of which information regiments entering the service frequently had to go hungry, and commissaries and quartermasters made many fruitless trips.'' All these qualifications made him an eminently proper per- son to place in command of the Texans, and they soon had the good sense to appreciate their advantage. The Texas regiments went into camp at Dumfries, on the lower Occoquan, in November, and here Colonel Hood, after the brigade was organized under command of General Wigfall, began his course of discipline for the Fourth Texas Regiment. This splendid body of men, as he always called them, he desired to become famous in deeds of valor when the time for action came. He taught them by the camp fire, on drill, on dress parade, and everywhere the occasion offered, that the number of colors and guns captured and prisoners taken constituted the true test of the work done by any com- mand during an engagement — appealing to their pride. Again, he impressed the lesson cf personal responsibility — each member must feel that in their conduct in camp, when around cities and towns, no comrade must be allowed to bring disgrace upon the regiment, but must be dealt with summarily by the men themselves, thereby instilling a high sense of honor amongst his soldiers. Then he was careful to teach obedience to orders as a cardinal virtue of a soldier, even to putting out the lights at night, as men if restless themselves must not disturb others, for to sleep when the chance offered was an im- portant duty and must be strictly attended to in order to GENERAL JOHN B. HOOD. 15 march and fight next day. Thus., by every means in his power, he sought to arouse the martial spirit of his. men, stimulating them to desire to be first upon the bat- tlefield in bravery, and also, first in their deportment, so the world would cast no slur upon their conduct as gen- tlemen. The other ofiicers warmly entered into the plans and assisted Colonel Hood, the utmost feeling of fraternal regard existing between all during that first winter spent in the sleet, snow and cold of the Dumfries camp, binding officers and men together with ties that have never been forgotten, and which death itself has not been able to sever. CHAPTR III. Colonel Hood was appointed Brigadier General March 7, 1862, while en route to Fredericksburg from their winter quarters, being promoted over the head of the commander of the Fifth Texas Regiment, who ranked him by reason of seniority, but who was noble and generous to see the promotion was entirely deserved, and the first to congratulate him upon the added honor. To a man as proud and sensitive as General Hood, this was a pleasing episode of his life. (Militar}' men are tenacious with regard to minor points of etiquette, and the least deviation from the code is looked upon with sus- picion.) They now took the route to Yorktown, taking the cars to Ashland, from thence marching to Yorktown. There the horse arrived purchased for him bv the privates of the Fourth Texas Regiment, and pre- sented one evening at dress parade. At Eltham's Landing, on York river, while the evacu- ation of the Peninsula was being effected. Hood's bri- gade, acting as rear guard of the army, met the Fede- ral troops which had been landed from gun-boats to in- tercept the advance of supplies, and, if possible, cut the Confederate army in twain. General Hood was natu- rally very anxious with regard to how his men would behave, as this was the first time they were regularly under fire. The charge was gallantly met and repulsed, GENERAL JOHN B. HOOD. 17 the Fourth Texas breaking their advance in gallant style, and running them under the cover of their gun- boats, heedless of the danger to themselves, until re- called by the repeated order of General Hood to halt, lest the guns from the boats be turned loose, to their utter destruction. This brilliant little affair drew the attention of people and authorities to the Texans, and was the beginning of their success. President Davis said : '* They saved the rear of the army and the whole of the baggage train." General Gustave Smith said; " The Texans won immortal honor for themselves, their State and their commander. General Hood, at Eltham's Landing, near West Point." On June 27, Hood's brigade again distinguished itself, and made the reputation which has written their name high upon the roll of honor in the annals of modern warfare. The battle of Gaines' Mill had been raging previously all day ; numbers of men had marched to the attack of General McClellan's lines, and had been mowed down as grass ; grave doubts were being entertained of the day being won. While in this extreme situation, General Lee rode up to General Hood and asked : " Can you break that line of entrenchments? " General Hood replied with characteristic coolness : ** I will try." He marched the regiments of his bri» gade together, supporting one another, directed them not to iire till ordered, told them what General Lee had said, and that he would lead the charge. In a clear, ringing voice, amid the shower of shot and shell, he ordered the Fourth Texas Regiment and Eighteenth 18 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF Georgia to follow. Onward they went to the crest of the hill where so many had faltered. Now came the order to " fix bayonets and charge.'' With a shout, they dashed up the hill, through the abattis, upon the very heads of the Federals, who scattered toward the valley beyond. The other Confederate troops joined in the rout, and the great Confederate victory was won. A participant in the battle said : " The secret of our suc- cess is found in the discretion exercised by Hood at the top of the hill, where so man}- had fallen before us, when, instead of halting and making a fight, as others had done, he gave the word, and our brave men rushed headlong from the hill, and, at short range and with cold steel, drove the enemy from their hiding places." At Frazier's Farm, Savage Station, Malvern Hill, Freemen's Ford and Thoroughfare Gap, General Hood and his men did efficient work for the Confederate cause. During the two days of Second Manassas, he was actively engaged, and, upon the last day, was given command of several brigades, and ordered during the engagement to direct the operations in a dif- ficult position, after his men had run pell-mell over Sickles' Excelsior Brigade of Zuaves and captured the guns of the battery supporting them. It was a fine compliment for General Hood to have been selected at this critical juncture to receive and post the troops sent upon the field. Victor}^ again perched upon our banner, and General Hood said of his men : "As to their gallantry and unflinching courage, they stand unsurpassed in the history of the world." GENERAL JOHN B. HOOD. 19 At Manassas, General Hood's men captured, amongst other trophies of war, some ambulances. He thought it best they should retain them for their own use, and refused to turn them over to Major-General Evans for a North Carolina regiment. General Evans became very indignant, and put him under arrest for disobedience of orders. On the march to Maryland, he was ordered by General Longstreet to remain at Culpepper, and wait for a court-martial. General Lee, hearing of the mat- ter, and realizing the injustice of the whole affair, yet not willing to depart from the strict letter of the law, sent instructions he should remain under arrest, but continue with his men. The men were ver}^ much dissatisfied, and refused to go into the fight at Boonesboro Gap, South Mountain, under the leadership of General Evans, unless General Hood was in command. He reported that the Texas brigade had mutinied to General Lee, when that officer sent for General Hood and told him he was in a quan- dary, as he was just going into a fight, and one of his best generals under arrest, and requested he should at least say he regretted the affair. General Hood re- plied : "I am unable to do so, since I cannot admit or see the justice of General Evans' demand for ambu- lances my men have captured . Had I been ordered to turn them over for the general use of the army, I would cheer- fully have acquiesced.'' "Well," General Lee said, " I will suspend your arrest until the impending battle is de- cided. Take command of your men." The brigade opened ranks when they saw him approaching, and al- 20 LIFE AN J) CHARACTER OF lowed him to ride tlirough, while cheer after cheer rent the air, notwithstanding they were in the face of the enemy. When the head of the column was reached, he gave the command, " Forward,'" and every man gladly obeyed. General D. H. Hill, holding the Gap for hours* had been pressed back by superior numbers, when General Hood came to the i-escue, and, with fixed bav- onets, led his men over the rugged steeps, driving the enem}' from their position, and foiling their attempts to relieve the garrison at Harper's Ferry, which was com- pelled to surrender to Stonewall Jackson At Sharpsburg, he was sent into an exposed position- on the battlefield, and remained there, unrelieved and unassisted by the troops General Lee had ordered to his support, enduring the hottest fire of all tlie war, his force out-numbered twenty to one. There they stood with their commander, who dispatched in vain for troops to be sent to his assistance, until they became the wonder and admiration of the enemy fighting in their front. Instead of a court-martial for the retention of captured ambulances. General Hood was recommended for promotion by General Stonewall Jackson after the enjjajjement was over, as sliown bv the following letter to the commandina- o-eneral : (ienemi : I respectfully recoimueml that Brigadier-! J eueial J. B. Hood- 1)6 promoted to tlie rauk of Major-Geueral. He was imder my command during the engagement along the Cbickahominy, com- mencing on June 27 last, when he rendered distinguished service. Though not of my command in the recently hard fought battle near Sharpshurg, Maryland, yet, for a portion of the day, T had GENERAL JOHN B. HOOD. 21 •occasion to give directions respecting bis operations, and it gives me pleasure to say that liis duties were discharged with such ability and zeal as to command my admiration. I regard him as one of the most promising officers of tlie army. I am, General, your obedient servant, T. J. Jackson, Major-Geuera!. Shortly afterwards he received the commission of a Major-General. The brigades of Generals Law, Ben- NiNG, Anderson and Texas Brigade composed the new division, of which General Hood said " any general might feel justi}' honored to command." CHAPTER IV. Longstreet's corps was sent down into Suffolk^ and, consequently, when General Hooker crossed the Rappahannock and attacked General Lee at Chancel- lorsville, he found him at great disadvantage, with one- half his men at a distance. Before reaching him, on account of want of transportation, the battle had been fought. On the march, intelligence reached them of the victory and retreat of Hooker across the river to Stafford Heights, and also the news of the awful calamity of the death of Stonew'All Jackson. Gen- eral Hood had been very impatient at the delay, and expressed by letter, as soon as possible, the deep regret he felt at the loss of the brilliant and daring leader to General Lee, who replied : Mfi Dear General : Upou my return from Eichmoud, I fouud your letter. I wished for you very much in tlie last battle, and believe, had I had the whole army with me, General Hookkr would liave been demol- ished; but God oixlered otherwise. I grieve much over the death of General Jackson. We must endeaver to follow the unselfish devotion and intrepid course he pursued, and we shall be strengthened, rather than weakened, by his loss. I rely much upon you. You must so inspire and lead your brave division, as that it may accomplish the work of a corps. * * * * * I am and always your friend. W. E. Lke. At Gettysburg, General Hood was ordered to attack GENERAL JOHN B. HOOD. 23 up the Emmittsburg road, the enemy being entrenched upon Round Top Mountain. Sending out his scouts, he ascertained what a fearful loss of life would be the price, as it was up a steep declivity, over huge boulders of rock, with the Federal cannon sweeping their ranks. Three times he remonstrated, and urged to be allowed instead to turn Round Top Mountain by a flank move- ment, as his division occupied the extreme left, but the request w^as refused, He led his men under the heavy fire, and in about twenty minutes was severely wounded in the arm and borne from the field. The assault was unsuccessful, as, although the First Texas managed to gain temporary possession of the Federal lines and cap- tured three guns, yet the others were unable to scale the rocky declivity, driven back by grape and canister, and the slight advantage was lost, the troops in advance being compelled to retire. General Hood always con- tended if he had been allowed by General Longstreet to use his own judgment, that part of the field would not have been lost. General Hood was now under medical treatment lor his wound, which did not, fortunately, necessitate tlie amputation of his arm. While still in Richmond under the surgeon's care, Longstreet's corps passed through the city, on their way to join General Bragg in the west, and although but partially recovered, he deter- mined to follow, with his arm still in a sling. Reaching Ringgold, Georgia, he was ordered to proceed to Reid's Bridge, on the Chickamauga, and assume command of the column advancing against the Federals. There he 24 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF met his men for the first time since Gettysburg, who gave liim a touching welcome. During tlie first day's fighting he drove the enemy six or seven miles across the Chickamauga. Next day General Longstreet assifjned to him the direction of the left wing of the army, placing five divisions under his command. From nine until two and a half o'clock they wrestled with the foe, when, by a charge led by Kershaw's division, the Confederates rushed forward under General Hood's orders, penetrated into the woods beyond the breastworks, and scored another tri- umph for our arms. Just then, in the supreme moment of success. General Hood fell, pierced by a Minie ball through the thigh. Strange to sav, as he afterwards expressed it, while commanding five divisions, he fell wounded into the arms of the men composing his old Texas Brigade. He was borne to a field hospital, and one of the most difficult operations performed — amputa- tion of the limb at the thijrh. From thence he was removed to a pleasant family residence in Armuchee valle}', but learning the Federals contemplated a raid to capture him, he was taken to Atlanta, and thence to Richmond. Here he remained several months at a pri- vate residence, an honored guest, receiving the most flattering testimonials of regard from all classes of peo- ple, who did everything in their power to mitigate his sufferings. The battle of Chickamauga was fought September 19 and 20, but General Hood was only able to mount his horse for exercise in the middle of January. General GENERAL JOHN B. HOOD. 25 LoNGSTREET telegraphed the authorities at Richmond on the day General Hood was wounded, urging his promotion to the rank of lieutenant-general : Genertil: I respftctfiilly rceoimueiuT Major Genenil J(»ux B. Hoou for promotion to the rauk of lieutenant-general, for distinguished conduet and ability in the battle of the 20th instant. General Hood handled his troops with the coolness and ability that I have rarely known to any officer on any tield, and had the misfortune, .after winning the battle, to lose one of his liuibs. Respectfullv, J, LoNCSTllKET, Lieutcnant-General. General Bragcj failed to follow up the victory and •advance upon Chattanooga, only ten miles distant, al- lowing the Federals to fortify. He fought at Lookout Mountain and at Missionary Ridge, but previous to that encrao-ement General Longstreet was sent to Knox- ville to attack General Burncide ; General Bragg thus scattering his forces, while the enemy were concentrat- ing theirs. After a severe engagement at Missionary Rid^«-e, General Bragg was in full retreat, having left all his strong positions on Lookout Mountain, Chatta- nooga Valley and Missionary Ridge in the hands of the foe, going to Ringgold and thence to Dalton, Georgia. So much dissatisfaction was expressed with regard to General Bragg' s movements, he was relieved from duty, and General Joseph E. Johnston assumed command December i6, 1863. Simultaneously with General Grant's advance upon Richmond to crush out the Army of Northern Virginia, General Sherman conceived the plan of moving upon 26 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF the Army of the West, sending three columns toward Dalton — front, northeast and southwest — and by a flank movement at Resaca compelHng Johnston to evacuate Dalton. General Johnston engaged in a kind of desul- tory fighting at Resaca Valley, at New Hope Church, and at Kenesaw Mountain. General Sherman again executed a flank movement, and General Johnston was compelled to abandon the mountain defense and retire towards Atlanta. This retreat was consummated without any consider- able military disaster, but was a disappointment both to the authorities at Richmond and the people generally. The Federals were now in possession of half of Geor- gia. The Confederates had abandoned one of the finest wheat districts of the Confederacy, almost ripe for the harvest, and at Rome and Etowah river had surren- dered the iron rolling mills and government works of great value. This culminated in the removal, before Atlanta, of General Johnston. But we must not an- ticipate, but go back and give a few reasons for General Johnston's antipathy to General Hood, whom he sub- jected to such severe criticism in his book. CHAPTER V. At Carsville, General Jojinston did not consult the corps commanders, as is usual, and give them explicit directions, as he issued only a general order that he intended to fight. Generals Hood and Polk were sub- jected to an enfilading fire for two or three hours, and, after consultation, decided to apprise the commanding general that the line held was untenable for defense, and if he did not intend to assume the offensive next morning, they would advise him to change his position. General Johnston reported he had intended to fight there, but Generals Hood and Poi.k urged him to aban- don the ground immediately. General Hood said in his work "Advance and Retreat:" " I do this day and hour, in the name of truth, honor and justice, in th^ name of the departed soul of the Christian and noble Polk, and in the presence of the Creator, most sol- emnly deny that General Polk or I recommended Gen- eral Johnston, at Carsville, to retreat when he intended to give battle; and affirm that the recommendation made by us to change his position was throughout the discussion coupled with the proviso, if he did not intend to force a pitched battle with General Sheriman." General Johnston was relieved of his command July 17, the telegram from the War Department reading thus : 28 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF Lieutenant-General Hood has been commissioned to the tem- poniiy rank of general; under the hite law of Congress. I am directed by the Secretary of War to inform you that, as you have failed to arrest the advance of the enemy to the vicinity of At- lanta, far into the interior of Georgia, and express no confidence that you can defeat or repel him, you are hereby relieved from the command of the Army and Department of Tennessee, which you will immediately turn over to General Hoou. Upon the receipt of this starthng and unexpected order, General Hood sought an interview with General John- ston, and requested him to pocket the order, and leave him to command his corps and tight the battle of At- lanta, as General Sherman was rapidly approaching with the avowed intention of capturing the city. He replied that the President had seen ht to relieve him, and it would have so to be, unless the order was coun- termanded. Lieutenant-Generals Hardp:e and Stew- art then joined General Hood in a telegram to the President, requesting the order of his removal be post- poned, at least until the fate of Atlanta was decided. We gi\e an extract from the President's reph' : A change of eommanders, under existing circumstances, was regarded as so oltjectionable that 1 only accepted it as the alterna- tive of continuing a policy which has proven disastrous. The order has been executed, and I cannot suspend it without making the case worse than it was before the order was issued. General Hood returned to General Johnston and urged him to remain in command and fight for Atlanta. He refused. Then General Hood referred to the em- barrassment of his position — not being familiar with €ven the two remaining corps of the army — and be- •sought him to at least remain and give him the benefit GENERAL JOHN B. HOOD. 21> of his counsel while lie determined the issue. He fi-^' nally promised, after riding into Atlanta, to return, yet,' without a word of explanation, left for Macon, Ga. the same evening. The personnel of the two armies of Virginia and the West were alike, but, while one army had been fighting without breastworks, the other had been protected by entrenchments, the constant use of which causes sol- diers to look for protection, while- those who fight in an open field manifest a spirit of indifference and self- reliance perfectly irresistible to every barrier. It was a 1 part of General Lee's creed that the constant use of breastworks would finally impair the morale of the best disciplined army. General Hood says: "Moreover, the highest perfection in the education of troops well disciplined, can only be attained through continued ap- peals to their pride, and through incitement to make known their prowess by the substantial test of guns and colors captured upon the field of battle. Soldiers thus educated will ever prove a terror to the foe." We have seen that this was his first instruction to the soldiers of the Fourth Texas Regiment when he first took com- mand of them at Richmond, and he always affirmed this was what had made the whole brijjade afterwards, so invincible in the presence of the enemy. General Lee made use of intrenchments only as a dernier resort, or in order to hold a portion of his line while he at- tacked the main body ; and when he did entrench, marched to where the line was to be defended, and did not risk a succession of petty skirmishes. General John- 30 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF STOx not only made uniform use of entrenchments, but retreated and fought at the same time — an error which General Lee always eschewed, and one which should always be avoided, since the long continuance of such a policy will prove the inevitable ruin of an}' ami}'. Lord Napier, the highest authority on war, saj'S : "It is unquestionable that a retreating arm}- should fight as little as possible." We are not proposing to descant upon General John- ston's errors, but merely wish to do entire justice to our hero, who took command of this army under such disadvantageous circumstances, which, coupled with the dissatisfaction of the men, who had become dis- heartened by the continual retreating and had deserted by hundreds, helping on the demoralization, made it such an exceedingly difficult position to fill with either credit to himself or honor for the cause. The statement of Generals Hardee and Stewart that the army, after crossing the Chattahoochee, had as much spirit and confidence as it possessed at Dalton, General Hood declares to be erroneous. They had been accustomed to the plans of the western campaign, and knew nothing of the high state of perfection ob- tained in the Virginia army under the training and mode of handling by General Lee. General Johnston had retreated three hundred miles when he reached Atlanta, which he afterwards stated he could have held "for- ever," but, judging by analogy, it is to be presumed his military skill would ha^■e devised no better plan than General Hood's. CHAPTER VI. General Hood attacked the enemj-'s right at Peach- tree Creek, Jul}' 20, gaining some adv^antage. Pollard says this was one of the most reckless and headlong charges of the war. On the twenty-second, he again engaged them, and on July 28, he made another attack. General Sher- man said Hood's advance was magnificent, but the superior numbers, the skillful formation of their lines, secured them the day, and both generals fortified and set themselves down for a seige like Grant and Lee, afterwards, at Richmond, indicating that the plans of the two Federals were identical in their intentions. For several weeks. General Sherman bombarded the city, accomplishing little. General Hood sent off his cavahy to raid on Sherman's line of communication. Instantly, the Federals went after them with the princi- pal portion of their army, literally dividing the Confed- erate forces. Sherman sa3-s : "At last, Hood made the mistake we had waited for so long." As he be- came conscious he was out-flanked, there was nothing to do but blow up his magazines, destroy his supplies and evacuate. Sherman had won, after the spirit of the army had re\ived by the bold manoeuvers of General Hood. The loss of Atlanta was a serious blow to the Con- 32 LIFE AND CHARACTER OF federacy. President Davis determined upon a visit to General Hood's headquarters, but he never lost faith in the man he had placed at the head of affairs, believing, if any man could conduct the Western army to victory, that man was General Hood. He addressed the troops in hopeful and encouraging terms. General Hood crossed the Chattahoochee river Sep- tember 29, and concentrated at Powder Springs, Ga. General Sherman moved in pursuit, declaring he would *' destroy Hood," who moved westward and attacked Dalton, which surrendered. Hood now moved west, and, after holding the gaps of Pigeon Mountain as long as possible, suddenly moved south to Gladsden, Ala. ; thence throu