This is an excerpt from a lecture Dr. Lossom gave at the June 2008 Franklin's Charge symposium in Franklin, TN

Video credit: 2008 Franklin's Charge symposium

More: Was the potential of a Confederate capture of Nashville in 1864 likely?

Professor Steven Woodworth tackles that question.

Here is the layout of the McGavock Confederate Cemetery.

Lt. Gen. A.P. Stewart's Corp

Loring’s Division: Maj. Gen. William W. Loring - 126

Scott’s Brigade: Brig Gen Thomas M. Scott - 15
27th Alabama - 4
35th Alabama - 2
49th Alabama - 0
55th Alabama - 3
57th Alabama - 2
12th Louisiana - 4

Featherston’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. Winfield S. Featherston - 68
1st Mississippi - 6
3d Mississippi - 14
22d Mississippi - 8
31st Mississippi - 21
33d Mississippi - 10
40th Mississippi - 9
1st Mississippi Battalion - 0

Adams’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. John Adams - 43
6th Mississippi - 3
14th Mississippi - 10
15th Mississippi - 15
20th Mississippi - 10
23d Mississippi - 2
43d Mississippi - 3

Maj. Gen Edward C. Walthall’s Division - 90

Reynold’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. Daniel H. Reynolds - 16
4th Arkansas - 1
9th Arkansas - 8
25th Arkansas - 0
1st Arkansas Mounted Rifles (dismounted) - 2
2d Arkansas Mounted Rifles (dismounted) - 3

Cantley’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. Charles M. Shelley - 17
17th Alabama - 9
26th Alabama - 0
29th Alabama - 7
37th Mississippi - 1

Quarles’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. William A. Quarles - 57
Staff Officers - 1
1st Alabama - 19
42d Tennessee - 13
46th Tennessee - 6
48th Tennessee - not present at Franklin
49th Tennessee - 9
53d Tennessee - 2
55th Tennessee - 7

French’s Division: Maj. Gen. Samuel G. French - 117

Cockrell’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. F.M. Cockrell - 82
1st Missouri - 8
2nd Missouri - 13
3d Missouri - 15
4th Missouri - 5
5th Missouri - 12
6th Missouri - 7
1st Missouri Cavalry (dismounted) - 12
3d Missouri Cavalry Battalion (dismounted) - 10

Sears’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. Claudius Sears - 34
4th Mississippi - 20
35th Mississippi - 4
36th Mississippi - 1
39th Mississippi - 7
46th Mississippi - 0
7th Mississippi Battalion - 2

Ector’s Brigade: Col. David Coleman - 1
39th North Carolina - 1

Ector's also had the following regiments but they were all detached guarding the pontoon bridge and thus were not 'engaged' in the battle itself.
29th North Carolina
30th North Carolina
9th Texas
10th Texas Cavalry (dismounted)
14th Texas Cavarly (dismounted)
32d Texas Cavalry (dismounted)

Kolb's Alabama Battery - 1

Maj. General Benjamin F. Cheatham's Corps - 380

Cheatham's Escort - 1

Cleburne’s Division: Maj. Gen. Patrick Cleburne - 174

Granbury’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. Hiram B. Granbury
5th Confederate - 2
35th Tennessee
6th Texas - 7
7th Texas - 14
10th Texas - 12
15th Texas Cavalry - 3
17th Texas Cavalry - 0
18th Texas Cavalry - 1
24th Texas Cavalry - 6
25th Texas Cavalry (dismounted) - 4
Nutt’s Louisana Cavalry (dismounted)

Govan’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. Daniel C. Govan
3d Confederate - 0
1st Arkansas - 9
2d Arkansas - 4
5th Arkansas - 2
6th Arkansas - 15
7th Arkansas - 8
8th Arkansas - 4
13th Arkansas - 0
15th Arkansas - 0
19th Arkansas - 1
24th Arkansas - 0

Lowrey’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. Mark P. Lowrey (Franklin)
3d Mississippi Battalion - 8
5th Mississippi - 19
8th Mississippi - 26
32d Mississippi - 11
16th Alabama - 6
33d Alabama - 8
45th Alabama - 4
Brown’s (Cheatham’s Old) Division: Maj. Gen. John C. Brown - 177

Gordon's Brigade: Brig. Gen. George W. Gordon - 51
11th Tennessee - 9
12th Tennessee - 5
13th Tennessee - 5
29th Tennessee - 13
47th Tennessee - 8
51st Tennessee - 9
52nd Tennessee - 0
154th Tennessee -2

Gist’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. States Rights Gist - 55
2d Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters - 0
8th Georgia Battalion - 5
46th Georgia - 9
65th Georgia - 4
16th South Carolina - 22
24th South Carolina - 15

Strahl’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. Otho F. Strahl - 29
4th Tennessee - 8
5th Tennessee - 3
19th Tennessee - 6
24th Tennessee - 1
31st Tennessee - 5
33d Tennessee - 0
38th Tennessee - 3
41st Tennessee - 3

Carter’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. John C. Carter- 42
1st Tennessee - 1
4th Tennessee (provisional) - 0
6th Tennessee - 3
8th Tennessee - 6
9th Tennessee - 5
16th Tennessee - 13
27th Tennessee - 0
28th Tennessee - 5
50th Tennessee - 9

Bate’s Division: Maj. Gen. William B. Bate - 28
Staff Officers - 1

Jackson’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. Henry R. Jackson - 14
1st Confederate - 5
1st Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters - 0
25th Georgia - 2
29th Georgia - 6
30th Georgia - 1
66th Georgia - 0

Smith’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. Thomas B. Smith - 10
2d Tennessee - 1
10th Tennessee - 0
20th Tennessee - 1
37th Tennessee - 1
37th Georgia - 6
4th Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters - 1

Finley’s Brigade: Jesse J. Finley - 3
1st Florida - 1
3d Florida - 0
4th Florida - 0
6th Florida - 0
7th Florida - 2
1st Florida Cavalry (dismounted) - 0

Lt. Gen. Stephen D. Lee's Corps - 55

Johnson’s Division: Maj. Gen. Edward Johnson - 52

Manigault’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. Arthur M. Manigault - 6
24th Alabama - 0
28th Alabama - 0
34th Alabama - 1
10th South Carolina - 3
19th South Carolina - 2

Deas’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. Zachariah C. Deas - 4
19th Alabama - 1
22d Alabama - 0
25th Alabama - 0
39th Alabama - 2
26th/50th Alabama

Brantley’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. William F. Brantley - 19
24th Mississippi - 6
27th Mississippi - 3
29th Mississippi - 2
30th Mississippi - 8
34th Mississippi - 0

Sharp’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. Jacob H. Sharp - 23
7th Mississippi - 2
9th Mississippi - 2
10th Mississippi - 10
41st Mississippi - 8
44th Mississippi - 1
9th Battalion Mississippi Sharpshooters - 0

Clayton’s Division: Maj. Gen. Henry D. Clayton - 2
Gibson’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. Randall L. Gibson - 2
1st Louisiana
4th Louisiana
13th Louisiana - 1
16th Louisiana
19th Louisiana - 1
20th Louisiana
25th Louisiana
30th Louisiana
4th Lousiana Battalion
14th Lousiana Battalion Sharpshooters

Stovall’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. Marcellus A. Stovall
40th, 41st, 42d, 43d, 52d Georgia

Holtzclaw’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. James Holtzclaw
18th, 32d, 36th, 38th, 58th Alabama

Standford's Mississippi Battery

Ma.j. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest's Cavalry Corps 11

CHALMER’s Division: Brig. Gen. James R. Chalmers - 2

Rucker’s Brigade: Col. Edmund W. Rucker - 1
7th Alabama Cavalry
5th Miss Cavalry
7th Tenn Cavalry
12th Tenn Cavalry
14th Tenn Cavalry
15th Tenn Cavalry - 1 Cavalry
Forrest’s Regiment Tenn Cavalry

Biffle’s Brigade: Col. Jacob B. Biffle - 1
4th Tenn Cavalry - 1
10th Tenn Cavalry

BUFORD’s Division: Brig. Gen. Abraham Buford - 2

Bell’s Brigade: Col. Tyree H. Bell
2d, 19th, 20th, 21st Tenn Cavalry; Nixon’s Tenn Cavalry Regiment

Crossland’s Brigade: Col. Edward Crossland - 2
3d Kentucky Mounted Infantry - 1
7th Kentucky Mounted Infantry
8th Kentucky Mounted Infantry - 1
12th Kentucky Mounted Infantry
12th Kentucky Cavalry
Huey’s Kentucky Battalion

JACKSON’s Division: Brig. Gen. William H. Jackson - 7

Armstrong’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. Frank C. Armstrong - 4
1st Miss Cavalry
2d Miss Cavalry
28th Miss Cavalry - 4
Ballentine’s Miss Regiment

Ross’s Brigade: Brig. Gen. Lawrence S. Ross - 3
3d Texas Cavalry - 3
5th Texas Cavalry
6th Texas Cavalry
9th Texas Cavalry
1st Texas Legion

ARTILLERY

Morton’s Tennessee Battery, Slocumb’s Louisiana Battery

Actually, I think a Confederate capture of Nashville in 1864 was as close to being impossible as almost anything we study in history. The more likely means by which Hood might have achieved greater success would have been by by-passing Nashville and penetrating much farther north–though the season of the year was much against it. And even at that, he wouldn’t have changed the course of the war. If he could, by some miracle, have taken Nashville, that certainly would have been a major headache for the Union high command, but ultimately, with Lincoln having been reelected, the North was committed to waging the war for up to another 4 years if necessary. Lee’s army could not have survived more than a couple of weeks longer than it did, and then Hood’s would have been the only major Confederate army left in the field. Can you imagine him with, say, 30,000 men, besieged in Nashville by perhaps 200,000 or more Union troops, led once again–as had not occurred since Chattanooga–by the combined leadership skills of Grant, Sherman, Thomas, and Sheridan? And with not even the most remote possibility of a Confederate army marching to his relief? In short, the final outcome might have been delayed, and thus attended with even more brutality and destruction, but it would have been the same. The last point in the war at which I can see any remote but semi-realistic hope of Confederate victory was the day before election-day, 1864. And for practical purposes, that election was probably decided on September 1, when Atlanta fell.

Steven E. Woodworth is Professor of History at TCU in Texas.

Among his publications are Jefferson Davis and His Generals (University Press of Kansas, 1990), Davis and Lee at War (University Press of Kansas, 1995), Leadership and Command in the American Civil War (Savas Woodbury, 1996), The American Civil War: A Handbook of Literature and Research (Greenwood, 1996), A Deep Steady Thunder (McWhiney Foundation, 1996), Six Armies in Tennessee (1998), The Musick of the Mocking Birds, The Roar of the Cannon (University of Nebraska Press, 1998), The Art of Command in the Civil War (University of Nebraska Press, 1998), Civil War Generals in Defeat (University Press of Kansas, 1999), This Grand Spectacle (McWhiney Foundation, 1999), Chickamauga: A Battlefield Guide (University of Nebraska Press, 1999), No Band of Brothers (University of Missouri Press, 1999), The Human Tradition in the Civil War and Reconstruction (Scholarly Resources, 2000), Cultures in Conflict (Greenwood, 2000), Grant’s Lieutenants from Cairo to Vicksburg (University Press of Kansas, 2001), While God is Marching On: The Religious World of Civil War Soldiers (University Press of Kansas, 2001), Beneath a Northern Sky: A Short History of the Gettysburg Campaign (Rowman & Littlefield, 2003), The Oxford Atlas of the Civil War (Oxford University Press, 2004), Nothing but Victory: The Army of the Tennessee, 1861-1865 (Alfred A. Knopf, 2005), and Shiloh: A Battlefield Guide (University of Nebraska Press, 2006).

A historical marker on the site where Cleburne's assault and death took place honors the fallen Confederate hero. Recently, the Franklin community - through the leadership of Franklin's Charge - recovered a one-acre piece of ground that was part of the epicenter of this assault. Read about the historic event.

Cleburne's death was a devastating loss for the Army of Tennessee. The December 3rd edition of The New York Times headlined, "The Rebel General Cleburne Killed."

Pistol image is used by permission of the Layland Musuem, Cleburne, texas.

Playing mental ping-pong with what-if-scenarios are highly conjectural, have the advantage of hindsight vision, and can be very unfair to some participants, especially of ones who made big blunders. Well . . . so. It's still fun.

I postulate this. Had Davis promoted Cleburne instead of Hood to lead the Army of Tennessee, I think the Western theater results might have been very different. Imagine how Cleburne might have approached the Atlanta campaign differently, or especially the Franklin-Nashville campaign.

Though a certain sense of inevitability sets in at some point, meaning, one wonders if anyone on the Confederate side - at the level of Corps commander - would have made any difference having to report to Jefferson Davis, one still wonders what might-have been had someone like Cleburne been able to lead a Corps during the most desperate need for abled-body leadership on behalf of the Confederacy.

If Hood and Cleburne were in the ring together for ten rounds, I score it a knock-out by Cleburne in four!

Ding!

How do you call it?

[Scroll to the very bottom to see comments]

Hood would lose at least 7,500 at Franklin (30 Nov 1864) and another 6,600 at Nashville, two weeks later. When the Army of Tennessee retreated back to Pulaski in mid December 1864, the army was reduced to but a shadow of its former self.

Confederate General, John Bell Hood

Hood was the fifth commander of the Army of Tennessee. He commanded the army from July 17, 1864, until January 15, 1865. Many historians say his recklessness destroyed the Army of Tennessee. In just six months (July 1864 - December 1864) Hood lost at least 30,000 men* at a time when the Confederate army, and especially the Army of Tennessee, was in desperate need of men.

*Casualty estimates are based on the conservative figures as reported by the National Park Service. Here are the major engagements Hood was involved in from the time he became commander of the Army of Tennessee.

July 20 Peachtree Creek - 4,796

July 22 Atlanta - 8,499

July 28 Ezra Church - 3,000

Aug 31 - Sept 1 Jonesborough - 2,000

Nov 30 Franklin - 6,261

Dec 15 Nashville - 4,462

The picture below (click on to enlarge) shows the view from Granger. From the yellow pin designating Ft. Granger one can see Carnton at 12 o'clock (about a mile away), the Carter House at 2 o'clock (about a half mile away), and Winstead Hill at 1 o'clock (about 2 1/2 miles away.

Granger had several large guns in position during the Battle of Franklin. Loring's and Wathall's Divisions came from the southwest, crossing Carnton plantation. These Granger guns decimated these divisions from nearly a mile away.

The next map (click to enlarge) shows the Confederate Army of Tennessee as it approached the Federal lines at Franklin. Notice how the Federal position leveraged several geographic features. (1) Using the Harpeth River and the Nashville-Decatur Railroad as a natural barrier for their far left flank. (2) Position of Ft. Granger to protect that left flank. (3) The osage orange abatis also protected the far left flank, making it nearly impossible to penetrate.

Here's a schematic of the design and layout of Fort Granger.

On a few battlefields, massed enemy formations could be seen at a considerable distance, at least before the firing began in earnest. Robert G. Carter of the 22nd Massachusetts wrote of the sight of oncoming Confederates on the second day of Gettysburg: "The indistinct form of masses of men, presenting the usual, dirty, greyish, irregular line, were dimly visible and moving up with defiant yells, while here and there the cross-barred Confederate battle flags were plainly to be seen." Rebel lines also were fully visible at Antietam, Franklin, Bentonville, and a number of other engagements.
The Union Soldier in Battle: Enduring the Ordeal of Combat. Earl J. Hess, p. 12

View of terrain, looking south, Confederate Army of Tennessee marched across for over one mile at Battle of Franklin

Confederate General John Bell Hood had this basic view of the (then) open ground between Winstead Hill and the entrenched Federal line near Fountain Branch Carter's property in November 1864. The entire Confederate Army of Tennessee (about 20,000) was positioned here, facing north as in the picture, before they started the quick-step march toward the Federal army (about 22,000).

Original view

Picture credit: Historical Markers of Williamson County, Rick Warwick, p. 174

Contemporary view

Picture credit: author of blog

My Dear Lizzie,

[In part.....]

I receive a letter last week from Joab dated 25th November; he was well and in comfortable winter quarters. He still desires a transfer to our Co. and I have today fixt up some transfer papers and sent them up to him. He will forward them up through the proper channel, but I have but little hope they will be approved. I don’t know indeed whether Joab will want to come here when he finds that Will intends leaving the Regt. Will says he going to tender his resignation l… as he is returned to duty and I think it highly probable that I will have to ask to be retired or resigned one of the two. I am pronounced unable for active service in the field by our Surgeons and I suppose I will have no difficulty in getting out, but I will try it a while longer, and I do not improve I will seek and easier birth.

We will try to get Joab here however and in case Will and I both leave we will try to get him out too, if he desires it. Will is having a good time. Nothing to do and no responsibility. He is engaged today in making a pot of soap and a barrel of …..beer. I can’t tell hoe he will su… but I guess Very Well. Dr Lyle came down Saturday last and stayed with us until this morning when he returned to Raleigh. The Boys were glad to see hem and I think much pleasured with his visit. He told us of the affair at Franklin before I received your letter. I was a bold affair that those fellows ought to have been killed, guess they will re… and try it again. I fear trouble has just Commenced in that locality. I look for more trouble in …, has yet been…Sherman’s grand march thorough Georgia will develop more disloyalty in the mountain district than exists before.

But I hope to the present gloom will soon be dispelled by Sherman’s defeat. We have nothing reliable from Sherman. Can’t tell what they are doing in Georgia but my opinion is Sherman will plant himself in Savannah before Christmas and in that even what will be the result is a question of time. I will not venture any prediction as to what will be the end of our troubles.

My kindest regards to all,

God Bless you,

goodbye

John

Written by JB Cunningham (from Macon NC) a commissioned officer with the 6th & 7th (65th regiment) North Carolina Calvary.

Joab Moore (from Macon NC) a Srgt with the North Carolina 16th infantry

Source: eBay, June 2007

The fellow in the second image, although not identified, is certainly Shuttleworth's brother given their shared features. In fact, it is plausible that the second image is that of an identical twin!

1850 Census records show Morgan Shuttleworth to have been one of eight children in the Bibb County, Alabama household of John and Molly Shuttleworth. Further investigation should reveal the identity of his look-alike brother-in-arms.

The 36th Alabama, formed in Mt. Vernon, Alabama in May, 1862, spent nearly a year in the vicinity of Mobile before heading north to join the Army of Tennessee outside of Atlanta.

Shuttleworth's Service Record indicates that, as a recently exchanged POW, he was hospitalized in May, 1864 for what was likely an unhealed gunshot wound to the chest and shoulder. The circumstances and timing of Shuttleworth's ailment should suggest he was shot during the Battle of Resaca in Georgia. He died the following month.

The brothers are wearing matching militia shell jackets tailored in dark cloth with tinted red piping and three rows of buttons. The buttons on Morgan Shuttleworth's jacket are not painted and have visible eagles on the face. It is highly likely that these are AVC (Alabama Volunteer Corps) buttons as opposed to common Federal types.

Both men have light military trousers with one pair sporting a tinted red stripe. Good old Southern slouch hats top off these defenders of Dixie. Morgan's as-yet unidentified brother is double-armed with a menacing D-guard bowie knife and a pocket revolver.

Bellew's mother is responsible for the flag being transferred out of the family's hands. When Dr. George W. Nowlin, a medical doctor who had been the hospital steward of the 31st during the war found out that Mrs. Bellew had been flying the flag in her garden to scare off marauding birds, he sent for the flag to keep it secure. The flag has descended to its present owner through the Nowlin family.

Measuring 35" on the staff and 51" on its fly, the flag is made of hand-sewn red wool traversed by a 5.25" wide dark blue bunting St. Andrew's cross edged on each side with a 2" wide strip of white cotton. The cross bears thirteen white cotton 3.25" diameter five-pointed stars set at 8" intervals from the center star. Accompanying the flag is a 24" cotton strip stenciled with the words "Co. A 31 Reg. Tenn. Vol.".

Company A, called the 'Western Stars' of the 31st Tennessee regiment of the Confederate Infantry was formed out of Weakley County, Tennessee and organized with the regiment in Gibson County at Camp Trenton in September 1861. Under the command of General J. P. McCown, the regiment moved to Columbus, Kentucky and on to Fort Pillow and by April 1862 was in Corinth, Mississippi. Passing through Tupelo and Chattanooga, the regiment saw action at the Battle of Perryville where it lost 100 men. A contemporary account by a Federal soldier at the battle stated that the 31st Tennessee attacked "with death-defying steadiness, uttering wild yells until staggered by the sweeping crossfire of our artillery..." And the regiment would suffer for their bravery, the casualties only multiplying throughout the rest of the war; 250 at Chickamauga, 300 at Franklin in one day, 600 dead within fifty yards of them. Just two weeks later William Bellew would carry the same flag that he waved in these actions into the Battle of Nashville. His quick thinking on the battlefield combined with the wisdom of Dr. Nowlin and his descendants have preserved this unique treasure from the Civil War.

Info about this flag and it's sale at auction found here 

In light of that background, John Bell Hood seems to have singlehandedly cost the war for the South, or the Western Theater, at the very least, due to his performance in the last six months of 1864, having assumed command of the Army of Tennessee on July 17th, 1864.

a. Hood lost Atlanta on his watch, even though he'd say Johnston lost it. But, Hood wreckless, fight at any cost attitude (having assumed command in mid July 1864) resulted in losing 20,000 men in nine days after he took the AoT over. Hood hastened the loss of Atlanta and then his loss of the supply train to the Federals only showed his strategy for Atlanta was an inch thick. He then over-estimated his ability to draw Sherman out into a fight in the open. Sherman was brilliant in Atlanta.

b. Hood saw some measure of success in the Eastern Theater as a Brigade commander but seems to have had an almost racial dislike for the soldier in the Western Theater. He seemed to think the ANV soldier was superior in essence to the Western Theater soldier.

c. His loss of his leg and arm (1863) probably caused him to over-compensate for being less a man, in his own mind. Then throw in his failure to win the love of Preston Buck and you have a man with mixed passions in 1864.

d. He was no mental heavyweight. He barely survived West Point. He clearly lacked strategic and logistical/administrative abilities. He was a good Brigade Commander because he did not have to execute on those higher levels. A fighter he was. Being able to translate the will and passion to fight in light of the 'then'-modern technologies, strategies and challenges was another thing.

e. Hood's propensity for direct frontal assaults was simply ridiculous. He seems to have interpreted using the steel bayonet as a more manly way to fight, combined with assaulting breastworks. Henry repeating rifles could fire off about 20-30 rounds a minute compared to the 3-minute minnie ball. To fail to take this into account at Franklin was beyond my imagination to allow him room for being anything but being virtually insane after the escape of the Federals at Spring Hill.

f. Hood's losses from Atlanta were devastating to the AoT. Losing 20,000 men in nine days - for his army - would be like Sherman losing perhaps 3-4 times that number. What was he thinking? That he'd actually defeat Sherman by fighting and winning tactically?

g. The Spring Hill situation really showed his weaknesses in many ways.

(1) His physical disabilities prevented him from being mobile and active enough to truely lead an army. His Division and Brigade commanders exhibited some of the bravest action in war at Franklin.

(2) How much did his opium-like medicine impair his ability?

(3) He was so disingenuous in his treatment of his commanders (especially after the war) in assigning blame for Spring Hill.

(4) The performance, or lack thereof, of his division commanders at Spring Hill are a direct reflection of Hood's own poor logistical oversight. He seems to have very poorly understood the geography of the region.

(5) His lack of and poor administration of Forrest at Spring Hill/Franklin is mysterious.

The assault upon the Federals at Franklin displays Hood's total ineptitude as a commander of an Army. Why?

1). Did he actually think he could destroy Schofield at Franklin by using just two of his three Corps and mostly not engaging his own artillery?

2). He marched across two miles of open ground before his corps reached the breastworks. It was more insane than Pickett's Charge, with a greater loss of life too.

3). Had Wagner's troops not been left out in the open to take the initial beating, then having to run for their lives, resulting in the Federals not being able to shoot the Confederates, the loss of life of Hood's men would have been even much worse.

4). His inability to size up the situation, post-battle at Franklin, also reveals he did not deserve such authority he was given. To go after Thomas two weeks later was even more insane. At Franklin, Hood lost at least 1,700 in death and nearly 5,000 in wounded, captured or missing.

5). Hood really thought these AoT troops lacked the courage to assault defended breastworks. The Union - at Franklin - had the advantage of strategically placed artillery, defended breastworks, the choice of location to fight, abatis, superior numbers, superior equipment, men who were not nearly as hungry, etc.

Hood fought (late 1864) from a mixture of motives and demons that cost tens of thousands of lives. He had to prove to himself, Davis, and Buck Preston he was a real man; probably to his father as well. Not to mention proving his worthiness to the likes of Lee, Hardee, Johnston, Richard Taylor, and Stonewall Jackson. I think he was intimated by the likes of Cleburne and A.P. Stewart. He was a man of highly questionable integrity and character, as he showed in "reporting" on Johnston during Atlanta.

John Bell Hood got his time in the spotlight from July until December 1864 and the reality is that he was an abysmal failure as a commander of an army.

What a lesson?

When one is finally in a position of authority, one must be ready to execute from the foundation of a character molded in integrity, courage, and capability - birthed in humility. Anything less will reveal the deeply hidden or masked flaws of one's character in the heat of battle.

reads in part,

An old 'darky' in 'Alabam' said (one day as we were passing a plantation where about 'five thousand' were congregated along the road side - one of the boys asked him what he thought of the music (our band was playing) - his answer was 'dunno, sah, but pears like tis getting mity glorious Shuah' - it pears like the election news from Sherman,' begin to make things look 'mity glorious' for the Union cause. As the particulars are brought out - the frauds on the part of the copperheads - their total everlasting defeat, it surely is encouraging to all at least sanguine can take hope the end is nigh.

Since the 4th of last month [Oct 4th] we have marched on foot about 300 miles - rode on the cars from Dalton, Ga. to down 40 miles south of Nashville from where we marched to this place making a distance of 15 miles from Nashville south. Hood with his rebel troops is supposed to be on the southern shore of the Tenn. River making an attempt to get into East Tenn. I hardly think he will win for we have the army of the Cumberland and Ohio here to whip him in case he wishes to fight or make a forward movement"

********************************************

Found on Nate Sanders auction site 12/24/06 Lot #2201 Item#20975

Notes:

• Soldier's identity not yet determined
• Says that since the 4th of "last month" (probably October) his regiment has marched 300 miles.
• Timing of letter (i.e., October 4th 1864) starts the Nashville-Atlanta Campaign: Allatoona (Oct5), Decatur (Oct 26-29), and Johnsonville (Nov 4-5).
• Mentions defeat of the Copperheads in 1864 general election, refers to Sherman.
• Talks about how John Bell Hood's interest if for East Tennesse.
• Says the Army of the Ohio and Cumberland are ready to whip Hood if he goes after Tennessee.
• This letter is written just ten days before the Battle of Franklin

Army of Tennessee, General John Bell Hood, commanding

INFANTRY

LEE's Corps: Leut. Gen. Stephen D. Lee

Johnson's Division: Maj. Gen. Edward Johnson

Deas's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Zachariah C. Deas
19th, 22d, 25th, 39th, 50th Alabama

Manigault's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Arthur M. Manigault, Lt. Col. William L. Butler (Nashville)
24th, 28th, 34th Alabama; 10th, 19th South Carolina

Sharp's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Jacob H. Sharp
7th, 9th, 10th, 41st, 44th Mississippi
9th Battalion Mississippi Sharpshooters

Brantley's Brigade: Brig. Gen. William F. Brantley
24th, 27th, 29th, 30th, 34th Mississippi
Dismounted Cavalry Company

Stevenson's Division: Maj. Gen. Carter L. Stevenson

Cummings's Brigade: Col. Elihu P. Watkins
24th, 36th, 39th, 56th Georgia

Pettus's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Edmund W. Pettus
20th, 23d, 30th, 31st, 46th Alabama

Clayton's Division: Maj. Gen. Henry D. Clayton

Stovall's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Marcellus A. Stovall
40th, 41st, 42d, 43d, 52d Georgia

Gibson's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Randall L. Gibson
1st, 4th, 13th, 16th, 19th, 20th, 25th, 30th Louisiana
4th Lousiana Battalion; 14th Lousiana Battalion Sharpshooters

Holtzclaw's Brigade: Brig. Gen. James Holtzclaw
18th, 32d, 36th, 38th, 58th Alabama

STEWART's Corps: Lt. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart

Loring's Division: Maj. Gen. William W. Loring

Featherston's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Winfield S. Featherston
1st, 3d, 22d, 31st, 33d, 40th Mississippi
1st Mississippi Battalion

Adams's Brigade: Brig. Gen. John Adams; Col. Robert Lowry (Nashville)
6th, 14th, 15th, 20th, 23d, 43d Mississippi

Scott's Brigade: Brig Gen Thomas M. Scott; Col. John Snodgrass (Nashville)
27th, 35th, 49th, 55th, 57th Alabama; 12th Louisiana

French's Division: Maj. Gen. Samuel G. French, Brig. Gen. Claudius Sears

Ector's Brigade: Col. David Coleman
29th, 30th North Carolina, 9th Texas
10th, 14th, 32d Texas Cavalry (dismounted)

Cockrell's Brigade: Brig. Gen. F.M. Cockrell, brigade detached prior to Nashville under Col. Peter C. Flournoy
1st, 2nd, 3d, 4th, 5th, 6th Missouri
1st Missouri Cavalry (dismounted)
3d Missouri Cavalry Battalion (dismounted)

Sears's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Claudius Sears, Lt. Col. Reuben H. Shotwell (Nashville)
4th, 35th, 36th, 39th, 46th Mississippi
7th Mississippi Battalion

Walthall's Division: Maj. Gen. Edward C. Walthall

Quarles's Brigade: Brig. Gen. William A. Quarles; Brig. Gen. George D.
Johnson (Nashville)
1st Alabama; 42d, 46th, 48th, 49th, 53d, 55th Tennessee

Cantley's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Charles M. Shelley
17th, 26th, 29th Alabama; 37th Mississippi

Reynold's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Daniel H. Reynolds
4th, 9th, 25th Arkansas
1st, 2d Arkansas Mounted Rifles (dismounted)

CHEATHAM's Corps: Major General Benjamin F. Cheatham

Cleburne's Division: Maj. Gen. Patrick Cleburne, Brig. Gen. James A. Smith (Nashville)

Lowrey's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Mark P. Lowrey (Franklin)
16th, 33d, 45th Alabama; 5th, 8th, 32d Mississippi;
3d Mississippi Battalion

Govan's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Daniel C. Govan
1st, 2d, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 13th, 15th, 19th, 24th
Arkansas

Granbury's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Hiram B. Granbury; Capt. E. T. Broughton
5th Confederate; 35th Tennessee; 6th, 7th, 10th, 15th Texas
17th, 18th, 24th, 25th Texas Cavalry (dismounted); Nutt's Louisana Cavalry (dismounted)

Smith's Brigade: on detached duty before Nashville-
Brig. Gen. James A. Smith; Col. Charles H. Olmstead
(Nashville)
54th, 57th, 63d Georgia; 1st Georgia Volunteers

Brown's (Cheatham's Old) Division: Maj. Gen. John C. Brown; Brig. Gen. Mark P. Lowrey (Nashville)

Gist's Brigade: Brig. Gen. States Rights Gist; Lt. Col. Zachariah L. Watters (Nashville)
46th, 65th Georgia; 2d Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters; 16th, 24th South Carolina

Maney's Brigade: Brig. Gen. John C. Carter; Col. Hume R. Field (Nashville)
1st, 4th (provisional), 6th, 8th, 9th, 16th, 27th, 28th, 50th Tennessee

Strahl's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Otho F. Strahl; Col. AndrewJ. Kellar (Nashville)
4th, 5th, 19th, 24th, 31st, 33d, 38th, 41st Tennessee

Vaughan's Brigade: Brig. Gen. George W. Gordon; Col. William M. Watkins (Nashville)
11th, 12th, 13th, 29th, 47th, 51st, 52nd, 154th Tennessee

Bate's Division: Maj. Gen. William B. Bate

Tyler's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Thomas B. Smith
37th Georgia; 4th Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters;
2d, 10th, 20th, 37th Tennessee

Finley's Brigade: Col. Robert Bullock; Maj. Jacob A. Lash
1st, 3d, 4th, 6th, 7th Florida, 1st Florida Cavalry (dismounted)

Jackson's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Henry R. Jackson
25th, 29th, 30th Georgia; 1st Georgia Confederate;
1st Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters

Artillery:

LEE's Corps: 1) Col. Robert F. Beckham 2) Maj. John W. Johnston

Courtney's Battalion: Capt. James P. Douglas
Dent's Alabama Battery; Douglas's Texas Battery; Garrity's Alabama Battery

Eldridge's Battalion: Capt. Charles E. Fenner
Eufaula Alabama Battery; Fenner's Louisiana Battery; Stanford's Miss Battery

Johnson's Battalion: Capt. John B. Rowan
Corput's Georgia Battery; Marshall's Tenn Battery; Stephens's Light Artillery

STEWART's Corps: Lt. Col. Samuel C. Williams

Truehart's Battalion:
Lumsden's Alabama Battery; Selden's Alabama Battery

Myrick's Battalion:
Bouanchaud's Louisiana Battery; Cowan's Miss Battery,
Darden's Miss Battery

Storrs' Battalion:
Guiborps Missouri Battery; Hoskin's Miss Battery; Kolb's Alabama Battery

CHEATHAM's Corps: Col. Melancthon Smith

Hoxton's Battalion:
Perry's Florida Battery; Phelan's Alabama Battery; Turner's Miss Battery

Hotchkiss's Battalion:
Bledsoe's Missouri Battery; Goldtwaite's Alabama Battery; Key's Arkansas Battery

Cobb's Battalion:
Ferguson's South Carolina Battery; Phillip's [Mabane's]

Cavalry: Maj. Gen. Nathan B. Forrest

CHALMER's Division: Brig. Gen. James R. Chalmers

Rucker's Brigade: Col. Edmund W. Rucker
7th Alabama Cavalry; 5th Miss Cavalry; 7th, 12th, 14th, 15th Tenn Cavalry; Forrest's Regiment Tenn Cavalry

Biffle's Brigade: Col. Jacob B. Biffle, 10th Tenn Cavalry

BUFORD's Division: Brig. Gen. Abraham Buford

Bell's Brigade: Col. Tyree H. Bell
2d, 19th, 20th, 21st Tenn Cavalry; Nixon's Tenn Cavalry Regiment

Crossland's Brigade: Col. Edward Crossland
3d, 7th, 8th, 12th Kentucky Mounted Infantry;
12th Kentucky Cavalry; Huey's Kentucky Battalion

JACKSON's Division: Brig. Gen. William H. Jackson

Armstrong's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Frank C. Armstrong
1st, 2d, 28th Miss Cavalry; Ballentine's Miss Regiment

Ross's Brigade: Brig. Gen. Lawrence S. Ross
5th, 6th, 9th Texas Cavalry; 1st Texas Legion

ARTILLERY

Morton's Tennesse Battery, Slocumb's Louisiana Battery

Dec. 13, 1864

My Dear Wife,

I hope you have recvd. some of the letters I have written lately as in them I gave you all the news from your relatives. They were well. No letter from you yet of later date than Oct. 21st. The time seems very long to me. It snowed here about a week ago. It is still upon the ground. The weather has been quite cold the thermometer standing from 12 to 15 degrees below zero. You would probably like to know how I am situated. Well, Dr. Phillips & myself took possession of a negro cabin that was nearly filled with corn. This we had thrown in the loft to the back of the cabin leaving us about half the room. It is well pointed & has an excellent fire place. We have some boxes & broken chairs to sit on so you see we are doing finely. At night we put down hay & spread our blankets on that for sleeping. We get plenty fat beef to eat & have but little to do except make ourselves comfortable. I have had only one man to report to me sick this month & there wasn’t much the matter with him. I don’t know how the men out on the lines stand the cold as they do. They have no extra amount of clothing, but few blankets & scarce of wood they suffer with cold, but endure it without much complaint. The wind is blowing fiercely today. We are in camp four miles from Nashville. You will have probably killed hogs before you get this. Let me know how much you made. Will you have corn enough or have you bought more? Like all of us I know you are anxious to learn what the army is doing & what it will do next. Well all I can tell you is we have dug trenches & are lying in them hoping the enemy will attack us. I have no thought we will attack them at Nashville and as to what we will do next I can give you no intimation for I have not the least knowledge of Gen. Hood’s intentions. Now, when will the war end? This is a hard question & one I am entirely unable to answer. I have no thought it will ever end in our subjugation. It makes me sad to think of being separated from you so much & so long, but I hope before a great while to be where you can at least visit me occasionally. Don’t allow yourself to become despondent but try to keep cheerful looking forward to a better day. Tell Laura and Mannie not to forget Papa. Hug & kiss them for me. Much love to Mrs. Oliver. I feel under deep & lasting obligations to her for her kindness to you & the children. Tell all the servants howdy & tell them to take care of the stock & not let it stray off or starve. I hope next year if the war continues to be where I can come home more frequently. I don’t wish to quit the service if I can remain in it & give home the necessary attention. I wrote you that Frank Robinson [probably was C. Franklin Robertson] was killed on the [Nov.] 30th at Franklin & Lt. Brown had his arm broken.

Your devoted Husband,

W.B. Wall
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

William B.[Burgeess] Hall enlisted as a surgeon in the 33rd Miss. Infantry, Company I.

According to Wikipedia:

Thomas planned to strike both of Hood’s flanks, with a minor attack on the Confederate right and the major effort on the left. Before daylight on December 15, the division led by Maj. Gen. James Steedman hit the Confederate right and held down one corps there for the rest of the day. The attack on the left, under Schofield, leading two corps and a division, began after noon with a charge up Montgomery Hill and it had a devastating effect on the entire Confederate line. Hood's army was battered, but not routed. Fighting stopped at dark and Hood reformed his men for the second day of battle. He established a main line of resistance along the base of a ridge about two miles south of the former location, throwing up new works and fortifying hills on their flanks. Union troops marched out close to the Confederate’s new line and began constructing fieldworks on the morning of December 16. Once again Thomas planned to attack on both flanks, but the initial attack on the strongly fortified Confederate right was unsuccessful. It was followed by the stronger left flank attack under Schofield, Smith, and Wilson, which succeeded. Their success inspired Thomas J. Wood and James B. Steedman to resume their attack on the right flank, which overran the Confederates. Hood’s army collapsed and fled in a heavy rain in the direction of Franklin.

The 33rd Mississippi lost its flag in the Battle of Franklin.

Collection of the Old Capitol Museum of Mississippi History, Jackson, MS.

The 33rd Miss., Company B, were known as the Amite County Guards.

The following 33rd men were killed at Franklin. It is likely that Surgeon Wall attended their wounds and/or their deaths: 1st Lt. John Powell, (Acting Major when killed Franklin, Co.B.), Alex Stewart (Co.,B.). For a complete list of the 33rd's casualties see this site.

Dr. George C. Phillips, Surgeon for the 22nd Mississippi, watching the Battle with Surgeon W.B. Hall on top of a hill wrote, "This was the first and only time I ever heard our bands playing upon a battlefield and at the beginning of a charge...When within three hundred yards of their breastworks a cannon boomed from their fort (Granger) across the little river north of the town. This seemed to be the signal waited for. A sheet of flame and smoke burst from the entire crescent of the enemy's breastworks, answered by the Rebel yell and musketry fire from our men. In a moment the whole valley was so filled with smoke that nothing could be seen but the flashes of cannon and musketry."

Dec. 13, 1864

My Dear Wife,

I hope you have recvd. some of the letters I have written lately as in them I gave you all the news from your relatives. They were well. No letter from you yet of later date than Oct. 21st. The time seems very long to me. It snowed here about a week ago. It is still upon the ground. The weather has been quite cold the thermometer standing from 12 to 15 degrees below zero. You would probably like to know how I am situated. Well, Dr. Phillips & myself took possession of a negro cabin that was nearly filled with corn. This we had thrown in the loft to the back of the cabin leaving us about half the room. It is well pointed & has an excellent fire place. We have some boxes & broken chairs to sit on so you see we are doing finely. At night we put down hay & spread our blankets on that for sleeping. We get plenty fat beef to eat & have but little to do except make ourselves comfortable. I have had only one man to report to me sick this month & there wasn’t much the matter with him. I don’t know how the men out on the lines stand the cold as they do. They have no extra amount of clothing, but few blankets & scarce of wood they suffer with cold, but endure it without much complaint. The wind is blowing fiercely today. We are in camp four miles from Nashville. You will have probably killed hogs before you get this. Let me know how much you made. Will you have corn enough or have you bought more? Like all of us I know you are anxious to learn what the army is doing & what it will do next. Well all I can tell you is we have dug trenches & are lying in them hoping the enemy will attack us. I have no thought we will attack them at Nashville and as to what we will do next I can give you no intimation for I have not the least knowledge of Gen. Hood’s intentions. Now, when will the war end? This is a hard question & one I am entirely unable to answer. I have no thought it will ever end in our subjugation. It makes me sad to think of being separated from you so much & so long, but I hope before a great while to be where you can at least visit me occasionally. Don’t allow yourself to become despondent but try to keep cheerful looking forward to a better day. Tell Laura and Mannie not to forget Papa. Hug & kiss them for me. Much love to Mrs. Oliver. I feel under deep & lasting obligations to her for her kindness to you & the children. Tell all the servants howdy & tell them to take care of the stock & not let it stray off or starve. I hope next year if the war continues to be where I can come home more frequently. I don’t wish to quit the service if I can remain in it & give home the necessary attention. I wrote you that Frank Robinson [probably was C. Franklin Robertson] was killed on the [Nov.] 30th at Franklin & Lt. Brown had his arm broken.

Your devoted Husband,

W.B. Wall
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

William B.[Burgeess] Hall enlisted as a surgeon in the 33rd Miss. Infantry, Company I.

According to Wikipedia:

Thomas planned to strike both of Hood’s flanks, with a minor attack on the Confederate right and the major effort on the left. Before daylight on December 15, the division led by Maj. Gen. James Steedman hit the Confederate right and held down one corps there for the rest of the day. The attack on the left, under Schofield, leading two corps and a division, began after noon with a charge up Montgomery Hill and it had a devastating effect on the entire Confederate line. Hood's army was battered, but not routed. Fighting stopped at dark and Hood reformed his men for the second day of battle. He established a main line of resistance along the base of a ridge about two miles south of the former location, throwing up new works and fortifying hills on their flanks. Union troops marched out close to the Confederate’s new line and began constructing fieldworks on the morning of December 16. Once again Thomas planned to attack on both flanks, but the initial attack on the strongly fortified Confederate right was unsuccessful. It was followed by the stronger left flank attack under Schofield, Smith, and Wilson, which succeeded. Their success inspired Thomas J. Wood and James B. Steedman to resume their attack on the right flank, which overran the Confederates. Hood’s army collapsed and fled in a heavy rain in the direction of Franklin.

The 33rd Mississippi lost its flag in the Battle of Franklin.

Collection of the Old Capitol Museum of Mississippi History, Jackson, MS.

The 33rd Miss., Company B, were known as the Amite County Guards.

The following 33rd men were killed at Franklin. It is likely that Surgeon Wall attended their wounds and/or their deaths: 1st Lt. John Powell, (Acting Major when killed Franklin, Co.B.), Alex Stewart (Co.,B.). For a complete list of the 33rd's casualties see this site.

Dr. George C. Phillips, Surgeon for the 22nd Mississippi, watching the Battle with Surgeon W.B. Hall on top of a hill wrote, "This was the first and only time I ever heard our bands playing upon a battlefield and at the beginning of a charge...When within three hundred yards of their breastworks a cannon boomed from their fort (Granger) across the little river north of the town. This seemed to be the signal waited for. A sheet of flame and smoke burst from the entire crescent of the enemy's breastworks, answered by the Rebel yell and musketry fire from our men. In a moment the whole valley was so filled with smoke that nothing could be seen but the flashes of cannon and musketry."

Near Jonesborough

September 10, 1864

Robert O. Douglass of Troup County, Georgia writes about the fall of Atlanta. Reading this letter, one cannot help but conjure up images in Gone With the Wind of Atlanta burning.

Note: At the time of this letter the 41st GA was with Barton’s/Gardner’s brigade, Stevenson’s division, Army of Tennessee
Douglass writes to his sister, in part:

“…I hope though that Old Sherman will allow us to rest for a little while so that we can recuperate our health. I supposed you have heard of Genl Sherman driving all the citizens away from Atlanta. It’s the most brutal and inhumane act I ever heard of. General Hood sends 500 wagons for them Monday… What do you all think of the fall of Atlanta? Are you whipped? I hope not. When you hear of the last Confederate soldier laying in his grave, then you may say that the South is conquered, but not until then. We will continue to fight them as long as we live… Our cause is a just one. God is a just God, therefore, we must win…”

Source: eBay June 2007

Residence Troup County GA; Enlisted on 3/4/1862 as a 3rd Sergt.

On 3/4/1862 he mustered into “E” Co. GA 41st Infantry
He was Surrendered on 4/26/1865 at Greensboro, NC

Promotions:
* 1st Lieut
* Sergt Major 4/8/1862 (Adjutant)

“The color-bearer of the Thirty-third was killed some fifteen paces from the works,” reported Brig. Gen. W.S. Featherston, “when Lieutenant H.C. Shaw, of Company K, carried them forward, and when in the act of planting them on the works was killed, his body falling in the trench, the colors falling in the works.”

Isaac C. Clark, 63rd Indiana Infantry [fought alongside the 120th], wrote the following account in his diary:

“We marched all night. Arrived at Franklin, Tenn. in the morning. Here we halted, and built a line of works, and we thought ( as the rebels seemed anxious for a fight, ) that we would try our hand on them at this place, so we made all necessary preparations. We had cannon placed along our line of works, about 50 yards apart, besides a number of well fortified forts, containing several pieces of artillery. At 4 o’clock p.m., the enemy came, they drove in our pickets and made a desperate charge upon our works, but were driven back with a great slaughter, however this did not satisfy them, and they came again and again until they had made as much as 8 or 10 different charges upon our works. They took a portion of our works at one time, but they were immediately retaken by our men; they fought with a desperation worthy of a better cause. The battle lasted 7 hours; we retreated at 11 p.m. Co. D., had one man killed, Co. E., one wounded. The enemy loss was reported at 8 or 10 thousand.

Our regt., had helped build a great many lines of works during the war, but this was the first time that they had the privilege of fighting behind works during a general engagement.

We retreated to Nashville, and went into camp at Fort Negley. The enemy followed us but they did not make a charge upon us at Nashville as they did at Franklin, I think that they had got about enough of charging; but they halted some distance from the city and built works. We remained in camp some 15 days, and there was some fighting going on every day during this time.”

Source:
“Reminiscences of an Old 63rd, Ind., Soldier”
By Isaac C. Clark
Covington, Ind., Nov. 27, 1875 http://www.indianainthecivilwar.com/letters/63rd/63diary.htm