John Bell Hood was a Confederate general who fought in many battles during the American Civil War. He was known for his aggressive and reckless tactics, which often resulted in high casualties among his troops. He was also severely wounded several times, losing the use of his left arm and his right leg. But how did he die, and what was his legacy? Here is a brief overview of John Bell Hood’s cause of death and his life after the war.
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Hood’s Wounds and Disabilities
Hood was wounded four times during the Civil War, each time affecting his physical abilities. At the Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, he was shot in the upper left arm, shattering his humerus bone and damaging his nerves. He was unable to use his left arm for the rest of his life, and had to wear a sling to support it. According to Wikipedia, he also suffered from chronic pain and infections in his arm.
A few months later, at the Battle of Chickamauga in September 1863, Hood was shot in the right thigh, severing his femoral artery. He was saved from bleeding to death by a tourniquet, but his leg had to be amputated just below the hip. He was fitted with a wooden prosthetic leg, which he wore for the rest of his life. According to History.com, he also suffered from phantom limb pain and had difficulty riding a horse.
Despite his wounds and disabilities, Hood continued to serve in the Confederate army, and was promoted to full general in July 1864. He took command of the Army of Tennessee, and faced off against William T. Sherman’s Union army in the Atlanta Campaign. He launched several frontal assaults against Sherman’s superior force, resulting in heavy losses for his army. He was forced to abandon Atlanta in September 1864, and retreated to Alabama.
Hood’s Final Campaign and Surrender
Hood hoped to regain the initiative by invading Tennessee and threatening Sherman’s supply lines. He led his army north, and clashed with the Union army of George H. Thomas at the Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864. Hood ordered a massive charge against the fortified Union position, but his attack was repulsed with devastating casualties. According to American History Central, Hood lost six generals and nearly 7,000 men in the battle, including many of his best officers and soldiers.
Hood continued to advance to Nashville, where he besieged Thomas’s army. However, Thomas attacked Hood’s army on December 15 and 16, 1864, and inflicted a crushing defeat on the Confederates. Hood’s army was shattered, and he retreated to Mississippi. According to NNDB, he was relieved of his command at his own request on January 23, 1865. He surrendered to the Union authorities on May 31, 1865, and was paroled.
Hood’s Postwar Life and Death
After the war, Hood moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, where he worked as a cotton broker and insurance agent. He married Anna Marie Hennen, a widow with five children, in 1868. They had ten more children together, including three sets of twins. Hood also wrote his memoirs, Advance and Retreat, in which he defended his military actions and criticized some of his fellow Confederate generals.
Hood’s life was cut short by a yellow fever epidemic that swept through New Orleans in 1879. According to Encyclopedia.com, Hood and his wife contracted the disease, and died within days of each other. Hood died on August 30, 1879, at the age of 48. He was buried in Metairie Cemetery, along with his wife and one of their daughters, who also died of yellow fever.
Hood’s legacy is controversial, as he is widely regarded as one of the worst generals of the Civil War. His aggressive and reckless tactics cost him many men and battles, and contributed to the downfall of the Confederacy. However, he also showed courage and determination in the face of adversity, and was loyal to his cause and his men. He remains a fascinating figure in American history, and his cause of death is one of the many aspects of his life that deserve attention.