HOOD, JOHN BELL (1831-79). An American soldier, prominent on the Confederate side during the Civil War. He was born in Owingsville. Ky.; graduated at West Point in 1853: and remained in the United States Army until 1861. when he resigned to accept a commission in the Confeder ate service. During the first years of the war be took part in the Virginia campaigns, where his gallantry gained him the rank of major-gen end. At tiettysburg his division was stationed on the extreme right of the Confederate line, and took part in some of the most desperate fighting of that battle, In Septem ber, ISO, he was sent to the aid of len prat Bragg in Tennessee. and took part in the battle of Chickamauga, September 191,11-20th, where he lost a leg. The next spring he again took the field and was made a lieutenant-general in Johnston's army. During the campaign by which this general sought to impelb• Sherman's advanee on Atlanta, flood was engaged in several battles, and on :1Iay 25, 1804. his corps was by Rocket' 001:ur at New Hope Church. On July 17th he was given the tenqatrary rank of general, and was appointed to succeed Johnston in command of the Army of the Tennessee. Sher man was exultant it this cluing.% for he knew that .1..1in-don's wearing tactics would now give platae to a policy which would enable him to make good use of his superior lighting strength. On July 20th was fought the battle of Peach Tree Creek. as it result of which Hood was com pelled to withdraw into the fortifications about Atlanta, and two days later the battle of Atlanta followed his flank movement toward Deeatur. On July 2S11i he attacked the Federal forces, but was again compelled to withdraw into his forti fications. After another engagement at Jones
boro, on Septemlier 1st. he abandoned Atlanta, which was entered by Sherman on the 2.1. Hood, after operating (or several weeks along the line of Sherman's l'011111111nientions. and moving west ward into northern Alabama, crossed the Tennes see River about the end of and began to move northwaret through Tennessee against General Thomas. After his attack on the Federal forces under Schofield at Franklin had been re pulsed (see FRANKLIN. BATTLE , he proceeded to Nashville, where he found 'Thomas stationed with a force about equal to his own. Thomas was not prepared at the outset, and for nearly two weeks the two armies faced each other. At last. on December 1501. Thomas the attack. The fought desperately, but were foreed hack all alone the lino. That night Hood re-formed his army and the next day awaited the rederals on the Over ton Hills. Owing to his stroll_ position. he succeeded in repelling the first assault, hut the second was more successful, and soon the Confederates were driven in utter rout. As a military force army disappeared. and on January •3, Ist5. at his own request. he was relieved of his command. After the war he be came a commission merchant in New Orleans and president of the New Orleans branch of the Life of America. Tie wrote a hook entitled .1r/retire and Retreat: Personal Exprri e He( s im the rnit, d States and Conf. den( le States Artairs (1Sq0). and wrote a number of articles for Bottles and Leaders of the Civil War (New York. ISS7).