biography
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1831–79)
|
| biography:
| US soldier, born in Owingsville, Kentucky, USA. A doctor's son, he graduated from West Point (1853) near the bottom of his class, and served in California and Texas. Resigning to join the Confederate service, he commanded a brigade at Second Bull Run and Antietam (both 1862) and a division at Gettysburg, where he was seriously wounded. Wounded again at Chickamauga (1863), he recovered from the amputation of his right leg in time to succeed Joseph E Johnston in command of the army facing Sherman before Atlanta. Promoted beyond his capabilities, he was no match for Sherman. Forced out of Atlanta, he marched N while Sherman moved E to the sea. Hood's ill-advised attacks at Franklin and Nashville, TN (1864) shattered his army. He went into business in New Orleans after the war, but his ventures were unsuccessful. He died in poverty, the victim, along with some of his large family, of a yellow fever epidemic. |
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