History of Owingsville, (Bath County) Kentucky United States of America

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John Bell Hood, soldier, was born in Owingsville, Ky., June 29, 1831. His mother was a sister of Judge Richard French, representative from Kentucky in the 24th, 28th and 30th congresses. He was graduated at the U.S. Military academy in 1853 with the brevet rank of 2d lieutenant of infantry. He was promoted to the rank of 2d lieutenant in 1855 and assigned to the 2d U.S. cavalry, and was prohinted 1st lieutenant in 1858. He was instructor in cavalry tactics at the Academy, 1859-60, and resigned from the U.S. army in 1861 to take service in the Confederate army organizing in Virginia. He served on the lower peninsula and was promoted from captain to colonel and ordered to Texas, where he recruited a brigade of Texan volunteers, returning with them to the peninsula. He was commissioned brigadier-general and his command was assigned to Gen. G. W. Smith's division of Gen. J. E. Johnston's army. He took a prominent part in the battle of West Point, May 7, 1862, which battle was brought on by his excessive impatience for a fight. At the battle of Seven Pines, May 31, June 1, 1862, he again distinguished himself, and in the seven days' battles before Richmond his brigade was the first in Whiting's division and formed the right of "Stonewall" Jackson's command. At Gaines's Mill, June 27,1862, his brigade, with that of Law, came to the relief of Gen. A. P. Hill and broke through Gen. F. J. Porter's corps, forming the left of the Federal line of battle. In this charge General Hood led the 4th Texas regiment in person and his prompt action resulted in the victory won by the Confederates and gained for him promotion to the rank of major-general. At the second battle of Bull Run, Aug. 29, 1862, he commanded a division of Longstreet's corps, made up of his old brigade and that of Whiting, with four batteries of artillery under Maj. B. W. Frobel. In this battle he forced the passage of Thoroughfare Gap which brought the army of Longstreet to the relief of Jackson, who had accomplished his raid around Pope, and this junction of the two wings of the Confederate army determined the success at Groveton and the rout of Pope's army. At South Mountain, Sept. 14, 1862, his division reinforced that of D. H. Hill near Turner's Gap, where he checked the advance of the Federal force and saved Lee's army from being cut in two. On the 17th at Dunker Church he drove the Federals under Sedgwick back, and was in turn forced to retire, his ammunition being exhausted. On receiving a new supply he came to the support of Longstreet, holding the advancing Federal force in check, and afterward crossed the Potomac intO Virginia. At Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1864, his division held the right of the line of Longstreet's corps, and at Gettysburg his division was the third in Longstreet's corps which was the right of Lee's army, and on July 5, in endeavoring to turn the enemy's left, he directed Robinson's and Law's brigades upon Round Top and he was repulsed, but reinforced by McLaws's division, and this brought on the battle of the Peach Orchard, when the angle was finally broken in, after a great loss on both sides. General Hood was wounded early in the engagement, resulting in the loss of his right arm, and was succeeded in command by Gen. E. M. Law. On Sept. 9, 1863, he was ordered to reinforce Bragg at Chattanooga, Tenn., going by rail via Wilmington, Augusta and Atlanta. His division, made up of Jenkins's, Law's, Robertson's, Anderson's and Benning's brigades, and a corps of artillery commanded by Col. E. P. Alexander, formed the second division of Long-street's corps, the first being commanded by Gen. Lafayette McLaws. On Sept. 19, 1863, he took part in the battle of Chickamauga, his division being stationed at Tedford's Ford. He moved with his own and Bushrod Johnson's divisions in column of brigades at half distance on the right center of the Federal army, and for a time gained a brilliant success, driving everytbing before him, capturing artillery and seizing the Chattanooga road, but when the Federal force was reinforced by the fresh divisions of Wood, Davis, Sheridan and Negley, he was driven back to the east of the road. When his division wavered he rallied his men by seizing the colors, and as he bore them to the front he was shot in the leg. He was succeeded in command by General Law, who had also succeeded him at Gettysburg. His leg was amputated near the hip joint, but in the spring of 1864 he was able to rejoin the army. Although he had but one leg and one arm he could ride his horse and command his division with the same effective spirit as of old. He was commissioned lieutenant-general and given command of a corps of Johnston's army, opposing Sherman's advance on Atlanta, Ga. At Resaca, May 9, 1864, the enemy retired when he advanced with three divisions, and on the 14th he successfully opposed a Federal advance on the place. Hood's corps then retired to Calhoun, and on the morning of May 17, to Adairsville. On the 24th the corps encamped four miles from New Hope church, and on the 25th was attacked by Hooker's corps and the battle of New Hope church followed. On June 22 two of his divisions attacked the Federal breastworks, and after taking them were driven out by the Federal artillery with a loss of 1000 men. He took part in the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, June 27, 1864, and continued to fall back on Atlanta. On July 17, 1864, he received notice of his promotion to the temporary rank of general and he succeeded General Johnston in command of the Army and Department of Tennessee. He took command of the army on July 18, and at once opened the Atlanta campaign. Stewart had command of the corps of Polk and Cheatham of that of Hood. The battle of Peach Tree Creek was fought July 20, 1863, and Hood, after dark, withdrew his two corps inside the enter works of Atlanta, and at midnight with four divisions he made his flank movemeut toward Decatur. He formed a line of battle facing the north at the extreme left of Sherman's army, and on the morning of July 24 the battle of Atlanta opened and the next day Sherman drew his half-circle closer to the city. On July 28 Hood again charged and passed Logan's extreme right, and shortly after, meeting so strong opposition, he with drew within his fortified lines and lost the battle of Ezra Church. On July 31 Hood abandoned Atlanta and joined Hardee at Lovejoy's Station, and on Sept. 1 fought the battle of Jonesbore. On Oct. 2 he fell back beyond the Chattahoochee, and stopped at Dallas, when he sent a division under French to take the garrison and stores at Allatoona, which plan was successfully defended by Gen. J. M. Corse. French then rejoined Hood at New Hope Church, from where he marched through Resaca toward Chattanooga, followed by Sherman as far as Gaylersville, Ala., Oct. 16, 1863, when the Federal army retired and took up its march to the sea. Hood compelled the evacuation of Dalton, but was defeated by Schofield at Franklin, Tenn., Nov. 30, 1864, and by Thomas at Nashville, Dec. 15-16, 1864, and he was relieved of his command at his own request, Jan. 23, 1865, and was succeeded by Gen. Richard Taylor. At the close of the war he settled in New Orleans, La., where he was a commission merchant and president of the New Orleans branch of the Life Association of America. During the yellowfever epidemic of 1879 his wife and their eldest child died, and shortly after he succumbed to the disease. He wrote: Advance and Retreat : Personal Experiences in the United States and Confederate States Armies (1880), and contributed to Battles and Leaders of the Civil War (Vol. IV., 1888), The Defence of Atlanta (p. 336, et seq.), and The Invasion of Tennessee (p. 425, et seq.) He died in New Orleans, La., Aug. 30, 1879.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Owingsville, (Bath County) Kentucky

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