John Bell Hood

John Bell Hood ( born June 1, 1831 in Owingsville, Bath County, Kentucky; † August 30, 1879 in New Orleans, Louisiana) was until 1861 an officer in the U.S. Army and then a general in the Confederate army.

Life

Hood was the doctor's son John W. Hood and Theodosia French Hood. He was the cousin of Confederate General Gustavus Woodson Smith and Nephew of Congressman Richard French. The latter prompted the appeal Hoods at the Military Academy at West Point, New York, from which he graduated in 1853 as 44th in his class. His vintage comrades were the later U.S. generals James B. McPherson and John McAllister Schofield, his artillery instructor was George Henry Thomas. Hood was a lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Infantry Regiment and later the 2nd U.S. Cavalry Regiment in Texas - deputy regiment commander Robert Edward Lee - offset.

With only 33 years, Hood youngest General of the Confederacy.

He was, inter alia, participating in the battles: Peninsula Campaign, Seven Days Battle, Second Battle of Bull Run, Battle of Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg - here his left arm was crippled, he live long could not move - battle of Chickamauga - here he lost his right leg, the amputation he survived only by luck - Atlanta campaign, Franklin and the Battle of Nashville. The last two battles earned him the nickname Widowmaker ( Widow Maker). He died totally impoverished on August 30, 1879 Yellow fever in New Orleans, leaving ten children.