The fighting 269The Confederacy could not afford to lose
Atlanta, and Davis had to act. He needed
assurance from Johnston that he would hold
the city, 'I wish to hear from you as to
present situation,' telegraphed Davis, and
your plans of operation so specifically as willJohn Bell Hood gained early acclaim as commander of
Hood's Texas Brigade and for his breakthrough at
Chickamauga. He commanded a corps throughout the
Atlanta campaign, and he replaced Joe Johnston outside
Atlanta. Davis assigned him to command because he would
fight and Hood did just that but he still lost Atlanta. He was
also defeated at Franklin and Nashville. (George S. Cook)
A year after the war, George N. Barnard snapped this
photograph of Kennesaw Mountain and the remains of
some field works. Sherman thought the Confederates
had stretched their lines too thin and ordered an assault
up the slope. The Rebels repulsed the attack and inflicted
heavy losses. (Library of Congress)enable me to anticipate events.' In reply,
Johnston insisted, 'As the enemy has double
our number, we must be on the defensive.
My plan of operations must, therefore,
depend on that of the enemy. It is mainly to
watch for an opportunity to fight to
advantage.' He then expressed a hope to
employ the Georgia militia in the Atlanta
defenses, to free up his army for movements.
That was the last straw. Davis needed to
hear that he would defend the city and
that he had a plan of action. Johnston
offered neither. The next evening, 17 July,
Davis removed Johnston and placed Hood
in command.
By all accounts, Hood was an aggressive
fighter. Personally courageous, he fought in
the front and suffered the consequences. A
ball had shattered his arm at Gettysburg, and
he suffered the amputation of his leg from a
wound at Chickamauga, which impaired his
ability to move about and afflicted him with