Going to talk about the failure from the top down hoods disaster in tennessee. And that could be the narrative. The western theater of the american civil for the confederates. Failure from the top down. This is james kay jim kay. As we know him. Hes the former president and current board member of the battle of nashville. Theyre great partners with us. They just posted an event last night for our board. And he has been a civil war enthusiast since his youth and is today considered of the foremost historical authorities on the battle of nashville. While an attorney in nashville please dont hold that against him, james pursues his passion for history by contributing to and providing for a number of historical films and books. And were just excited to have him out here today to reinforce what brandon has just showed you about the mapping in the nashville area. Now were going to come up here, learn more about the military maneuvers led by John Bell Hood and his Confederate Army of tennessee. Jim, thanks for being here today. Welcome. Welcome everybody. Were going to blow through a lot of history in a short time. This, i hope is going to be entertainment for you. I may be taking sips, my cool vodka during, the presentation. Were which is water were gaining by cspan. So hello america and im sure that this will be one of my many that will ever prevent me from being a federal under any administration whatsoever. You know, we cant help how we were born. Im a native of nashville and a son of the south and a great, great grandson of confederacy. Its just my dna. Weve got people here from all over. You are the guts and, the backbone of the army. Youre important. Youre critical. This Great Organization could not do what it does without you. So thanks for coming and enjoy from tennessee. I hope you enjoy this speech. All right. I could name this a number of things. I chose because, you know, it was just came to mind. It could be how to destroy an army in 90 days. It also be a lesson on the great peter principle where you can ten you as americans do. And ive done it. We do it beautifully with our government. How to promote someone to their highest level of incompetency. Well, this is 18, 1864. And it happened. And were not going to go everything that it happened outside of atlanta. But it was bloody and tough. Joe johnson was a very popular person. And we at the top. Jefferson davis didnt like johnson. Hood was a john hood was a gallant commander on the Division Level and davis decided to replace him outside of atlanta against the objection of beauregard and braxton. Bragg was hoods biggest proponent. Now, how the hell braxton bragg, who may have the worst confederate general ever, and of lincoln, went through those disasters with his appointments as well. Hell, bragg was still around. Befuddles the mind, but he was still around. And davis made a point. But im a graduate of the washington, washington and Lee University law school, so robert e lee is near and dear to me. I dont know how he had to do with the appointment, but he was aware of what was going on and we dont know whether he made any attempts to stop it, who had served gallantly under him on a number of battles over the years and. Other confederate commanders who had had been, you know, in the tough up east, all the big engagements and as we know at gettysburg, he had a shattered left arm which became useless. But for whatever reason, davis was made the appointment of id heard had been schmoozing. Davis after his wounded chickamauga in 1863, where his right leg was amputated four inches below the hill. They didnt think he was going to live. Hood was in the social circles in richmond. Hood was a schmoozer, and he was going after this point. And davis made it. Bruce catton once said this was the biggest mistake of the war, and davis probably realized that 90 days later, good picture of hood. We know a lot. Him born in 1831, bryans was him in friends. He was known as sam at the United States military Academy Graduate 1853, graduated 44th out of 52. He was a good guy, a party guy and had 196 out of 200 possible demerits senior year almost didnt. After fighting it. Seven days. Gettysburg heard all the engagements there the catastrophic wounds at gettysburg and chickamauga really took a toll on him. And at age 33, he was promoted. The youngest person in either army to be promoted to a full command. And gallup. Tough problem billy. A great commander on the Division Level. But we found out quickly that he was not a great commander of a big army. So what happens . John johnson gives up atlanta. Hood comes in. Who is going to try to draw sherman out of atlanta . Curtis supply line. Shermans said, we can live off the land. And he did it. And he takes off to savannah, georgia. Hood then meanders over decatur and. Beauregard, whos kind of watching over him. They hate each other, who not reporting regularly to beauregard, doesnt tell him his strategy, but devises with davis, a a plan i use that roughly because it was in a plan. He didnt have a plan. He was just going to go north. And he went from gas analysis to cater boy. Six days here, baltimore time re. And he three weeks in november of 1864 befo he can get going to nashville. So he takes off bad start happening immeatelyhe army is proud to be coming in to tennessee. Ey feel li theyve got a hope being a graduate of auburn though the truth is weve bn down to alabama many times, year after year after, year, except when tuberville was our coach. Its 42o in the Fourth Quarter and got to do something because. Things are not gng well. Lee was in trouble at petersburg. Bad things were ppening in virginia, so they devised a plan. Who knows . Is it to take nashville and go cincinnati and then up with lee . Ve know. But the plan was, lets go on up to tnessee. Bad things start happening immediately. Alofou know about the debacle that spring hill hoods fault. Mae eadles fault, too. They have schofield surrounded and he gets away the middle of the night. A disaster. And what does hood do next . The next day, he comes up to franklin against the advice of his commanders, makes an open charge with no artillery. Over two miles of open fields. And its one of the biggest disasters of the civil war, right down the street, stanley horns said it best, the biggest charge of gettysburg has come to be a synonym for unflinching courage in the war. The slaughter painted right in front, deserves more good glory, honor. And when the confederates woke, theyd been fighting a defense of battles all the way down to atlanta from good earthworks. They were promised that by who they would continue. But hood had napoleonic syndrome. And that is mash your forces and break them in half. And when the guys right down the street woke up the after the battle of franklin, they were sick to their stomachs. Their spirit was gone. It was crushed, demoralized, seeing their friends stacked. Six, eight, ten, 12 high in trenches south of town with blood, six, eight inches deep. The wounded nobody in town to help it was game over. Who, though, really didnt know what was going on . He he you know napoleon said at one time the spirit of the cause, a direct reflection of their belief in the mirror of the mirror of the leaders who had was although young at 33, think about a 33 Year Old Army general. You know, all of these guys, kids, by our standards, look around. Were old in this room, young people. The hood cant going and they start passing. The Beautiful Homes surrounding nashville. Heres travelers grass where he made his headquarters. Lots of food, lots of fun, lots of parties anything you nee to go buy the compton house on hillsboro road. They go by going on franklin road, where stephen makes his headquarte. They go by compton house in burton hills, which was torn down by the developer in 1985 to get another quarter lot. They go by the bradford house, which was the scene of terrible fighting. On the second day they go by bell made. And they look out from the trenches and see an alicia macklins home, the wealthiest lady in tennessee, probably in south. She inherited from her second husband, 8700 acres here, 50,000 acres in texas. Louisiana stocks, bonds 750 slaves married three times, died on a shopping trip in new york in 1887. Belmont was her summer home, had a zoo and gardens. It was part of the outer line. Brandon hewlett talked about, and it was thomas woods headquarters. Some of the roads in nashville were good, but lo and behold, pat thomas is in nashville. Thomas had his problems with grant, but he was shermans most trusted subordinate and sherman sent him to nashville to get nashville, ready for the fight. As brian had told you in the previous speech nashville was the third most fortified city in the United States, d. C. And richmond. I say ten or 11 miles of trenches around nashville, impregnable to assault. Who knew this from spies . But hearing it and seeing it are two different things. We all have that in life. You can be told something and told something and not believe it. But when you see it, you know, and the confederates after the disaster at franklin immediately marched to nashville and they were on the high ground south of nashville. They realize we dont have enough people. Theyre cold, staing, 3500 dont have shoes, nothing to eat there in rags. Theyre filthy. And the morale of the team is at rock bottom. So what do these guys see working. They see all of these forts around nashville. And look at this. This is the old city of nashville. Look at these lines going from river to river with over 20 batteries and, fords on these lines, inner line of encouragement and an outer line on the track with all of the high ground taking and the confederates in the trenches, see this path. Every bridge is 4 to 5. Where are you . This this is part of fort negley. These guys can see it with the naked eye from there, entrenchment sees gun range a mile and a half, two miles. They they can see with their binoculars. Well, they can see the naked eye, the capital with e binoculars. Oh, my gosh. Weve got cannon at the capitol to. Capitol was the focus point of nashville at the time. And you can see it right here in this picture. The feds at four neighbor, you can the rebels and the rebels can see the fort and theyre looking big guns. Unarmed struck in view of nash bill looking south from the federal forts the confederate see the railroads coming in every day they could see fort negley an old picture that brannon showed you previously staggering size. Fort. Nashville was a slime town by that time, the United States soldiers had in commandeered everything they wanted. You had to pick your side if you picked the wrong side. Things were tough on you. That being for the south with this came in drinking gambling prior restitution. Here was one of the powers of the prosecution which ironically now is next door to my law office where ive been for 35 years. Yeah, another picture to show you. This is the us infringements during the battle. Got some pictures. Youre in the battle. This is an interesting one. Notice that every tree virtually has been cut down within three or four miles of nashville. These are scarred earthworks, no trees, mud. And its probably the picture showed you notice here as well, no trees anywhere here. Look at all the stones. Theyre here that by the us trenches, every tree been cut down. Well, general hood, he digs in and decides his front line. Not good enough. I dont know. Whatever. He didnt like it. But they spend eight days digging in with front line and then abruptly move it on december 10th because they needed firewood. Thatas his first of many days. Asters here on december 9th. The ice storm here is dember 11th. Some people say it was ten below zero. Grant was fuming and had already fired on thomas who was in the saint cloud hotel, which is one of the great things about the battle of nashville i think it may be the only battle where the head commander is staying a hotel at night and goes out with the staff the next day to the battlefield. Grant was sick thomas not attacking he had issued orders the cable they got held up some on purpose some not. Grant is about to get on a train to come down to nashville and fire thomas hood is still building forts on the morning of the battle his entire life flank on the hillsboro road consist of five readouts. Most of them had four guns in them. One read out, five had two. He would lose all those guns on the next day. This is a painting by rick reeves and read out number four december the 15th, 1864, and his entitled the darkest of all decembers. Oh, the confederates find theres a navy too. Theyve got a fight did pretty well against navy until they started lobbing 30 pounds shells two miles over on top of the cavalry on the left, flying theyre looking at fort negley as negley today looking downtown. Look again, no trees anywhere on the lot of battle. Im going the wrong way, people. No, im not. Oh, the confederates also can see the steamers coming in with supplies. The river. This is every bad possible thing you could if you were in those earthworks. Cold, miserable, distraught. No food, no clothes. You hate your general for what hes done to you two weeks before hes got all your buddies killed, and theyre watching the supply of boats come in daily. You cant see this. This is from Mark Zimmermans book, the do you know about the cargo one steamer drawn for transport . You bought 530 pounds of cargo that is the equivalent of 125 Railroad Cars or the equivalent of hundred and 50 wagons full side by side. So amount of cargo, munitions thats coming in is staggering. The confederates are ordered not to shoot a single bullet unless they have to preserve the mission. The soldiers from the confederacy see the railroads coming in to. Youve been in downtown nashville. This is the gold area. Unrecognized, civil from 1864. The supply depot was stretched for blocks and in nashville, remember everything coming south for sherman and the Atlanta Campaign had to come through war material and crew. Another deeper. The battle of nashville is interesting. A lot of civilians watched it. Some shirkers, other civilians and they get photographed in the same theres one or and you can see some of these people have military uniforms now they were on probably being in or a line below. Look theyre on the hill and theyre looking out in the distance watching the bad. Now, what pps in the battle itself. Look at all the us lines, interior line, the out le, who is so worried about whos right over here. And of course,er fal error that he d, n, 12, 14 days beforehand sends force to murfreesboro. Force just went down there, but he sent his best officer. Iss like your number one quarterbk an you send him on a paid vacation the week before super bowl absolute but he did. And the u. S. Armyomes out of nashville. Who did thanks to the attack. Hes going to be on his right acally, it comes from west, at least. And the confederates have one, two, three, four, five expos route out in present day, bring hail all of these guns are captured and the entire west one great band has to go back back three quarters of a mile to a mile re entrenched for the next verified over on the right who has a better day theexs slaughter some from the federal side two of those the very thing the usdp proved to were en trained properly. First time in combat it had to commanders who failed to ascertain the confederate defenses and tk eir man right intohot to piece. But all in the first day of the battle is the confederate disaster. It is war zone. The second day and on the morning of december 16th, hood issues an order to all of his commanders. The starts with should disaster strike today okay man he knows and the guys know and they had bad lives before. And on the left, why they woke in the morning and they had bad lives again. So they reform hears first day of fighting they reform for georgia hill north of here going due west to charlottesville and around the crest of a hill going just south. As the day progressed to the us are hillary poles are not axes confederate guns the pieces and the us calvary under james wilson 27 year old brash but hes one of the heroes of the battle of nashville. They get all the way around the Confederate Army in the hard hill south of nashville, and the guys on shot were with confidence. It all at the time was called charlottesville. Now they realize we are in big trouble. And they describe it as being in the toe of a sock and its correct youre surrounded three sides by the opposing army and count cavalry these guys all day parade in the dark there there wouldnt be attack but the attack. Aj smith about 4 p. M. John regards there were sitting on a wall and he sahobad the confederate lions were. He was right or here and he decides that he is going to make an attack. The confederate one, the engineers blew it and they mark the trenches, not on the military crest of the hill, but on the crest of the hill. The hill. So, steve, now you cant see anybody coming up the hill be children 20 yards away. And better to wake up the next morning, realize its a disaster. A very bad line for and there is an angle where the line almost a 90 degree angle which you never have under good battlefield tack macarthur saw that and without orders an attack on Parliament Hill i believe today had not ordered that attack. The entire Confederate Army would have captured the next day, but he did and he said the miniseries and the others forward forward the confederates are surrounded by one side wse three sides with calvary all the way over here andut of 1650 people lone shots. Hill 50, 67, the 80 zero one the panic. Then the confederate line spread to do is and the United States troop begin marching down the line cch the confederates on their fly but over on the far right stephen lee and his group of people fought gallantly. And as line was breaking the head soldiers coming out from the north and the west, they could see themomg. Lee grabbed the flag with. His battle group jumped bo walls on. Franklin road went right into the melee and said, for gods sakes, this is the place for brave men to die. And it was an electric effect. Gibsons and holtzclaw brigade were able to form a hollow that you know you iis related bars would say the is about to h the fanhen go to a hollow square youre trouble but it was way that he left his wife why alive dested officer having a medical issue and i just supposed to administer mr. Anderson with the Christian Anderson you know okay sir. No, im having a medical issue, too, the america. But well get through it. Heres the famous charge of the minnesota brigade that