Historians all await his answer.

I believe I told you the story of my new puppy.We left her alone one afternoon and she made her way into my office and climbed up on a chair. I was boning up on Franklin and had a pile of 5 or so books on the battle/campaign at the corner of the desk.Only one of the titles was mangled and that was the one penned by Sword.

On the weekend of June 27, 2009 I had one of my most rewarding and enjoyable Civil War experiences in Richmond when 20 members of the JBHHS toured 1862 Peninsula Campaign sites and the Battle of Gaines’ Mill. The study and celebration of Gen. Hood and his beloved Texas Brigade, on the anniversary day and time and on the very ground where these heroic men did heroic deeds, was educational and inspiring beyond description. No “hobby” or cause could be more rewarding.

Then there is the “Wiley Sword thing” which must be dealt with. Sword’s incomplete, misleading, distorted, and often slanderous portrayal of John Bell Hood has soiled not only Hood’s historical reputation, but contaminated and infected the history of the Army of Tennessee, the 1864 Tennessee Campaign, and the Battles of Spring Hill, Franklin and Nashville.

Unwilling to allow Civil War scholarship to evolve and mature, Sword will reappear out of nowhere to stoke the fires of resentment and ignorance. The Hoodophobic essay in his current book “Courage Under Fire” is his latest attempt to keep the history of the 1864 Tennessee Campaign in the dark ages.

With the Civil War sesquicentennial era upon us I yearn for the day when I can simply enjoy and gain inspiration in the study and celebration of Gen. Hood, his soldiers, his worthy opponents, and his battles and campaigns.

However, I will yield neither Gen. Hood’s well-earned honor nor the complete and accurate history of the 1864 Tennessee Campaign to Wiley Sword.

Way to go! You said it like it is man! I’ll be writing my thesis on Hood’s Tennessee Campaign and the Battle of Nashville, and will be examining all of the points Sam went over. My introduction, already written, discusses our friend Sword, the “artful dodger!” Let’s keep on fighting the good fight for historical accuracy and objective thinking! I was with you on last year’s JBHHS tour in Nashville.

The first one is a favorite of his critics and has been debated to death – the (in)famous Forrest flanking request. Time and distance were against JBH had he chosen to turn Bedford loose. And how convenient that those who advocate this option somehow neglect to mention the fact that Union General Wood (by noon of the 30th) was in position on the north side of the Harpeth to confront such a maneuver. Schofield’s army would have skedaddled to Nashville while this option was attempted and arrive basically intact. The losses they suffered at Franklin would have not occurred and the whole healthy kit and kaboodle would have joined Thomas behind the formidable works of Nashville.

And God help JBH had he delayed on the southern outskirts of Franklin to fight another day. While he is now criticized for his aggressiveness, he’d be painted a coward for saving his army to do so. Nashville (still) would not have fallen to him with Thomas, Schofield, etc. firmly entrenched behind those works.

It really bugs me that General Hood has been so severely judged by virtue of Swords speculation. There wouldn’t be a favorable reputation of any major general on either side if subjected to this kind of psuedo-history. Maybe we should suggest that Mr. Sword turn his attentions to Lee, Grant, both Johnston’s, Beauregard, Sherman and Sheridan, for example; surely he can find a record or two left by an obscure private to “prove” a theory or two.

The way I look at it, unless you’ve ever been in their shoes (and thousands of other American heroes) you’re in no position to second guess them. JBH took a tremendous gamble to attack at Franklin, he lost by a whisker; end of story!

Fish

Wiley Sword breaks every rule of historiography, and his deeply personal attacks on Gen. Hood’s honor and character crosses the line of human descency.

Furthermore, research by Eric Jacobson in his book “For Cause and For Country” uncovered major factual errors in Sword’s earlier book.

Mr. Sword should step forward and defend himself. I stand ready to debate him any time, any place, under any format. I will personally pay his expenses.

Thanks for bringing this matter to the forefront Dan.

Sam Hood
President, JBHHS