On today's date in 1865, Hood officially was relieved of command, and he departed the Army of Tennessee for Richmond, having commanded it for a disastorous 6 months. He addressed his troops in a farewell message:
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| Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood |
Soldiers: At my request I have this day been relieved from the command of this army. In taking leave of you accept my thanks for the patience with which you have endured your many hardships during the recent campaign. I am alone responsible for its conception, and strived hard to do my duty in its execution. I urge upon you the importance of giving your entire support to the distinguished soldier who now assumes command, and I shall look with deepest interest upon all your future operations and rejoice at your successes.J. B. Hood, General
Few of his men were sorry to see him go.
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| Lt. Gen. Richard Taylor |
Lt. Gen. Richard Taylor, son of former U.S. President Zachary Taylor and brother-in-law of C.S.A. President Jefferson Davis, was named successor to Hood as commander of the remnants of the Army of Tennessee. After looking to the immediate care and reequipping of the shattered troops assigned to him, his primary role was organizing the transfer of the units—including Great Grandfather's 32nd Mississippi Infantry Regiment—to North Carolina, once again to oppose Sherman. This operation was under way by January 19th.
After the war, Taylor was active in Democratic party politics in Louisiana, opposing the policy of Northern Reconstruction. He also interceded for Jefferson Davis after the demise of the Confederate States. In 1879, a week before his death, Taylor's memoir of the war, Destruction and Reconstruction, was published. His book continues to retain its status among the acclaimed accounts of the American Civil War.
Sources: Advance and Retreat, John B. Hood; Military History of Mississippi, 1803-1898, Dunbar Rowland; Official Records, Vol. 45, Pt. 2
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