Confederate General Albert S. Johnston had the faith and confidence of Jefferson Davis. Johnston was a recognized general capable of handling the demands of high command. When he was appointed by President Davis, on;y Samuel Cooper held a higher rank in the Rebel army. Johnston was given command of the vast Western Department of the Confederate Army. This department stretched from the Appalachian Mountains to Arkansas. Later Confederate General Van Dorn would handle Arkansas.
When Confederate General Joseph Johnston refused to obey the orders of the Confederate Secretary of War, James Seddon, President Davis had every reason to relieve Johnston of duty. Despite the past disagreements with Johnston, and what would turn out to be future disagreements, President Davis did not fire Johnston. Instead, recognizing his good points, Davis tried to help him. He did so by exploring with him the possibility of a campaign into Kentucky.
In spite of victory, Confederate President Jefferson Davis decided to replace General Joseph E. Johnston with General John Bell Hood due to concerns about Johnston's cautious tactics and perceived lack of aggressiveness. Davis believed that Hood would adopt a more offensive approach and invigorate the Confederate Army. This decision was controversial and ultimately led to significant challenges for the Confederate forces in the later stages of the Civil War.
Confederate Jefferson Davis was surprised with the Confederate defeat at the Battle of Shiloh. Jefferson had been in contact with the now late Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston as they planned their concentration of troops on Union forces in Tennessee. Davis sent one of his aids, Colonel William Johnston to investigate what had happened in the aftermath of Shiloh and ask what plans the Confederate generals in the Western Theater had planned. Davis was seeking a way to recover lost Confederate territory. He sent Colonel Johnston, who happened to be the nephew of the fallen Confederate General Albert S. Johnston.
On July 17, 1864 President Jefferson Davis replaced General Joseph Johnston with General John Hood. US General William Sherman would now face General Bell and his name was familiar to Sherman. He asked one of Hood's classmates at West Point, General Schofield, about the abilities of Hood. Schofield's answer was not pleasing to Sherman in that the response was that Hood was a man of reckless courage.
Atlanta was an important city for the Confederacy to hold, and armies under the command of Union General William T. Sherman were pressing on towards that city. Jefferson Davis believed that General John B. Hood could do a more effective job then Johnston. Davis replaced Johnston on July 17, 1864.
Jefferson Davis first met Albert Sidney Johnston when they both attended Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky. This was a prestigious university at that time. Davis was two years behind Johnston. Each were soon to meet again as both men graduated from West Point.Later, Johnston would later be a Confederate general, and Davis the Confederate president.
After the fall of Vicksburg, Jefferson Davis was outraged at Confederate General Joe Johnston. Davis blamed Johnston for his failure to prevent the capture of Vicksburg. Davis issued to Johnston a fifteen page letter that accused him of interpreting orders to suit his own ideas and for making excuses as to why Vicksburg could not be saved. Johnston replied to Davis on each point of criticism.
When Confederate General Joseph Johnston refused to obey the orders of the Confederate Secretary of War, James Seddon, President Davis had every reason to relieve Johnston of duty. Despite the past disagreements with Johnston, and what would turn out to be future disagreements, President Davis did not fire Johnston. Instead, recognizing his good points, Davis tried to help him. He did so by exploring with him the possibility of a campaign into Kentucky.
In spite of victory, Confederate President Jefferson Davis decided to replace General Joseph E. Johnston with General John Bell Hood due to concerns about Johnston's cautious tactics and perceived lack of aggressiveness. Davis believed that Hood would adopt a more offensive approach and invigorate the Confederate Army. This decision was controversial and ultimately led to significant challenges for the Confederate forces in the later stages of the Civil War.
Confederate General Albert S. Johnston was given a difficult task by Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Johnston was to defend the West however, this area contained three rivers that the Union could use for invasion purposes. The land problem was that Johnston had to defend along the Louisville and Nashville railway line.
General Albert S. Johnston and Jefferson Davis had both attended Transylvania University and the US Military Academy together. Johnston resigned his US Army commission and arrived in Richmond on September 5, 1861. Five days later, Davis appointed his long time friend to command Confederate forces west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Confederate Jefferson Davis was surprised with the Confederate defeat at the Battle of Shiloh. Jefferson had been in contact with the now late Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston as they planned their concentration of troops on Union forces in Tennessee. Davis sent one of his aids, Colonel William Johnston to investigate what had happened in the aftermath of Shiloh and ask what plans the Confederate generals in the Western Theater had planned. Davis was seeking a way to recover lost Confederate territory. He sent Colonel Johnston, who happened to be the nephew of the fallen Confederate General Albert S. Johnston.
Confederate President Jefferson Davis believed that General Johnston was not adequate to turn back the advance of Union troops in Georgia in 1864. He therefore replaced him with General John Bell Hood to lead the Army of Tennessee.
On July 17, 1864 President Jefferson Davis replaced General Joseph Johnston with General John Hood. US General William Sherman would now face General Bell and his name was familiar to Sherman. He asked one of Hood's classmates at West Point, General Schofield, about the abilities of Hood. Schofield's answer was not pleasing to Sherman in that the response was that Hood was a man of reckless courage.
That was Joe Johnston's strategy when he commanded the Army of Tennessee. But it did not sound enough like the Confederate way of doing things, and President Jefferson Davis fired Johnston.
He led the Army of Tennessee to disaster. The Confederate President, Jefferson Davis, fired Joe Johnston and replaced him with Hood, because Hood was Jefferson's idea of a good Confederate, a real gung-ho fighter and leader. (Johnston's policy of minimising his casualties because the South was running out of manpower did not strike Davis as the Confederate thing to do.) Hood turned out quite wrong as an army commander, and squandered precious lives everywhere. His defeat by George Thomas at Nashville was the only decisive rout of a Confederate army.
Atlanta was an important city for the Confederacy to hold, and armies under the command of Union General William T. Sherman were pressing on towards that city. Jefferson Davis believed that General John B. Hood could do a more effective job then Johnston. Davis replaced Johnston on July 17, 1864.