AoT Supply post Atlanta?

[DougCooper]

Comrades - was re-reading several sources about Hood's decision to abandon Atlanta and having to destroy any supplies that could not be carried away. That got me thinking about our preparation for Franklin 140. Has anyone read anything that mentions an issue of uniforms and/or equipment to the troops from the stocks on hand in Atlanta just before abandoning the city? It would seem prudent, since to leave them behind would mean their destruction or capture, unless the QM's were able to send the uniforms and equipment ahead into Alabama or down to Columbus.

We all have seen some hard and lots of anecdotal evidence of the poor condition of the troops by Nashville, but how well equipped were they when they left Atlanta?

thoughts?

[reb1912]

Re: AoT Supply post Atlanta?

hello,

As an AOT Confederate reenacter, it allways brings tears into my eyes, when discussing Hood's Atlanta- and Tennessee Campaign. Picketts charge was nothing compared to the slaughter at Franklin!

I wouldn't say that the AOT was well equipped after the Atlanta campaign. But before, in the months up to Atlanta they were in a pretty good shape. Good ol' Uncle Joe did fairly well, supplying the army new shoes and clothes.

AOT being on a virtually fighting retreat from Peachtree Creek to Jonesboro and blowing up 81 railroad cars of ammunition and several military stores, wouldn't leave much to in the hands and on th ebacks of the fighting men. And since Hood rarely communicated with Beuregard who was supposed to help him with establishing depot along the campaign trail, Hood couldn't really get resupplied except from foraging (and the land was pretty used up by foraging at this time by both armies) because he (Hood) kept changing depot locations so fast that Beuregard wasn't able to apply to this change.
The men nearly sacked Columbia after the flanking manuvre was discovered by the federals and they abondend the city.

Now I won't talk about the blunder at Spring Hill, but I really feel proud of and sorry for those boys who lined up in battle outside of Franklin November 30, 1864. The AOT died that day......

I wouldn't carry and overexcessive amount of gear with me, and the gear and clothes i would bring would not be in the best condition.
Unfortunately I'm not going since I live overseas and my wedding is the same weekend...(hope thats not an omen) :cry_smile

[LWhite64]

Re: AoT Supply post Atlanta?

Doug,

Besides the poor tactical ability, Hood had nearly zero logistical ability. During the siege of Atlanta he orders the able bodied men in the Macon Arsenal to report for combat duty, then shortly after there is a drastic change in the ammount of ammo being produced and he doesnt seem to understand why. To answer the main question though, No, they do not issue out clothing to the army in any appreciable amount before setting fire to the store houses. They also didnt seem to issue it out to the men before hand either, there are inspection reports for the AOT in August of 1864 and they show the sad state the army is in, especially the officers, who are generally described as being in tatters or nearly naked. As the Tennessee Campaign began, Hood went through North Georgia and managed to capture the mainly USCT garrison at Dalton, a few days later the officers were exchanged near my home at Villanow, one of them would write for the Cincinnati Commercial on October 25th, 1864;
"Their elation over the fancied fatal trick upon Sherman relieved the fierceness of their conduct towards our prisioners; but a deep seated indignant hatred was never invisible. They were ragged and thinly clad, having as a general thing, only pantaloons, shirt, and hat in their inventory of clothing, the first too greasy and tattered, the last shocking affairs in multitudinous variety. As a general thing they were tolerably well shod, though in Stewart's divisions one of our officers counted over three hundred barefooted privates-Not more than one in ten had blankets, and much suffering mush have ensued through the keen frosty nights now prevailing. Their marches were conducted in three parrallel columns, moving rapidly, and compactly and without straggling. Three hours, from four to seven, A.M., on the morning referred to, were occupied in passing a given point by these three columns.
In the line distinction as to apparel, between the officers and the men, was nearly obliterated. Regimental discipline seemed loose, and privates appeared to comment upon the commands of their immediate officers with an unction and broadness of diction which was always been native to the taste and instinct of the highly polished, intelligent, and asthetick lower orders of the South, surnamed the sunny....."
The account goes on to descibed a number of the generals in the AOT, and I can post those if anyone is interested.

[reb1912]

Re: AoT Supply post Atlanta?

Doug,

Besides the poor tactical ability, Hood had nearly zero logistical ability. During the siege of Atlanta he orders the able bodied men in the Macon Arsenal to report for combat duty, then shortly after there is a drastic change in the ammount of ammo being produced and he doesnt seem to understand why. To answer the main question though, No, they do not issue out clothing to the army in any appreciable amount before setting fire to the store houses. They also didnt seem to issue it out to the men before hand either, there are inspection reports for the AOT in August of 1864 and they show the sad state the army is in, especially the officers, who are generally described as being in tatters or nearly naked. As the Tennessee Campaign began, Hood went through North Georgia and managed to capture the mainly USCT garrison at Dalton, a few days later the officers were exchanged near my home at Villanow, one of them would write for the Cincinnati Commercial on October 25th, 1864;
"Their elation over the fancied fatal trick upon Sherman relieved the fierceness of their conduct towards our prisioners; but a deep seated indignant hatred was never invisible. They were ragged and thinly clad, having as a general thing, only pantaloons, shirt, and hat in their inventory of clothing, the first too greasy and tattered, the last shocking affairs in multitudinous variety. As a general thing they were tolerably well shod, though in Stewart's divisions one of our officers counted over three hundred barefooted privates-Not more than one in ten had blankets, and much suffering mush have ensued through the keen frosty nights now prevailing. Their marches were conducted in three parrallel columns, moving rapidly, and compactly and without straggling. Three hours, from four to seven, A.M., on the morning referred to, were occupied in passing a given point by these three columns.
In the line distinction as to apparel, between the officers and the men, was nearly obliterated. Regimental discipline seemed loose, and privates appeared to comment upon the commands of their immediate officers with an unction and broadness of diction which was always been native to the taste and instinct of the highly polished, intelligent, and asthetick lower orders of the South, surnamed the sunny....."
The account goes on to descibed a number of the generals in the AOT, and I can post those if anyone is interested.

I would be interested...

[Tom Ezell]

Re: AoT Supply post Atlanta?

Lee hit it pretty closely. The AoT got little out of Atlanta except a good licking.

After Hood's move north, and Sherman's pursuit up past Allatoona, the AoT moved over into NE Alabama to try and stock up supplies for the campaign into Tennessee. There seems to have been at least some clothing issues to Cleburne's Division while they were at Demopolis from Confederate stocks in Alabama, but I haven't been able to get many details just yet.

tom

[DougCooper]

Re: AoT Supply post Atlanta?

Lee - I remember that quote, but only the part you mention - would be very interested in the rest. Thanks! We always think of Hood being out of his element above division command for combat leadership...but lack of logistic expertise may have been even more critical - good point. Do you see any evidence that he counted on things happening so fast that he did not concern himself with such things...or did he just plan on capturing everything he would need?

[LWhite64]

Re: AoT Supply post Atlanta?

I would be interested...

Alright, this is a continuation of the article I posted above. "Hood isa thin, stooping man, with a physical tournure, embellished by a wooden leg and a wilted arm. My information dwelt upon the dreary, wearied, baleful expression of his gray eyes- lack lustre, unspeculative orbs, that tell of overwrought nerves, sleepless nights, and settled rualaucholy. His speech is slow, and marked by courteous gravity. 'He could never smile." I am told, "without a facial revolution.'
The General was well mounted, and was closely followed by an orderly bearing his crutch. The salient features of his dress were a slouch hat, and an enveloping gray coat, lined with flaming red.
Cheatham is robust, florid, and together with his staff, is better dressed than other generals-that is, his uniform was probably donned last spring-Cleburne looks as Irish as Sir. Patrick O'Plenipo, but talks without Hibernian accent. A faded cap, not over large, was held on his head by a band being reversed, and taking a reef around the malevolent organs-including amativeness-at the back of the head. In fact, so peaked and largely developed is that portion of Pat Cleburne's skull opposite his pronounced snuff tray, that those who first see him for the first time reckon it his most appreciable and frappant physical point. His division, by the way, seemed very anxious to assault the fort at Dalton, and would have formed the storming column. Then the garrison marched out the Cleburnes could hardly be restrained from firing at the 'damned white niggers,' as they termed the officers of the garrison.
Bate, not saying it for the sake of alliteration, is a brute- a gaunt, stooping, shabby party, of dark complexion, and lowering aspect...."

[roundshot]

Re: AoT Supply post Atlanta?

Arthur M. Manigault in "A Carolinian Goes to War" notes that after abandoning Atlanta: "the troops went into regular encampments . . . and immediate and active steps were taken to supply an adequate amount of equipment, shoes, clothing, and the like." (p. 252) Later, speaking of the move into Tennessee, he remarked: "Although some issues of clothing had been made, still the men, barring their arms and ammunition, were not in a condition to take the field. It had been found impossible to furnish shoes, uniforms, or blankets to all that wanted them." (p. 277)

A footnote in Larry Daniel's "Soldiering in the AOT" indicates that during the 3rd & 4th quarters of 1864 the AOT was issued 45,412 jackets, 102,864 pairs of pants, 102558 pairs of shoes, 108,937 pairs of drawers, 27,000 blankets, 45,853 hats, 61,860 cotton shirts, and 55,560 pairs of socks. (p. 175, note 34).

Bob Williams
Reilly's NC Battery

[1stMaine]

Re: AoT Supply post Atlanta?

Comrades,

It's all too easy to say that Hood was incompetant, or our of his element, or whatever, and blame him solely for the problems that befell the AOT after he took command. Personally, I believe the problem to be systemic in the Confederacy, that is, it was a failure of the political as well as the military chain of command, from the President on down.
No one can deny that Hood was a physical wreck. The loss of a leg and the use of an arm would be a huge hurdle for anyone to overcome. Adding to that the burden of command and of an ad-hoc staff system and the failure of the individual psyche as well as the body is nigh insurmountable.
Hood was as much a victim as the rest of the AOT. His physical ailments were treated with large amounts of painkillers and he had to be strapped into the saddle. Why no other General Officer, let alone his physician came forward to try and address his competancy for the sake of the Army is mysitfying. We can argue respect for the chain of command, or of a soldier's honor, or whatever other excuse we want, but the fact remains that those around him could see the damge being done to him, and the damage he was causing to the AOT and no one stepped up.
To this must be added a large portion of blame to the shoulders of Davis for releiving Joe Johnston in the first place. To place that sort of personal political decision above the good of the Army itself is a very good example of why the South lost in the first place. To the epitaph of "Died of Democracy" could be added "...And Politics".
I know it's easy to look back on things and say waht should have been done, but their WERE those writing at the time who KNEW what needed to be done, and none of them came forward and said it aloud.
Hood takes the blame for the "die katastrophe von 1864", but it is a blame that should be shared in large portions with a good deal of those both around him, and above him.
Respects,

[markj]

Re: AoT Supply post Atlanta?

Well, here's one "expert opinion" on how the Confederates looked at Franklin. The following comes from a lengthy interview that none other than General George D. Wagner gave to the Indianapolis "Daily Journal" about the Franklin fight. This was published in its 16 December 1864 edition:

"The rebels, he [Wagner] says, are generally quite well equipped, with good clothing, and in good health; they form a splendid body of men.--"

Given that Wagner had no reason to lie (he was in enough trouble after his exposed troops got overrun in the opening stages of the battle), his description of the Confederates hardly sounds like a bunch of "ragged rebels"....

I will be transcribing the entire interview probably today. If anyone is interested, let me know and I'll post it on the forum.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger
markj@purdue.edu

[UnionMan]

Re: AoT Supply post Atlanta?

Just last night I was watching tape 8 of Ken Burn's "The Civil War," "War is All Hell." In that episode it was mentioned that the State of Georgia refused to open its uniform and equipment stores to Hood's Army in acticipation of the fall of Atlanta, and that Georgia's governer even threatened to secede from the Confederacy. In other words, the problem really seemed to be systemic.

States Rights became a theory that proved faulty to the end.

Sorry I cannot provide you with a printed reference, but the documentary indicates that vast stores of equipment were destroyed rather than issued outside of the State of Georgia.

-Tad

Well, here's one "expert opinion" on how the Confederates looked at Franklin. The following comes from a lengthy interview that none other than General George D. Wagner gave to the Indianapolis "Daily Journal" about the Franklin fight. This was published in its 16 December 1864 edition:

"The rebels, he [Wagner] says, are generally quite well equipped, with good clothing, and in good health; they form a splendid body of men.--"

Given that Wagner had no reason to lie (he was in enough trouble after his exposed troops got overrun in the opening stages of the battle), his description of the Confederates hardly sounds like a bunch of "ragged rebels"....

I will be transcribing the entire interview probably today. If anyone is interested, let me know and I'll post it on the forum.

Regards,

Mark Jaeger
markj@purdue.edu

[reb1912]

Re: AoT Supply post Atlanta?

Alright, this is a continuation of the article I posted above. "Hood isa thin, stooping man, with a physical tournure, embellished by a wooden leg and a wilted arm. My information dwelt upon the dreary, wearied, baleful expression of his gray eyes- lack lustre, unspeculative orbs, that tell of overwrought nerves, sleepless nights, and settled rualaucholy. His speech is slow, and marked by courteous gravity. 'He could never smile." I am told, "without a facial revolution.'
The General was well mounted, and was closely followed by an orderly bearing his crutch. The salient features of his dress were a slouch hat, and an enveloping gray coat, lined with flaming red.
Cheatham is robust, florid, and together with his staff, is better dressed than other generals-that is, his uniform was probably donned last spring-Cleburne looks as Irish as Sir. Patrick O'Plenipo, but talks without Hibernian accent. A faded cap, not over large, was held on his head by a band being reversed, and taking a reef around the malevolent organs-including amativeness-at the back of the head. In fact, so peaked and largely developed is that portion of Pat Cleburne's skull opposite his pronounced snuff tray, that those who first see him for the first time reckon it his most appreciable and frappant physical point. His division, by the way, seemed very anxious to assault the fort at Dalton, and would have formed the storming column. Then the garrison marched out the Cleburnes could hardly be restrained from firing at the 'damned white niggers,' as they termed the officers of the garrison.
Bate, not saying it for the sake of alliteration, is a brute- a gaunt, stooping, shabby party, of dark complexion, and lowering aspect...."

Thank you. A most vivid description of Hood. And Cleburne.."his pronounced snuff tray"

[Roy Queen]

Re: AoT Supply post Atlanta?

Here is what I've learned while researching some Confederate ancestors:

Pvt. A. J. Hughes, of Co. B 65th Georgia Infantry on 26 November 1864 while a patient at a hospital in Cuthbert, GA received an issue of one jacket, one pair of pants, and one pair of socks. Cuthbert is if I am not mistaken on the southwest portion of Georgia, nowhere near Atlanta.

Lt. E.L. Nicholson, of the 11th Georgia Cavalry Regiment received an issue of clothing on 30 September 1864. Since the 11th Georgia Cavalry (formerly known as the 30th GA Cavalry Battalion) spent some time in Athens, GA, I strongly believe this issue of clothing came from the Athens supply center.

The million dollar question would be: what style of jacket would have been issued at Cuthbert, and Athens?

Roy Queen

[Jeff Dugdale]

Re: AoT Supply post Atlanta?

This subject has been discussed on this forum several times before with no satisfactory conclusion.I,for one,feel that the Army of Tennessee were generally well clothed during the Franklin/Nashville battles.