Transcripts For CSPAN3 The 20240703

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 u that roughly because it was in a plan. Dnt have a plan. He was just gointoo north. And he went from gas analysis to cater boy. Six days here, baltimore time here. And he three weeks in november of 1864 before he can get goi to nashville. Soe takes off bad start happening immediately the army isroud to be coming in to tennessee. They feel like theyve got a hope being a graduate of aubur though the truth is weve been down to aba many times, year after year after, year, except when tuberville was our coach. Its 42 to 18 in the fourth quarterndot to do something because. Things are not going well. Lee s in trouble at petersburg. Bad things were happening in virginia, so they vised a plan. Who knows . Is it to take nashville and go to cincinnati and then up with lee . Never kno but the plan was, lets go on up to tennessee. Bathings start happening immediately. All of you know about the decle that spring hill hoods fault. Maybe cheadles fault,oo 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 need to go buy the compton house on hillsboro road. They go by going on franklin road, where stephen makes his headquarters. 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, starving, 3500 nt haveho, nothing to eat there in rags. Theyre filthy. Anthmorale of the team is at rock bottom. Sohat 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 the 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. That was his first of many days. Asters here on december 9th. The ice storm here is december 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 nightnd 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 ptographed 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 happens in the battle itself. Look at all the us lines, interior line, the outer line, who o rried about whos right over here. And of course, another fatal erroth he did, ten, 12, 14 ys beforehand sends force to murfreesboro. Force just went dn ere, but he sent his best officer. This is like your number one quarterback in an you send him on a paivation the week before super bowl absolute but he did. And the u. S. Army comes out of nashville. Who did thanks to the attack. Hes going to be on his right, actually, it comes frowe, at least. And the confederates have one, two, three, four, five exposed route out in present day, bring hail and all of the ns are captured and the entire west one great band has to go back back three quarte oa mile to a mile re entrenched for the next verified over on the right who has a better day the texans ghter some from the federal side two of those the very thing the usdp proved to were not been traid properly. First time in combat it had to commanders who failed to ascertain the confederate defenses and took their man t into a complete trap and got gotten shot 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 attacbut the attack. Aj smith about 4 p. M. John regards there were sitting on a wall and he saw how bad the confederate lions were. He was right over here and he decides thate goingo 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 whose three sis with calvary all the way over here and out of 1650 ople lone sho. Hill 50, 67, the0 zero one the panic. Then the confederate line spread to do is and the United States troop begin marching down the line catch the confederates on their fly but over on the far right sphen lee and his group of people fought gallantly. And as line was breaking e head solers coming out from the north and the west, they could see them coming. Lee grabbed the flag with. His battle group jumped both walls on. Franklin road went right into e melee and said, for gods sakes, this is the place for brave men to die. And it was an electr effect. Gibsons and hozclaw brigade were able to form a hollow that you know youre in iselated bars would say the is about to hit the fan when go to a hollow square youre trouble but it was way that he left his wife why alive deserted officer having a medical issuend 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 is in the capitol in minnesota. Here is whats now called charlottesville. The background here it is from 1870. And this has become one of the most notable landmark bars in nashville. The battle of nashville trust owns preserves. The important parts of it. Were really of that. Tom. Ben smith was commander on that hill. He was captured, struck over the head by colonel mcmillan two or three times. His brain oozing out. He said, im a prisoner of war. They didnt care. And he lived until the 1920s. And died in an insane asylum here in nashville, outlived virtually everybody. Those are whats interesting about this . What did he do . Opposed to war when he was having all of his issues from brain damage . He ran for . What else do you do . He didnt get elected. I mean, every child. Beautiful, arent they . This one, colonel bill shive gave his life on that hill, which still bears his name today. An interesting thing happened about colonel shy. He was buried in franklin and in 1977, the owners of the where he was buried called the Sheriffs Department and they found the body halfway in showers, the front lawn police Sheriffs Department came out in determined that it was a murder and they sent brought dr. Bill bash down here, the university of tennessee, who was just starting the body farm underneath land stadium in tennessee to study decomposing bodies, crime scenes and murders. Dr. Bash estimates that the victim had been dead 6 to 9 months, took what was left . A colonel shot back to knoxville, did some other things, and then came out in a report and said, well, i got the high way and sex correct, but i missed the date of death by 150 years. And it was shot who they determined was probably on his knees and shot at three feet in a downward with a 58 caliber. Yeah. Well, the battle is a disaster sure, but it doesnt end with the collapse of the Confederate Army because just south of the mainland, palmer, mrs. Wilson and 4000 cavalry abounded in this to get over and behind the Confederate Army to capture them and in the end, it once and for all. And what happened . Wilson thunders down very wide five at the front of the original country club and runs in the end, rocker and his tennessee forces, he put a barricade across the road. Theres a fight in the dark and. Rucker is captured, wounded, captured and sent to nashville the next day to have his arm. But it was accomplished because the bed calvary were going to pay a lot left here of a road that existed now and today. Maryland way, not far north of here. And he did his job to stop the cavalry attack. So what nashville stanley horn decide said in 1954 is the most decisive battle on the civil war. Yes, true. What else is it . The only battle that the confederates threw down the rifles. A lot of them, and ran as fast as they could get. Yes. Was it is a total disaster for hood. Yes. What did it do in the west . It essentially ended the fighting or so who is thought. Because after nashville all the us cavalry pursued the Confederate Army the way to the Tennessee River. There engagements on december 17th at hollow tree gap. The confederate troops had to come back through franklin on december 17th. And what they see, arms and legs sticking out of graves. The stanch town overrun the remnants of a fight just two and a half weeks before another morale killer. They also felt that the west harp with those 1217 force comes back into the picture from murfreesboro in 1220. And he and ed walthall is fence essentially save the army in running wild retreat in cold rainy on terrible roads with no meat no food and the confederates in rag but is force in walthall the continually hold off the u. S. Cavalry. They fired at Richland Creek 1224 the day after christmas. It Christmas Day at anthony hill, sugar creek on the tour 26 and they hit the Tennessee River on the 26. They reached tupelo, january 13th and theres virtually nothing left. And beauregard sees, the army. And he cannot believe what he sees. And of this great army came into tennessee, maybe 8000 left and 5000 make their way over the carolinas. When joe johnson becomes commander and surrenders, pathetic sad but true. So what nashville have left . Well, we have a gallant charge by some of the u. S. Key forces on Peach Orchard specifically the 13th u. S. To which shot they can better commanders on Peach Orchard hill. And one of them i think it was hoped for or gibson put in his official report, mentioned it unknown in civil war literature at the time of battle for. Hes one of the heroes of the battle. And here he is sometimes later is the first president of Mississippi State university in rucker. Look at those are oh, my gosh, killer. I hes the one that put the fight up at the barricade. He became a multimillionaire. Even in those days in, birmingham. He was a teacher later in life, showing his left arm shot off. Fort rucker, alabama, was named after him prior to world war two. James wilson, hero of the battle for, a hero in battle. Now, thats a payne force one, that good looking and yeah and you know you can see it and debate maybe not in ese political times who he was as a person where he went in his later days he knew what he was on the battlefield unecated but, you know, he had an approach. He knew the ground and his troops believed. But thats a painting from 1970. The thing they made him work a lot better than you really look it in awful. John macarthur. And it was so bad on this. What is this the darkest of all decembers ever. Why his in the sounds of the night. My heart bleeds to the pleasure and powerful pass i think about my home, my beloved parents, my brothers and sisters, my wife, darling, cldren. The friends that are gone one and more and many other who has been a joy. And this wilderness of sand. One of the letters from the confederate on the retreat promise, general order 169 december 49, 1864. We have in good did 15,000 casualties and killed ending the killing worthy for capturing of 18 generals. Think about that. 68 pieces of artillery, 60 of hoods artillery gets captured, including the battery in my side yard. Denzel, a bama battery that lost all four of their guns. You can one thing and then they capture 30 to 40 flag hood doesnt report the truth to his superiors. He lies to them. Rhmond. He lives the beauregard er i had placed in such circumst i should make the same marches and fight the same battle, trusting that the same unforeseen and unavoab it would not again occur. The change is a disaster, a victory which would have alrdy been won and in his later life he writes a book, advance and retreat, which iser historical. And whats the right . I. I need as much as i have been told not to use a branded but paranoia. You know, weve got all of this after the battle and the last ten years of his life. However, you know, he does something this pretty remarkable. And ten years after the war, he fathers 11 kids. You know, guys, you got to give him the green light on that. Thats really something. Three pairs of twins and unfortunately, he dies of yellow fever with his wife and one child. He leaves ten children, orphans in the Texas Brigade Association and supports them for 20 years. So completing this up work is the casualty who franklin the confederate and the union was 189 killed in action filed a wounded confederate soldier 1750 carry a. 3801 4534 saying the multinational destroying it was over two almost 3 to 1. We dont in to know how many southerners died there are no records of the guys got to fill out any of the battle reports there are few here and there, but nothing like any other battle. So what did he do . Well, first of all, they picked the wrong guy to. Lead this. They picked the wrong for the company. How long did it him to blow burn the company down . 90 to 100 day. He waited too long. In alabama, the debacle was spring hill. The ball hit one soon forced the markers were to few proof that they did see his left in midair the angles are wrong on shines hill. The second day line was too and also he had 30 pieces of artillery that. He never got on the wire. On the second day of the battle and then he rewrites his. Youre going to regret blowing my friend Mark Zimmerman has got all of this on the retreat. My blood and cold steel america, great book. You need order it and i in withdrawal because this is important to me and i know its important to you as a color bear i have the feelings about this great organizer that you do. Why i give my love and my time and my money and my efforts and my soul to you, given all by coming here to get. If they should wake you, we be gone. Will they know to carry on without past . In the future they nothing behind or ahead to see how they beat you over and lost in time and space. No history, were no special place. For their or you understand the yesterday was once tomorrows point. Thank you very much. I enjoyed their. Questions comments. You know people always say what do you have in the bag . Well, im not going to tell you, but if we got in the John Wilkes Booth near that are coming up on the stage to do me had you have one of these guys closed and got issued by smith wesson. Is kidding about yeah i know we are out here today and i didnt see the signs i didnt bring one but you you can it yourself. Youre sitting in a restaurant. Dont be worried. All right. Question anybody . Spoken like a true there, jim. Just in case a client comes through door. So any questions for jim . Its fantastic. We want to give him another round of applause for whoever. Questions. Oh. Oh, sorry mr. Who . Oh, there we go, pat. Sorry about that. Do you have any comment on buds alleged addiction because of his wounds and how that may have affected the battle . You know, well never know. He was in bad shape physically and mentally from this. How can you not be . The rides are tough on the cross and the leg. You know, he doesnt have a leg strapped in to the. He was taking pain medication and had to be laudanum at the time when he was taking nobody knows a lot of people believe that rip avila or oaklawn, the party, the night of this guy like to party. Okay. We saw it at west point. We saw it lighter. Some have reported there were many toasts the night the spring hill disaster. We do know that they woke him up during the night, gave him a report and he let things go at nashville he was at Travelers Rest and they had all the wine and liquor that you want. Ive never seen a report about what drank. We do know that they had big meals and pretty ladies from the nashville community, not not the ones you saw in the brothels next to my office, but High Society People coming in and. You know than that its been spoke some people say its fact it did it matter the Decision Making at the executive level a failure. Thank you sir shay to joe hooker at chancellor as well we never know if he actually was. Thats right drunk or not. Thats exactly right. Any other questions for jim before you go, could you tell us a little bit about the work that you have done around nashville recently . Well, my friend brandon, who spoke is on the board with me at the battle nashville trust. And by the way, brandon is a graduate of Montgomery Bell academy, which was the success for sex success or to the nashville military institute code, whose most famous graduate was sam davis, who was hung down here in pulaski, 50, 60, about 40 miles south of us, i think, in 1863. And he was on the gallows and they the us soldiers in the sands were crying and they asked him one more time, who is your source who was actually nearby the time . And he stood on the gallows and he said i would die a thousand deaths than to betray my country. Thats nashville is military institute thats Montgomery Bell academy is a graduate. What was the question my goodness what would have gone around town . Okay. Well, i was asking about how you your work yall do here, like everybody is tough going have recently stockpiled an inheritance that we never we would get a substantial sum of money we own two sites we lease another one. Weve been and fought the fort redo back in the nineties the present redo of saving properties is virtually impossible. Youre talking about core battlefield. Anywhere from 750000 to 2 million an acre, plus tearing down the house to own it for 30,000 and hauling it away. Nothing simple. Brandons optimist about whats left. Im a pessimist. The battlefield world may be the one largest in a civil war. He sees the good i see the bad. Its been a blur rated. Youve got to know where to go to look for the trenches in peoples backyard its so chopped that you cant even really do a tour that that makes sense are driving war because the its tough but we are proud of what weve done save to sites really three were adding properties adjacent properties to what we have we educate we teach people about what happened here. Whats important and some we find out care and we find out a lot of people dont care and thats life i thank you very friends. At the end of his extraordinary with suzanne and also Salman Rushdie challenged