John Bell Hood

John Bell Hood was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Hood's impetuosity led to high losses among his troops as he moved up in rank. Bruce Catton wrote that "the decision to replace Johnston with Hood was probably the single largest mistake that either government made during the war." Hood's education at the United States Military Academy led to a career as a junior officer in the infantry and cavalry of the antebellum U.S. Army in California and Texas. At the start of the Civil War, he offered his services to his adopted state of Texas. He achieved his reputation for aggressive leadership as a brigade commander in the army of Robert E. Lee during the Seven Days Battles in 1862, after which he was promoted to division command. He led a division under James Longstreet in the campaigns of 1862–63. At the Battle of Gettysburg, he was severely wounded, rendering his left arm mostly useless for the rest of his life. Transferred with many of Longstreet's troops to the Western Theater, Hood led a massive assault into a gap in the Union line at the Battle of Chickamauga but was wounded again, requiring the amputation of his right leg.

1 June 1831

Born on the same birth day (1 June): Alanis Morissette • Brigham Young • Dirck Coornhert • Enno I, Count of East Frisia • Frans Post • Geoffrey, Count of Nantes • Hap Day • John Masefield • Lucy McBath • Nargis • Robert Powell • Sam Young (basketball) • Steve Dodd • Tirunesh Dibaba • Yevgeny Prigozhin

Born in the same month (June 1831): Amelia Edwards • James Clerk Maxwell • Joseph Joachim • Robert Herbert • Thomas J. Higgins