Newspaper Project
The Atlanta Constitution Presents
The Atlanta Century 
July 24, 1864

Gen. Hood Replaces Gen. J. E. Johnston.
  Pres. Davis on Sunday sent Gen. J. E. Johnston a telegram ordering that Johnston be relieved of his command.  His successor:  Gen. J. B. Hood, one of Johnston's corps commanders and a Johnston critic.

Davis gave as the reason for the decision Johnston's failure "to arrest the advance of the enemy to the vicinity of Atlanta, far into the interior of Georgia."  Davis expressed no confidence that Johnston could "defeat or repel" Gen. W. T. Sherman's armies. 

War Secretary Seddon wired Hood Sunday:  "Be wary no less than bold...God be with you." 

While it had been long rumored that Johnston would be replaced, the decision came as a surprise to Atlantans on Monday.  Gen. R. E. Lee whose advice on the matter Davis had sought, felt it unwise to replace Johnston with Hood.  But the move is favored by Davis' cabinet and certainly by Gen. Braxton Bragg, whom Johnston had replaced only last December.  Johnston and Davis long were at odds over Johnston's placement only as third in rank of all the Confederacy's generals. 

Johnston had said of Davis:  "He tried to do what God failed to do.  He tried to make a soldier of Braxton Bragg and you know the results." 

Transcribed by Brenda Pierce (C) Dec. 2002 - Current 
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