The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-07-17
General HOODS Romance.

A writer in the Washington Chronicle
relates the following dramatic incident
in General Hoods life: There was visit.
ing Mrs. Jefferson Davis in Richmond,
at that time, a lady belonging to fami.
ly in the South of very powerful convic.
tions, who, in beauty, cleverness and am
bition, has never had her superior in that
section. She was engaged to be married
to General Hood. With all woman's
natural ambition for her promised hus.
band, she determined, if possible, to help
him to position where his unqualified
abilities as fighter would find a proper
sphere. The instant change in the
commander of the second great army of
the Confederacy was noted, she saw her
opportunity. "I will try to have you
given the command of the Western
Army" she wrote him, "and you must
succeed p General Hood was then about
33 years old, and had first distinguished
himself in two of the greatest battles of
the war as division and corps comman.
der. He was man who was always
ready to fight, no matter against what
odds; and as the Army of the Tennessee
could not be recruited much more it was
decided at Richmond that some one
should command it who would risk two
or three terrible battles, and, if it were
possible, get Sherman's corps far enough
apart to fall on them and defeat, each
one at time. So General Hood was
selected. Every one knew he would
fight whenever he got the chance, and
that was mainly what was wanted at
Richmond. It was proud day for the
stately woman he loved when it was an
nounced that General Hood was to be
raised Professionally to the grade of full
General and given to this well-trained
army. On the 18th of July Il believe
that was the date) General Johnson was
relieved, and it was understood that
thereafter there would be no more flank.
ing or strategic operations, but some
terrible battles, Hood did his best, but
the transcendent genious of johnson
was lacking, and the final battles of the
18th and 18th of December, 1864, in
front of Nashville, nearly destroyed his
army. After this occurred General Hood
was sent for to come to Richmond at
once. The day after his arrival he re.
ceived note from the lady mentioned,
requesting him to call on her at his ear
liest convenience. There happened to
be an officer with g. Ieral Hood whom
he knew very we'll W en- the note reached
him, and he asked the officer to 20 with
him to the house where Miss - was.
After few moments of waiting when
they were announced the lady came in
with packet in her hand. General
Hood" she said, looking straight into
his eyes, "when I became engaged to
you I had the fullest faith in your sue.
cess. I tried to help you, and did assist
in having the command of the army of
Tennessee given you. You have failed;
why or how is now beside the question.
I can never bring myself to bear the
name of man who wears the prestige
of defeat, and 7 sent for you to say that
our engagement must be at an end.
Hero are your letters and some things
you gave me. Now, good-byep While
this was being said General Hood was
standing on his crutches, for his left leg
was gone and one arm shattered. He
turned very white but said not q word,
nor did he look at the hand out-stretched
to bid him goodbye. He gravely bent
his stately head and went out from her
presence forever more. But he never
forgot nor forgave the bitter, cruel words,
and years after, in speaking of the mat
ter, he showed deep emotion. 1t was so
hard to bear, for be had done all that
the most distinguished courage could do
to win. 1t was an awful position for the
officer wh o went with him. When the con-
versation commenced he rose and walk
ed over to window in order that he
might not be witness to what he foresaw
would be a most painful scene. But he
could not help hearing, and never until
his dying day will he forget one of the
most remarkable incidents of the war.
General Hood in 1869 married Miss
Marie Hennen, {. daughter of Hon. D.
N. Hennen, of New Orleans, She was
a tall handsome woman, worthy of her
gallant and chivalric soldier husband.
The sad death Of both husband and
wife in quick succession of the yellow
fever in 1878 is still fresh in the public
mind, as is the fact that they left nine
little children, the eldest only nine years
old, to the care of strangers.