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The Battle of Nashville, fought at Nashville, Tennessee, began on December 15,
1864.
The Confederate Army of Tennessee had
'defeated' a contingent of Union forces at the Battle of
Franklin, but had lost almost a quarter of its men. Rather than regroup, John Bell Hood pursued the enemy forces to Nashville.
Hood's strategy was to build fortifications outside of Nashville, and then wait for the Union army to attack him in the same
way he attacked at Franklin. After the Union army was decimated, Hood believed he would be able to counter-attack and take
Nashville.
There were many flaws in Hood's plan. First of all, in order to surround Nashville, he would be required to have a low "troop
density" at all points in the line. Second, while his supplies were low and his troops exposed to the elements, the Union forces
were billeted in comparative luxury in Nashville.
Hood then depleted his army by splitting his forces, which included sending the brilliant Nathan Bedford Forrest to fight elsewhere. When Hood attacked
Nashville, he had about 21,000 men. Facing Hood's weary force was a well-supplied army of 70,000, including 12,000
cavalrymen.
The only hope for victory for the Confederates was if the Union committed a monumental blunder. However, with the solid and
experienced George Henry Thomas in command, the likelihood of
even a slight miscalculation was small.
While filled with gallant actions on both sides, the battle was a simple matter of Union forces bringing overwhelming
firepower and numbers to bear on the Confederate forces, which Thomas did thoroughly and methodically. For example, when one
strategic Confederate outpost manned by 148 soldiers and 4 cannons presented more than expected resistance, the Union calmly
regrouped and attacked the outpost with 28 cannons and 7000 soldiers. Later, at the pivotal Shy's Hill, 40,000 Union soldiers
attacked 5000 Confederate soldiers.
The Confederates were eventually routed in the worst defeat of the American Civil War. For all intents and purposes, the Battle of Nashville ended the existence of the
Confederate Army of Tennessee.
See also
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