После войны Худ обосновался в Луизиане и стал преуспевающим торговцем. Все свои доходы он тратил на помощь ветеранам-инвалидам Конфедерации, сиротам, оставшимся без кормильцев, и вдовам погибших героев. За 10 лет семейной жизни у него у самого появилось 11 детей (включая трёх пар двойняшек), но, по вечной иронии жизни, он сам, его жена и старший сын умерли во время эпидемии лихорадки 1878-79 годов. Таким образом, его 10 детей сами остались сиротами и были приютены другими добрыми людьми. Всё, так сказать, воздалось.
Генерал Худ, как я уже сказал, на особых заслугах в Конфедеративном сообществе, так как сражался также и словом. Знаменит его потрясающий спич, направленный против обвинений психопата Шермана - приведу это высказывание полностью, ибо оно имеет колоссальную ценность для понимания этих сложных и драматических событий. Очень важно также, что это звучит в реальном времени, а не как рефлексия о былом. Здесь тон драматизации и экспрессии доведён до чистоты ясного содержания:
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GENERAL JOHN BELL HOOD’S REPLY TO ACCUSATIONS MADE BY SHERMAN
This post is General John Bell Hood’s Army of Tennessee, Headquarters, September 12, 1864 reply to a letter from General Sherman which contained many accusations…
“You charge my country with ‘daring and badgering you to battle.’ The truth is we sent commissioners to you, respectfully offering a peaceful separation, before the first gun was fired on either side.
“You say we insulted your flag. The truth is we fired upon it, and those who fought under it, when you came to our doors upon the mission of subjugation.
“You say we seized upon your forts and arsenals, and made prisoners of the garrisons sent to protect us against negroes and Indians. The truth is we, by force of arms, drove out insolent intruders and took possession of our own forts and arsenals, to resist your claims to dominion over masters, slaves, and Indians, all of whom are to this day, with unanimity unexampled in the history of the world, warring against your attempts to become their masters.
“You say that we tried to force Missouri and Kentucky into rebellion in spite of themselves. The truth is, my Government, from the beginning of this struggle to this hour, has again and again offered, before the whole world, to leave it to the unbiased will of these States, and all others, to determine for themselves whether they will cast their destiny with your Government or ours; and your Government has resisted this fundamental principle of free institutions with the bayonet, and labors daily, by force and fraud, to fasten its hateful tyranny upon the unfortunate freemen of these States.
“You say we falsified the vote of Louisiana. The truth is, Louisiana not only separated herself from your Government by nearly unanimous vote of her people, but has vindicated the act upon every battlefield from Gettysburg to the Sabine, and has exhibited an heroic devotion to her decision which challenges the admiration and respect of every man capable of feeling sympathy for the oppressed or admiration for heroic valor.
“You say that we turned loose pirates to plunder your unarmed ships. The truth is, when you robbed us of our part of the navy, we built and bought a few vessels, hoisted the flag of our country, and swept the seas, in defiance of your navy, around the whole circumference of the globe.
“You say we have expelled Union families by thousands. The truth is, not a single family has been expelled from the Confederate States, that I am aware of; but, on the contrary, the moderation of our Government toward traitors has been a fruitful theme of denunciation by its enemies and well-meaning friends of our cause.
“You say my government, by acts of Congress, has confiscated ‘all debts due Northern men for goods sold and delivered.’ The truth is, our Congress gave due and ample time to your merchants and traders to depart from our shores with their ships, goods, and effects, and only sequestrated the property of our enemies in retaliation for their acts — declaring us traitors, and confiscating our property wherever their power extended, either in their country or our own.
“Such are your accusations, and such are the facts known of all men to be true.”
_________
Source: Memoirs of General W. T. Sherman, by William Tecumseh Sherman, James Gillespie Blaine, 1891
Photo: Art Work of Dale Gallon. “Desperate Valor.” Confederate General John Bell Hood leads the Texas Brigade over the Federal works at Gaines' Mill (www.gallon.com)
Взято из: https://www.facebook.com/Defending-the-Heritage-105448059536657/
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