Text of Message Relieving Joseph E. Johnston from Command of the Army of Tennessee

July 17, 1864

On July 17, 1864, Samuel Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector-General of the Confederate Army informed General Joseph E. Johnston that he was relieved from command of the Army and Department of Tennessee.

Portrait of Joseph Johnston.

On July 17, 1864, Samuel Cooper, Adjutant and Inspector-General of the Confederate Army informed General Joseph E. Johnston (pictured here) that he was relieved from command of the Army and Department of Tennessee. [Wikimedia Commons]

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RICHMOND, July 17, 1864.

General J. E. JOHNSTON:

Lieut. Gen. J. B. Hood has been commissioned to the temporary rank of general under the late law of Congress. I am directed by the Secretary of War to inform you that as you have failed to arrest the advance of the enemy to the vicinity of Atlanta, far in the interior of Georgia, and express no confidence that you can defeat or repel him. You are hereby relieved from the command of the Army and Department of Tennessee, which you will immediately turn over to General Hood.

S. COOPER,
Adjutant and Inspector General.

Citation Information

The following information is provided for citations.

  • Article Title Text of Message Relieving Joseph E. Johnston from Command of the Army of Tennessee
  • Date July 17, 1864
  • Author
  • Keywords Samuel Cooper, Joseph E. Johnston, Army of Tennessee
  • Website Name American History Central
  • Access Date June 8, 2023
  • Publisher R.Squared Communications, LLC
  • Original Published Date
  • Date of Last Update April 19, 2022

Text of Message Relieving Joseph E. Johnston from Command of the Army of Tennessee is Part of the Following on AHC

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