WI: Hood killed at Gettysburg?

What if John Bell Hood was killed during the Battle of Gettysburg instead of just crippling his arm? How would that effect the rest of the War? More specifically the Atlanta Campaign where he did most everything possible to undermine Johnson's command.
 

Grimbald

Monthly Donor
If Johnson stays in command then Atlanta is a MUCH tougher nut to crack. This delays its capture, perhaps beyond the election and possibly defeats Lincoln.
 
If Johnson stays in command then Atlanta is a MUCH tougher nut to crack. This delays its capture, perhaps beyond the election and possibly defeats Lincoln.

That's only plausibly true if Johnston remains in command. Davis really didn't like Johnson, so he'll still try find someone else. The butterflies might actually keep Leonidas Polk alive, but if Polk dies, command may go to William J. Hardee. Hardee could potentially be a slight improvement, but he would likely be considered too conservative to take command. Polk surviving would have the army pass to him. Polk wouldn't fair any better than Johnston. Leaving Johnston in command would be the better decision for Davis, but it's hard to imagine Davis leaving Johnston in command. The two really didn't like each other.
 
Hardee would be a good choice, but Davis's new senior military advisor would talk Davis out of it. Because Hardee and every other General in the Army of Tennessee demanded his removal from command of that army. That person was Braxton Bragg, and the only reason Hood got command.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
Hood would go down in the Southern imagination as a martyr. . . he would be to the infantry what Jeb Stuart was to the cavalry.
 
That's putting it mildly. Polk was possibly the single most incompetent general on either side in the American Civil War.

ouch, and there is some significant competition there (Fremont is my pick)

no Hood is bound to be an improvement for the South, and Bragg is clearly not a choice, nor is Beauragard.

who did Bragg actually like anyway? (other than Davis of course)... that man (whoever it is) ultimately may be the successor to Johnson

How about Early?
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
How about Early?

He'd only just been elevated to corps command and was clearly needed in the Valley.

But we're getting ahead of ourselves here. If Hood is killed at Gettysburg, it introduces many butterflies into the TL. We can assume, for instance, that the Battle of Chickamauga will go rather differently.
 
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