Gen. John Bell Hood Memorial Ceremony

Metairie Cemetery, New Orleans, Louisiana

August 30, 2003

On August 30, 1879, General John Bell Hood tragically died of Yellow Fever at the age of 48. Days earlier his wife Anna Hennen Hood and eldest child Lydia had also died. Due to fear of Yellow Fever, Gen. Hood was hastily buried in Lafayette Cemetery, and no funeral was held. Within weeks, the surviving ten young orphans, all under ten years of age, including three sets of twins, were adopted out to seven different families in five states.

	In 1927 the bodies of Gen. and Mrs. Hood and Lydia were moved to the Hennen family tomb at Metairie Cemetery. Unfortunately, the beautiful tomb was devoid of any engravings memorializing Gen. Hood's remarkable life and military career.

On Saturday, August 30, 2003, the 124th anniversary of his death, eleven direct and collateral descendants of Gen. John Bell Hood assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana for a celebration of his life and career.
	The Hood family was also hosted at an evening reception at the former Garden District home of Gen. and Mrs. Hood, currently the residence of the gracious Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Stevenson.
	Approximately 100 people attended the events, which included a ceremony dedicating a bronze memorial plaque at Gen. Hood's tomb at Metairie Cemetery, and a reception at Confederate Memorial Hall Museum in downtown New Orleans.
Joining the Hood family and guests were several Civil War history organizations. A musket salute was provided by the Washington Artillery
	and cannon salutes were fired by Boone's Battery from Louisiana, and Stanford's Mississippi Battery.
A color guard was provided by the John Bell Hood Camp 50, Sons of Confederate Veterans from Galveston, Texas.
	The Louisiana Children of the Confederacy laid flowers in honor of Gen. and Mrs. Hood's eleven children.
Mr. Clay Ainsworth addressed the group on behalf of the Louisiana Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
	Ladies from the Raphael Semmes Chapter and other New Orleans area United Daughters of the Confederacy chapters attended in period attire.
Rev. Thomas Williams gave the invocation and benediction.
	Civil War poet O.C. Hood of Franklin, North Carolina read original poetry,
and Mr. Sam Hood of Huntington, West Virginia gave a eulogy for Gen. Hood.
	A graveside musical interlude was performed by Gen. Hood's great-great grandchildren, Dr. Desiree Hood Pointer-Mace of San Francisco, California, and Mr. John Pointer of Austin, Texas.

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More photos of the New Orleans Memorial Ceremony event can be viewed at:

http://johnbellhood.org/new_orleans/monument.htm

http://homepage.mac.com/dpointer/Hood_Memorial/PhotoAlbum6.html

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The family of Gen. John Bell Hood wish to thank the following people for their courtesy and assistance in making the ceremonies and activities a success:

• Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Stevenson, Esq.
  
• Mrs. Pat Ricci, Curator, Confederate Memorial Hall Museum
  
• Mr. Clay Ainsworth, Louisiana Sons of Confederate Veterans
  
• Miss Caitlin Ainsworth, Louisiana Children of the Confederacy
  
• Mr. John Bangs, Boone's Battery
  
• Mr. John Fleming, Washington Artillery
  
• Mr. Paul Lampton, Stanford's Battery
  
• Mr. Bill Campbell, John Bell Hood Camp 50, Sons of Confederate Veterans
  
• Rev. Thomas Williams
  
• Mrs. Joan Collier, Raphael Semmes Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy
  
• Mr. Gil Bonnafonns, Metairie Cemetery
  
• Mr. Jerry Schoen, Metairie Cemetery