My understanding was that Hood didn't suddenly find himself in command of an army; he lobbied for it through his old friend Bragg. I am not as learned on the Army of Northern Virginia as you so H will have to agree that Robert E. Lee did have an army thrust on him. The only difference when comparing the two situations is that Lee's ascension to command occurred in 1862 and he had an army fulled backed by the government in Richmaond whereas hood was to command an army that was hanging on by a thread.