Faulty battery, bad alternator, or both (photos)

"Hot as hell" points to a short. WHICH wire / wires was / were hot?

If it's the small field wire, you probably have a shorted brush holder at the alternator or a shorted field.

Easy. Unplug both field wires

Set your meter for resistance.

Hook one probe to either field wire, the other probe to ground. You should read an open, or infinity

This could very well be the original problem.