Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 05.djvu/355

 HOOKER

HOOKER.

Bristoe Station, August 27, where he resisted the attack of EwelFs division, lestored foiniuuaica- tion vvitli the National capital. He fought in the second battle of Manassas, August 29, and at Chantilly, September 1, turning Lee's victorious army from the direction of Washington to the Upper Potomac. In reorganizing the army after the disastrous campaign of Pojie he was assigned to the command of the first corps, and at Soutli Mountain, Sept. 14, 1862, his timely arrival se- cured a victory for the U.S. troops. At Antie- tam, Sept. 17, 1862, he led the right wing in the flank movement against "Stonewall" Jackson's old division at the Dunker church, Sharjisburg, which was the feature of that battle. He was severely wounded in the foot during the engage- ment, and while his corps was pursuing the flee- ing Confederates, he was carried from the field. On Nov. 5, 1862, McClellan was removed from the command of the Army of the Potomac and General Burnside assumed command, Nov. 9, 1862. General Hooker was assigned to the com- mand of the center grand division, his command including the 3d corps under Stoneman and the 25tli corps under Butterfield, and after the army was encamped about Warrenton, Va., he took possession of Falmoutli on the Rappahannock river preparatory to an attack on Fredericksburg. In the disastrous battle of Fredericksburg, Dec. 13, 1862, Butter field's corps covered the with- drawal of the Union army in the face of the guns of the victorious Confederates. On Jan. 23, 1863, General Burnside prepared an order, dishonor- ably dismis-iing General Hooker from the service and at the same time dishonorably dismissing three other general officers, and relieving five others from duty. He submitted these orders known as No. 8 to the President, and asked that they be approved or his own resignation ac- cepted. The President relieved General Burn- side of the command, Jan. 26, 1863, and placed the Army of the Potomac under the command of General Hooker, accompanying the order with a letter of advice, which that officer received with due consideration and at once acted on. He set about to reorganize the army and to over- come the spirit of insubordination among the officers, and that of disregard to discipline ap- parent everywhere among the men; andabolislied grand divisions, making each corps commander personally responsible to the commanding gen- eral. He also consolidated the scattered cavalry regiments into a corps composed of three di- visions, all under command of Gen. George Stone- man. He completed and instituted a system of corps, division and brigade badges, and in the spring of 1863, had an army that was beyond question the best that liad ever been marshalled under an American soldier. He forced the

enemy to attack him at Chancellorsville, which was done with unexpected vigor, and Jackson's flank movement. May 1, 1863, turned Hooker's right, throwing it in confusion on the center, General Hooker, while directing the battle from the portico of the Chancellor house, was leaning against a pillar, which was struck by a cannon ball and he was so stunned as to be for a consid- erable time senseless. He did not recover his judgment sufficiently to transfer his command, the while General Meade commanding the 5th corps was awaiting the arrival of Gen. Darius M. Couch, his ranking officer and commander of the 2d corps, then in a distant part of the field, the army was virtually without a commander. The Confederates took full advantage of the situation to strengthen their position and push the retreat- ing columns of the Union army, which, never- theless, held their position for two days. Upon the arrival of General Couch to assume command, lie withdrew the Federal forces to the north bank of the river and the two armies marched in par- allel lines northward. Hooker, who had re- covered and resumed command, provided for the safety of Washington and Baltimore while Eee directed his march toward Chambersburg. Pa. General Hooker prepared to evacuate Harper's Ferry, in order to render available the force of General French, who had 11,000 men at that place. W^hen this was refused by General Hal- leck. General Hooker asked to be relieved if lie could not command his own army in the face of the enemy, and the President accepted tli.e alter- native, and placed Gen. George G. Meade in com- mand, June 27, 1863. In a few days Harper's Ferry was evacuated and shortly afterward the army under General Meade fought and won the battle of Gettysburg. Congress recognized Gen- eral Hooker's services in a resolution thanking him for " the skill, energy, and endurance, which first covered Washington and Baltimore from the meditated blow of the advancing and powerful army of rebels led by General Robert E. Lee." He retired to Baltimore, Md., and on Sept. 24, 1863, was assigned to the command of the 11th and 12th army corps, subsequently consolidated as the 20th corps, which troops he transported by railroad to relieve General Rosecrans at Chat- tanooga. He met and defeated the enemy at Wauhatchie, where their best troops made a night attack hoping to turn the Federal reinforce- ments back at the last defile by which Rosecrar.s' army of the Cumberland could be reached. He marched into Lookout valley, Oct. 27-28, and thus reopened a line of conmiunication with the provision steamers on the river. On Novem- ber 24, lie was directed to make a demonstration with Geary's division against the fortified heights on Lookout mountain, while the main army,