General Joseph Hooker
November 13, 1814- October 31, 1879
SHORT BIOGRAPHY
Earlier Life
Joseph Hooker was born in Hadley, Massachusetts and was educated at Hopkins Academy. He graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1837, 29th in his class of 50. He earned three brevets, but also mixed in politics, testifying against Winfield Scott in a Court of Inquiry. He then settle in Sonoma, California to farm and speculate the land.
In the Civil War
When Civil War broke out, Hooker became a colonel in the California Militia, but he soon dropped this position to come east. He observed the Battle of Bull Run as a civilian, and felt that he could do better. He wrote to Lincoln saying so, and he was but as the Brigadier General of volunteers. From here, he advanced to commanding a division of the Potomac Army. He did notably well in both the siege of Yorktown and at Williamsburg. Hooker was then promoted to Major General of the volunteers.
He fought at Seven Pines and through the Seven Days Battles, even recapturing Malvern Hill after McClellan's humiliated army abandoned it.
The general was popularly known as "Fighting Joe". The name is a result of a journalist's mistake, when a newspaper headline was supposed to read "Fighting - Joe Hooker". Due to a typo, it read "Fighting Joe Hooker" instead, and the moniker stuck with him for the rest of his life.
Joseph Hooker succeeded Ambrose E. Burnside's position as head of the Potomac Army in 1862. He improved, food, medical care, and leave for the soldiers, and in doing so helped bring up morale in the army.
He had an unfortunate habit of criticizing his superiors, and Lincoln chided him on this. There were also many reports of drinking and loose women around his headquarters. He stopped drinking however, in 1863, to run a campaign against Lee.
Hooker was only in charge of the Potomac Army for several months, in which he fought in the Battle of Chancellorsville. In this battle, he was outmaneuvered by Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, which led to Lincoln replacing him with George G. Meade several days before the battle of Gettysburg. It was actually Hooker who resigned, by picking a fight with Lincoln about control over the Harper's Ferry garrison. The Union President was glad to use this as an excuse for a new leader.
After dropping this position, he fought several battles as part of the army. Near the end of a war, the Union needed a commander for the Army of Tennessee. Hooker was upset when Oliver O. Hudson, leader of the Flying Dutchman at Chancellorsville, won the position instead of him.
He finished the war as the head of the Northern department.
Death
"Fighting Joe" finally left the army in 1868, and is buried in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Joseph Hooker was born in Hadley, Massachusetts and was educated at Hopkins Academy. He graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1837, 29th in his class of 50. He earned three brevets, but also mixed in politics, testifying against Winfield Scott in a Court of Inquiry. He then settle in Sonoma, California to farm and speculate the land.
In the Civil War
When Civil War broke out, Hooker became a colonel in the California Militia, but he soon dropped this position to come east. He observed the Battle of Bull Run as a civilian, and felt that he could do better. He wrote to Lincoln saying so, and he was but as the Brigadier General of volunteers. From here, he advanced to commanding a division of the Potomac Army. He did notably well in both the siege of Yorktown and at Williamsburg. Hooker was then promoted to Major General of the volunteers.
He fought at Seven Pines and through the Seven Days Battles, even recapturing Malvern Hill after McClellan's humiliated army abandoned it.
The general was popularly known as "Fighting Joe". The name is a result of a journalist's mistake, when a newspaper headline was supposed to read "Fighting - Joe Hooker". Due to a typo, it read "Fighting Joe Hooker" instead, and the moniker stuck with him for the rest of his life.
Joseph Hooker succeeded Ambrose E. Burnside's position as head of the Potomac Army in 1862. He improved, food, medical care, and leave for the soldiers, and in doing so helped bring up morale in the army.
He had an unfortunate habit of criticizing his superiors, and Lincoln chided him on this. There were also many reports of drinking and loose women around his headquarters. He stopped drinking however, in 1863, to run a campaign against Lee.
Hooker was only in charge of the Potomac Army for several months, in which he fought in the Battle of Chancellorsville. In this battle, he was outmaneuvered by Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, which led to Lincoln replacing him with George G. Meade several days before the battle of Gettysburg. It was actually Hooker who resigned, by picking a fight with Lincoln about control over the Harper's Ferry garrison. The Union President was glad to use this as an excuse for a new leader.
After dropping this position, he fought several battles as part of the army. Near the end of a war, the Union needed a commander for the Army of Tennessee. Hooker was upset when Oliver O. Hudson, leader of the Flying Dutchman at Chancellorsville, won the position instead of him.
He finished the war as the head of the Northern department.
Death
"Fighting Joe" finally left the army in 1868, and is buried in Cincinnati, Ohio.