, 1863-04-11

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in class of so members. Among his
classmates are Gems Arnold, Benham,
Bates, French Sedgwick, Williams and
Todd of the Union army, and Bragg, Mack
all and others of the Rebel army He re-
ceived his appointment as Second Lieuten-
ant July l, 1887, and Nov l 1888, was
promoted to First Lieutenancy in the 1st
u S. Artillery.
From July to October, 1871, he acted as
AdjutAnt of the Military Academy; and
from September 1871, to May, 1845, was
ranked as Regimental Adjutant. He served
with distinction in Mexico, and was Aid
deCamp to Gen. Hamer On the 22d Sept.
1916, he was breveted Captain for gallant
conduct in several conflicts in Monterey,
Mexico, while acting in that capacity In
March, l847, he was appointed Assistant
Adjutant- General, with the rank of Cap
tain.
He was breveted Major for gallant and
meritorious conduct in the affair at the Ma
tional Bridge, Mexico, June IL, 1S47, and
on the l3th September, l847, Major Hook
er received the brevet of Lieutenant Colo
mel, for gallant and meritorious conduct in
the battle of Chepultepec. On the 29th of
October, l843, he was appointed Captain
of the lst Artillery, and on the same day
he resigned his regimental commission, re-
tanning his position III the Adjutant- Gene
rails Department, with brevet Lieutenant
Colonel.
In February, 1858, he left the army and
retired into private life. He lived in Cali
fornia and Oregon, till called upon again to
do battle in his countrys cause. On the
l7th of March, 1861, he was commissioned
Brigadier- General of Volunteers, his ap-
! pointment being accredited to the State of
California. He at first served under Gen.
Dix in Maryland, but was soon appointed
to a separate command in the Army of the
Potomac under General Mcclellan. His
| field of operations was in the disturbed
counties of Maryland and these he reor-
| ganized, and disarmed the Secessionists
then, without loss of life.
His division at this time took posses
sion of the northern and eastern shores, or
left bank of the Potomac River, and seve-
raj spirited excursions were made by por-
tions of his command in the neighborhood
of Bulbs Ferry, Port Tobacco, &c, and
to the opposite shore.
A portion of these troops afterward
crossed the Potomac, and took possession
of the batteries which had blockaded the
river for some time previous, and having
/ effectually removed these distractions and
advanced short distance into the interior,
were finally withdrawn and transferred to
the immediate command of Gen. Mcclellan
on the Peninsula
In the contest at Williamsburg, his di-
vision bravely stood the brunt of the bat
/ tie, and at Fair Oaks the men again showed
their valor, and the General his fighting
| qualities. In the various miner contests,
Hooker took his part, and bravely went
/ through with his share of the seven days
fights. When McClellan's army was placed
under the command of Gen. Pope we find
the names of lighting Joe Hooker and
the late Gen. Kearney mentioned together
in the thickest of the struggle; and on the
| bloody field of Antietam, Hooker's corps
opened the fight, and he and his men were
foremost in the terrible conflict.
The gallant General was wounded in the
foot before the close of the battle, and he
was compelled to quit the field On the
18th of November, Gen. Hooker was ap-
pointed by the President to the command
of the Fifth Army Corps in place of Gen.
Porter, and on the l 5 tn he was appointed
by Gen. Burnside to the command of the
Center Grand Division of the Army of the
Potomac.
This Grand Division opened the battle at
fredericksburg, and fought CALAMITY under
the direction of its brave commander
Gen. Hooker's commission as Major Cen
eral of Volunteers dates from July 4, 862.
PHosPHoREscENcE.- peculiar emission of
light, called "phosphorescence," manifests itself
under certain circumstances in minerals, vegeta-
bles and animals In some places, and under
certain conditions, the sea becomes phosphores-
cent. In the wake of a ship and in the dip of
paddle the water flashes like scales of silver, and
the sight becomes fascinating. The phenomenon
is common in the warmer seas. Ehrenberg the
naturalist, explains the cause and states that the
earth-worm, iltmbricuJ, is luminous in October
during its period of coupling; and the egro8oma
dttdntlcG and SGIpoc among the tlt,licata iumin-
ate the warmer seas for miles and miles with
pale phosphorescence and many insects-espe-
cially the common fre-ply-display in beautiful
light.
Perhaps the most remarkable exhibition Of
phosphorescence is that which DIR. Phpson has
noticed in Man himself He asserts that when
the optic nerve is cut or injured, no pain is then
felt, but flashes of light are perceived. The light,
like that of the glow-worm and other phosphor-
escent animals, is of greenish yellow tint. 1t
occurs, likewise, when an electric current is passed
along the optic nerve, and in febrile Diseases and
by the use Of narcotic medicines. "a production
of light in the above circumstances says DIR.
Phpson sis exceedingly interesting, and tends
perhaps, more than we are aware, to establish the
fact that the phenomena of light are owing to
vibratory movement of matter"
In the mineral world phosphorescence is in
duced in many cases by insulation, exposure to
the light of the sun, by friction, electricity and
chemical changes. There have been recorded
cases OF luminous rains, SHOWS, hail. and especially
dry fogs. Some ofthese, IN South America, have
emitted 50 much phosphorescence that travellers
have been able to see them during night in dan
gerous mountain roads.
Among vegetables phosphoric properties are
developed to a high degree in certain fungi,
which are phosphorescent while living for in
stance, the famous aguicus oLearius, which grows
at the foot of the olive trees in Italy.-Seientifc
american.
Man was created little lower than the angels
and he has been getting little lower ever since.