Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-11-08
FIGHTING JOE HOOKER.
Some of His Opinions on Grant and Sher.
man---HOw he was VindiCated as
Against Gen. HaIleck.

1t was well known that the COM
mander- chief, General Halleck,
was hostile to General Hooker, and
that no request of General Hooker's
was ever ~cheerfully granted. After
crossing the Potomac into Maryland,
after Charlottesville and before Get
tysburg, General Hooker saw the
worthlessness Of the position at Har-
per's Ferry and that its garrison of
10000 men and valuable stores was
only a bait for Lee. He desired to
save this and at the samet time strength
en- the army under him by this addi-
tional force. He, therefore, addressed
General Halleck on the subject, re-
questing permission to relieve this
position. The request itself was suf-
icient cause for General Halleck to
refuse it. General Hooker, receiving
no encouragement or support from the
department at Washington, and be-
lieying that much moro could be
accomplished by some one who had
not the hostility and jealousy of the
commander.in- chief to contend with,
and knowing the invaluable import
ance of success in the present cam
paign, on the 9th of June, the army
being then massed in the vicinity Of
Frederick, asked to be relieved from
the command of the army, This re-
quest was granted, and the following
day General Hooker was relieved and
ordered to turn over the command of
the army of the Potomac to General
Meade. The officer that brought this
order also brought a letter of instruc-
ton to General Meade, authorizing
him to withdraw the troops at Har-
per's Ferry and adding to his com
mand the troops under General Coach,
some 10000 men.
The committee on the conduct of
the war conclude their report with
these remarks In conclusion, your
committed would observe that they
consider it to have been extremely
unfortunate that General Hooker was
not permitted to have the use of such
troops as he deemed necessary to ena-
bic MIN to carry out the plans he pro-
posed to adopt for meeting, and, if
possible, destroy the rebel army.
That those troops were d~isposable is
| Clearly shown from the fact that his
successor was immediately authorized
to use them, together with other
troops for which General Hooker did
not ask. Nor can the committee
doubt that had General Hooker been
clothed with the power at once con-
ferred upon his successor, and had
1 been given the assistance which was
50 freely accorded him, the result Of
the campaign might haze been far
more decisive than it was. Why the
general n.chief should have shown
more desire to cooperate with and as
sist one commander more than anoth-
er involves questions of motives and
feelings wien your ccc%mittee refrain
non commenting upon"
HOOKER, dRAGF Avn SHERMAN.
The San Francisco Chronicle nj
May ., 1872, contained an interview
with General Hooker, which raised a
great breeze in army circles at the
iime. The following are specimen
passages;
Reporter-Had tho Chancelloryille
campaign been successful there would
have been a different history of the
last period OF tho war.
General Hooker-If | had won that
battle General Grant would never
have been brought from the West
But | wouldn't exchange places will
him to day. ! wouldn't turn over il
my bed for the Presidency.
Reporter-I suppose you have NJ
very excellent reasons to be partial t
Grant
General Hooker with considerable
yim)-Gran has got no more mora
sense than a dog. His treatment o.
me after the battles Of Lookou
Mountain and Ringgold proved that
When the Eleventh and Twelfth
corps were consolidated after tht
battle Of Gettysburg, and trans
ferred to the West under the nam,
of the Twentieth corps, and place.
under my command, every creseen
(the adage which distinguished tn,
Eleventh corps) disappeared, and tn,
twelfth became the emblem. Gen.
eral Thomas took me by the hand
but Grant and Shermau, who were il
partnership, gave me the cold shoul
der. | was big enough to take care 0
myself, and didn't care but | di,
care for my men.
Reporter-Were you treated fairly
General Hooker Here is an in
stance | got a letter from Sherman
ordering me to pursue the enemy, bu
not to fight him. / wrote him that
thought it was a good deal like tn
woman who gave her boy permissio
to 60 a fishing, with the express pei
mission that he must not 90 near th
water. People called Sherman Graz
during the early part Of the wal.
was premature if they had waite
until he surrendered every issue {
the war TO Johnston they would hay
5 hit the nail on the head.
Reporter should have though