Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-11-27
Fighting Joe Hooker On Grant and
Sherman.

The death Of Gen. Hooker recalls
the fact that the san Francisco Herald
of May %, 1872, contained an inter
view with the General which raised Il
great breeze in army circles at the
time. The following are specimen pas
sageS:
Rcporter-lIad the Chancelloryille
campaign been successful there would
have been a different history of the
last period of the war
General IIooker-If | had won that
battle General Grant would never have
been brought from the Wet. But |
wouldn't exchange places with him To-.
day. wouldn't turn over in bed for
the Presidency.
Reporter suppose you have no
very excellent reasons for being par
tial to Grant?
General Hooker with considerable
vim Grant has got no more moral
sense than a dog. His treatment Of
me after the battles of Lookout Noun.
tain and Ringgold proved that When
the llth and 18th Corps were consoli-
dated after the battle Of Gettysburg.
and transferred to the West, under the
name of the Doth Corps, aud placed
under my command, every crescent
the badge which distinguished the
llth Corps disappeared, and the i 2th)
became the emblem. General Thomas
took rue by the hand, but Grant and
Sherman, who were in partnership,
gave me the cold shoulder. | was big
enough to take care of myself. and
didn't care; but | did care for my
men.
Reporter-Were YOU treated fairly?
Gen. Hooker-Here Is an instance:
| got letter from Sherman ordering
me TO pursue the enemy, but not to
fight him wrote him that thought
it was a good deal like the woman who
gave her boy permission to go fish
ing, with the express permission that
he must not 90 near the water. Pco-
pie called Sherman crazy during the
early part of the war 1t was prcma-
ture; if they had waited until he sur.
rendered every issue of the war to
Johnston they would have hit the nail
on the head.
Reporter should have thought
the victory at Lookout Mountain
would have had n modifying effect
on them.
General Hooker-Well, il was no
part of the original plan. Sherman
has commenced the fight on the river,
and been worsted. The Lookout aE.
fair was unexpected. As Thomas af.
forwards said, the operations at Chat
tanooga were planned one way and
fought another. That's what Grant
sent Thomas out here for. 1t was for
saying that.
Reportt Carl Shurz seems to have
been played out as a General toward
the last2
General Hooker-The first bullet at
Wauhatchie turned his brain. | rode
up to him and said 81 cannot afford
to peril a whole command just because
one man is furried. - you, whats
the matter with your
Reporter-You removed him?
General Hooker-Yes, on the spot.
You can't sacrifice troops, you know,
for one man, no matter how high his
rank. The cause was too sacred to be
thus trihed with.
Reporter--EIe's n Greeley man, is
he not?
General Hooker-Yes, and that is
all right enough. Schurz is a good
talker, and that il all there is of him.
Talk about his commanding the Ger
man vote The idea of a public man
having influence with people who
know he can't stand fire Nonsense.
Reporter suppose Grant under
stands your position toward him we'll
enough? I?
General Hooker-IIo understands
il perfectly. just as left New York
to attend the military meeting at