The Columbus journal., 1903-07-22

W$
Gen. Hooker In 1863.
stern father at times. but always one
who had the youngsters interest In
mind quite as well as his own.
Il can SEQ him to-day as plainly as
I saw him then-a well prOpOrtiOned
man over six feet tall. figure as
straight as an arrow. calm and collect
ed always. yet with an eye that would
occasionally reveal In q fash tho met
uesOme spirit within.
ANY one who ever saw Gen. Hook
er on his white charger can readily ap-
preciate the fitness Of giving him an
equestrian statue. He sat his mount
like a centaur of old. have seen
some good riders in my day. but mover
one who looked more at home In the
saddle than he.
Everybody has heard Of Gen. Hook
er's old white horse. 1t was the won
der of all the troops why he rode such
q conspicuous animal.
Every time the general went into
action, lots of US trembled for his
safety. because We knew that the
rebels were perfectly aware that he
rode q white horse. Why he was never
killed is a mystery. for he never had
much regard for his personal safety
during an engagement.
1T was I who sold him that famous
old nag. The animal made his en-
trance into the army through the
quartermaster of the Second New
Hampshire regiment. The quarter
master found it impossible to mate the
beast with any horses on hand anu
was at a loss to know what to do
with him.
Il happened to be in need OF q
horse at that time and bought the lone
white beast, which at that time had
never been saddle-brOken. One day
the general saw me riding the animal.
Il remember once of hearing him
tell about the trouble he had to get
his services accepted at the outbreak
of the civil war; When hostilities began
he was in California. He hurried to
Washington and called on the Presi-
dent. who received him kindly. but
put him of with an indefinite answer.
As near as l remember these are the
words he used In telling the balance
of the story:
~ went back to the hotel and wait
ed. The days went by. New troops
came into the city and went away. new
men came and received commissions
many of them men who had never seen
service. while !, a West Point gradu-
ate and a man Of considerable active |
service. was kept on the waiting list
waiting for a chance to place my
trained services ut my cOuntry's dis /!
pOsal.
"'Finally I grew sick Of waiting.
Battles were being fought and won
or lost-and I was shclved complete |
". / made up my mind to return to |
California. since there seemed to be |
no show for me in the army. and be- |
fore went I would call on the Presi- !
dent.
"'Nr. Lincoln received me kindly. |
as before. and seemed surprised that
was going back to California. Don't |
be impatient. colonel" caid he. I'VE |
will find something for you later"
but couldn't take much stock in
that after being kept waiting SO
long. and I made up my mind to ten
Mr. Lincoln thing or two.
IL have been over to the Bull Run
battlefield. Mr.. Lincoln said l. and
feel bound to tell lou one thing: II
know I am a damned sight better gen.
e-al than tie man you had ON that
field.
"a day or two later l got my COM
mission as brigadier general
General Hooker was q modest
man in a sense. and yet he had a good
appreciation of his own ability.
There is one point I particularly
want to express myself ON through
the columns Of the Boston Journal.
Stories have circulated in effect that
Gen. Hooker was a drinking man. Like
most other people he occasionally took
q drink, but never when going into
action. 1t has been said that he was
under the influence of liquor AT the
battle of Charlottesville. That was q
falsehoOd. I knew two Ofiic-
ers on Gen. Hooker's private stafY dur
ing that battle. Col Gambler and Major
Lawrence. Both of those gentlemen
are now dead. but years ago they as
sured me that Gen. Hooker did not
touch a drop of liquor that day"
Col Charles c. Rivers. an inspector
In the custom house. remembers Gen.
Hooker well. He served under Hooker
in the Eleventh Massachusetts. First
brigade. Second Division of the Third
Army corps.
Gen. Hooker" ssid Col. Rivers.
was q man soft of speech and very
ceat in personal appearance. He was
one CT those men who always look well
no matter what the circumstances
under which they are living.
HE always wore a 'dickie-one Of
those high standing collars 20 fash
lonable forty or fifty years ago. That
collar was known as 'Hooker's baro-
meter Whenever We saw the old
man come out of his tent with one K
side Of that collar ioppe0 over We
would begin to look for trouble.