HOOKER, Joseph, American soldier: b. Hadley, Mass., 13 Nov. 1814; d. Garden City, N. Y., 31 Oct. 1879. He was graduated at West Point in 1837 and received a commission in the First Artillery. He served in Florida and on the northeast frontier 1837-40 and during the Mexican War was aide to Generals Smith, Harmer, Butler and Pillow. He saw much service in both the northern and southern cam paigns and resigned from the army in 1853. From that date to the breaking out of the Civil War he was successively farmer, engineer and militia colonel. In 1861 he went to the front as a brigadier-general of volunteers. In 1862 he was commissioned major-general of volun teers and was present at the battle of Williams burg, Va., and was subsequently conspicuous in the Peninsular campaign and in the battles of Bristoe Station and Chantilly. He also took part in the Maryland campaign, and in Septem ber of 1862 was appointed brigadier-general in the regular army. Two months later he was placed in command of the Fifth corps, and at the battle of' Fredericksburg commanded the Third and Fifth corps. In 1863 he was put in command of the Army of the Potomac, but al though very successful in refitting and reorgan izing his troops, failed to show, as head of an army, those qualities which had characterized him in the field as corps and division com mander. At Chancellorsville the defeat of the
Federal troops by General Jackson was largely due to Hooker's vacillation and his want of power to cope with the sudden surprise of his tight flank by the Confederate general. Public opinion in the North and an increasing lack of confidence in Hooker on, the part of President Lincoln led to his resignation from his com mand and on 28 June 1863 he was succeeded by General Meade. He was then given corn maned of the 11th and 12th corps, later com bined in the 20th corps and on 24 Sept. 1863 was dispatched in command of the Army of the Cumberland to reinforce Rosecrans at Chattanooga and distinguished himself on 24 November in the so-called among the Clouds" on Lookout Mountain. He was brev etted major-general in the regular army in 1865, and a paralytic .tr,l-se forced him to re tire from active service with that rank in 1868. An equestrian statue of Gen. Joseph Hooker by the sculptor French, was unveiled on Bea con Hill, Boston, 25 June 1903, with imposing ceremonies.