240

HOOKER’S APPOINTMENT AND REMOVAL.

of Hooker, had intrusted him with no importantpart, although lie was present on the field and ofequal rank with Sumner and Franklin, to whom theactive duties of the battle were assigned. PresidentLincoln apparently yielded to the views of those incharge of the military department of affairs, andthereupon Halleck confidentially inquired of Rey-nolds if he was prepared to accept the command.Eeynoldsrepliedthathe expected to obey all lawfulorders coming to his hands, but as the communi-cation seemed to imply the possession of an optionin himself, he deemed it his duty to say franklythat he could not accept the command in a volun-tary sense, unless a liberty of action should heguaranteed to him considerably beyond any whichhe had reason to expect. He was thereupondropped, and the choice further and linally re-stricted to Hooker and Meade, with the chances ahundred to one in favor of the latter by reason ofthe fixed conviction of the Secretary of War that theformer ought not to be chosen in any contingency.Stanton knew that there were two Hookers in thesame man. He knew one as an excellent officer,mentally strong, clever and tireless, and charming(almost magnetic) in address. It was the otherHooker on whom he wished to take no chances.

Hooker and Meade were in camp, attending tosuch military duties as the lull of action gave oc-casion for, neither having taste nor talent forintrigue, each aware that “something” was afoot,but both supposing that the ferment concernedHooker and Reynolds, and, possibly, some thirdman beyond the lines of the army. But therewere men about Hooker who believed in, andhoped to rise with him, and who, at all events,could afford to take the chances of success or fail-ure with him; and these men were rich in personaland external resources of the kinds needed for thocombination of political, financial, and social forcesto a common end. By their exertions, such influ-ences had been busy for Hooker ever since therecent battle, greatly aided by the unselfish laborof earnest men who believed that Hooker’s militaryreputation (the pugnacious disposition implied inhis popular cognomen of “ Fighting Joe”) and hisfreedom from suspicion of undue attachment to thefortunes of General McClellan , pointed him out asthe man for the occasion by tho unerring processesof natural selection. Tho attitude and characterof the Secretary of War, however, justified nothingbut despair until connection was made with apowerful faction which had for its object the ele-vation of Mr. Chase to the Presidency at the end ofMr. Lincoln’s term. Making every allowance forthe strength and availability of Mr. Chase, asagainst Mr. Lincoln or any other civilian candi-date, his friends did not conceal from themselvesthat the general who should conquer tho rebellionwould have tho disposal of tho next Presidency,and they were on the lookout for the right mili-tary alliance when they came into communicationwith Hooker’s friends and received their assur-ances that, if it should bo his good fortune tobring the war to a successful close, nothing couldpossibly induce him to accept other than militaryhonors in recognition of his services. General

Hooker thereupon became tho candidate of Mr-Chase's friends. Hooker probably knew of thesedickerings. Certainly Stanton did, through a friendin Chase’s own circle.

As soon as Burnside’s tenure of the commandhad become a question rather of hours than ofdays, new efforts were made to win over the Sec-retary of War, but necessarily without avail, be-cause, apart from any personal considerations thatmay have had place in his mind, he had certain con-victions on tho subject of a kind that strong mennever abandon when once formed. At this criticalmoment the needed impulse in the direction ofHooker was supplied by a person of commandinginfluence in tho councils of the Administration)and Mr. Lincoln directed the appointment to bemade. [See Lincoln’s letter to Hooker, p. 210-]

Mr. Stanton’s first conclusion was that he shouldresign ; his second, that duty to his chief and thepublic forbade his doing so ; his third, that Hookermust bo loyally supported so long as there was theleast clianeo of his doing anything with the armyplaced in his keeping. This latter resolution hefaithfully kept, and General Hooker, who soonhad occasion to know the facts connected withhis appointment, was both surprised and touchedby tho generous conduct of his lately implacableopponent.

Mr. (base found his situation as sponsor for thenew commander embarrassing. As a member oftho cabinet ho could freely express his views withreference to any military question coming up f° rcabinet discussion, and upon any matter introducedto him by tho President he had fair opportunity Vmaking a desired impression; but further thanthis ho could not directly go without disclosing apersonal interest inconsistent with his place andduty. Yet tho circumstances connected with theappointment, of Hooker made it imperatively neces-sary that tho influence of Mr. Ghase should beexerted in respect of matters that could not t° r 'mally come to him for consideration, although;on the other hand, they could not safely be in-trusted wholly to the keeping of a suspicious andprobably hostile War Department . Fortunatelyfor tho perplexed statesman, tho influence thathad proved sovereign when tho balance had hungin suspense between Hooker and Meade was safelyand wholly at his service, and, being again resortedto, provident a modus virendi so long as one wasneeded. Out of all these anomalies a correspond-ence resulted between Mr. Chase and GeneralHooker, the publication of which is historicallyindispensable to tho saying of tho final word ° nthe loading events of Mr. Lincoln’s administration-

When General Hooker telegraphed to Washing-ton that he had brought his army back to the northsido of tho river, because ho could not find roomfor it to fight at Ohancellorsville, President Lin-coln grasped General TTallock and started for thefront post-haste. Ho would likewise have take®tho Secretary of War, in his anxiety, but for theobvious indelicacy of tho latter’s appearance befoi®Hooker at such a moment. Mr. Lincoln wentbacnto Washington that night, enjoining upon Hall eCto remain till he know “everything.” Hallo®