Hooker's greatest accomplishment?

[gary]

Perhaps his greatest lasting contribution would be his nom de guerre for the working women who followed the troops!
Regards
David

It endures to this day. Much like Sibley whose most memorial accomplishment was being mentioned in Sergio Leone's cinematic masterpiece, The Good, The Bad & The Ubly. "Sibley in the white hat. He looks dead."

On the battlefield, his corps seizing Lookout Mountain.

Concur. After Chancellorsville, this is the battle he should be remembered for.

Like others said, rebuilding the Army of the Potomac was his most valuable contribution to the eastern theatre of the war.

 

[OpnCoronet]

We also have to keep in mind that Hooker suffered a severe brain concussion during the battle of Chancellorsville. Not sure why there was no clear cut plan to relieve Hooker and have the next closest senior general assume command.
Steven Sears places a lot of blame on the defeat at Chancellorsville due to the poor performance of General Stonemen' s Calvary dithering around and not destroying the Confederate railroads.
Leftyhunter

I can agree that there are extenuating circumstances concerning Hooker's performance. But, in the end I see his reactions to Lee's advances, in general, as being in line with the AoP commanders that preceded him.(and after him, until the coming of Grant), i.e., a detailed and elaborate plan, based upon what Lee would do, rather than what he could do, and then discarding the plan as soon as Lee responded.

Hooker, gave good service in the East and West, as long as he was not the man in ultimate charge (however, I would not deny that it might just as easily have been Lee; that it was Lee that he could not handle and not the Job itself).

 

[jackt62]

Re: Hooker's alleged use of alcohol. I seem to recall reading somewhere that Hooker had a naturally ruddy red complexion that gave rise to people's impression that he was a heavy drinker, which was not necessarily the case.

 

[wausaubob]

Whatever mistakes he may have made, General Hooker's accomplishment of taking Lookout Mountain with one of his divisions, one of Thomas' and the division of Osterhaus, created visual evidence that the US had broken the siege of Chattanooga and put the thought into the minds of many Confederate soldiers that Hooker's soldiers were going to cut south behind the Confederates and force the soldiers to surrender. Since some of them had surrendered at Vicksburg and had not been correctly exchanged, it was not a prospect they welcomed. This one accomplishment shortened the war by 6-8 months.

 

[MikeyB]

Whatever mistakes he may have made, General Hooker's accomplishment of taking Lookout Mountain with one of his divisions, one of Thomas' and the division of Osterhaus, created visual evidence that the US had broken the siege of Chattanooga and put the thought into the minds of many Confederate soldiers that Hooker's soldiers were going to cut south behind the Confederates and force the soldiers to surrender. Since some of them had surrendered at Vicksburg and had not been correctly exchanged, it was not a prospect they welcomed. This one accomplishment shortened the war by 6-8 months.

Is violation of parole a hangable offense?

 

[mofederal]

His reorganization of the Army of the Potomac, Corps Badges, his command in the West 20 Corps, and Antietam.

 

[wausaubob]

Is violation of parole a hangable offense?

Probably not. But a tour in a US Pow camp was hardly better than Russian Roulette.

 

[Badgercwcollector]

Perhaps his greatest lasting contribution would be his nom de guerre for the working women who followed the troops!
Regards
David

I was going to say that !

 

[leftyhunter]

Did they know what concussions were back then? And if so, was it suspected he was suffering one by Couch and the rest of the corps? Or was it like, "oh he's fine, just took a little bump to the head, suck it up Joe!"

Do historians generally believe that he was still concussed at the time of his counsel of war? And that could have impacted his decision to not stay and fight? Or do people generally think he was back to normal, and just folded?

Good question. The folks on the medical forum would be more knowledgeable about the state of Mid 19th Century medical knowledge. On the other hand common sense should of alerted his staff officers that a new commander was needed. It is hard to believe brain concussions especially in the military were an unknown phenomenon. If we are going to ding Hooker a legitimate criticism would be he had no clear cut chain of command.
Leftyhunter

 

[MikeyB]

I'm interested now, will ask to move to medical.

Good question. The folks on the medical f would be more knowledgeable about the state of Mid 19th Century medical knowledge. On the other hand common sense should of alerted his staff officers that a new commander was needed. It is hard to believe brain concussions especially in the military were an unknown phenomenon. If we are going to ding Hooker a legitimate criticism would be he had no clear cut chain of command.
Leftyhunter

 

[jackt62]

His reorganization of the Army of the Potomac, Corps Badges, his command in the West 20 Corps, and Antietam.

I'd forgotten about the Corps badges, which was probably one of his best ideas.

 

[Rebforever]

Did they know what concussions were back then? And if so, was it suspected he was suffering one by Couch and the rest of the corps? Or was it like, "oh he's fine, just took a little bump to the head, suck it up Joe!"

Do historians generally believe that he was still concussed at the time of his counsel of war? And that could have impacted his decision to not stay and fight? Or do people generally think he was back to normal, and just folded?

I can't answer those questions. Others probably can.
I do know and I get this from Furgurson's, he could not ride a horse and had to be held on. With bullets flying and cannons firing he fell from the horse to the ground still giving him alcohol. He was laying on blanket when more help arrived and they succeeded in getting him back to head quarters.

After they had picked him up and put him back on his horse, they heard a loud thud and when they went to get the blanket, a cannon ball had landed right in the center of it. Close for sure.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

I'd forgotten about the Corps badges, which was probably one of his best ideas.

I wonder if credit for the badges belongs more with Hooker or Butterfield? I've always thought it was actually Butterfield who promoted the idea.

 

[OpnCoronet]

As a side note, reflecting on what some, at the time and later, considered an indication of a character flaw. Many senior officers in the Union armies, remembered, or heard of, Hooker from his days in California, after the War with Mexico, where he resigned from the Army and became what, in the 20th Century would be referred to as a 'Beach Bum'. Living most on the beach and what he could scavage or borrow. The War apparently gave him a second start in life.