Joe Hooker resigns

[Irishtom29]

Funny--as an Illinoisan when I opened this thread I assumed it was about Hooker's dragging up in Georgia when he wasn't given the Army of the Tennessee.

 

[neyankee61]

After McPherson was killed, Sherman gave command to Howard causing Hooker to blow up over being skipped over. Another general, John Logan, also felt slighted but kept his mouth. Logan got back at Sherman later. Logan was a senator from Ill. and Sherman the head of the Armies when Logan led the Senate to cut the Army's budget, hamstringing Sherman.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

After McPherson was killed, Sherman gave command to Howard causing Hooker to blow up over being skipped over.

It wasn't just being skipped over. Hooker blamed Howard for Chancellorsville.

Imagine you lose your job because someone else on your team screwed up. You go to a new job. The guy who cost you your last job is there too. Then he gets a promotion before you do. He's not your immediate supervisor now, but he might be later. That's how Hooker felt and it makes sense he would resign, even if it was a bit of a skewed version of events.

 

[James N.]

My impression is Hooker's capture of Lookout Mountain was a job well done, but not especially remarkable. (I read Cozzens a decade ago.) "The Battle Above The Clouds" was not as dramatic as it might seem from the lofty heights and name. Hooker smartly approached from the south and pushed up the ridge, steadily driving the Confederates until they evacuated the mountain before they could be trapped against the bluffs at the north end.

True enough that since he so heavily outnumbered the Confederate defenders Hooker's achievement was actually pretty routine - and of course being Hooker he parlayed it with the media for all it was worth! - but Grant implies it was of NO military value, which statement is the real moonshine.

 

[Irishtom29]

It wasn't just being skipped over. Hooker blamed Howard for Chancellorsville.

Imagine you lose your job because someone else on your team screwed up. You go to a new job. The guy who cost you your last job is there too. Then he gets a promotion before you do. He's not your immediate supervisor now, but he might be later. That's how Hooker felt and it makes sense he would resign, even if it was a bit of a skewed version of events.

Yeah, but Joe should've pocketed his resentment and soldiered on, I think history would take a kinder view of him had he carried on with the 20th Corps. I hold his dragging up in Georgia against him more than I do his failure in command of the AotP.

 

[James N.]

Yeah, but Joe should've pocketed his resentment and soldiered on, I think history would take a kinder view of him had he carried on with the 20th Corps. I hold his dragging up in Georgia against him more than I do his failure in command of the AotP.

As I've observed before, by resigning he really shot himself in the foot - since he had been commanding the Union Twentieth Corps composed largely of the former Eleventh and Twelfth Corps units from the Army of the Potomac, he - and they - weren't known and trusted by Sherman to the same extent as those from his old Army of the Tennessee, Thomas' Army of the Cumberland, or even Schofield's force were. As a result, when Sherman moved against Hood's supply line at Jonesboro, the Twentieth Corps, now under Henry Slocum, was left holding the bag covering Atlanta. When Hood decided to retreat and abandon the city following the disaster at Jonesboro it was therefore Slocum who had the honor of being first to enter the long-sought city. Imagine what political and military capital Fighting Joe could've made of that plum!

 

[Irishtom29]

As I've observed before, by resigning he really shot himself in the foot ....

Yes, and when Sherman broke up the Army of the Cumberland, sending the 4th Corps to Tennessee and creating the Army of Georgia of the 14th and 20th Corps, had old Joe stuck around he rather than Slocum might well have commanded the Army of Georgia. As I recall Slocum only came to Georgia because Hooker had quit.

It's funny how things worked out though, with two Western armies commanded by the rehabilitated Uh-Oh Howard and Slow-come and Westerners Ord and Sheridan sent east and reinvigorating the Potomac and James armies. Not to mention Grant...

 

[James N.]

Yes, and when Sherman broke up the Army of the Cumberland, sending the 4th Corps to Tennessee and creating the Army of Georgia of the 14th and 20th Corps, had old Joe stuck around he rather than Slocum might well have commanded the Army of Georgia. As I recall Slocum only came to Georgia because Hooker had quit...

Hooker himself had sidelined Slocum in much the same way that Grant tried to sideline him, leaving Henry cooling his heels guarding the rail and river supply lines to Stevenson, Ala. in middle Tennessee while he himself led the troops on to Chattanooga. Wonder why he didn't find some creative way to ditch Howard too?

 

[neyankee61]

I think Howard was a little more politically connected that Slocum