General Joseph Hooker, the fourth commander of the heroic but unfortunate Army of the Potomac, was appointed to that position by President Lincoln in January, 1863.  The two men had met briefly early in the war, when Hooker, then living in California, hastened to Washington to offer his services to the Government; but for some reason General Scott disliked him, and his offer was not accepted.  After some months, Hooker, giving up the idea of getting a command, decided to return to California; but before leaving he called to pay his respects to the President.  He was introduced as “Captain Hooker.”  The President, being pressed for time, was about to dismiss him with a few civil phrases; when, to his surprise, Hooker began the following speech:  “Mr. President, my friend makes a mistake.  I am not ‘Captain Hooker,’ but was once ‘Lieutenant-Colonel Hooker’ of the regular army.  I was lately a farmer in California.  Since the rebellion broke out I have been trying to get into the service; but I find I am not wanted.  I am about to return home; but before going, I was anxious to pay my respects to you, and to express my wishes for your personal welfare and success in quelling this rebellion.  And I want to say one word more.  I was at Bull Run the other day, Mr. President, and it is no vanity in me to say am a d——­d sight better general than you had on that field.”  This was said, not in the tone of a braggart, but of a man who knew what he was talking about; and, as the President afterward said, he appeared at that moment as if perfectly able to make good his words.  Lincoln seized his hand, making him sit down, and began an extended chat.  The result was that Hooker did not return to California, but in a few weeks Captain Hooker was Brigadier-General Hooker.  He served with distinction under McClellan in the Peninsular campaign and at Antietam, and commanded the right wing of the army at Fredericksburg.  He had come to be known as “Fighting Joe Hooker,” and was generally regarded as one of the most vigorous and efficient Generals of the Union army.

Such was the man who, in one of the darkest hours of the Union cause, was selected to lead once more the Army of the Potomac against the enemy.  This army, since its defeat at Fredericksburg, had remained disorganized and ineffective.  Its new commander, unlike his predecessor Burnside, was full of confidence.  The President, made cautious by experience, deemed it his duty to accompany the appointment by some timely words of warning; and accordingly he addressed to General Hooker the following frank, manly, and judicious letter.

     EXECUTIVE MANSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 
     January 26, 1863.

     MAJOR-GENERAL HOOKER.