urg. 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.

GENERAL:--I have placed you at the head of the Army of the Potomac.
Of course, I have done this upon what appear to me to be sufficient
reasons; and yet I think it best for you to know that there are
some things in regard to which I am not satisfied with you. I
believe you to be a brave and skilful soldier, which of course I
like. I also believe that you do not mix politics with your
profession, in which you are right. You have confidence in
yourself, which is a valuable if not indispensable quality. You are
ambitious, which, within reasonable bounds, does good rather than
harm; but I think that during General Burnside's command of the
army you have taken counsel with your ambition, and thwarted him as
much as you could, in which you did a great wrong to the country
and to a most meritorious and honorable brother officer. I have
heard, in such a way as to believe it, of your recently saying that
both the army and the Government needed a dictator. Of course, it
was not for this, but in spite of it, that I have given you the
command. Only those generals who gain success can be dictators.
What I now ask from you is military success, and I will risk the
dictatorship. The Government will support you to the utmost of its
ability, which is neither more nor less than it has done and will
do for all commanders. I much fear that the spirit which you have
aided to infuse into the army, of criticizing their commander and
withholding confidence from him, will now turn upon you. I shall
assist you, as far as I can, to pull it down. Neither you nor