The New Student's Reference Work/Hooker, Joseph

Hook′er, Joseph, an American general, was born on Nov. 13, 1814, at Hadley, Mass., and graduated from West Point in 1837. He served in the Mexican War, reaching the rank of captain. He left the army in 1853, but in 1861 again offered his services. His bravery in the battles of the Peninsula won him the title of Fighting Joe. He took part at South Mountain, Antietam, Manassas, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville; carried Lookout Mountain; and was with Sherman in his invasion of Georgia. He had command of the Army of the Potomac in 1863, but was superseded by Meade shortly after his defeat at Chancellorsville. In March, 1868, he retired with the rank of major-general in the regular army, and died on Oct. 31, 1879.