Richmond; during the Seven Days; in the
railroad-cutting at Manassas; at Antietam, where he forced the fighting
with so much determination, if not wisdom, on the Union right; up
to Fredericksburg, where, after a personal protest to his commanding
officer, he went in and fought his troops "until he thought he had lost
as many men as he was ordered to lose,"--Hooker's character as man and
soldier had been marked. His commands so far had been limited; and he
had a frank, manly way of winning the hearts of his soldiers. He was
in constant motion about the army while it lay in camp; his appearance
always attracted attention; and he was as well known to almost every
regiment as its own commander. He was a representative man.

It is not astonishing that Mr. Lincoln, or the Washington
pseudo-strategists who were his military advisers, could not
distinguish, in selecting a chief who should be capable of leading the
Army of the Potomac to victory, between the gallant corps-commander, who
achieves brilliant results under limited responsibility, and the leader,
upon whose sole resources of mind and courage devolve not only the
instruction for health, equipment, rationing, march, or attack, of
each of his subordinates, but the graver weight of prompt and correct
decision and immediate action under every one of the kaleidoscopic
changes of a campaign or a battle-field. It required more knowledge of
the requisites of war, as well as a broader judgment of character, than
Mr. Lincoln had had opportunity to form of the several soldiers of the
army, to insure a happy choice.

And, doubtless, Hooker's self-assertiveness, success as a brigade,
division, and corps commander, and decided appearance of large ability,
shared equally in procuring his appointment. No one will deny Hooker's
capacity in certain directions, or up to a given test. His whole career
shows an exceptional power in "riding to orders." But he sadly lacked
that rare combination of qualities and reserve power necessary to lead a
hundred and twenty-five thousand men against such a foe as Lee.

Nothing shows more curiously a weak spot in Hooker's character than the
odd pride he took in Mr. Lincoln's somewhat equivocal letter to him at
the time of his appointment, here following:--

EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, D.C.,
Jan. 26, 1863.
MAJOR-GEN. HOOKER.

General,--I have placed you at the head of t