Hey everyone, welcome to episode number 301 of our Civil War Podcast.

My name is Rich.

And I'm Tracy.

Hello y'all.

Thanks for tuning into the podcast.

As you guys were recall, we've spent the last couple or three episodes talking about

Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia.

But with this episode, we'll turn our attention to fighting Joe Hooker and the Army of the Potomac.

In Alan Gelsow's book, Gettysburg, The Last Invasion, he points out that, quote,

a great deal of trouble lay at the very top of the Federal Army.

And true rewards were perhaps never spoken because a great deal of trouble did indeed lay

at the very top of the Federal Army.

As y'all know, throughout the course of the podcast, we've chronicled the trials and

tribulations as well as the controversies and commanders associated with the main Union

field army in the Eastern Theater, from Urban McDowell to George McClellan to John Pope

to Little Mac again, then to Ambrose Burnside and most recently to Joseph Hooker.

Gelsow describes Hooker as, quote, a loud mouthed bruiser with blazing bright eyes who projected

a confidence which he did not in the hollow core of his personality really have.

Yikes, right?

Well, it's actually kind of hard to argue with that description based on how Hooker had

skimmed to get command of the Army of the Potomac and how he had then lost his nerve

at Chancellor'sville.

...