June 26, 1863 (Friday): Hooker AWOL?

The Winder Building (Halleck's HQ)

POOLESVILLE, June 26, 1863-6 p. m.
Major T. T. ECKERT:
     Dispatch* received. My compliments to the President, and inform him that I had not that honor.


     JOSEPH HOOKER,
     Major-General.


June 26, 1863-8 p. m. (Received 9. 10 p. m.)
His Excellency President LINCOLN:
     You need not believe any more than you choose of what is published in the Associated Press dispatches concerning this army tomorrow. Was it from the newspapers that you received a report, or an idea, that I was in Washington last night?


     JOSEPH HOOKER,
     Major-General.


WASHINGTON, June 27, 1863-8 a. m.
Major-General HOOKER:
    It did not come from the newspapers, nor did I believe it, but I wished to be entirely sure it was a falsehood.


     A. LINCOLN

 *Not found. Probably this refers to a report that General Hooker was in Washington on the night of the 25th. See dispatch, following, from Hooker to the President, June 26, 1863, 8 p. m.

Official Records, Series I., Vol. 27, Part 1, Page 58.

Lincoln liked Hooker, but he had doubts.  There were reports in the newspapers on the 26th that Hooker was absent from the army without authority, visiting Washington.  In a conversation with the Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles, he would betray some doubts about Hooker.  The next morning (the 27th) Lincoln responded as shown here.  The day after, Hooker requested to be relieved and Lincoln accepted, replacing him with Meade.