b. 06/02/1838 Salem, New York. d. 06/08/1902 Brattleboro, Vermont.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 14/09/1862 South Mountain, Maryland.
George W Hooker MOH
George White Hooker was born in Salem, New York, on February 6, 1838. He received his education at a common school in Londonderry, which was supplemented in West River Academy. After this, he became a clerk in the towns of Jamaica, Bellows Falls, and Londonderry. In 1860, Hooker became a traveling salesman for W. & J. Flint of Boston, where he sold tea and coffee until the beginning of the war.
After the outbreak of the Civil War, Hooker enlisted as a private in Company F, Fourth Vermont Regiment in 1861. He rose through the ranks very quickly, being promoted to sergeant-major near the end of 1861, to second lieutenant of Company E in early 1862, and to first lieutenant in mid-1862. He held this rank throughout the Peninsular campaign, and would later become a colonel.
On September 14, 1862, General William T. H. Brooks ordered Hooker (who was a lieutenant at the time) to take four companies to take out a Confederate artillery position. When riding ahead of his men, Hooker stumbled across the Confederate 16th Virginia Infantry, who had become disoriented and were mostly out of ammunition. Instead of being shot, captured, or surrendering himself, Hooker boldly told the Confederate commanding officer, Major Francis D. Holladay, that a large mass of Union troops was right behind him, and suggested they surrender to him. Holladay complied, handing over his sword and company colors along with 116 Confederate men. For this action Hooker was awarded the Medal of Honor on September 17, 1891.
MOH CITATION:
Rode alone, in advance of his regiment, into the enemy’s lines, and before his own men came up, received the surrender of the major of a Confederate regiment, together with the colors and 116 men.
BURIAL LOCATION: PROSPECT HILL CEMETERY, BRATTLEBORO, VERMONT.
LOT 587.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: ANTIETAM NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD MUSEUM, SHARPSBURG, MARYLAND.
