The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-05-15


the passage Of troops )" and that, during
the battle, the ground was in such condi-
ton that +" it was impossible to bring up
fresh ammunition" And yet, through
mud so deep that I" it was found impossible
to bring up fresh ammunition, and over
"roads almost impracticable for the pas
sage Of troops" Gen. HOOKER swears that
he "could have moved right on, and got
into Richmond by the second day after the
battle, without another gun being fired!"
Another instance which is calculated to
impair confidence in HooKER's good sense
and honesty, is found in bis testimony in
regard to the closing battle of the penin-
sular campaign, at Malvern Hill. He tes-
titles in regard to that battle, that. if the
defeat of the rebels there had been follow
ed up, Richmond in his own words,
"would have been ours beyond doubt. +"
Instead of pursuit, however, the army was
ordered to move down to Harrison's Land
ing; and this movement, in the same par
agraph of his testimony, is described by
Gen. HOOKER as follows:
We were ordered to retreat, and it was like
the retreat of a whipped army. We retreated
like parcel of sheep; everybody on the road
at the same time and few shots from the
rebels would have panic-stricken the whole
command.
The Army of the Potomac, at this time,
had been fighting for seven days, and
marching for seven nights. With this
overwhelming work, and with fasting, the
army was worn out and exhausted; so
much so, that whole regiments laid down
in the tracks where the battle left them,
and could not, for hours, obey the order to
retreat. Yet Gen. HOOKER swears that
with these men in this condition, he could
have marched straight into Richmond.
These are only two out of the many in
stances which could have been cited, going
to show that Gen. HOOKER has an eX-
tremely careless method of talking, even
under oath. They lead one to doubt his
possession of the solid groundwork Of
character which is essential to success; for
they impugn not merely his integrity, but
his practical good sense.
The careless, exaggerated, bOastful style
exhibited in his testimony from which we
have quoted, has been used by him in a
still greater degree in respect to his late
| operations. A few days before commence
ing his last disastrous campaign, he stated
to Attorney General BATES that he was
confident of victory. "I do not merely
desire to defeat the enemy with this army
said he, for any General can do that
My purpose is to defeat, demoralize, or
capture the whole lot-break them up en-
tirely, so that they cannot reorganize for
another stand"
And, on the 3Oth of April, after his first
three days operations, he issuel the fol-
lowing congratulatory order to his army !:
HEADQUARTERS, ARMY OF POTOMAC,(
| NEAR FALMOUTH, April 3Oth, 1868. !
e., GENERAL ORDER NO. AZ.
1t is with heartfelt satisfaction that the COM
handing general announces to the army that
| the operations of the last three days have de-
termined that the enemy must either inglo-
| riOusly fly or come out from behind his de-
| lenses and give us battle, on our ground, where
| destruction awaits him.
The operations of the 9TH. 18th and 18th
corps have been succession OF splendid vic
tories.
By command of Major General Hooker.
Signed S. WILLIAMS, A. A. G.
1t seems almost ungracious, but, with
this pean of victory, and the lamentations
of defeat so soon following, both ringing
in our ears, we cannot forget his famous
boast at Fredericksburg,-when crossing
the bridge while the slaughter under
BURNSIDE was raging, that he was "going
to put the thing through in half an hour! !"
nor, can we forget, either, how ingloriously
he failed, nor with what awful destruc-
ton his failure was marked.
If ever General had the means of sue
cess in his hands, it has been General
HOOKER. The Army of the Potomac was
never so strong in effective men, as when
General HOOKER gave the orders for the
late movement on the Rappahannock.
He has had in most extraordinary de-
gree the confidence and support of the
government. He has publicly acknowl-
edged that he has been granted every
thing that he desired or has asked for.
He has characterized his army as "the
finest army on the planet" and truth
fully so. If he has failed, the fault must
be imputed to himself It cannot be
charged to the operation of secret and an
tagonistic influences within the army, as
in the case of BURNSIDE for HOOKER has
been four months engaged in wedding it
out, and organizing it to suit his own fan
cies. If the late compaign has proved
disastrous, therefore, it is HooKER's fail
ure, and no ones else.
But, of all men within our knowledge,
or of any time, General HOOKER has placed
/