Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-05-15
Gen Hoooker's First Campaign

TO give false coloring to facts. Secre-
= tary Stanton is mistaken in supposino
that by this process he keeps up the cour-
: age of the people. The people are
strong enough to accept the facts. and
nothing disheartens them so much 90
these persistent attempts to deceive them
: on the part of those entrusted with the
conduct Of the war. How can they have
: confidence when the prevailing notion of
r war policy at Washington seems TO be
to brighten the enemy by big words and
keep the people hopeful by caiolinp
them. Gen Rockers great movement
across the Rappabannock proved a fail
ure, when il might have been a great
success. 1t was only disaster because
Gen Hooker succeeded in withdrawing
the army secretly and rapidly by night.
The pine boughs on the pontoon bridges
saved our army this time, as did the
southeast wind when Burnside escaped
from Fredericksburg.
Some of the reasons for Gen Hookers
failure are obvious enough to the unmli-
tary. With strange faulty, the most
common and disastrous mistake of all our
campaigns was faithfully copied in this
new movement-lhe dividing of our
army and putting the separated portions
where the enemy could be easily massed
against them and defeat them in detail.
After Sedgwick had been driven from
Fredericksburg, with the loss of one-third
of his gallant corps in taking and losing
the position, it was gravely announced,
to reassure the country, that the position
was of no consequence. If this could
have only been seen three days earlier;
if Sedgwick had marched straight 10
Charlottesville instead of crossing at
Fredericksburg, Gen Hooker's campaign
below the Rappahanock might have had
a different termination. As it was, Lee
had the chance to dash bis whole army
first against Hooker then against Sedg.
wick, and then back against Hooker
again. He did il, and with success; he
defeated the plan Of Gen Hooker, and
compelled his retreat, and he had a right
to claim the honor of victory. Lee de-
serves no special credit for geueralship
in the case. He saw our army divided
as heretofore, and merely accepted the
opportunity offered to him.
This division of the army was the
great error. Hooker should have taken
six of the army corps with him 10 Chan.
celorsville at first, instead of four. One
would have been sufficient to hold Fal.
mouth and divert the attention of the
enemy there while be was getting into
position at Charlottesville. We have
been told Of forty thousand troops going
from Washington after Hookei's defeat
to reinforce him; why were they not
sent beforehand to help win the victory?
Indeed we may question still further this
policy, and ask why were not
The fifty thousand on the Black water and
sbe twenty thousand in North Carolina
present on the Rappahannock TO ensure
, decisive victory? What have we
gained by garrsoning The South Caro-
ina Islands and few unimportant posts
n North Carolina for the last year and
half, compared with what we have lost
or the want of the troops in Virginia?
This has been the grand mistake of our
var policy; we have attempted to ope-
ate from too many points, and we have
bus far failed at nearly all, certainly az
he most important.
Another mistake Of Gen Hookers
levement, as it has turned out, was the
ending of Stoneman's cavalry on raid
'wards Richmond. The support of the
avalry on The right on the unfortunate
saturday night would have redeemed
lie losses caused by the detection of the
and transformed defeat into
ictory. The aid ofthe cavalry on Sun.
ay might have given success to the I'M
Vailing attempt to recover the ground
st on Sunday The cavalry to be sure
ere doing gallant ork-destroying
'idges and railroads and creating
mic in Richmond--and yet quite useless
orb, a7 IL has Prv,0J ~. Lou not
soldier less to hurl against Hvoker's
my, and that army was essentially
sakened by the absence of its cavalry,
,ver more necessary than in such a dar-
g movement as that attempt by Gen.
ooker.
OF Gen. Hooker's generalship in his
st campaign there will be all sorts OF
Unions. PROFESSIONALLY he showed
mself to be " fighting joe" as ever
is first impulse when his right wing
elded to Jsckson's dash was to mount
S horse and lead the troops into action,
d through the severe battles of both
Us he was everywhere in front, and
e inspiration Of his presence stimua-