Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-05-11
The sltuu.Ion-Hoaker's Mevement--A

The Washington Chronicle of Friday
lasthaS the following comments upon the
military situation:
"Time only can develope the precise
reasons why General Hooker withdrew his
army across the Rsppahannock. 1t may
be that not only the swelling of the stream
by three days rain, but some ulteriorpur
pose caused the movement which was SO
unexpected to the public at large. We do
not care to speculate. We are content with
certainty.
alt is certain, then, that we have in
hicted vastly more damage on the enemy
than they rave on US The whole amount
of our wounded cannot exceed 5000 and
our killed 1900. This we learn from re-
liable sources. There is no means oftell-
ing how many prisoners we have taken,
but it is certainly more than 5000. The
number reported by Lee and our dispatches
from Suffolk show this to be an over
estimate.
"The fact hat the enemy were not will
ing to follow us as we withdrew to the rear,
or to interfere in our crossing, is certain
indication of their exhaustion. They were
ENTHUSIASTICALLY LbIElDlN CUT up
General Stoughton reports that they
acknowledge to unprecedented losses, and
that they suffered especially from artillery.
On the other hand, we found our own army
in the very best of spirits.
"From many whom we have seen from
the army, we learn that the greatest en-
thusiasm exists. The soldiers have perfect
confidence in their commanding general.
They understand why they are on this side
Of the river, and are not inclined to con-
slider themselves driven back, when they
know that they had the best of the rebels
in every encounter, and destroyed many
more than they lost.
News which we publish, elsewhere,
proves that Stoneman's raid was the most
brilliant cavalry achievement of the war.
It has done great damage to the rebels
1t has proved the spirit, energy, and skill
of our cavalry, and hat given them con-
fdence in themselves. The Chronicles
leader begins:
"The Danube and the Rappahannock-
Bonaparte, at the battle of Aspern, finally
yielded to the concentric fire of the $50
pieces of artillery, with which the Arch
DIXIE Charles had Numbered upon his SOL
ID columns from day break to dark, and
giving up the contest and giving up the
held, crept back to the Isle of Loban and
found an asylum among its willows
ia hoodIn the Dannbe, whose waters in
one night rose IA feet, had carried away
the bridges between the island and the
south bank of the river. Seven thousand
FTenchmen were lying lead upon the field
of battle. Upon the north bank, twenty
nine thousand and seven hundred and
s~eVenty-three French were lying wounded
and moaning upon the field. Full one
quarter of Napoleon's army was killed or
disabled"
After reciting NapOleOn's bold plan for
the emergency, it concludes:
"Great man, great soldier, great by vir-
tue of the title of looking with constancy
and courage into wide jaws of disaster
and defeaIs that appsl the most of the
race. Never will Americans attain to the
character Of q warlike people, until, with
mistaken calmness, we hear Of the losses
Of battles and the destinations of our
armies, and do but intensity our determin-
alton to succeed"
"But whilst this vas taking place, our
we're, in a great measure, screened
from the fire of their opponents. They
had been so disposed hat they could do
the most possible damage to the enemy,
whilst not suffering much from him. The
rebel dead were piled, in many places, s
and 10 deep, and a persen could not walk
a step without stumbling over a corpse"
"He thinks the enemy at least lost four
to u one. Hooker did all he could to
draw them out of their strongholds. and
then deal as much destruction into their
ranks SIS possible. The report that the ar
my has been demoralized and feel that they
have been whipped in being Withdrawn
across the Rappahannock, is pronounced
by this gentleman and numerous officers
and civilians with whom we have con-
versed, unqualifedly false. Never we're
Dur troops in such good spirits, and never
so jubilant over their achievements as
now"
"The Chronicle also contains the follow
.ng: Stonewall Jackson had his left arm
.lmptutated above the elbow. It is not
known how soon he will be able to take the
ield. General A. P. Hill was severely
wounded in the calf Of his leg. General
is killed. General Lee reports that
lie has taken 5000 prisoners, and that his
oss in killed and wounded is very heavy,
-
"FrOm a gentleman connected with one
# the Pennsylvania regiments which par
icipatedin the series of battles of the last
ew days and arrived in this city this
we have cheering advices from
'ur army at Falmouth- BE was q partici-
'ator in the battles fought under the i'm
Mediate eye Of General Hooker, and afirms
hat never did soldiers fight better, and
ever was such admirable generalship dis
as on this occasion.
With the exception of the time of the
anic in the 11th Corps, the men stood as
rm as rocks and literally moved the reb-
Is down as fast as they came up. He had
Titnessed many battles during this war,
ut he assures us that never did such i'm
tense slaughter Of human beings take
lace. Our batteries were massed at threat
ned points and showered their double
noted contents into the ranks of the reb-