Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1863-05-23

s""s 0ociofououS Vi tuo teIeKrapu iou "
to indulge . confident hope that General
Hooker was certain to achieve decisive
triumph over the forces Of Lee, and it i
with the most profound regret that We are
nov compelled to chronicle the fact that
all our hopes have been suddenly destroy.
ed. We have not only failed Of the result
which was regarded with 50 much certain.
", but have sustained a more runious
defeat than any other hitherto experience
ed during the war.
A strange fatality has attended nearly
all the operations Of this magnificent d.
vision Of the army. Composed Of the
very best material, subjected to the most
thorough training, and equipped and
supplied without any regard to expense,
yet, with the exception Of the battles
fought while Gen. Mcclellan was in COM
mand, every engagement Of any impor.
lance from that Of Bull Run to the defeat
Of Hooker has filled the land with cEagriu
and disappointment.
In seeking the cause for these repeated
and terrible disasters. we cannot fail to
notice the fact that the Potomac army
has been under the constant control and
management Of the President and the
magnates Of the War Department Al
Washington. Not content with that gen.
eral supervision which the regulations i'm.
pose, they have sought to direct the
minutest details Of field operations-to
order advances-wi.hdraw supports-and
change we'll ma.ured plans at the caprice
and within Of those who are without infor.
nation or military knowledge, and this
in repeated instances at the most critical
times when disaster could scarcely fail to
lie the result. u.
Of all the Major Generals who have
been in command, Mcclellan is the onlr
one who has been allowed anything like
the independence which is absolutely
essential to the success of any Comman-
der, and had he been left to carry out
unmolested the plans which he had ma.
tured, there can be no question that his
prudence, Strategy and military skill
would have given US the Confederate Cap.
itol long since. Even bis successful
movements were made almost in defiance
Of Executive authority. So much was
this the case that his radical prosecutors
have most strenuously urged his arraign-
ment for disobedience Of orders, add be
was finally sacrificed because Of his per.
sistans refusal prcmaturely to lead the
army TO- an encounter which he foresaw
must result in disaster and defeat
Burnside is unques.ionbly an honorable
man, and within his accustomed sphere q
good officer. lie accepted the succession
with great reluctance, aud frankly sck.
nowledgsd that Mcclellan WAS better qua
liied for the position than be. he knew
we'll the reasons which led to his promo
ton, ane that an immediate advance va.
an imperative necessity whatever nigh
be the danger inciden. to such a move
ment. The authorities At Washington
demanded it. lie we'll knew that in add
ton to the ordinary difficulties of his posi
ton there was dissatisfaction in the ranks
which was fomented by ambitious ant
intriguing officers who were seeking t,
supplant him, and hence the celebrated
Order No. s, dismissing As malcontents
large numl err, tormost among whom va
Gen. ice. Hooker. 1t will probably sub
serve no good purpose to dwell now upol
the short career Of Burnside as comman
der.-,he results may be expressed by ,h
single wori-disassrous.
Joe. Hooker has at no time exhibi,e,
the manly traits which characterize hi
predecessor. There is question whethe
he possesses larger measure Of amb
ton or vanity. II public reports are tru
he has long since declared that his servi
ces were indispensable to the Goyernmen n
lie has made himself supple tool Of tn
Administration by seeking to ae.raet fror
the merits Of those not in favor. Of tn
Peninsular campaign he test6es tina
failure was the result Of want Of genel
alsLip in Mcclellan. His subserviane
made him commander aud added largel
to his already inordinate vanity, hene
his declaration that he could have easil
whipped Lee at any time-aod hence tn
remarkably self:glorifying bulletin ate
two days fighting south Of the RappahaI
ock. The important practical questio
now is will this thrice repeated exper
ment be again tried must there be anotl
er hecatomb Of lives sacrificed to convins
the President that the modern system
warfare requires competent commando
and that the place for the Oeneral.i1
Chief il, at the head Of the army in Il
J Geld, aud not atthe White House or ",
. Office at Washington. We believe th;