Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-05-08
gaatcbman x statr Ouurual.
BY r. ?. WALTON.
MONTPELIER, MAY 8, 1868.
GEN. HooKER's ARMY in MOTION

MONTPELIER, MAY 8, 1868.
GEN. HooKERs ARMY IN MOTION.
By our dispatches to-day we have confrma-
tory news that the army Of Gen. Hooker is
in motion, and that he is advancing to gain
the rear Of the rebel stronghold and cut of
their communication and supplies from Rich
mond is equally certain. While the pulse Of
the nation is accelerated in contemplating this
movement, in view Of brilliant and glorious
success, or crushing failure which it fore
bodies let us consider few reasons we have
for anticipating success. Gen Hooker has a
splendid army, thoroughly equipped and dis
ciplined, and amply provided with all the es-
sentials FOR a successful campaign. He boasts
and no doubt truiy .hsi IL ia The Gneat
army on the planet lie has had several
months of valuable time allowed him during
his winter blockade by the mud of the Rap
pahannock in which to perfect the organiza-
ton Of his forces and his arrangements for
active operations. lie has the experience of
Gen McClellan's Richmond peninsular cam
pagn, Of Pope's Manassas campaign. Of the
Maryland campaign, and Of Gen. Burnside's
Fredericksburg campaign, to guide him. He
knows the ground over which he has to travel,
the enemy with whom he has to deal that
in Gen. Lee be has a skilfll strategist, and in
his army powerful host Of rebel veterans.
to overcome. Gen. Hooker thus possesses
all the advantages Of personal training, ex-
perience, observation and knowledge which a
good leader with bis superior army could
reasonably ask, in order to insure complete
success to his great enterprise The con6d-
ence Of the government and the hopes Of the
country are with him. The news Of his adj
vance, notwithstanding our past misfortunes
in Virginia, will be accepted by the country
as the prelude to impending victories He
must win, or his fall will be ike that Of Lu-
cifer. never to rise again.
His published testimony before the Con-
gressional Committee on the Conduct Of the
War places him in position Of extraordiua-
~ responsibility. After deliberately under
taking to show that the failure Of the Rich
mond campaign Of last summer was the re-
suit Of the want Of generalship on the part
OF Mcclellan that such veteran soldiers as
Sumner and Heintzeman may be classed a.
moug old women that Burnside, with his
extreme rashness, was as much at fault at
Fredericksburg as was Mcclellan at York
town with his extreme caution; that General
Hooker, in the supreme command. could have
marched into Richmond on dozen different
occasions without difficulty could have cap.
tured the Heights Of FredericksburY without
much loss, and bagged or destroyed the
whole rebel army at Antietam---after all
these declarations as a responsible officer, we
may truly say that Gen. Hooker has now no
alternative before him but victory or death
death in the field or death to his reputation
as a military leader.
lie has voluntarily set h,mselfup as the su-
peror Of Mcclellan and Burnside, and he
must make his pretensions good or sink into
public disgrace. Let him defeat
the enemy disputing his way to Richmond,
expel the rebel government from that city and
occupy it, and the country will eheerfully
admit his claims to distinction. But, should
he fail, his own evidence before the War Com
mittee will rise up in judgment against him
from every nook and corner Of the continent.
We have no doubt that Gen. Hooker is aware
of all this, ana that with his magnificent army
he goes forward with his plans SD carefully
considered, and with such resolution to
succeed, that he cannot fail. May God speed
him on TO victory.