Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-05-15
A Severe Disappointment.


he left on the 28lh Of April TO take th
field against Gen. Lee We say that to-
nation is disappointed. Hooker is wors
than that; be has defeat TO add TO disap
pointment. His army however is said t.
be in excellent condition, as good as be
fore the battles, with the exception Of
depletion Of some ten thousand men il
killed, wounded and prisoners, and ar,
ready TO take the offensive again at mo
menl's notice. Thank God for SO mucl
mercy
Various reasons are assigned by The
telegraph, correspondents, editors, &c.
for this sudden retrugrade movement
such as Withdrawing for prudential rea
sons" the "river was rising rapidly" and
Hooker did not know what Stoneman
was about" and he deemed it unsafe to
remain longer" Wethnk all the "pru-
Denial reasons" Gen. Hooker had for re-
crossing the Rappahannock were simply
that be was severely handled by the en-
envy in the battles Of Sunday and Mon
day, in which they retook Fredericks-
burg, and recovered nearly all the ground
they had lost in the previous fights.
We have no disposition to find fault
with Gen. Hooker for recrossng the riv-
er; it was done, in our opinion, as pre-
cautionary measure 10 save bis army from
utter defeat, and from a worse handling
than it had already received. He did
just wha; prudent and cautious general
should have done when he found that the
enemy were so strong that he could not
prevail against them, and that his lines
of retreat were hourly being endangered
by rivers rising rapidly in his rear. We
do not think that Hooker has met with
severe defeat, but it is a defeat however,
of some sort let those fix the degree &C
cordlng as they are sauguine or despon-
dent. II he was not beaten, why did be
re-cross tue Rappahannock Not for
supplies surely; they could be sent him
more easily and much quicker than he
could cross his whole force for them.-'
Not for reinforcements certainly if vic
torious he did not need them to make his
position secure on the battle field, and
if required, it was unnecessary that be
should return in force to help them over.
This is our theory to prove a defeat it
may not appear rational to the majority,
but il answers our turn very well.
In the late battles our army has dis
played fighting qualities of the highest
order, and has again proved that other
things being equal more than a.
match for anything that can be brought
against it. 1t is in truth, the finest
army on the planet" But the dspensa-
lions of Providence il is not expect.
ed 10 overcome. With the exception oil
the lth army RPS, commanded by Gen.
Howard, the army performed prodigies
of valor. The disgraceful cowardice of
that corps, however, came near losing us
the army, as it did lose us the day, and
as we believe, forced Gen. Hooker to re-
cross the Rappahannock that it might be
no worse with him.
Bravest among the brave we are proud
to record, stood the first Vermont brigade.
The Vermont boys won the proudest lau-
rels, and proved themselves worthy de-
scendants of Allen and Warner All
honor to them. Their record is proud
one. At time when the day was going
heavily against US in consequence of the
dastardly conduct of the Germans. the
Vermont brigade made one Of the mos,
brilliant charges of The war, and the dis
patch says, "saved Sedgwick's army" 1t
was splendid charge and rich in result.
Well, the army is back again. safe and
sound, and now-What next2 When
-
shall the army of the Potomac take lis {
next whipping? And where shall it take
Il? There is no need to a,k, How shall
It take il? for reasoning from the past
sad history of that army we should sa, I
hat 1t has to go but a liue ways into I
meet the half starved and rag e
ged rebels anywhere, and it will get il a
speedily. Such has been its fate ever !
'ince il was organized, from the first Bull I
Run battle to the second battle of Fred. {
'ricksburg and ChancelorsvlIe. Its '
'ommanders-no matter what'were their I
aurels, nor in how high esteem they were I
Ield before their commands were given s.
hem, have all met with much the same o
ate, been repeatedly drubbed, defeated P
etreated, and removed. Mcdowell Of 81
Bull Run fame, copperhead Mcclellan. u
he digger of bitches, brave braggart
Pope, unfortunate Burnside, have all been r,
horn of their strength; and last, and s.
,reatest of all, we now have Hooker who &
} smarting under his first reverse. The g