Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-12-10

Justice.

Union dead who fell III the great battle of
July last there occurs very full, clear and
elaborate account, not only Of the battle it
self but of the whole campaign which pre-
ceded it. In his cool and polished periods
something of the final Judgment of histoI Y
is doubtless anticipated. MIR. EVERETT has
evidently made the campaign subject of
careful study, and has had access to all the
sources of information including the reports
both of the Union and rebel generals
Few will question his ability for such task.
The admirable manner in which it has been
performed has been widely and warmly cs-
tolled. To one feature of this analysis o.
the Gettysburg campaign we desire to call
especial attention; it is the vindicatiou which
it contains of the generaiship of HooKER,
The source from which this tribute to a
General who has been an especial mark for
the calumny and yituperation of the self
STYLED conservatives gives it additional,weight
and value. Ii Mr. EVERETT has prejudices,
they are not in Gen. HooKERs favor. At
least all his associations are witt class of
men the greater portion of whom have gazed
upon the exceeding light" of Gen. MCCLEL-
LANs military genius until they are unable to
see any merit whatever in our other Generals
But Mr.. EVERETT, after most careful exam
nation of all the testimony, awards the high
est praise to the tactics of Gen. HOOKER, from
the time when he assumed the offensive, up
to the period when Gen. MEADE took command
of the army of the Potomac. He says that
LEES designs "were promptly discovered !"
by HOOKER, and wholly frustrated ;" that his
first object TIC defeat our army south of the
Potomac was "baffled;" and that all his at
tempts to out-maneuvre Gen. HOOKER were
unavailing." We quote one or two passages
from the address:
Much time had been uselessly consumed
by the rebel general in his unava ling at
temps to out-maneuvre General Hooker
Although Gen. Lee broke up from Freder-
icksburg on the Sd of June, it was not till
the oath that the main body of his army en-
tered Maryland and instead of crossing the
Potomac, as he had intended, east of the
Blue Ridge, he ooa$ compelled to do it at Shep-
herdstown and Williamsport, thus materially
dcraitgiag his entire plan Of campaign north of
the rger. Stuart, who had been sent with his
cavalry to the east of the Blue Ridge, to
guard the passes of the mountains, to mask
the movements of Lee, and to harrass the
Union general in crossing the river, having
been severely handled by Pleasanton at Be
verify Ford, Aide, and UpperviIle, instead of
deing allie to retard Gen. Hooker'S odyauce, maS
Il. Al
the a'maycf Lee, and CIT of for a fortnight from
which Gen Lee, in his report, alludes more
than once, with evident displeasure
Then follows an account of the invasion of
Maryland to the arrival of Hill and Long
street at Chambersburg on the 9th of June
Mr. EVERETT continues:
Up to this time, no report of Hooker's
movements had been received by Gen. Lee,
who, having been deprived of his cavalry, had
no means OF obtaining information.
As soon as Gen. Hooker perceived
that the advance of the Confederates into the
Cumberland Valley was not mere feint to
draw him away from Washington, he moved
himself rapidly in pursuit Attempts, as we
have seen, were made to retard and harass
his passage across the Potomac. These at
tempts were not only altogether unsuccess-
full, but SO unskilfully made as to place the
entire Federal army between the cavalry of
Stuart and the army of Lee. While the lat
ter was masscd in the Cumberland Valley
Stuart was east of the mountains, with Hook
cr's army between and Gregg's cavalry in
close pursuit. Stuart was accordingly COM
PEELED to force march northward, which
was destitute of all strategical character, and
which deprived his chief of all means of OBJ
tanning Intelligence.
No time as pe hare seen had been lost BIZ Gen.
Hooker IN the pursuit Of Lee. The day after
the rebel army entered Maryland the Union
army crossed the Potomac at Edwards Ferry,
and by the 18th lay between Harper's Ferry
and Frederick. The force of the enemy on
that day partly at Chambersburg and
partly moving on the Cashtown road in the
direction of Gettysburg, while the detach-
ments from Ewelfs corps, of which mention
has been wade had reached the SuSquehan-
nah opposite Harrisburg and Columbia. That
a great battle must soon be fought no one
could doubt but in the apparent and perhaps
real absence of plan on the part of Lee it was
Impossible to foretell the precise scene of
tae encounter Wherever fought, consequent
ces the most momentous hung upon the re-
suit.
In this critical and anxious state of affairs
Gen Hooker was relieved and Gen Meade
was summoned to the chief command of the
army; and it appears to my unmilitary judg
ment to reflect tie highest credit upon HIM, upon
his predecessor and upon the corps commanders
Of the Army Of tie Potomac, that a change
could take place in the chief command of so
large force on the eve Of ageneral battle
the various corps necessarily moving on lines
somewhat divergent, and all in ignorance of
the enemy's intended point of concentration
and not an hours hesitation MO1ad eltSa,e IN tie
advanoe of any portion Of the army.
This is high praise and we believe Justly
merited While we have never been a par
tcular admirer of Gen. HOOKER we have re-
garded the circumstance that, when super
seeded, he left the army in position and
condition such that it could be led against
the superior forces of the enemy within three
days and achieve one of the most signal vic
tories of the war, as complete refutation of
weakness that have been brought against him.
No imbeeile and drunkard ever handled a
great army with such skill and sagacty, or
maintained the order and discipline which
characterized the forces under his command
WHY PRISONERS ARE NOT EXCHANGED
Solicitor WHITING, of the War Department,
states in letter that has been published,
change of prisoners are the sending into ser