, 1863-05-08


We st:!| bclieYc in Joe Hooker! Atthis
writing, tic country srpposes that his
Lame is associated with dc(cat-that his
movement was failure, and that his gen
cra}ship is IN illrsion. We do not know
what positively were the causes Of his re-
tTogradc march across the Rappahannock
VIC can afford to wait the reconciliation Of
Conflicting statements before We attempt
to make anything but hypothetical state
ments 10 others. Meanwhile, we
see in the results already certain,
and in the plan Of operations
:h:.. :tiFto1tune has developed, enough to
compel our admiration Of the high and
brilliant qualities as q commander that
Gen. Hooker hns displayed. His mastery
manuuvre By which lc succeeded in de-
cciying the enemy cs to his probable place
ofcrossing; hisprofound secrecy ofrurposc
until revelation TO- his interior officers
was imperative if lie would have their in
tclGgcnt cooperation; the cclcrity Of lis
movements, quite unexampled in the WAT
in the East; his boldness which
dared TIC assumption OF great
risks for the accomplishment Of
great purpose; his unquestiona-
bic success in edecting q passage Of
large river in the face Of foe that had
spent six months in guarding and fortify-
ing the 1ords; his greater success in gain
ing the encmy's flank, compelling him to
take the hazard Of combat outside Of his
intrcnchments; his plan Of the cavalry
raid in three grand. divisions under Gen.
Stoneman, which did the enemy
much serious mischief, and which,
had all gone well, would hare
made surrender Of the entire rebel
army necessity Of the situation; his
movement upon Fredericksburg, auxiliary
to the strategy, the execution Of which he
supervised these things mark him as 8
great Commander. Hc seems to have done
I'll that any General could have done; bu.
ifove1borne in the fight by superior OF
equal numbers, who, cognizant Of the evi-
denccs Of his courage and skill that We have
stated, can say that his was the fault
We do not yet believe that he was
beaten; or that in what deyolvod upo1
him, he was guilty ofgrave fault Helacked
the assistance Of sedgwick, who failed
though furnished with what seems to have
been sufficient force, to execute the par
Of the plan assigned to him. He Tough
against the elements, which heed no eau
nonading or charges Of infantry in line
i The waters Of the Rappahannock, not tn
enemy, threatened the line Of his commu
nications, the roads we're almost impassa
bic; and re have no doubt tha
the sequel will show, that, as h
went out in light marching order
with only two wagons to each regiment
and probably not large supply Of ammu
milton, he was compelled by prudential
reasons that ought to influence any com
mander, threatened with an insuflcienc'
Of the food necessary to all men, and {
powder and ball without which armies al
nothing, to retire. That he took the back
ward step, and succeeded in recrossing hi
men, remaining munitions, wagons an
artillery, without molestation by the o.
posing army, is proof enough that he vi
not even defeated in his purpose BY on
agencies that the rebels welded He wa
as now appears, simply unfortunat
This is our hypothesis. We doubt nj
that it will prove to be in the main corec
The result is not what tho country a,
ticipated. But who that faced the stor1
of Monday night and Tuesday could la,
torctold its coming; or who but one vt
has seen the effect Of such deluge Of raj
and the consequent sea Of mud. upon !:
army in motion-an army without ten
and probably on half rations, could ha
estimated their worth to the enemy Gle
to his depot1f supplies. A reinforcing
Ct twenty five thousand fresh men VOL
not have served his purpose so well
We tccl the pain and modification
THIS terrible miscarriage Of what II
wisely and nobly conceived; but there
IN lie whole chapter Of accidents no cat
for despondcncy or discourapement T
army Is safe, and has been so reinforc
that its losses, though doubtless large
the aggregate, appear inconsiderab]c 7
do not believe that its morale has heor
stroyed. Gen. Hooker is still in CO
mand; and If in the range Of possibilit
he will retrieve the disasters by which,
has been overwhelmed He is not
man, still having much means at his dis
sal, to let grass grow beneath Ills
The country will hear from Joe Hot
again.