The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-05-09


~ ssassnsF s the Test ssa~ass -
Thc nine days' events on she Eaprahasaock
have brought the generslship Of Hooker 20 the
test. IL was au easy matter for him toeriticse
the gcneralship Of Burnside and MeC.esian in
leading an army OF 100000 men against Rich
mond. But he now finds il a very different af-
fair to lead the same army himself TO the same
destination. He was confident, when examined
before the Congressional Committee on the
Conduct of the War, that he,cSuld have march
ed into Richmond ct any time at his ease had
he been at the head of the Army of the Poto-
mac instead OF General Mcclellan; and Il he
had had command instead of Burnside he
would have achieved wonders. He had recently
stated that the army he led was "the finest on
the planet, !" ian army Of veterans" az the 1ri-
1e,ne remarks, superior to that of the peninsu-
la" and 80 large was it that Mr.. Stanton,
in his despatch to Governor Curtin, asserts that
not more than one-third of the force was en-
gagged in the late struggle-in other words,
that Hooker had more troops than he knew what
TO do with. Nor is this all. He Is allowed
by Lee TO cross the Rappahannock without OPP
position and without loss, and to have secured
a position he deemed impregnable-on which,
according to the order he issued on Thursday,
the SOth Of April, had rendered it necessary
that "the enemy must either ingloriously ay or
come out from behind his defences and give Us
(the Union army battle on our own ground,
where certain destruction awaits him'-an or
der which, in view of the events that followed,
reminds US Of the bombast of Pope. The enemy
did not ingloriously dy, but gave the Union
army battle on its own ground, and, so far from
Certain destruction" being his fate, he COM
PEELED "Fighting Joe' to recross the Rappahan-
mock, with loss variously estimated at twelve,
twenty and thirty thousand men. BY the occu-
patton of Charlottesville we were told the re-
treat of Lee was cut Off over the turnpike road
to Gordonsville, and If Stoneman should only
prove successful In his mission, and cut
the railroad, the whole army of Lee must
be killed or captured. 1t tp-ns out
that Stoneman did his subordinate part
we'll. But how was the principal role in the
drama performed How did the Commanding
General acquit himself and redeem the pledges
he gave! He had everything his own way;
his communications with his rear intact, and
not even threatened. Why did he fail! There
is despatch from the opposing general, which
we published yesterday; but from Hooker not
word. 1t is stated for him, indeed, by some
anonymous correspondent, that his defeat and
retreat are owing to three causes: First, the
fight of the Eleventh corps; second, the rising
cI~. it'd &c iOpn
of the success of Stoneman's expedition. 1t
has also been stated by others that he has COM
planned of Sedgwick's corps not gaining the
heights of Fredericksburg In time. Now, 1t is
evident that if these reasons are founded in
fact, they still resolve themselves into the ques
ton Of generalship, and prove that Hooker
was really outgeneralled, when Lee, playing
far deeper game Of strategy, only seemed to be
in dangerous position, and very soon turned
the tables against his adversary. Before cross
ing the Rappahannock Hooker had calculated
that Lee had not more than half the army
with which he had fought Burnside; that
large portion Of it had gone south Of the
James river to the vicinity Of Suffolk, to North
Carolina, and even to Tennessee, and that the
residue would therefore fall an easy prey.
He was confirmed in his delusion by the facl-
lily with which be had been permitted to effect
| the crossing. What then must have been bis
astonhhment to find before he had his line Of
defence completely formed that Lee was upon
him in overwhelming numbers, and instead Of
having turned the left flank of the rebel gene
raj bis own right flank was turned,
bis right wing driven in with confusion,
and the panic extending to bis centre;
thus losing possession Of Charlottesville, and
with 1t the road to Gordonsville, and being
compelled to change his front and contract his
| line to save his army from being cut OF from
the fords and the pontoonss
Before he had struck q single blow be found
himself on the defensive, and his communica-
| tons seriously menaced. Instead Of advancing
rapidly against Lee he waited for Lee to attack
the assailing army in battle has more courage
than the army defending itself, and that only
| the possession Of some very strong position can
eountsrbalancs the disadvantage OF waiting to
be assailed. Napoleon understood this; for in
almost every battle he was the assailant.
Stonewall Jackson follows bis example. But
Hooker, who earned the sobriquet of Fighting
Joe, j" both as division and as corps CON-
mander, appears to fight rather shy at the head
Of an army Of a hundred thousand men.
Great credit Is assumed for the successful
strategy by which Hooker crossed to the south
side of the Rappahannock But it Is highly
probable that this IL due less to him than TO
the rebel general, who preferred fighting him