Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-05-14
USE OF EXAGGERATED SPEECH.

| ~ USE OF EXAGGERATED SPEECH.
After every disappointment Of the saDguins ex.
peotatons which certain class Of sensation writers
hsbitually disseminate with regard to all impend-
Ing military operations, il is for writers Of
aaother class to express the hope that the demon
stratcd folly of indulgiDg such absurd predictions
10 advance of forthcoming events will prevent a
repetition of such childish credulity. However
natural or irresistible it may be for to indulge
the illusions Of hope" they are laid under no
necessity Of giving to these hopes an exaggerated
expression of assurance just on the eve Of every
advance made by our armies. For under these
circumstances the highly-raised anticipations Of
the public mind are difficult to satisfy, even in
the presence of victory itself, which is sometimes
lightly esteemed because it has not been as COM
plete and overwhelming as The mea spopers had
promised. On the other hand, when it is defeat
which we are called to lament, after visions Of
certain victory held up before the public eye there
is always danger that the revulsion which ensues
from such 'disappointments will carry the popular
mind to depth Of dependency greatly beyond
the real necessities of the situation superinduced
by actual reverses.
a No General has been called to suffer more from
this species of fanfaronade than Gen Hooker, un-
less perhaps it be Gen. Mcclellan We all remem-
Der that when the latter was placed in supreme
command as General-in. Chief he was hailed by
common consent as Ca great General" not so
much for what he had done as for what he was
going to do Military feats Of the most impossible
and imprscticable nature were predcated Of his
genius with confidence which the veteran soldiers
Of the first French Empire would never have thought
of assuming when speaking Of the First Napoleon
And when, for one reason or another, all these
astounding achievements were not forthcoming,
the men who had been his most fulsome adulators
and who were 20 swift to praise him for what he
had not yet done, were, as might have been pre-
dicted, the first to become his detractors and to
deny him just credit for what he had actually ac-
complished. Nothing perhaps exceeded tie folly
Of their subsequent criticism, unless it was the
folly Of their antecedent lauda.ion.
As with Gen. Mcclellan so with Gen. Hooker
His brilliant services as division and corps COM
mander caused many to desire his promotion to The
supreme control of the Army of the Potomac. In
the end he was appointed to this position by the
responsibility we need not reoite to any who are
familiar with his criticisms on Gen. Mcclellan and
Gen. Burnside, or who recall the Order No. re-
presented to have been issued by the latter Though
all these circumstances were not popularity known
at the time it would that the observations OF
his friends and admirers should have taught them
to exercise becoming modesty in speaking of his
probable exploits, lest even in doing his best he
might seem to fall as far below the standard Of gen.
eraship erectedfo him as Gen. Mcclellan had pre-
viously done in their estimation. Instead of this,
his indiscreet admirers chalked out for him line
of progress by which he was to proceed conquer
ing and to conquer with little regard to the impe
diments liable to be thrown in his way by Gen.
Lee or the topography of the Virginia country.
To this effect the pro,e-writers plumed their pens,
while the patriotic rhymesters joined in ready chorus
with the came refrain. Hardly had Gen. Hooker
succeeded in placing his forces across the Kappa
hammock when Philadelphia poet of real merit
was inspired to make the crossing Of that river
the prologue of swelling scenes. We need but
quote single verse As sample of the inspiration
sHookers acrossi Rockers across!
Banners and muskets aud cannon and horse
Mote, as q tempest moves on with one breath,
Down to the outburst Of passion and death. .
Oh in the depths Of our spirits We know -.
K III fsil now in the face Of the foe,
Fly from the fe with our flag soilcd and dim
We may return, but twill not be with him
"A Hooker's across !"
No sooner had Gen. Hooker effected his dispo-
sitions across the river than the New York Times
was gifted to discern the entire theory of his cam
paign. 1t said:
1.-The gigantic task which Gen Hooker has given him
self to do embraces nothing ess than the destruction Of the
rebel army and the capture Of Richmond The former
primarily however, for be knows well that the real r. bel
capital Tor headplace, the e,ymology Of the word
imples) Is the headquarters Of the rebrl army in the
field But he TO take Richmond also; and he has
made his MISUNDERSTANDING the establishment Of
depots Of supplies along the roufe-to do So For the
accompl this he will depend two elements
strategy and bard pounding We have heard good deal
of talk about tho former during this much go in
deed that sober minds shake their heads mention Of
word. But Gen. Hooker has just given a practical
exsmpe-in brlliancy matched ny few in military his
toryone of the prcdgous advantages which able head
derive fromi aid For the hard pounding he
be may safely depsnd-on the magnificent army he holds
in his hnnd There be setting aside the weight Of
testimony have every hand that that army now in
condition Of spirit vgor aud power that overtops every
thing we have yot seen Of it,"
When he had divided his army in way so mys
tor;ous 20 p,itarv man and a. tba .ron. x.~ox-oJ