Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1863-02-19
Army OF she Poloraae--PIanY Of abe Geno--
rals. lslr.


ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Feb 3.--fF hil5 G. q
| question Of moving this army is held iu Stern
absyanee by natural obstacles it IS well to znor7
what IS being done By the new commsulsr
toward reorganiziDg the army, and toward re-
lieving it Of certain damaging and dauEer8gs
influences which psrvade it 70 . considerable de-
gree To this end his staff las been speedily
oTganizsd and announced, and IFS forr1ation.
attracts attention, both from its limited numbers
and its exhibition Of superior business, military
and executive talent
The most inexperienced eye, # familiar with
the sentiment and condition of this army, can
readily perceive the abuses and dslinaueness
which need correction. They are not chargsatle
70 Inc late commander The origin of soals Of
them dates almost back to tha origin of ihs
army The army has been, in part wrongly
educated It has been taught to care more for
taea than princIpie. rs heart was right in the
FIRST place, bat its sentiments have been perTert-
Cd Ii must now come back 70 the original Oh
Jet, and the army Of The Potomac must be
tau aught the iirst duty Of The soldier-.o hsar and
obey without questioning.
/ have reason TO believe that Gen Hooker
meditstes renewal Of discipline, and the cor
reetlon 81 certain abuses, with G stern and yig--
oEouS hand. He has alresdY e0mmenlsd &
A general order. issued yesterday bears uac5-
lentiDgiy upon desertsrs, and u. or oiTiears sll-
sent without leave. The Iaiter wfH fad il
healthy for their official constitutions to reDors
at once. Two hundred and ffsy dessrters were
yesterday returned TO their several corps. with
Instructions 70 division commanders 10 orgarizs
at once eourt-martials, composed Of the aa'sst
officers of their commands, aud that tbsss men
be tried speedily and punishment meied out ae-
eordlng 70 the TeEdiets rendered. The colnDsu-
der believes that proper vigilance upon the part
Of suoordinate officers viii prevent desertions
fisa ,c 81 D.
quired
Il is malteT Of record that but one naa was
ever executed in the army Of the Potcmoe for a
hagTant crime, and that was q eesa Of an
attempted dessgtion to the enemy. TIE most
e earnest and vlgilant Commanders believe that
the power Of execution should be confined TO
the commander in the feid Senator Wilson's
new bill meets this exigsney. Half a dozen
officers ard q d5zsn privases executed Ia each
corps IN tie army, for aagraDE crimes acd mis-
demeanGrs, would have beneficial ehscf IL
elI0Huei PgTus upon x sgllaT=
General Hooker means TO make Improvements.
and, in fact, mems TO control sntireiy. 70 IS iu
the matter of promotions Being ai the bead Of
the army, be must necessarily know who be bas
beneath him, and upon whom he can rely
Faithful ofhcers viii be rewarded Aeu who
fght braveiy and do tbeir whole duty VIII be
placed literally In the line of promotion upon
kNd GQlAAla-ltL Alcltts A-r n l-A $3.50
his recommendations be prOmpilY approved-
Faithfulnsss viii not -0m2rsaended in a
mere machine like performance Of duty A'ae-
rity and earnest desire for success IN their work
are The requisites which entite officers and men
to consideration and approval
Useless inefficient aud incOmpetCat cfheeTs
win probably have a hard time Of it no suh-
ordinsts who does not respond promptly % tna
wishes Of bis c0mmandeE VIII be toleT8,el f3r
an instant Any such desiring 70 get cut Of fhs
service viii have an opportunity 10 do so, and q
not going voluntarily they viii 60 By disgrace
ful dismission The army viii be thoroughly
wseded. and vacancies filed fram Che hDe and
fgom The ranks. This Is lha oniy thing .ett-
The army is stall immense in numbers and ma
terial. II needs recUperation in spirit and eth-
eisncy- And if General Hooker eOmmaeds &C.
this he will have. The few orders already issued
hsvs the true ring they portray The esrnss.usss
Of live man, and give every pstuoEe heart
great hope.
This army may net be able to move for
nlOuth-ceriainly not until tT6 have better sn1
steadisr weather But we shall have won
victory at the end Of that tims. by the renewed
spirits and discipline which shsll rrevail, as toe
result Of the vigorous and unrslsn6ug work ot
reorganization This has Begun and Hi e. on
until finished. Aud hen we shaH look t2r osl-
ter things from the army Of the Potomac.
1t may not be 8 republic whcss PsoP sFe 81
ucated to the princ.Pis of personal indspsn-
denee, that we shall ever have On srmy Of so--
dars, whose mere discipline shall render them
capable of being impress sed and raolded by th5
force Of one powerful will as Napoleon s0ma.
times impressed aad nodded his armies But
we may have an army that viii readily recog-
nizs order and discipline and obedience as the
primary principles Of is action, and than with
a head to command, It win win victories and
crush rebellion
Let the people Of the nation take hpart. They
are better of in regayd to this army thsn they
are The lighting msn in is ere bsgiuning %
command Is Fsr weather commanders aIa
disappearing. Dsl0yal5y end ingompeeucy
s7e below par, and patriotism aud ability ars st
premium. When We 6gh. sgam Ge lhah
fight to some purpose