, 1863-07-25
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
i Retrospect-tscnern1 Hookcrs3 Ike"
uaoyQ1 and lis Causes

Correspondence Of the New York Tlmes)
FREDERICK, Md, Monday, July 20, 1858.
4 brief retrospective glance at the dolnga
Of the Army OF the Potomac, during It's late
atduous campaign, may not be the 1noss un-
Interesting reading tor these hot days.
mere Jeint-a mere diVeralon-in the hope Of
seeing Hooker's army swiftly rush north ward
into Pennsylvania to stop the ravages ct one
small division, white the nla=s OF the robel
army, passing sud1ealY down to Leesburg,
could, IN less than one days march cross the
Potomac at Nolan's Ford, and place itself be-
tween the nationa1 army and Washington
/ There IS no feature Of the campaign more
positlye- than this; aud Lee |uB completely
out-genern1ed In Its attempted execution: And
Jet the General commanding tie army Of the
Potomac at that time has be-n abused be-
frightened farmer in Pennsylvania, aud ruah
to the protection of barnyArds and stables.
When Lee had failed to- Induce Hooker to
uncover Washington, he lost no timo ln push-
Ing forward into Mar3land- It Is equally true
Of Hooker that he lost no time IN pursuit.
Withdrawing his army speedily from its I'm
like position In front of Washington. he
crossed the river BY the pontoon bridge. at
Edwards Ferry, and u two days placed 1t in
the vicinity Of Frederick, IN average distance
er's career Us Commander Of the army Of the
Potomac came to sudden Termination.
do not know that the circumstances re-
sultfng in Gen. Hookcr's removal have ever
been given to the pubic. Being able to stato
them precisely I viii give them briefly:
From the. tiue Of leaving Fredericksburg
Gen. Hooker bad been acting under astrict
letter OF Instructions from Gen. unllcck, and
was reporting to the latter daily. The letter
Of instructions ordered Gen. Hooker to cover
Washington at al times, and when the pass.
age Of our army into Maryland became fixeu
AHFVfnnf cT1 1o1
Eoint to be covered antE protected, and General
Hooker was authorized to assume command
OF any troops that hr might find in auy de-
partment wherein be svcs Temporarily posted,
including the garrison often thousand men at
Maryland Heights.
Whea leaginx Fairfa7 Co7zt House fur
Frederick, Gen Hooker asked if there were
any sC1fGus objections to:.baudoning the posi-
ton at the heights temporarily, and adding
the troops to his azmJ, With which to pursue
wards Ferry, accompanied by Gen. Warren,
Chief Engineer, to Inspect the position m
person, aid determine uporfits value Toon
arriving at the Heights q tNspatele WIS re-
ceiyed from Gen. uallecAc, announcing, ia
substance, that the position md properly At
save In the last extremity. Bit, upon exam
ination OF. the point, and obtaining: the opin.
ions Of Gems: French and Warren, who coin
cIded with him strongly Gen Hooker was so
CVNF1LCel LIE 4HuLL11Y QI E4AlQtQ10k3E q
large garrison force at q point likely to be-
ccme isolatcd, and was 50 sure that, upon cx-
plaDat}on, Gen. Halleck. would agree. With,
him, TINT he at once gave the order for the
Of: the position, the troops to
march to Frederick aud join his army: He
giving his reasons 1t length Tne response
Wig q still. more peremptor7 order not to
the position. Gen. Hooker, being
thus deprived Of much needed reinforce
ment ct ten thousand excellent troops, aud
being, In addition. required to father the re-.
suits Of q campaign whose plan was not his |
own, respectfnllT aeked to bo relieved from !
command, If his Instructions could not be
remarking that 1t Was not in his |
power, nor the power Of any other General, |
tied force, and ttn be suceesstal In the main !
object Of pursuing and defeating the rebel /
army.
Tie President acceded to tue request Of
Gen. Hooker, and with the order assigning
Gen. Meade to command came discretionary
power from Gen Hnlleck, authorizing the
Commanding General to abandon Mafylaad
Heights or not, Just Us be saw 6t.
These are the precise circumstances attend
irg the removal Of Gen. Hooker, which nas,
and perhaps still Is, shrouded viii much |
Gen. Hooker took leave without any show
or forma1itS, aaye q feeling address to his
s1aT. and Geil Meade stepped into coumard,
and found everything So well matured for I'm
mediate action that he was enabled to move
on without an hours delay. The naxs day
the army was in motion again, and the march
cs which were planned by'Gen. Bnttcrfeld.
we're made with the same degree Of yiyor and
promptness which bad previously chlractee-
lied them.
Tie VARIOUS corps moved By several diverg-
ent Eontes from Frederick, the course Of the
Left wing being due north, while the center
and left wing DETECTED to the east9arl soon
placing large force between the enemy and
Baltimore. On Wednesday, July I. tia left
burg, and then begun the conflict which for
three days ragged SO fuIiously, aad G1ally re-
suited 60 success astully to the nattonal arms.
The history Of these battles, and the subse-
1pent march to the Potomac, Is yet fresh In
the minds o1ithe people, and needs no reitera-
tion here.