New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-01-07
TnE POTOMAC ARMY.
from Oar special Correspondent.
EEADQuAgfsR, Army OF gBE PoTosAo,
Ya,f


ETADQU AFTER. Amy OF JBH poToyAc, !
Jan. j. 1874 )
He who essays truthful, connected and CON-
pete review Of the year jus, past. is confronted at the
ouset with TIE antsgonisms OF what he knows Of and
sbou, this Army and what lie knows to be the popular
irge,s iou among the people Il, homo concerning ts
performances Nevertheless. within tho brief space
your ever crow ded columns may admit, allow me-. in
calm unbiased though necessarily hurried manner 70
A" yindca'r is history.
On The 2J,h Of Janlaiy Gen Joseph Hooker relieved
Gen. Burnside Of lis command, and although IT. an
nounoeiuent received With varous degrees of ras
hc,ion and misgivng by the officers and men. be had
not been IN hs position single week before there were
Everywhere IN the Army abundant and nnn'istakoble
evidences That " he was born for command
AL the little "shiften,sss" and cyasions Of duty,
10 and about camp. drill or review. were reached.
and every deoTg nzing influence whose sure tendency
WIS toward general decentralization wac reached and
rcmodied. The health. the comfort the enjoyment and
the physical aud mental welfare OF the men were looked
after they never bad been before aud the Whole 70,
men became infused with the earnest zeal OF their nen
commander aud the potency OF bis onn enthusas'c anu
impiuOus nature never shone 10 brightly as wien IL
lifted these noble MP out Of the slOugls %; theI dc
pon1ing and the sioughs Of Virginia mud whic envi
roDcd them at Falmouth. HIS 0d1,s for SOFT bread,
vegetable Tstions regular pay un 70 be served before
of Gers furlougs r neTtOr,0us conduct and the IKE.
will ever cause the of "Fghfing Joe Hooker" 10
be remembered by The soldiers Of the Potomac Army
with affection and gratitude.
II may be- sly assumed that tho m0ro's OF tie army
had been satisfactory promising oi results
under any previous commander. NJ that when In the
month Of April the time came for active operations
everything pressged success. General stOneman was
started "a perloas yet entirely feasible mission
With bis cagjfy. while Hooker with lis main army
crossed ID. k0ypahsnnock aud concentrated nj Chan.
csoIsyile with celebrity and brilliancy Of movement
which has not been Transcribed In the whole history 81
the war. Lee not only outgcncraed. but amazed
AZ The achievement for be- nearly surrounded and
ormda'e cavalry force In his rear. threat ming
LIS entire lire 0f communication with LIS capital
nut cf Toes soon rallied their forces and with that
En Yoheraship which has so often challenged our I'D
VII oh ~ vel! as eXecyation that II should be pfosi'
tutea W seeh gnobe ends tho battle Of Chnnceorsvie
VA Iougr We lost IL. Strange and ny sterious prov
ushcs WIN an army far their superiors with every
nltenuIious circumstance strongly In our favor We
were iorced 10 retreat. IL frnc not rOited
ue.ated ana driven back bnt far worse. We necdlesy
tnTew away not only tie possibilities but all the proba
phtics OF victory. Charlottesville 30 grand and
promising IN Inception. 70 bio and notifying
i ts edinei Let br cover the memories Of It's heroic
si WIN Lie mantle OF our deepest gratitude. while
WIN Calranistc ftb hide its sad In the
belief that IL was H. be-"
soon became evident that our want Of success at
iIcdcfictsJurg and Charlottesville had not ony en-
ppuenen the enemy to attempt the execution Of long
cherished plan OF Northern INVASION" but had alo
SATISFIED him Of the extreme peril Of his position. lie.