The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1864-01-07

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greater personal bravery than even the
hero effort. Donelson and Vicksburg.
The lamented Kearney was the only
officer who could successfully dispute
with him the palm of individual eour.
age, and his terrible recklessness,
rather a, fault than a. virtue, alone gave
him an apparent pre-eminence over
his comrade and companion. What
ever of success crowned our arms In
that most disatrous Aof all campaigns,
the Peninsular, was in great degree
due to the heroic prowess of Gen.
Hooker, whose personal achievements
to some extent counteracted and con-
oeaIed the pitiful inefficiency of HE
chief. At Williamsburg the rebel ar
my was driven by the commands of
Hooker and Kearney alone, while the
whole Potomac army lay quiescent
within rife-shot of the field, its COM
mandant deaf to all appeals for aid and
finally defrauding his subordinates of
their hard earned victory by his own
infamous stupidity. At Fair Oaks,
Hooker bore off large share of the
honors of the day, and when McClel-
lan's management eliminated In the
disastrous TO the James River,
Hooker's sturdy spirit and indomitable
courage were vitality instrumental in
the salvation of the decimated army.
When Pope had jeopardized all to aid
McClellan's safe retreat, and the latter
General saw fit to pursue course of
sullcn INSTRUMENTATION, the alacrity
with which Hooker brought his CON-
mand to the rescue, and the ability
with which he guided its motions in
the stormy scenes near Bull Run and
Fairfax added new chaplet to the
multiplex wreath of his military re-
nown. Antietam followed, and the
hero of its horrible carnage and tre-
mendous fighting, was the gallant Of
fcer who opened the battle at the
head of his veteran troops, and who
was borne, manned and exhausted,
from the thickest of the fight, q vic
tim Of that courage that scorned to
order others where he himself dared
not 60. AT Fredericksburg, his grand
division opened the attack and execu.
ted all its tasks, retreating only when
the inadequacy Of the general plan
had been painfully revealed.
The changes of war called General
Hooker to the command of the most
important army of the Union, and his
martial ability manifested itself in the
reorganization of the army and his
admirable notifications of the cum
brous military system, that hampercd
its powers. Charlottesville, although
a disaster, was a well designed attack,
which failed only through the defec-
ton of an entire corps-a misfortune
which certainly could not have been
forseen or presupposed. The strategy
Which checkmated Lees invasion of
pennsylvania and the fruits of which
Gen. Meade reaped in the great victo
ny of Gettysburg, wrung tribute of
praise even from his wary opponent,
and furnished signal illustration of
the successful use of the powers of
defensive warfare. An unfortunate
dissension with the authorities at
Washington led to his resignation, and
the browning laurels of success, which
his hand could all but reach, fell upon
the brow of another. His field of use
fulnesS however, was simply trans
ferred from the East 10 the West, and
the army that follows his lead now,
composed in the main of his old vet
Grams of the Virginia campaigns, has
done the most daring and difficult
achievements of the war. The battle
of Wauhatoliic, the carrying of Look
ont Mountain, and the battle of Ring.
gold rank among the most brilliant
Victories of this chequered war. The
storming OF the precipiiouss sides of
Lookout Mountain, bristling with cam
non, swarming with rebels, swept bya
hurricane Of deadly missiles, is unsur.
passed in the annals of warfare. The
great advantage that has resulted to
our canse from Gen. Hooker's maneeu-
vre along the Tennessee is too palpa-
bic to need separate remuneration. Had
he been less loyal and devoted, Gen.
Grant would have found the task i'm
posed upon him far more ardu0us, aans!
victory far less certain. = 4
The friends of Gen. Hooker have a
brilliant record upon which to base
their admiration and justify their
praises. The most malignant of his
enemies have not dared to ideprecate
his courage, illuminated by the fire of
"a score of battle.felds. His soldiers,
neither poor weighersof character nor
inclined to lavish esteem upon the un-
deserving, idoiize him with the almost
impious affection that the veteran war.
rior always feels for trusted leader,
and his peers have learned to value his
services neither lightly nor NEARLY.
Mcclellan selected him to open the
ball at Antietam, Burnside to lead the
van at Fredericksburg, and Grant to
storm the Alpine sides of Lookout.
Hooker bears sword that rests but
little in it's scabbard. Its edge is
hacked and its blade stained. He is
no carpet warrior, whose charger new
err snuffs the battle close at hand and
whose glass alone brings him near the
conflict, but a genuine soldier, shun-
ming. no peril, and himself meeting the