Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-07-26
NO. IT..
CHANCELLORSvILLI.
True Story OF THE TERRfBLE Day
AvERfLL RELIES TO HOOKER

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True STORY OF THE TERRfBLE Day
AvERiLL RfPLfEs TO Ho0KER.l
Anew York Herald reporter called on
Gen. Averill the uther day md had talk
with him about the recently published re-
port of disparaging remarks made bv Gen.
Hooker In San Francisco. Gen. Averill
said: CAS- for Gen. Hooker, the people
don't generally know that he has lost ev-
erything but his inordinafe vanity. The
sorest spot in poor old ,Joes life is the ter
rible fiasco at Chancellorsyille. He denies
that it was failure; but It was 90, and to
Hooker alone is due the fault He failed
to embrace the opportunity to make ie q
success. Howard Says lis subordinates
were disafected. and HOOKER refused to
accept that as any cxoneration, but at the
same time, assumes TO exonerate himself
through Howard's culpability. 1fHoward
was responsible for his subordinates, 80
was Hooker; but donbs the whole story.
Ii he knew Hooker was culpable, how
came he to swear before the Committee on
the Conduct of the War, that the defeat
was altogether due to Gen. Sedgwick's
iailnre and the negligence Of the cavalry,
leaving out the hh corps. holding the
right 4? aaf 4s ~ Yase
You know Hooker ought to have beaten
Lee. He went across the Rappahannock
with over one hundred thousand men, and
| Lee hadn't more than half that number, and
in four or five days he came back beaten
with twenty thousand killed and wounded
There were just two causes for his disas-
Iter-Lee's capacity. and Hooker's incapaci-
ty. If Hooker would realize the truth OF
it and say no more about it, SO much the
better Tor himself and the fact is he's as
dead as Halleck, only he isn't buried.
Hooker was merciless abuser of his
cavalry. He obliged it, before the battle,
to maintain twenty-five miles Of picket line
at an average distance of eight miles from
the army. when these lines should have
been held by infantry. with the usual cav
airy patrols and videttes. Consequently
third Of his cavalry was disabled when the
time for action came. And Of three tiiyis-
ioEs. two were organized for aggressive
operation under Buford and myself, while
the other. made up of broken and disabled
men and horses, We're left in camp under
| Gen. Pleasonton. l started out with my
division under orders to cross the Kappa
hammock, and engage the enemy 8 cavalry.
and drive it ifpossible, to Rapidan Station;
that the way the order read. Buford was
to pass to the rear Of Lees army and cut
| off his communication. Both columns car
ried out their instructions to the very letter.
and they were only portions of the army
of the Potomac that did succeed in the
part laid down for them in the plan Of the
battle, the only column in the army. sir.
! Its pretty strong remark, but, egad
it 5 true. | drove the enemy. not only in
the direction of Rapidan Station, but to
and beyond it and Hooker could not have
failed TO have heard my guns. In at least
"a hours fought the enemy almost under
his eye. BY driving the enemy in this
way enabled Stoneman to get into Lees
rear and destroy his communications. II
we hadn't done what we did, think the
enemy's cavalry would have crossed to the
north bank and captured miles and miles
of our camps and stores. H
While we We're progressing satisfacto-
rily, however, l suddenly received an Or
der from Hooker to return. knew at
once that meant disaster. He was whip
ped then, and had his cavalry been any
where else than just where it was, he
would have been destroyed as well. / re-
turned and met Hooker, He received me
was thick, and he seemed utterly wearied
He said, 'Where is Stoneman p
Il suppose he in the rear of Lees
army replied
"lts strange" said he, II don't hear
from him. Lee does not seem to have
been disturbed by him."
He finally directed me to 60 into camp.
asked about his situation, and he said IL
. only tN nd iol- -
He's coming up in Lees rear from Fred
ericks bug When hear him shall ! itch
i'll with everything I've got here. We've
got these fellows now where they cant
get away"
we heard Sedgwick's guns hot and heavy,
didn't pitch in. There's where he lost
the pattle, if he had not already lost it.
when he sent telegram to Howard, tell
ing of Jackson's coming attack on his
| UHow ard's) corps, instead OF coming him
self and seeing 10 it. He had to ride only
Two miles. That was the vital movement
of the battle, and yet he trusted the fate
OF his army 10 dispatch carried by an
orderly to Howard, an officer whom he
says he knew to be incompetent
The truth is Hooker was personally
whipped the day met him. He'd had all
the tuck taken ont of him, but his army
was al right. He didn't give it chance
He hadn't fought it yet.
That evening received an order re-
lieving nue. OF command, and directing
me To report at Washington. 1t was
signed ''J. A. Van Allen, Acting A. ID. c."
The command was turned over TO Pleas
anton. My Adjutant General went to
headquarters to ask some reason for the
order, but he found Hooker asleep, and
Pleasanton and Allen standing guard TO
prevent anybody disturbing him.