The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-11-28
FLOR the Dispatch.i
The gettysburg "Esfsastar."

paners,' - IL occurred TO me that few words
unon tie same subject By one who never
performed any military service except with
Colonel nansorth's militia would not be
out Of place In the columns OF one OF our
leading, city journals. do not datter my
self that shalt shed very mitch iight upon
the topic; yet see no reason to fear ttat L
shall retard just solution OF any OF the f-
several questions involved. -
It has always appeared to me that Tue SIM,
pIe facts OF the Gettysburg campaign ten
90 Main story that there is as little reason
to misunderstood its true relations 10 the
Confederate struggle as for wonder toat It's
results wore not more favorable land that
whatever NAV have been the plumbers OF
the leaders the campaign itself will long re-
main most signal proof Of the constancy
and heroism of that noble army which was
ever ready, without question, TO respond TO
the wave of the hand OF its CHIEF. one
would suppose, from much that has been
said about the Gettysburg campaign, that
Lee ought 10 have captured Philadelphia
and New York, and handed over the Wash
inrton junta to President DAVIS to be rep
rimanded and dismissed upon assurances OF
future good behavior; but for my own
part am willing to accept the safe return
OF Lees army to Virginia as significant
proof OF the very high esteem which our
northern brethren entertained OF southern
valor. Let us look little into the facts OF
the case:
The battle OF Charlottesville, which was
most brilliant success, was also very sad
disaster. With less than 100000 men we had
whipped Hooker, with at least three times
that number-many Of whom were excellent
soldiers, needing only better general to
place their soldierly qualities to better adj
vantage. Still, the fruits OF our victory were
for the most part very bitter. We bad put
another feather in the cap of the Army OF
Northern Virginia, and had sent thrill OF
10y throughout the South; but beyond this
we had really gained but little. Hooker still
tarried beyond the Rapidan, no doubt in in
creased strength; and we had to mourn the
loss Of large number OF the very best OF our
soldiers, at the head OF the list OF whom was
the name Of Stonewall Jackson. The fall OF
Jackson at that crisis Of our fate bore as
heavily upon Lee as the fall Of Asdrubal at
the MetauruS did upon Hannibal. 1t has
been suggested that the man who killed As
drubal saved Rome; it would be quite as
likely to suppose that he who killed Jackson
completed the series Of causes which were
to overthrow the Confederacy and place
written constitutional guarantee (tempora-
rily, we may hope) at the mercy OF the Imp
OF Despotism.
remember to have felt indignant at a
writer in Bldck,c0od'S Magazine, who said
that Generel Lee, at the time Of the GettyS-
burg campaign, chad grown too big for his
breeches." Yet the charge, upon exami-
nation, seems not very wide OF the mark.
The truth is, the Army OF Northern Vir-
ginia had done such wonderful things that
General Lee, after Charlottesville, seemed
almost to regard it as really invincible.
Still, a calm survey Of the situation might
lead US to suppose that the invasion of 1863
was as much matter Of necessity as OF
choice. It was not to be supposed that an
army Of such lofty spirit, flushed with vic.
tory, and now strengthened by the addition |
OF one OF its best-fghting members, could
remain inactive while Hooker on the Rap
idan and Milroy in the Valley should send |
out their pillaging parties at their leisure. |
And yet for forward movement our num-
bers were totally inadequate.
In counting the army which Lee led over |
the Potomac I never could get beyond |
10000 men without calling in the aid OF
Swinton and Bates and the two worthy citi-
zens Of HagerStown; and such authority
as these think even old Father Herodotus,
with all his love for the marvellous, would
place at heavy discount. My honest |
belief is that below, rather than above, the |
$4,000 the true number would be found;
and these, in every respect, were very badly
supplied. Then, as Lee moved northward
he was watched by an army greatly supe-
rior to his own in numbers and abundantly
supplied in every particular; while on be-
fore even he could scarcely conjecture how
many were rallying from various points to
assist in opposing his movements. Nor
should we forget that Lee was not invading |
a country like the Persian empire at the |
time Of the Macedonian invasion, whose |
Government and people were fast declining |
from their primitive yigor and spirit. On |
the contrary, it was country whose people |
We're fast advancing in power and self-ap-
probation, were influenced with sectional |
rancor, and mad with fanatical zeal.
Putting these several facts and consldera-
tions together We cannot fail to see that the
invasion of 1868 was o most hazardous ex-
pertinent, which could only be justified by
such reasons as General Lee himself assigns. |
Nevertheless, there are good judges who tell
us that the experiment was very nearly a
success, and that il everything had worked
in harmony, and Stuart had not chosen a
very unfortunate season to indulge a favorite
pastime, the story of Gettysburg might have
been somewhat different affair from what |
it is.
In his final report Of the Gettysburg cam.
pai.n General Lee tells us that, finding he
could not attack Hooker except at disad-
vantage, he determined to draw him from
his position, and, if possible. transfer the
scene OF operations beyond the Potomac.
III he could gain no signal advantage over
the enemy he at least hoped to disturb his
plans for the year. The material parts of
his promise General Lee abundant,y made
good; for he so disturbed the enemy's plans
that we had season OF comparative repose
for many months, reaching from the time OF
the armY's return to Virginia until the
spring OF 1864. And it may be safely ques-
toned whether our loss OF men was as
great as it would have been ii our army had
remained at home and had submitted to Sc
ries of battles fought on our own soil.
II, considering the immense odds against
him, General Lee had succeeded to the eX-
tent Of his wishes in this memorable inya-
sion, the Gettysburg campaign would have
been one OF the most magnificent in history.
AS it now stands, / have no special liking for
the word "disaster" in relating the story
Of movement, which was undertaken with
a full knowledge Of its hazards-which,
though in some sort unsuccessful, has given
an account OF southern chivalry which the
world will not readily let die, and which
will 60 down to future ages as signal de-
monstration, that the men In gray were en-
gagged In an earnest strike against that
damnable political heresy that there is
"higher law" Than the written constitu- |
tional compact by which communities are |
bound to one another. Nor does it seem to |
me to require the spirit Of prophecy to fore |
sec that when reason shall have returned to |