, 1881-06-20
CHANCELLORSVIL.LE.

HOW tho Army Nvns Nearly Destroyed
by Incompetent Wcht. t.Poltltera-Saved
by Gen. observation-disclosures Coni.
plotc Droakaosvn.
Cincinnati uat,tlf.
A history Ut tho ca,lIpaiEi, Ut Chnnccllors-
vttle has been published BY Theo.lore \.
DnlEu, Of tho United States army, .ledi.
catetl to tile llc,,bers Of the Military fiistur
fcal Society Ut Massachusetts. Nisa history
Of what tho author describes us II ylan atl-
1niral)Iy conceived a1n completely successful
III tta movements until 1t reached tho decis-
I've lulnt, wlieIi its execution weakened dawn
to falling back tU await nttack In n sitta-
tion where its superior 1lIellDcrs were lictl-
trnlfze.t by tito tiicket, ami where, Mt Tho
best, tile result could he 0ltty II repulsc Of the
eueiny, without recovering the command of
the situation.
'f]e actual result was that thoroughly
orKnhtztd nriny, which cr0sset the llapp;-
hat.n0ck IN ltfgl, spirits, was beaten BY one
half lis fnrce. III tllis brief article there IL
10 Intent to review that eampnts,, or th1s
boDk. hut lnerely.tu rc.nnrk II point which
the nutl,or does hot fully bring out. The
author rates very highly Itooker's work in
reorga,'fzlng tflat nrtny anh in inspiring IL
with c0nflttul,cCi nls0 Ills genius ny sl,owntn
the plan Ut tllls campaign, and In the orders
which enabled the preliminary tnovcmcntsto
be carried ont tn the letter. :.
with tho main force llu lad crossed tho
river III tho Heir prt.5ehcH Ut the Oplh,s1nY
nrnIy. Ills crnhstils wus above Frctlerteks-
burg, nlld ILLS route WIS down tu the rear of
Tic e'elny's lthE, Whltil was III ttle lilEhtj
back Of tho towl',. rcaci'ng from tho river
above to tue river below. .udgwte!s's corps
distracted Lees attention by crossing below
FFHlesIrksbltrg. :,
aud sis ro,1ts would ~ thrcltcr Lees com.
!illitcAttol.S ~ tn G0Mpel Him to come Ottc uf
his intrencl,ncllts and fight to save Ills line
of klppaleS aiG retreat. 'fltts papcr will mt
setlxN:ick did what Ie WIS expected 70, Or
WllAt lie ought to, In lloll'1lg part Of !.ea's
furce: Whereycr the llanae. may laye beeI.
tue ftsnlt was tlat, nfter tho crpss!ug hnd
ess. ess o HUI tIs rss'!f ssaE"''ks corps Lad no '"f-
The autl,or speaks Il, tho highest praise Ut
uo0ker's strAteGy and 0f the s,tccess uf lis
/ movement up tu the tins when lie iluttL.
towards 1.c9s communications. llts inIn.e;,
Aihtrf rf1tt.eessitlcs required that liz should get
out tOf. til. wilderness ltn thu uipll country.
B.t IN; TIE ysry S'm9inatlo! u lllS gra,M
c!ston al,a ENTERPRISE. lic gnyn mp tie ntlri,.
s!te,' and stopped III tho wlltiefness,-tllat
| thtckct which, heXt year WAS aSain SO IT.
strnctfve to that tll.f;ttetl nrn,y.
II ~ puShl4lIH 1tE}tt ElbkEfb HIlilN IutH lH:tll
oyertnxel will. u.o trcnscntlous responsihili-
ties Of l,ls p'asitl1,t, and tint because Of this
I exhaustion Of Ills energies lIe weakened
dOwn FROM offensive enterprise to IL .lefeiis-
wlEclt tnElsl because fcebly executed. On The
other hand Lee brtke ~ the rules bf the art
uf wnr. ailu itsrcgnrdetl ull rifles 0f military
pr!tlence by dividing his ARMY ami sending
hnlf Of II oil ttnitk l,ArGtt completely aer.>sN
a,r trout to make MI attack on tho right
| rear.
Had there bectl nny ee,lara1sllp OIL our
si1e, Dr even any military coialn9r sel'se,
strlction. Bnt at Ills jnnct.1re M infntaa-
ti0n took pussesslul, nf nur Generals that Lee
wns rctreatinE. Incredible as II llsny secl'l,
!aeksa!E marched -. wv nltn frnN! back OF
Will, artillery mid snl'ply; trailst arou'nt the
laMk nihl renr 0f our right, while our Gell-
erals thought IL Lce's rGtreat.
Gtinlpscs Of this movement, which were
@ e1als '11Sa IL tls es" H % ssax t o the, St, IL
| gu,Ieral, although there were different de-
grees OF this impression, alli seyeral wtrc
not content, to Ncaept tiis c1elny's retrcnt ,s
was not fully convinced, and he sent w0rl 10
Howard tlut lle WINS MpHehcnstre that tho
right was not sufficiently guarded aud
strnnE:
solicitation. hn.l taken lart of their troops
from lleNr the centre, Md moved out to OBJ
serve md l,arass this retreat or to uusclop
the movement. but this was too late TO Inter.
1uien full possession OF thu .nind Of ticn.
Howard, who WIS III command Of the right
wing, and Ut Gen. Devcns the second III
command. They knew TINT Leu Ind 9ono
well as Gen. Sher1nnn. Knew that the Con.
fcdernte nrlly ut COrinth would not bb slcll
fools III to come md attack our troops at
Pittsbugg Landing, when these were Eolng
III that woody region tho right flank
could quickly have oeen 80 covered With a
line OF abatls a1ll Temporary ,works That
Ja:kson's attack w0ui!l have lwen bis de'
ihe risht WAS tefit Us u,ieuanlel as IT tic
i,l;trclled round to IT.. rcar and Turned lis
nttacklnscoi9M,,ls within hearing of tlto joll-
ity Nf tue soldiers, who were turned loose
fOr supper AHll n good unsB. 80.
Volunteer olllcuFs Weru anxious because
Of Tits upku9Tled state Gf & tae ty t9ri.y, ant1 M
ssSi' eS S Sf s ia'! ayy ifatsty y's spa %i }151S o
good Information when we write that vol
Hntegr oil!cers were tnsultHtl by tlelr. cons
,inN.Iet for reqlarking the upglect Of cav
Tllu s4,ltlters Ni IiOwattl's corps. With
br,keM raNks n1,l arms stacked lt the r0al
II without M0llhtctl plckUtst Md without nnS
bt rear Sc,sss .de wsre engnEe g,H II sIs,
i,iarell burst upt,ll their Hunk a,sd rear With
fury which II volunteer utllcer, who WINS osie
nf thtlSo That had bccutlln ANXIOUS ut tAls W.
guNrlo.l stats, sal.l wus like a tornado. This
Is tlb 1tOiNL which tho historian does mi
bring out With sufficient plalnMess.
Notwithstanding liGIkpr's aecllne fr0nl l.l
bvitvii but Tor tbs ile2lcet Of ali solt!'a:shll
By tiei,. Howard. Ii hlit tlille Ut tic anyer
, !iy Ut judgment wlicl, was yisito4 upon vol
uilteefs lli|H been lace4 out to !li'n by wnul'
would nuver llaye et,llla,dctl u corps again
. hit ns MI Instance n1 tho different nleasur