Litchfield enquirer., 1881-10-06

CHANcELLORsvILLE-W extract the follow
 ing from N. Y Times criticism of the new
 book on the campaign of Chancellorsyllle
 Col. Dodge gives what may be set down.
 upon the whole, as the clearest farest, and
 most detailed special book on Chancellorsville
 vet written This volume, like the one al- ready noticed, contributes nothing to the stock of historical information upon the operations of which it treats But it furnishes an admir- able example of the spirit of candor and intel lIgence with which such studies should be conducted, while the ready concessions made to the valOr and skill of the enemy show that the writer is not discussing the battle from a wholly one-sideo view. The special purpose
 of Col. Dodge's book IS to partly relieve the reputation of Towards Eleventh Corps frcm the reproaches cast upon it for it's rout al Charlottesville to defend Sedgwick from the attacks of Hooker, who tried to make him his scapegoat, and, above all, to fasten upon
 Hooker the full blame of the defeat suffered by the Army of the Potomac when in it's fin- est condition, at the hands of half it's number of Confederate soldiers The two latter pur- poses Col Dodge accomplishes in very sat
 sfactory way. From point to point he follows the campaign, securing great clearness by his
 minute subdivision of the operations into brief chapters. an sf
 Probably at no time in it's previous history was the Army of the Potomac better fttew than at Charlottesville to deal a decisive blod at it's powerful adversary. In assuming com mand, after the displacement of Burnside
 Gen. Hooker had infused it with new spirit, and his wide reputation as fighting General, the magnetism of his presence, and his superb self f-confdence inspired general belief that he, at last. was the long g.sought man to crush. the rebellion. When, in addition, he revealed an organizing and administrative capacity fairly comparable to McClellan's. he seemed to unite all the qualities for success. And yet it was to turn out that this officer, who had been so bitter in his criticisms upon hispredecessors as mere strategists, without adequate fighting qualities in the stress of battle, was to surpass them in the very quality he sligh, ed, and to fail most pitiably and fatally ill the one of which he was expected to be the great exam plar. The strategy of Charlottesville was stroke of genius it's logistics, in the well-tim
 ed preparation and transportation of men and material to the points required, could not be surpassed the crossing of the Rapidan and Rappahannock and the turning of Lees left flank were masterly the tactical dispositions by which the various corps were positioned | and thrown out to advance upon Lee were l admirable. But there Hooker's aggressive | force stopped He had expected Lee to has tily draw back toward Richmond when he | found his flank turned and his communication l threatened. But when Lee held his ground | Hooker seemed dazed with surprise, and when with solderly instinct, Lee detached Stone | wall Jackson, who rapidly passed around Rockers right and crushed it, the Union commander seems to have completely lost his head. He had succeeded beyond all expectations in planning his battle, and failed to fight 1t properly when everything was in his favor. 4&&@