The National tribune., 1884-05-29

VII wv ASSOifO tnitt SseACloeo anu 5A'sSSi''A
recognition. The latter have both law and
equity on their side
General Howard on Charlottesville.
It is impossible to read the candid
straightforward account given by General
Howard of the Charlottesville fasco with
out feeling that the distinguished writer
has taken much more than ordinary care to
render it clear and comprehensive. and that
it is a truthful narrative of actual events.
There can be no question that the catas-
trophe was primarily due to the lack of
cavalry patrols to accurately observe the
enemy's movements in General Howards
front, and it is equally true that the single
brigade of cavalry retained by General
Hooker to picket the front of an army of
100000 men was not under General How
ords control
The fact is that Hooker supposed Lee
would come out of his works and form line
of battle in the vicinity of Salem Church,
and his attention was. accordingly given to
facing his troops in that direction, whereby
Towards corps, occupying the extreme right
of the line, became the rear of the army as it
faced towards Fredericksburg. Hooker, in
deed, had no reason to anticipate the move
ment of Jackson for it was such q move
ment as must inevitably have failed under
ordinary circumstances. Had the cavalry
under Stoneman returned as it should
have done after cutting Lees communi-
cations and been in position on the
TANKS of the army, and the requisite yigi-
lance been exercised, it would have
consigned General Robert Z. Lee to we'll
merited oblivion as an army commander.
The separation by the latter of his army into
two wings, five miles apart, leaving thereby
ample room for Slocum and Couch to
thrust column of 10000 men between them,
seemed to be SO pTeposterous movement
that even now, when it is a fact in history
that it was actually ordered by Lee and
executed by Jackson, one wonders that a
sane general should have had the hardihood
| to attempt it. A year later General Joseph
| E. Johnston attempted similar movement
at Resaca, as mentioned by General Howard.
The left of the 4th (Howard's) corps
was struck in flank by heavy column
moving from the Confederate right under
cover of the OostaGaula hills. 1t held its
ground until oYerpowered; then fell slowly
back, contesting the ground, when the Goth
corps, in reserve under Hooker, composed in
part of this same 18th corps, came to its
relief, and the charge met with a bloody
repulse.
There appears to have been no doubt, on
the afternoon of LAY 2, that Lees army was
in full retreat towards Orange Court House
or Spottsylvania. Jackson's column, NOV
ing westward, was in full view from Sickles'
front, two miles south of the left flank of
Howard, as the latter faced westward. Col
onel Pennock Huey, 9Th Pennsylvania cav
airy, relates an interview which took place
between Generals Sickles and Pleasonton
near Catherine Furnace, after which Pleas
onton said to Huey: The impression is
that the enemy is retreating, and we are
going to charge through his lines, open
communication with General Sedgwick, and
harrass the rear of the enemy's column
The mastery flank movement executed
by General Hooker in placing his army on
the south bank of the Rappahannock de-
served better sequel than the tame retreat
that followed, but to say that this retreat
was necessitated by the rout of the It'll
corps is absurd. Eliminating it entirely
: from the roster of the army, General Hooker
still had force fifty per cent. greater thar
r that opposed to him.
! In view of these facts the writer listened
with little patience to the explanation
: given by prominent army officers on the
2 occasion of the recent excursion to the battle
! ground, of the causes which led to Hooker.
) retreat.
t General James S. Robinson, who enjoys
E The enyiabIe distinction CT commanding on,
D of the few regiments (the sd Ohio tina
9 did its whole duty on that day, made tn,
{ remarkable statement certainly not of hi
+ own knowledge that General HOWARD
f received an order from General Hooker
| which, instead of obeying, he put il
t his pocket; then taking brigade from hi
< corps, rode away to see what Sickles wa
] doing, and was absent from his commant
e when his front was threatened For
! tanately, We have, to substantiate tn