Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-10-28
For Delegate to Congress,
w. M. FERRY,
OF SUMMIT COUNTY.
HOOKER AND MEADE.

Of the Potomac, no event in the history
of that great command was iraught with
greater interest than that which relieved
Hooker from its command and substl-
tuted Meade. 1t will be remembered
that Hooker had but recently failed in
the campaign at Chanccllorsyille,and had
brought his gigantic command by mas
tery movements through Virginia into
and through Maryland, and had Just
completed prelminares for the engage
ment OF Lee, when the order to relieve
him arrived. In McClellan's case it was
painful surprise to officers and men, but
not so in this. Hooker had succeeded
in alternating the good will OF several oili-
GERS high in rank, and though rs soldiers
they would give him hearty support, as
men they did not like him. He had ma
tured plan that did not meet their APP
proval, and all things pointed to the wis
dom OF Stanton in making the change.
The change resulted in victory for the
Union arms, but how close that victory
came to being defeat, perhaps no man
who knows, will ever tell. The history
of the change in commands will be read
by all who were on the ground with in
terest
From paper in the century, Tor No
vember, we take this description of the
midnight visit OF Colonel IIardie to the
headquarters OF the Army OF the Poto-
mac, near Frederick, Md, to transfer the
command from Hooker to Meade:
MEADE was asleep, and when awakened
was confounded by the sight OF an Off
Ger from the War Department standing
over him. He afterwards said that, in
his sem-stupor, his first thought was
that he was to be taken to Washington
in arrest, though no reason occurred to
him why he should be. When he real
lied the state OF affairs he became much
agitated, protesting against being placed
in command of an army which was look :
ing towards Reynolds us his successor,
il Hooker should be displaced; referring
to the personal friendship between Rey
nolds and himself which would make the
Presidents order an instrument OF injus-
tice to both urging the heaviness of the
responsibility so suddenly placed upon
him, in presence of the enemy and when
he was totally ignorant OF the positions
and dispositions of the army he was to
take in charge; and strenuously objecting
to the requirement that he should 90 to
Hookers headquarters to take over the
command without being sent for by the
commanding-general as Mcclellan had
sent for Burnside and the latter for
Hooker. 1t was a mental relief to the
stern Secretary of War, when General
Meade's spontaneous utterances were re-
ported to him, to note that he had ut
tered no protest against Hooker's being
relieved of the command, even in what
might almost be called the presence oi
the enemy. This silence on the part OF q
man so regardless OF himself, 50 regard
ful OF others. Mr.. Stanton accepted as be-
ing, in itself, his complete vindication
After taking Colonel Iardie's opinion, as
professional soldier, that he had no law
ful discre ton to vary from the orders
given, horses and an escort were ordered
out and the party proceeded to gene ra
headquarters, some miles distant Har
die undertook to break the news tC
Hooker, who did not need to be told any
thing after seeing who his visitors were
1t was bitter moment to all, for Hooker
had construed favorably the delay in re
spending to his tender OF resignation, ant
could not wholly mask the revulsion oi
feeling. General Butterfield, the chief o
staff, between whom and General Mead,
much coldness existed, was called in, anC
the four officers set themselves earnes tly
10 work to do the State some service by
honestly transferring the command anC
all that could help to make it available
for good. Tension was somewhat easeC
by Meade's insisting upon being regarded
rs a guest at headquarters while General
Hooker was present, and by his request
ing General Butterfield, upon publ
grounds, not to exercise his privilege o
Withdrawing with his chief but Hooker
chagrin and Meade's oyerstrung nerves
made the lengthy but Indispensable con-
ference rather trying to the whole party.
When Reynolds heard the news, hC
dressed himself with scrupulous care and
handsomely attended, rode to head
quarters to pay his respects to the new
commander. Meade, who looked like
wagon-master in the marching clothes h.
had hurriedly slipped on when awakene
in his tent, understood the motive of tin
act, and after the exchange OF the saluta
tions all around, he took Reynolds b
the arm, and, leading him aside, told hir
how surprising, imperative, and unwel
come were the orders he had received
how much he would have preferred tn
choice to have fallen on Reynolds; ho,
anxious he had been to see Reynold
and tell him these things, and how helr
less he should hold himself to be did h
not feel that Reynolds would give hin
the earnest support which he would hay
given to Reynolds in like situation
Reynolds answered that, in his opinion
the command had fallen where it b.
longed, that he was glad that such
weight OF responsibility had not con
upon him, and that Meade might couI
upon the best support he could give hin