The National tribune., 1888-09-06
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have to Say Ab0nt
Their Old Campaigns.
FIGHTING JOE HOOKER.

Ills Part In the Gettysburg Campaign
EDTToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Does it ever
occur to You amid az the struggle among the
officers and their friends for the honor and
the glory attendant on the repulse OF the Con-
tolerate Army at Gettysburg, that not one
word is ever heard OF gallant soc 4i0ohgI'-
Fighting Joe Hooker. TO whom as much or
more Is due for the strategy OF the campaign
than to any other officer engagedE HoNaIu
had his thanks from the Nation Hancock
cannot be forgotten while the name OF Settys-
hurg is mentioned. ScEles, and Dou bie4ay,
and Warren. and a score more. viii always be
remembered with that peculiar feeling an old
soldier has for leader, and after the Old sol
diers are gone, with the same reverence that
p0sterity always has to give to those Who nave
distinguished themselves in the Nations mill
tary service. But what OF Hooker
il my memory serves me rightly Hooker was
relieved By orders from Washington received
on the night of the 18th Of June. Meade
therefore had command of the army but one
day before be was called TO put his command
IN array before Lee. Is Il to be supposed, even
did we not know the facts that Meade could
have in the one day so altered the disposition
Of that vast body Of men as TO radically change
the course Of Lee? II he did not, who should
be credited with producing the result? Let us
see.
From the time Lee started north through
the Valley Of Virginia our cavalry were kept
On his flank, covering pass after pass OF the
mountains, closely followed by the various
corps, the First being generally nearest the
mountain, then the Eleventh and 50 on, rs the
roads permitted them to advance northwardly
IN a more or less parallel direction. So closely
had the mountain passes been guarded and so
closely had Hooker kept up to Lee that the lat
ter, although be had one or more divisions
right at the door Of Harrisburg, his objective,
did not know Of Rockers proximity TO his line
Of communication with the South, which he
dare not leave unguarde3, until the 2Sth day
Of june. He immediately changed has whole
plan, ] might say, from the light Of subsequent
events, that be " got ratified" y ordered con
centration Of his troops at Gettysburg, and
there, Oh the morning of the LIST of July, was
met by the advance Of Meade What followed
is a matter Of history, and need not be recount
Cd by me.
Had the order relieving Hooker been delayed
IS hours il might not have been issued at all.
There is good reason 10 suppose the movements
of the troops would not have been materially
different and had The outcome Of the engage
ment not been different, the gallant Hooker
would probably have been continued al the
head Of the Army of the Potomac to the close
Of tie war.
would like some one who can do the sub
ject justice take il IN hand, lest lt be forgotten
what is Justly due 10 this hero who did not
stop to sulk, but offered his services where the
Government mi ht choose to send him.
am not seeking honor for the First Corps
they poured 1t all over Us at Gettysburg OF
July J. 1853, and July ], l555-but I do think
scarcely tithe Of the credit due old Joe
Hooker has been awarded that hero, either fol
the gallant manner IN which he rose TO thl
occasion or the patriotic one in which hC
accepted the lower service after being relieved
from the command Of the Army of the P0tO
mac.-S. ID. WEBSTER, St. Louis, No.