Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-10-04
WHO SENT you HERE?"

or some Of them, were watching what
went on. lie came little closer, low
cred his voice, and said
"Mcst of us think that this battle is
only half fought and half won. There
is still time to finish 1t. But McClel-
Ian will do no lnorc What | want you
10 do Is TO see Hooker, find out
whether he can mount his horse, and
il he can, ask him whether he will
take command OF this army and drive
Lee into the Potomac or force him to
surrender
1t was perhaps the most astounding
request ever made by soldier to
civilian. What he suggested was moth
ing less than an act Of mutiny in the
face OF the enemy, and l told him so.
Il know that as well MS you do"
was Til, answcr. 1--WE all know ii,
but VIC know also that 1t is the only
way TO crush Lee and end the war and
nafc tHc country,
pointed out that II Hooker were to
be approached on such a subject, 1t
ought 70 he by him or by one Of his
comrades In the plot-for 1t was
plot-and that, if they meant business,
lhcy ought to be ready to take the
risk. added that thought 1t more
than likely that Gen. Hooker's answer
to such proposal would be to order
the man who made 1t, whoever he
was, under arrest.
1T need not be u proposal" he re-
piled. "All we want you to do is to
sound Hooker and let us know what
his views are The rest we will do
ourselves" asked him If he meant
to give me written message.
"certainly not. Such things are not
put into writing"
"But why should Hooker believe
me, or compromise himself In con
versation with a man he never Saw till
this morning"
He said 1t was known had acted as
Hooker's aide, and urged sundry other
reasons. still declined, but Le still
pressed 1t. Hooker, he declared, had
won the confidence of the army, and
Mcclellan had lost II. 1t was no time
to stand on trines. lie regarded what
he proposed to me as patriotic duty,
and so on. Finally, as ] persisted in
refusing to be the bearer Of any such
message, he asked II would see
Hooker and bring them word whether
he could, in any circumstances, take
the field that day. To this saw no
objection, and rode off. ! found Gen.
Hooker in bed and In great pain. He
asked eagerly for news Of the battle.
When | told him that the attack on
both wings had failed, that no move
ment had been made for the last two
hours, and that Gen, Mcclellan seemed
to have no intention Of making any,
he became angry and excited, and
used language Of extreme plainness.
! had noticed In the morning that he
had very copious vocabulary. 1t was
directed for the most part against the
enemy, whose sharpshooters followed
him all over the field, In which his tall
figure In full uniform, and his white
horse, were by far the most conspicu-
GUS targets. Once his staff got the
benefit Of this aow Of energetic speech,
when two or three OF them Joined In
the suggestion that the proper place
for corps commander was not In the
skirmish line, and that he could not
prudently remain under so hot fire,
Now 1t was turned upon Mcclellan,
with whose excessive caution and sys-
tematio inertness In the crisis OF
great battle he had no patience. This
outburst gave me an opportunity Of
putting the question ! wanted to, and
| asked him whether his wound would
permit him to mount his horse again
that day. lie pointed to his swollen
and bandaged foot.
mo; 1T is impossible"
"Or to take command Of your corps
again In any way-in carriage, II
one could be found%
mo, no; cannot move. ! am per.
fectly helpless"
All at once, whether from the way
In which had put my question, or
from my manner, it seemed to flash
upon him that there was something
behind. He broke out
swAs do ron Ask9 WhaA % 7uu