The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-12-09
II LOST US A NAVY
Effect in Europe OF Battle
of Gettysburg.
Had Hooker Fought Instead of Meade
the Res Il Would Doubtless
Have Been Greatly
Different.

To the Editor: BY some inadvertence
Sundays News and Observer, 1 spoke OF
the North Carolina troops as penetrating
nearest to Hoolzer's rear when I should
have said Meade's rear Gen. Hooker had
been supplanted by Gen. Meade few
days before the great battle.
This change of commanders, made when
it was one of the most important events
of the whole war. Had Hooker remained
in command he would undoubtedly nave
assumed the offensive. Had he done so
and attacked Lee, the result would have
been a Southern victory. The elan and
efficiency OF the Confederate troops were
then at the highest. In all known prob
ability the victory would have been crush
ing il not decisive.
Even without this victory the spirit OF
the South was high enough. But its ct
feet on the European power would have
been of the greatest moment. move
ment was already afoot in the English
Parliament to recognize the Southern
Confederacy. Louis Napoleon was even
moreforward to aid US than England, as
long as we seemed able to keep the North
too busy To turn on him.
Early in 1868 Capt Bullock. European
agent of the Confederate Navy, had placed
in France the contract for building four
war vessels for our service. Two of these
ships, at least, were very formidable, SO
formidable. as the Federals themselves adj
rnitted that they could have forced an en-
trance into any Northern harbor and laid
under tribute any Northern seaport city
Now York not excepted. The French EN-
peror had connived at the building arm
ing and sailing Of these vessels. Work on
them was being pressed with all possible
dispatch and the close of the year would
have found them off our coast.
The effect of Lees failure at Gettys-
burg, whose bearings Europe, being less
interested saw more clearly than either the
South or the North, was TO change the
whole status of recognition or aid in both
France and England. The recognition
movement in Westminster Hall vanished
and became as a thing that had never
been. The London authorities suddenly
acquired not only eyes to see, but noses
TO ferret out Confederate cruisers build
ing in English shpyards.
simultaneously with this Louis Napol-
con grew clear-sighted. With half an eye
he saw the four Confederate vessels which
Mr.. Dayton. the Federal Minister point
ed out to him and Capt. Bullocks able
and promising plans came at once to
naught. The whole course of this attempt
to build a Confederate navy in France,
which came so near succeeding, is a most
interesting chapter in Confederate history
and one which I have never seen ade-
quately treated.
To revert to the subject in hand, while
I have never believed that any turn of
the battle of Gettysburg, fought as it
was. with the smaller Confederate army
fighting the much stronger Federal army
in position, could have given Us success
weghty enough to have brought inde9end-
ence. But had Lee on the defensive, or
offensive-defensive, encountered Hooker
strategy and Hooker tactics, then indeed
would
.F'rom Fate's dark book a leaf been torn
Meade had not only not been in COM
mand long enough to give the confidence
necessary to assume the offensive, but he
was by nature the very man for the sit
uation. A prudent, careful man his
strength like that of all generals, except
the greatest, lay in talent as tactician.
in ability to handle men on the field of
battle moving and using them to advfn-
tage The talent of the strategist lies in
50 manouevering as to deceive the enemy.
Illustrate his plans or in meeting him and
joining battle under such circumstances
as will inure to his disadvantage.
The South produced two men who were
at once great in both strategy and tactics.
These two were Jackson and Forrest or
rather Forrest and Jackson, for when all
is summed up and the disadvantage and
encouragement under which Forrest
fought and won, always won, are cons'd-
cred he will probably be held to be the
greatest natural military genius that
America, IL not our race, has produced
o. w. BLACKNALI..
Blakenhall, Kitrell, N. c., Dec 8.