Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-26

military record shall go down into his
tory Alright. He always himself de
clared that, when the true facts o
Charlottesville should be known, MS
tory would do him justice.
1T is no place here to discuss the par
ticulars of that unsatisfactory battle
because such a discussion would result
in bitter and useless controversies, bu
the old soldiers of Hooker desire,
might say demand, the privilege of be
lieving in their favorite as an ideal gen.
eral and as the most distinguished il
the Civil War of any of the many bril-
liant officers sent to the front W. coult
claim Massachusetts as n birthplace
For this proud honor we will ever con-
tend. and. judging from the liberalit1
Of the legislature of Massachusetts il
rendering the present reunion possible
and the enthusiasm of this vast audi
once believe we shall attain the OBJ
iect of our wishes.
"At Williamsburg the Sd corps was
baptized in blood and the Third corps
union, the oldest social organization Of
the army of the Potomac, holds Its
anniversaries UPON lIittl IL udI|'
1t was at this battle that Hooker OBJ
tanned the title of Fighting Joe
Hooker Strange as it may seem to
those who admire him under that
name, a title that has given inspiration
to his followers III many fight, it
never pleased Hooker himself. He felt
that it reflected upon his candor, care
fulness and skill as n general.
THE ability of Hooker to command
an army must be measured by his con-
duct before he received a severe in
jury which practically disabled him
and untitled him to exercise command.
Up to the very hour of his being
struck by the falling pillar ut Chan
cellorsville there had been no serious
disaster to us in that battle. The
enemy's losses up to the night of May
9 had been greater than our own.
JaCkson's men, as we learned, after
his attack on our right wing We're
much exhausted while our LIST and 9Th
corps We're still fresh and with their
90, 900 men, and might have turned the
tide on the third of May if properly
handled.
"Jackson's onslaught had been
checked by the prompt action of Sickles
and his corps, aided as he. was by Il
division commanded by q gallant
Massac husetts soldier whom Massa-
chusetts and the. nation. honors, and
who is with us tonight, Gen. Nelson a.
Miles. Hooker was unable to perform
his duties, but did not realize it. |
will not do him the honor 10 call by
Ntrf,n nj
legged that Hooker had INDUCED in in
toXicarts at Charlottesville and who,
when called upon by the congressional
committee on the conduct of war, de-
clincl 20 give the name Of his in
German t. That Islander has long sine
been set at rest.
"The skill of the artist cannot be
measured by n single merit or single
defect of the picture. The sum total of
the good qualities and the sum total of
the bad must be weighed against each
other, and so of human character To
condemn Hooker for a few glarins
faults would be as unjust as to u:duly
elevate him for a few great virtues.
at is with his character as a general
that we have to do. Many of his
all great soldiers. Was he ambitions
So was Alexander. Was he vain? So
was Caesar. Was he Impatient and
persistent? So was Napoleon. AS an
organizer of trooDs he was the eqE+l
Of Grant. AS a cool and fa"-&@enS
stra tegist he certainly resembled
Sherman. As leader in an impetuous
charge he was the equal of the fiery
Sheridan. As commander beloved
and almost worshipped by his soldiers,
he had no superior. Like Sickles and
Howard. who honor us with their pres
cnce tonight, his wounds We're re-
ccived when he was at the very fore
| front of the fighting.
| "Hoofcr was ut times a mcrciles
critic, but read today. his tcstilnon.
given in 1869 before the congressional
committee of 1863 and see how imrar
tial history has, since the clouds have
cleared away. confirmed his opinions a
to the great conflicts of the first TIVE
years of the war.
"Hookcr loved his men and his mcl
loved him. The affections Of soIuier
for their general is no mean test of TIL
merits of the general himself. Pas
| through the rank and file of the arm,
of the Potomac today, and as many o
them are alive. will give you rs just an'
accurate an opinion of the merits an'
dement's of the various generals unde
whom they have served as any class o
men with whom l have acquaintance
Measured by this standard, no on
would rank higher than Hooker. Hi
skill aud bravery We're evident to al
but only those who knew him we'll ha'
any idea of the extreme sensitivcncs
and tenderness of his nature. He wa
always sensitive-perhaps unduly So
as to anything which affected the goo