The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-11-07
THE BATTLE FIELDS.
OLD SOLDIERS TALK OVER ARMY
EXPERIENCES
The Blue and the Gray Review Incl
dents of the Late War, and I'm n
Graphic and Interesting Manner
Tell OF Camp, March and Battle.

a Michigan regiment. He had a pecu-
liar experience soon after General
Burnside was relieved from command
Of the army of the Potomac and Gen
eral Joe Hooker-'Fighting Joe Hook
| er'-succeeded him. I wonder how
many officers and men who were in
the army Of the Potomac remember a
striking, not to say sensational, incident
Of that period?
''There had been very, very gloomy
times in that army for many weeks.
The great slaughter, without Union
| gain, at Fredericksburg, and the utter
| failure Of Burnside's mud march had
the effect to seriously discourage both
officers and men. There were more
evidences Of discomfort and demoraliZa-
| ton for a few weeks that winter of
1923 in the army than existed at
any other period during the war. Men
were suspicious of their generals, ques-
| toned their generalShip, scolded Lin
coin for not causing a reorganization,
and expressed great fear Of failure to
save the country.
General Hooker had a fine record
| as a fighting soldier. The army had
| confidence in and admiration for him,
| and naturally there was much rejoic-
| ing when he assumed command. As
was sometimes the case in the army,
much of the rejoicing was helped along
| by a more than generous use Of COM
missary whisky. In, fact, for two or
three days after Hooker took charge
| great many of the men and pretty
nearly all of the officers who cared TO
drink were in no condition for the or
| binary duties Of soldier life, and GER
\ tainly unprepared for the emergencies
| Of a sudden attack or a great battle.
| General Hooker was not outdone in
this respect by any of his officers. In
| those days he was not averse to the
use Of the ardent-a steady user of it.
| "Of course this state Of affairs
| came to the knowledge of the troops,
| and there was almost no end OF com
| ment on It, Had Lee known of the
| condition in which the army was dur
| ing the sad state in which Hooker and
| most Of his generals were, after par
TALLY recovering from weeks OF gloom,
| he could have demoraliZed, if not de
| stroyed, the army of the Potomac. Ii
| is lucky for the nation that General
| Lee did not know the situation of af-
| fairs. The rank and file realized the
situation; they appreciated the fact
that they would have been almost
| helpless in case of sudden attack.
Who wonders that they talked, that
| they commented, that they criticised
they felt that they had been deeply
wronged by the conduct of the man at
| the head of the army and other men
holding high rank.
Much Of this talk, many of these
| comments. came to the ears Of Chap
| lain Edwards. The more he reflected
| the more he felt that he had a call
| to perform an important duty; that it
was his plain, urgent duty to go TO
| General Hooker and speak of those
| things which he had heard from the
| lips of many Of the men in the army
l he had the honor to command. He
| didn't know General Hooker person
| ally; had never met him. but he made
\ the visit.
| after introducing himself the zeal
| Gus chaplain said: General Hooker, 1
have come on a mission that may re-
| suit in my arrest and dismissal from
| the service, If not a severer punish
ment, but / am impressed that would
not be doing my duty to you, this
army, our country and my God were
| to remain silent
| General Hooker very kindly said ::
chaplain, be seated and let me hear
what you have to say
| "Dr. Edwards-he was not a doc
tor then, just plain reverend or chap
lain-began in this way: General
Hooker, have you any Idea what the
men have been saying in relation to
the drinking customs among the
officers, yourself included, the last few
days?
Hooker. not at all surprised, an
swered that he had not.
""Then let me tell you, for 1 have
mingled with them and have had many
opportunities to hear their comments I;
| they are all in one direction. When
the news Of your appointment to the
command of the army of the Potomac
came there was universal rejoicing
among the men. They had the utmost
confidence in you. When they heard
that you and other officers were In
| dulging to excess In that which both
unnerves and units men for the high
est duties soldiers are called upon to
perform, they murmured and express
| ed fear that mistake had been made
| in placing you at their head. They
have been talking among themselves
as to what might have happened had
Gneral Lee and his army attacked this
army while so many Of its officers, in
Guiding the general in chief, were I'M
der the influence of strong drink. They
Lave expressed the belief that disaster
| and destruction would have been the
fate. Your appointment had the effect
| to lift the dark clouds of gloom. Your
example, these days, initiated by so
many Others has brought back that
cloud, and it rests heavily over your
army to-day. Good soldiers that these
men are, they are also American citi-
zens, observers and thinkers, and 1t
will not do to give them too severe a
test
General Hooker remained silent I'M
| til DR.. Edwards reached this point,
and then his face fell into his hands.
He sat in that position for some min
utes. When he Strengthened up he
looked into the face of DR.. Edwards,
and then, in a manner most animated,
asked: Chaplain, do you tell me that
that is the way the men Of this army
lave been talking, and that that is