The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-07-09
tration was anxious to have an advance

tration was anxious to have an advance
and a victory.
A Union Victory.
Charlottesville was 4 victory for the
Union, whatever may be said of the
rolling up of the Eleventh Corps. No
troops would, or could, or should. have
stood, if placed as they We're and as
saulted, surprised by three times their
number Their disaster was tenn
porary, the final victory was with the
Army of the Potomac; but it was an
incomplete victory, and Hooker knew
he would be blamed for not following
up his move, at whatever cost to the
army. And it was up to him to de-
termine, if he would sacrifice the lives
of many men to win glory for himself,
and not for sufficient advantage to the
country. Well might he take time to
consider while inviting Lee to attack
him. Fighting Joe was filled with
doubt" says SchurZ. He was filled
with whisky" says another He was
suffering for want of whisky" says
Dodge; would not trust himself with a
-canteen," and such utterly foolish twad-
die Let it pass as little puffs of
noxious east wind. Hooker knowing
he could whip Lee: knowing that it
would gain him great applause and
credit with the authorities in Washing
ton; knowing also that the enemy, hav-
ing the advantage of the position, would
make the victory cost him dear; know
ing that it would not end the war at
that time. and that the capture of the
rebel capital would do more than win
ming a battle over Lees army, and that
Lee would not attack, and that Sedg-
WICK could not hold on till morning,
while Hooker made a night march and
joined him and thus forced Lee to
emerge, he sacrificed his own ambi-
ton, and wisely, and safely brought
his army back to their old camps, and
continued their discipline and drill an
til the time came to check Lee in his
every move. and meet him at Gettys-
burg; all done under Hooker's orders.
tho Meade had the credit of winning
that battle.
Meade and Lee.
AS I have often said, and as every
one who was in Hookers army from
Fredericksburg to Gettysburg said and
says, had Hooker been in command,
and alive after Gettysburg, Lees army
would never have crossed the Potomac
except as prisoners. Meade might have
captured Lee, but he would not. Lee
had to make pontOons out of the lum-
Der of torndown houses. The river
was in freshet and very rapid. He ex-
pected to have to fight, and had not
sufficient ammunition for a battle, and
no source of supply: he expected an
attempt to capture him, and feared the
result, and rushed the making of pom
tOons. Meade's army lay encamped
around him, waiting to get good ready
Meade said: but when Western Off
Ger sent thru his corps commander to
Meade to say if you will give me a
regiment of Minnesota, or Wisconsin,
or Michigan soldiers l will go around
Lee and fill the Potomac with trees
with their branches that will make his
reply was. 1T Is a good old military
maxim, Make bridge of gold for a
fleeing enemy" Meade was an acct
dental victor, and he would not risk
his fame. He was an engineer, and
they never attack unless compelled.
But Hooker is the theme of this COM
munication. In conversation with
Gen. Hooker in his log hut, under the
shadow of Lookout Mountain, after
the brilliant capture of that mountain
under Hooker'S personal direction,
walking up and down the dirt floor he
suddenly stopped and seriously and
reYerently said: "LeDuc, 1t was much
more difficult to bring myself to give
that order to recross the river than you
can imagine. The country expected an
advance. 1 could have made an -ad-
vance. and whipped the enemy. and
knew it, but it would have put the coun-
try in sackcloth and ashes. and / knew
that, too; and also knew it would not
have finished the war at that time. No;
think it was Providential. all Prov
dental, that / brought that army back
sound and in good condition for the
march to and the victory of Gettys-
burg. Don't you think so?"
Yes, / did think so then, only few
months from Gettysburg. and am GER
tain of it now. As years after. And ]
think the historian who Is honestly
searching for causes of action or non
action might we'll consider il he could
not allow IL or more hours for the
serious contemplation of such important
matters as Gen. Hooker had up to him
for cons Iteration, rather than attribute
his apparent inactivity of mind or
combauveness to the presence or alb
French historian suggests, might be
possibly the effect of the accident on
the porch which laid him senseless for
an hour Or more. i have personal &-
perience of the effect of being dead for
six hours, when hit on the side of the
head in Los Angeles by street car six
years ago, and was laid out for burial.
but revived. and the next day left on
the cars for San Francisco, and grad
ually after some years lost the hearing
in one ear and the sight of one eye by
cataract HoOker'S blow was IN the