Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-10-16


Capt. William f. Pedrick Of New
York was among the arrivals on the
Matsonia Tuesday, He was for man
years editor of the Cleveland Plain
Dealer, and since then has been finan
cial authority for the Wall Street
Journal and New York Financial
World on western securities.
Capt Pedrick has also been a fire
Quent contributor to the Los Angelo
quality which calls out the most eff
Cient services of the troops serving
under the commander possessing it.
almost" Was Mistake.
1t is hardly within the limits Of prob
ability that Gen. Grant would have in
serted the qualifying almost" had he
been truly informed as to the affec-
ton for Gen. Thomas which permeated
his army.
Gen. Grant probably held as un-
biased opinions of men and events as
may be expected from any source. In
writing of the two most conspicuous
figures in the executive branch Of the
government, President Lincoln and
Secretary Stanton, he remarked:
There is no great difference of
opinion now, in the public mind, as to
the characteristics of the president.
With Mr.. Stanton, the case is differ
ent. 1t was generally supposed that
these two officials formed the compile
ment of each other, 1t is not a cor
rect view, however, in my estimation.
Mr. Lincoln was not timid and he was
willing to trust his generals in making
and executing their plans. The sec
rotary was very timid and it was i'm
possible for him to avoid interfering
with the armies covering the capital
when it was sought to defend it by an
offensive movement against the army
guarding the Confederate capital. The
enemy would not have been in danger
if Mr.. Stanton had been in the field"
Listened to Jealous Tales.
Notwithstanding his character, as
depicted by Gen. Grant, it was Sec
rotary Stanton who made and unmade
commanders of armies and he was
never above listening to tales Of subor-
dinates and unfriendly rivals.
After pursuing a persistent course
of criticism of others, Hooker was
given command of the Army of the
Potomac, and az the first sign of fail
ure he complained of lack of support.
After half century, there are NO"
available the views CT Gen. Meade rlt-
ten when Hooker was elevated to the
command which had just proven so
disastrous to Gen. Burnside. Meade
wrote:
OF course, under such CirCum-
stances, neither Caesar, Napoleon, nor
any other mighty genius could fail to
meet with conformation, never mnd
what he did, and Hooker, fancy, will
find in time his fate in the fate Of
his predecessors, namely, undue and
exaggerated praise before he does any
thing, and a total absence of reason
and intelligence in the discussion OF
his acts when he does attempt any
thing, and a denial Of even ordinary
military qualifications unless he
achieves impOssibilities. Such being
the case he certainly is not to be
enVied"
Quite in line with the accusations
against Gen. Sumpter in the Carolina
campaign OF the Revolution, Gen. /.
S. Grant wrote Of Gen. Hooker:
of Hooker | saw but little during
the war. | had known him very we'll
before, however Where | did see him
at Chattanooga, his achievement in
bringing his command around the
point of Lookout Mountain and into
Chattanooga valley was brilliant. |,
nevertheless, REGARDED him as dan
gerOus man. He was not subordinate
TO his superiOrs lie was ambitious to
tie extent Of caring nothing LOT the
rights OF Others His disposition was,
wien engaged in battle. to get detaCl'-
ii from the main body Of the army
AID exercise sCparat" command,
10 his standard all he could
Of his juniors.
When Gen. Hooker had failed of
success. as predicted by Gen. Meade. it
was the latter whom the president
selected TO command the Army OF the
Potomac at the critical moment when
Gen. Lees columns had crossed the
Potomac and were carrying the war
into the enemy's country. At mo-
ment when the southern army had
already penetrated further northWard
than their forces had ever before
Meade assumed command and
his corps, now reduced
TO the size Of divisions. and on the
field OF Gettysburg gave the blow
which ended al! the hopes Of the vet