Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 30.djvu/142

 134 Southern Historical Society Papers.

hind his defenses and give us battle on our own ground, where certain destruction awaits him."

His force was 154,000 strong and 470 cannon, while General Lee's force amounted to less than 60,000 men and 170 guns. Hooker paraphrased his order in boastful conversation with his subordinate officers. He said: "The Rebel Army is now the legitimate prop- erty of the Army of the Potomac. They may as well pack up their haversacks and make for Richmond, and I shall be after them." Now, listen; four days from that time he had deserted his defeated Army, recrossed the Rappahannock river and begged Major-General Couch to take command and withdraw what was left of his troops.

General Lee defeated him ingloriously, but he laid the blame on Mr. Lincoln.

But while all this is understood, and while some people may seek to excuse him on the ground of disappointment and jealousy, yet there looms up to view the cold fact of the murder of that boy. It was a murder; and it must strike every honest man as unnecessary and so unjust. We feel, therefore, that the name and deeds of Joseph Hooker are execrable, and should be so regarded by our people.

We would be shirking a duty if we failed to express our condem- nation of this inhuman act.

Joseph Hooker we know was not the only person of weight in the Federal Army at that time who deserves to be held up before the people of this country and exposed to the light, which will bring to the surface their bloody deeds. But their exposure will come, and the world will pass judgment, and history will record their infamous acts.

Let us, therefore, do our duty, and see that American children are taught the truth about these facts.

There were good and noble generals in the Federal army, but Joseph Hooker had no place among them.