May 22, 1863, The New York Herald
In looking over the general field of the war there appears to be very little going on in the way of active operations except in the State of Mississippi. From that quarter we are momentarily expecting the news of General Grant’s occupation of Vicksburg. The latest accounts of his movements – which are officially reported by the rebel General Joe Johnston – represent that he defeated General Pemberton at Edwards’ depot, on the railroad between Jackson and Vicksburg, on Saturday, and drove him back behind the Big Black river towards the latter point. Further rumors from scouts state that Grant had advanced, engaged, and beat Johnston near Brownsville. These are favorable symptoms of coming good fortune at the great rebel stronghold of the Southwest. But, in the meantime, what is General Burnside doing against a threatened rebel invasion of Kentucky? Why has not Gen. Rosecrans moved out from Murfreesboro? Why this inactivity on the part of our land and naval forces in the southeast concern of Virginia, in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia? If we wait a few weeks longer all aggressive operations, from Pamlico Sound to the Savannah river, will most probably have to be suspended until the return of the malaria-killing frosts of autumn. But, above all, why lingers the Army of the Potomac on the northern side of the Rappahannock?
Taking up these questions in their order, we may answer, that, in addition to his laborious campaign against Vallandigham, General Burnside, in order to checkmate the threatened rebel invasion of Kentucky, has been preparing for the movement of a heavy army column to meet the enemy more than half way; that General Rosecrans is biding his time, inasmuch as his army may be considered an army held in reserve to support the movements of the advanced army of General Grant in the Southwest; that our land and naval forces, from Norfolk to Charleston, can, perhaps, do nothing better just now than the duties of occupation and observation while awaiting the issue of great events elsewhere; and that Gen. Banks, having substantially accomplished his work of expelling the armed forces of the rebellion from Louisiana, is, perhaps, moving upon Port Hudson, if not preparing of an advance into Texas.
With regard to the Army of the Potomac we are somewhat in a fog. We believe that Gen. Hooker retreated delivering a general […..] battle” when such a battle would have given us the greatest victory of the war; that he recrossed the river when he should have remained on the other side, and that his army today, if left simply to the management of its corps commanders, could be marched over the river and could utterly route and disperse the rebel army under General Lee. What General Hooker is waiting for we do not know, nor do we care to know. We are satisfied, however, that if Gen. Halleck had been a Napoleon Bonaparte Richmond would have been taken during the late favorable military operations in Virginia, notwithstanding the failure of General Hooker. General Stoneman’s cavalry found that Lee, in order to strengthen his army on the Rappahannock, had left the rebel capital completely defenceless. At that opportune moment five thousand Union troops could have marched into the city, and within a few hours could have destroyed military stores of all kinds, cannon foundries, factories of small arms, magazines of ammunition, railroad rolling stock, &c., the loss of which would have crippled the rebellion almost as seriously as the bagging of Lee’s entire army on the Rappahannock.
Regarding the escape of Richmond, under the circumstances, as something miraculous, the rebels have taken the alarm. There is no danger, therefore, that when General Hooker again crosses the Rappahannock Richmond will be completely stripped of its troops. Nor is it to be supposed that Gen. Hooker, when again on the other side of the river will again get his army so entangled in the jungle of ‘the wilderness” as to be glad to get out of it by the back track. We presume that in the next trial of strength and strategy with Lee the War Office at Washington will compel him to divide his forces, or to abandon the Rappahannock and all the country to the James river in order to save Richmond. Whatever may be the plans of the War Office, we think, that experience and common sense plead strongly in favor of moving upon Richmond by way of the James river, according to the plan of Gen. McClellan. The Army of the Potomac, by any route, is ready for action, and […..], of its strength,” is eager for a decisive trial with the enemy.