May 12, 1863, The New York Herald
The report that General Hooker’s army is again on the south side of the Rappahannock, and advancing, gives general satisfaction. It was feared that his return to this side signified the suspension of any offensive operations on our part in Virginia for several months to come; but it is now believed that we are to have not only a resumption of active hostilities, but that, pursuing the combinations entered into under the present condition of the rebel army, we can hardly fail to secure the most decisive and comprehensive victories.
In the single fact that General Hooker’s retreat across a rapid flooded river on two narrow pontoon bridges was undisturbed by the enemy we have conclusive evidence that the rebel army had been too badly shattered to disturb him. Otherwise General Lee could not have asked a better opportunity for a decisive blow. His official reports show that he was fully apprised of the movement; and yet during the two days and nights occupied in accomplishing it he refrained from any positive interference, permitting even our rear guard, bag and baggage, to cross without molestation. Had Lee been in a condition to seize the opportunity to cut our army in two, and then to destroy it in detail, he would have attempted it. The fact that he did not attempt it shows that General Hooker retreat was unnecessary. To this extraordinary discovery, and to the important achievements and disclosures of General Stoneman’s brilliant cavalry expedition to the very doors of Richmond, we are indebted for this return of our army to the south side of the Rappahannock.
It is also very evident that Stoneman’s unexpected operations, and the reported movements of our peninsular forces, instantly demanded of Lee the removal of his whole army southward, or a division of his columns to strengthen Richmond, extremely dangerous to his already seriously depleted army. Meantime, cut off from his base of supplies, and with numerous intermediate trains and depots of stores destroyed, the necessities of subsistence to his army by Sunday evening last had probably become as urgent upon Lee as the safety of the rebel capital. And here we have another reason why General Hooker’s retreat over the Rappahannock was not interrupted. During this retreat, his enemy, to save Richmond and to secure subsistence, was doubtless moving in the opposite direction.
But Richmond and Lee’s army are both now within our grasp, with any degree of generalship and activity on the part of the War Office and our leaders in the field. Lee has perhaps left General Hooker several days’ march behind him; but, in this event, with Stoneman’s cavalry detachments on hand, supplied with fresh horses, the rebel rear may be so harassed as to make their retreat as disastrous as the loss of a great battle. General Hooker, however, must move faster than in his first advance upon Chancellorsville, or the whole rebel army may reach the peninsula without serious loss. Had our commander known how to handle his magnificent army, the grand result of these late battles would have been the death blow to Jeff. Davis. But in the tactics of the battle field, and in his strategy, Gen. Hooker has shown himself so manifestly deficient as to inspire but little confidence in his future movements. We have, on the other hand, unbounded confidence in his great and heroic army. We hold that, if with one-third of it during his three days’ fighting he was strong enough to resist the shocks of all the legions of the enemy, he can destroy them by bringing the other two-thirds of his soldiers into the work when next the battle is joined.
We had hoped that some officer of his army who had displayed the practical qualities of a great commander in the late battles would be appointed to lead the army in this advance. But, as it appears that General Hooker is to be tried again, we can only hope that he will promptly atone for his late blunders and misfortunes in a series of great successes. Now is his time, and the golden opportunity for the administration and the Union. The army is all right. Let it only be properly handled, and the end of this campaign in Virginia will yet be the end of the rebellion. Stoneman operations between Lee and Richmond have placed the rebel army and the rebel capital within our grasp, and the glory or the disgrace of this campaign will belong to the War Office.