The last victory
We have a few more details this morning of the resent victory on the Rappahannock.--The marœavres and achievements of our army during the powerful contest are of the most brilliant character. The enemy, in his own efforts to retrieve his fortunes, has added immensely to the splendor of the triumph. To Gen. Sedgwick, one of their ablest and most accomplished commanders, was assigned the task of assailing the rear of our army with a large force of fresh troops. They gained some advantages over our command at Fredericksburg; but were afterwards repulsed, and by a prompt and rapid movement by Gen. Lee were routed and forced to retreat rapidly across the Rappahannock, under cover of their guns on its north bank. Saturday and Sunday are amongst the most brilliant in the annals of the Southern Confederacy, already illumined with triumphs which, for number and magnitude, are not surpassed in history.This terrible defeat is a sad finale for the thousands of men in the Yankee army whose terms of service were on the eve of expiring. Hooker could not afford to wait till they were at liberty to leave him. He felt the necessity of bringing all the men he could against the brave army of Gen. Lee, and they were led to slaughter.
So far as his reputation is concerned, Hooker might well envy the dead. He obtained command of the army he has led to defeat by defaming his brother officers and the assiduous obtrusion of his own conceits of strategy on the Government. He was gratified with the chance of winning renown by retrieving the fortunes of the oft-defeated Federal army of the Potomac. He has met a well merited fate, and must now go to the Yankee Hades of all defeated Generals.
What our enemies propose next, and how long they will extend the time for the capture of Richmond, we shall perhaps soon learn. They have displayed great perseverance in this object so dear to them, and may not be willing yet to abandon it. It is probable that Rosecrans will be the next star in the Yankee heavens. Let us hope, however, that there will be time to sink him below the horizon before the new " On to Richmond" can be planned.
The blow on the Potomac will be salutary in its effects upon the enemy and upon our own men. It will cheer ours as much as it will depress his, and give tone to the summer campaign. If it does the situation of affairs will undergo a great improvement, both at home and abroad.
The glorious Army of the Potomac merits the lasting gratitude of the nation. It has won a renown equal to that of any army the world ever saw.
