Major-General David Hunter was fixed upon as the right man to reform
Siegel's disordered army and correct his mistakes. Hunter had
patriotism enough, and no man doubted his courage. He was earnest in
the defense of right, even zealous in the cause of his country, and
quick in the punishment of traitors, with whom he was not in very
high favor. The general took command of this disordered army, and so
managed as to get a little discipline and some degree of order into
it. Now, it has always seemed to me, my son, that you could put a
general to no more severe trial than to place him at the head of an
army demoralized by the inefficiency of his predecessor and expect
him to fight battles and gain victories. And yet General Hunter did
this and to the satisfaction of the country. Had he been less active
with the torch, his reward in history would have been much higher.
Well, my son, the general marched with his army, and reorganized it
as he marched. And he met the enemy, and he fought him, and fought
him well, and whipped him well, and drove him back up the valley, to
the very gates of Lynchburg.
Pages:
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100