be removed at so critical a time unless the government were prepared to fill his place with one of equal, if not superior capacity.  A general, to hope for success, must have the confidence and respect of his troops.  To remove one who has, and fill his place with one who has not, is a crime than which none can be greater.  It is a crime against the brave men whose lives are at the risk of the capacity of their commander.  Our government committed this crime when it gave the command of the army of the Potomac to General Burnside.  That general was the best judge of what he could do, and freely confessed his incapacity for so high a command.  But the government was not to be put off by this confession of weakness on the part of a general, preferring to reward him for his honesty, and make no account of his capacity.  I accept this, my son, as the only reason why General Burnside was given so high a command.  As for his capacity as a general, he gave us a proof of that when he let the rebels fall back, and get well fortified at Fredericksburg.  To show, however, what a general could do by attempting impossibilities, he sent the brave army of the Potomac to be slaughtered by an enemy covered with stone walls.  I tell you, my son, it was a dark day for the nation when that was done.  It multiplied our misfortunes, gave a deeper wound to our grief and sorrow, and brought disgrace on our arms.

I will pass over these misfortunes as lightly, my son, as possible, hoping only that they will serve us as a warning in the future.  Having buried Burnside deep under the misfortunes of his own incapacity, the question again came up, where shall we find a general to do up these rebels for us, and gain us a little victory?  The great Grant was doing wonders for us in the West.  He was bold, earnest, and brave.  And this was the secret of his success.  But in the East we were sorely troubled for some one who could do something.

General Hooker was brave and bold.  But, my son, he had such a weakness for blowing his own trumpet.  Yes, he could blow it as loud and as long as any trumpeter you ever listened to—­Pope excepted.  He had declared of himself that he was just the man to lead our army to victory, and give the enemy a sound thrashing.  It was true, this general had been very insubordinate.  He had said a number of things, neither wise nor polite, of his superiors.  And he had set an example to his soldiers not inclined to improve their discipline.  As, however, he had declared himself the man to lead our army to victory, and the government wanted just such a man, it took the general at his word, and gave him the command.