Henry Adams to Charles Francis Adams, Jr.
[London,] June 18, 1863
Calm still prevails, praise be to God! But next week I expect a change. A victory would do us good here in preparation for the struggle which is coming, but then it has so happened that this season of the year has been twice remarkable for defeats and disasters. So that I rather expect them again. Mr. Lawley has written from Richmond a poetical account of the Chancellorsville affair, from which I gather several results, which he perhaps does not intend to dwell upon.
1. Lee at that battle had n’t more than fifty thousand men.
2. He gave Jackson almost all these, probably three-fifths, to make his flank attack.
3. The question of supplies was of such enormous consequence to Lee that he was compelled to give up a whole division (Longstreet’s) to hog-catching at Suffolk, when he himself had not men enough to man the heights at Fredericksburg.
4. By Lawley’s admission, his loss was ten thousand, and that is, as I take it, at least one-fifth of his army, including his best general.
From all which I infer that Mr. Hooker had a narrower escape from becoming the greatest man living than even General McClellan. If he had done anything on God’s earth except retreat; if in fact he had done anything at all, instead of folding his hands after the first crossing the river, he must have been successful. There never were such chances and so many of them for a lucky man to play for, but the audacious gentleman wanted precisely what we all thought he had too much of, viz. audacity. And on the whole, much as I should be pleased with victory, it would have been dearly bought by inflicting us with Joseph for our model hero.
Meanwhile I hope that Lee’s new movement will at least procure you relief from your old camp. Speculations are weak, but we do generally imagine here that Lee is compelled now by the same necessity that forced him to part with Longstreet’s division at Fredericksburg. He must supply his army and is going to threaten Cincinnati and Ohio while he leaves you to break your teeth on the fortifications at Richmond. I guess that. But at any rate, all this looks jerky and spasmodic on his part, and my second guess is that friend Jefferson D[avis] finds that the Confederacy has got into damnably shallow water.
The world here drags on after its usual style, a miserable dangling, shuffling sort of existence that Englishmen call progress. Yesterday we had a pleasant dinner which the feminines will no doubt describe to you, at which Charles Dickens, John Forster, of “Goldsmith” and “The Statesmen,” Louis Blanc, and other distinguished individuals were present; and a very jolly dinner it was. Apropos, I have at last found an artist who can really paint. I have asked, or rather made interest to get him to take the Chief, but I doubt if he will consent, as he is a Parisian and is only here on a visit. If he does consent, however, I shall assess you and John for your shares of the cost, unless the Chief insists upon taking it upon himself. Frith too will have to introduce the Minister in his picture of the wedding and if his study is good, that might be worth buying.
After two years delay, I have at last become a Club man, having been elected last week. My particular backer seems to have been your old acquaintance Lord Frederick Cavendish, and for the life of me I can’t conceive why. Lord Fwed seems to be a very excellent fellow, but I am no believer in unselfishness in this country. Nobody here has ever yet rushed into my arms and called me brother. Nor do I expect such a proceeding. Whether Frederick Cavendish, therefore, is impressed by the weight of debts of hospitality incurred in America, and is thus paying them off; or whether he feels his conscience touched by the vagaries of his brother Hartington; or whether he desires to show a general and delicate sympathy with our position; or whether Monckton Milnes has exerted an influence upon him; I don’t know and can’t guess. But the fact remains that he has been active in getting me in, and of course I am glad to have a Duke’s son to back me. In other respects it makes little difference to me whether I am in or out of a Club, ex- [rest of letter is lost.]
