The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-12-06

Heavens morning breaks, ana Earlhs VAN
shadows flee
In lie in DEATH o Lord, abide with me!
Gen. George B Mcclellan.
Tho resignation of General Scott has
placed the responsibility of the Union
armies upon tho shoulders of p remarkable
man. This is tTuo not only IN the common
but tho original acceptstion of the word.
Mcclellan has always been remarked man.
Aud now especially. when
IAN tongues speak Of him,
And the bcnred sights spectacled to see him" /"
u brlet review o: his past hto aud survlcos is
as much duty as pleasure to evory citi.
zen who helps him carry the weight of onr
thr"aroned commonwealth.
George d. Mcclellan was born in Phila.
dcphia on the 81 of December, 1926. his
father being All eminent physician ot that
CITY. At tho age ot sixteen, or in 1872 he
cuiprcd the West Point Academy. and in
| 1876 nt he age of twenty, no was gradua
ted second in his class On tho lst Of July
OF tha. year ne was brevettcd Sdcond Lieu.
tenant ni Engineers BY an act OF Congress
passed during tho May previous. u company
OF sapr",s. miners and pontouiors was added
to the Engineer corps. aud in this company
| MrClcilau vas commissioned.
| Br,vet Brgndlcr General Totton. Chief
EreInepr oi the army commanded by Con
| rrai Scott before Vera Cruz, swcaks of Nc
| Cleiau's genius aud energy IN that company
! IN the highest terms. Ills exortions in
| drilling the recruits whn caEo into his Com.
pany, TO be prepared for the arduous iabors
/ at tho Mex car War, were indefar'gable.-
! With tn" ad of hut two other officers, ho
succcrdei so perfectly IN drilling the sew
eut> -Onc raw mUn who had cnmo into his
hands only two months before, that on the
"A h ot Scp'ember they sailed from Wost
Pont. reported by Gen. Tntton "as ia u
stare of admirable discipline"
Durlrg tho war, this Company was re-.
duccd 10 forty fvo effective men aud two
| I, fiicnrs-ouo of whnm was Mcclellan. He
is repeatedly mentioned in connection with
the corps as exhibiting cnnsummato patience
and ability. HIS Company never once lost
its discipline. ami performed some of the
most toiisome duties of the war under very
trying circumstances. General TOtten
makes especial notice of tho lahors per
formed 10y Mcclellan before Vera Cruz
He speaks of him rs eliminating his corps
bv his own devotion and zeal" OF tho "un
surpassed intelligence AID zrai with which
siege"
A. Conireras. Mcclellan was selected with
another engineer to recanuOltre tho strong
breastwnlk Ks of the enomy. They had theil
horses shot unior thrm. and barely cscapoC
capture by the Mexican pickets. Whom tht
action commenced, Mcclellan was witt
Magrude,'s battery. While it was still
dom. splendid service. its Commander. Cal
lender, was wounded. Mcclellan imme
diately took command oft. and managed i
until it WAS entirely disabled, with sucl
success as to sustain all its previous roputa
tion. Gnu. Twggs Immediately prcsente,
hIs name for piomntiop TO General Scott
and. after showing consummaio bravery il
the action at CherubuscO. which took piac
the next day. no was hreyetied First lieu
tenant. In the next battle Molino dol Roy
his bahaviur was 90 gallant that he was ole
vatrd to Csptaincy. He declined TO re-
ceive il. and continued Lieutenant on tn
day of Chepultapec. whom G0neral Scot
mentioned him as "winning tho admiration
c Of al, about him." IIe was tho first tn enle
the A ameda with u company which h
commanded, and during tho day of Tn
assault repulsed "a body ot Mexicans greutl
Communicating his own corps, with a loss {
lwPnty TO iha enemy.
# IIo continued in active service from tn
CONNIE ncement of hIs COmpaEys organZi
Iion until Genera! Scott occupied tho CT
0i Mexico. He returned from the war wit
tho rank of Captain and the command {
the Company, now greatly Augmented, {
I sappcrs, miners and pontoniers Betwee
l848 aud 1851, no translated from Oh
French a manual of bayOnot exercise. whic
has brcome tho text book OF the army.
In 1851 he superinleuded tho constru
- lion oi Fora Delaware. Ia 1852 he explore
the Red R,vor, under Captain Marcy. an
surveyed the harbors and rivers of Texas
. senior Engineer on the staff of General Pc
d siier smith
In 1853 Mcclellan was employed on ii
survoy 10 ascertain the best route for q raj
road between the Mississippi aud the r.
cific-aso 10 thu exploration of tho folt,
sew enih aud the forty ninth parallel OF mort
4 latitude. HIS report gained the cOmmen'
II alton ui j H. Davis. then Secretary OF Wa
q, For thrre wears more Mcclellan was vel
$, variously employed. Alter executing
o. secret service commission in tho West Ind
- and receiving a commission in the Unite
States Cavalry. he was appointed one Of
military committee of three officers 10 pr
ceed 10 :he Criuea aud Northern Russ
~ for observation on the conflict then eXistin
., and his report on "The Organization
ts European Armies. and the Operations
the War" ia thought by army officers INC
valuable work.
: In 1857 hs resigned his position in q
army, the peaceful condition OF tho count
seeming TO domand his service no lOng'
a 10 ,ake a place in tho management of d
u Illinois Central Railroad as it's Vice Pro
:; dent aud Chief Engineer. After three yea
70 70 of work upon that road, he became gomez
IA supeTintcndsnt of the Ohio and MIssissip
nd line. H. was acting on that post when q
Is. rebellion broke nut. Governor Curtin,