Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-11-16
General Mcclellan.

ana In 1910, at the age OF twenty, was
graduate second in his class. On the LIST
of July of that year he was brevetted Sec
cnd lieutenant of engineers. BY an act Of
Congress passed during the May previous,
a company of sappers, miners, and ponto-
niers was added to the engineer corps, and
in this company Mcclellan was commits
stoned.
Brevet Brigadier General Totten, Chief
Eegineer of the army commanded by Gen.
Scott before Vera Cruz, speaks Of Me-
Clellan's genius and energy in that compa.
ny in the highest terms. His excrtions in
drilling the recruits who came into his
company to be prepared for the arduous
labors Of the Mexican war, we're indefati-
gable. With the aid.of but two other Off :
GERS he succeeded so perfectly in drilling
the seventy >one raw men who had come
into his hands only two months before,
that on the oath of September they sailed
from West Point, reported by General
Totten as in state Of admirable dis.
cipline."
During the war this company was re-
duced to forty-fve effective men and two
ofiicers-one of whom was Mcclellan.
He is repeatedly mentioned in connection
with the corps as exhibiting consummute
patience and ability. His company never
once lost its discipline, and performed
some of the most toilsome duties of the war
under very trying circumstances. Gene
raj Totten makes especial mention of the
labors performed by Mcclellan before Vera
Cruz. He speaks of him as " animating
his corps by his own devotion and zeal,'
Of " unsurpassed intelligence and zeal with
which he took his share in the direction Of
the siege"
At Contreras, Mcclellan was elected
with an other engineer to reconnoiter the
strong breastworks of the enemy. They
had their horses shot under them, and
barely escaped capture by the Mexican
pickets' When the action commenced Nc
Clellan was with Magruders battery.
While it was still doing splendid service,
its commander, Calender, was wounded.
Mcclellan Immediately took command Of
it, and managed it until it was entirely
disabled, with such success as to sustain
all its previous reputation. General
Twiggs Immediately presented bis namo
for promotion to General Winfield Scott,
and, after showing consummate bravery
in the action of Churubusco, which took
place next day, he was breyetted first lieu.
tenant. In the next battle, Molino del Rey
his behaviour was SO gallant that he was
elevated to captaincy. He declined to re-
ceive it, and continued lieutenant on the
day of Chapultepec, when Gen Scott men
toned him as winning the admiration o
all about him." He was the first to enter
the Alameda with company which he
commanded, and during the day of th
assault repulsed a body of Mexican
greatly outnumbering his own corps, will
loss of twenty to the enemy.
He continued in active service from til
commencement of his companp erganiza
ton until General colt occupied the Cit
of Mexico. He returned from the war wit
the rank of captain and the command {
the company, now greatly augmented, c
sappers, miners and pontoniers. Betwee
ls45 and 1851 he translated from th
French manual of the bayonet exercise
which has become the text book of the al
my.
In 1851 he superintended'the construc
ton of Fort Delaware. In 1852 he ex
plored the Red River, under Captain Mar
cy, and surveyed the harbors and rivers O
Texas as senior engineer on the staff @
General Persifer 4. Smith,
In 1863 Mcclellan was employed o
the survey to ascertain the best route for
railroad between the Mississippi and tn
Pacidc-also in in the exploration of til
forty-seyenth and forty-ninth parallels {
north latitude.-His report gained the CON
mendation of JEFF. Davis, then Secre,ar
of War.
For three years more Mcclellan wa
very variously employed. After executin
secret service commisson in the West Ir
dies, and receiving commission in th
United States Cavalry, he was appointe
one of the military commission of thrt
officers to proceed to the Crimea and Nol
thern Russia, for observation on the col
hict then existing, and his report on 18th
Organization of European Armies, an
the Operations of the War;" is thought b
army officers a most valuable work.