The Smoky Hill and Republican union. [volume] (Junction City, Kan.) 1861-1864, 1861-12-12
General Mcclellan and His Labors.

General Mcclellan and His Labors
DR.. Russell. of the London Times, has
he following notice of our new Commander
n-chief in his letter of October 20:
His quarters are in pleasant house at
he corner of square-not unlike that of
Gordon Or huston. BY day, the door and
windows are open sentry in blue tunic,
blue cap, blue trowsers, all without what
are called facings, brass buttons, with a
distracted eagle thcreupon, and waistbelt
with brass buckle inscribed U. s. walks
up and down, generally with pipe or cigar
in his mouth, and his firelock carried hori-
zontally over has shoulder, SO as to bring
the bayonet on level with any eye of
which the unWary owner may be coming
round the corner. Several Dragon horses
are hitched up By the rail and the trees
along the pavement, standing patiently aud
good naturedly, as American horses are
wont to do, or, at most, stamping and flick
ing off the flies which in the United States
try patience and good temper so hardly.
At the door are ready orderlies, two quick,
Intelligent young men, who are civil with
out being servile, and who, in being so,
afford some contrast to the various very
Independent soldiers lounging or sitting on
The steps reading newspapers, and waiting
for answers to their messages. There is a
sort Of 'Open Sesame air about the place
which does not prevent the secrets inside
being well kept. Ia the parlors are seated
officers and visitors, smoking or talking.
The tables are covered with litter of
papers and journals and torn envelopes,
and the checking tongue Of the telegraph
instrument resounds through the building
The General is generally upstairs, and
sundry gentle Cerberi bar the entrance to
his presence, nor is he destitute of the art
Of making himself invisible when be pleases
His staff are excellent men, am told, and
most courteous and gentlemanly l know,
50 far as my personal experience goes, nor
could any man be served more efficiently |
than the General is by such men as Briga- |
der General Vanvliet, or Colonel Hudson, |
notwithstanding the absence of good deal
of the stiffness which marks the approaches
to some headquarters, as General McClel |
Ian found when he and his brother Com
missioners sought in vain to obtain access
TO Marshal Pellssier in the Cri,nea. The
General, a short time ago an employee on
the Central Illinois Railway, but still with |
50 much OF the old spirit in him that he
studied closely all the movements of that
short Italian campaign, of which be is not
doomed TO give a counterpart in this part
OF the world, is noctinne, and at the close
of long, laborious days works hard and fast
late into the night till sleep pursues and
overtakes him, when he sur:enders readily,
for be has one Of those natures which need
fair share of rest, capable though they be
of great exertion without it on occasion
lie works hard, too, in the saddle. and,
when the business Of the morning has been
dispatched, off he goes attended by few
officers and small escort of orderlies and
troops, scress the Potomac, visiting the
camps, examining positions, eating where
fortune spreads the beard, and returning
generally after nightfall, to look over the
reports, to issue orders, to battle little
politicians, and to stand on the defensive
against those Of larger dimensions. Here
he Is natural, but vIgilant-candid, but
pfudent-tobacco ruminant or fumant, full
81 life. and yet confemplativc--of temper
indeed, which seem to take some Of It's
color from that Of the accidents of its sur
ronndlngs in time and place