The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-11-20
From the New York Evening PUst
GEN. GEORGE b McCLELLAN.

Frsm the New York Evening POst
GEN. GEORGE B McCLELLAN.
The resignation Of Gen. Scott has placed th,
responsibility Of the Union armies upon To,
tue shoulders OF q rems, ksble man. Ihis Il
true rot Ouly in the cOnuon but the origius
acceptation Of the word. Mcclellan has al
ways been q remarked man. Aud nov especia.
ly, when
-" All tn ues speak Of him,
And the blsarsd sights are sp-c,acied 10 hm ~
brief review 0f his past life aud services is a.
much duty a. pleasure to every Citizen VIC
helps him TO carry the weight Of our Threatened
common ealth
George B. Mcclellan was born in Philadelphis
on the Sd Ut December, 1926, his father being
an eminent physician OF that city. At the age
OF l6, or in iS42, be entered the West Poinl
Academy, aud i'll 1876, at the age OF twenty
was graduated second in his Glass; On tue
nrst OF July OF that year be WAS br, veted sec
ono lieutenant OF engineers. BY AL act Of Con.
gress passed during the May previous, a cOmpa-
hy OF saPpers, miners and pontOniers Was added
to the engineer corps, and in this company Nc.
Cleilan was commissioned.
Brevet Brigsder General TOtten, Chief En-.
glneer OF the army commanded by Cen Scott
before Vera Cruz, speaks Of McClellaI's genius
and energy in that company in the highest terms.
his e1ertiOns in drilling the recruits who came
into his company to be prepared for the srduous
!a0Ors OF the Mexican War were indeiatisab!e
With the aid OF but two other officers he sue
ceeded so perfectly in drilling the seventy one
raw men who had come into his hands only two
months before, that on the 24th OF September
they sailed from West Point, reported BY Gen
Totten As in state Of admirable discipline"
q ~ ia
fOrty i've effective men and two Ofiicers-one OF
whom was Mcclellan. He is repeatedly men.
toned IN correction with the corps as exhibit
ing consummate patience and ability. His CON-
pany never Once lost It's discipline, and pe,iOrm.
Cd some OF the most tOilsOme duties of the war
under very trying circumstances. Gen. Totten
makes especial mention Oi the labOrs performed
by Mcclellan before Vera Cruz He speaks OF
MIN As anlnaing his corps by his own devO-
ton and Zeal, OF 1.-The UNSURPASSED intelligence
and Zeal with which he took hls share in the di.
rectiOn vi the siege:"
At COntreras, Mcclellan was selected with An
other engineer to recOnnOitre the strong breast
works OF the enemy. They had their horses
shot under them, aud barely escaped capture by
the Mexican pickets. When the action com
menced Mcclellan was with Magruder's battery
While 1t was still doing good service, its com
took command of it, ana managed
II until II was entirely disabled, with such sue
cess as TO sustain all Its previous reputation
Gen. Twiggs Immediately presented his name
Tor promotion to Gen. Scott, and, after showing
bravery in the action OF Churubus. |
co, which took place next day, he was brevetted
hrst lieutenant. In the next battle, MOlIno del
Rey-his behavior Was so gallant that he was
elevated to captaincy. He decli ed to receive |
It, and continued lieusenant on the day Of Cha |
putepec, when Gen. Scott mentions him as |
- winning the admiration Of all about him." He |
vas the hrst to enter the Almeda with com
pany which he commanded, aud during the day
of the assault repulsed body of Mexicans,
greatly Outnumbering bis OWL corps, with a loss
)f twenty to the enemy.
He continued in active service from the COM
nencement If the compsny's organization until
ien. Scott occupied the city OF Mexico. lie
'eturned from the war with the rank of captain
md the command of the company, now greatly
augmented, OF sappers miners and pOntOniers
3esween lS4S and 1851 he translated from the
french q manual of bayOnet exercise, which has
'ecome the text book OF the army.
In 1851 he superintended the construction OF
'ort Delaware. In 1852 he explored the Red
siver, under Capt. Marcy, aud surveyed the
'srbors and rivers of Texas as the senior engn-
er on the staff of Gen. Persifer Smith.
In 1858 Mcclellan was employed On survey to
ssertain the best route for a railroad between
he Mississippi and the Paci6c-also, in the ex-
loration OF the 47th and 49th parallels of norrh
altitude. His report gained the commentator
1eh Davis, then Secretary of War.
For three years more Mcclellan was variousy
mpIoyed. Alter executing a secret service
ommssOn in the West Indies and receiving q
I'M m in tho II ~ | ,
cd one OF = military commission OF three officers
D proceed to the Crimea and Northern Russia
'r observation Of the conflict then existing, and
is report on "The Organization Of EUROPEAN
Irmies and the Operation of the War;" is
,Ought by army officers q most valuable work
In 1857 he resigned his position in the army, j
he peaceful cOl.dltiOn of the country seeming ,
} demand his services no longer, to take place |
J the management of the Illinois Central Rail ,
bad as its Vice President and Chief Engineer. 9
fter years of work upon that road he became 6
eneral Superintendent of the Ohie aud Missis. 8
pPi line. He was acting on that post when the t
'belOn broke out. Gov. Curtin, of Pennsyl- 6
ania applied to him to undertake the organiza d
on OF the volunteer forces of that State; but q
. had previously accepted similar offer from '
bio. In the assembling Of the forces of the '
tier State. and in placing them on an efficient Q
ar footing, he exhibited 90 much Of that deter I
lnatiOn and originality which had characterized +
IS former services in Mexico. that he was ap
ointed Major General in the q. 8. Army. with
'mmand OF department, which included Ohio T
I'd Western Virginia. Since that time his rec .
d is not history-it is the present.
Gen. Mcclellan married within the last two or !
lree years. the daughter of Capt. Marcy. under !
HON he made his Red River exploration.
BRAvE REeIxExr.-Col. Devens, Of the Fif- t
enth Massachusetts, Regiment, writes: Al |
'ough the loss to the regiment was perfectly '
rrible. my list of the killed, missing and woun- b
I'd being three hundred and ten, while six hum b
red and twenty five was the largest number / Z
I'd during the engagement, yet it's courage was 9
ost nobly brave and enduring. The battle was c
opelessly lost before Col. Baker was killed, vet
~ cool manner in xhich the .oaiu,ast h.ii an