Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-11-21
From the New York EveniDg Post.
General George II. Mcclellan

1he resignation OF General Scott has
placed the responsibility Of the Union
forces upon the shoulders of remarLa-
ble man. This is true not only in the
common, but the original acceptation Of
the word. Mcclellan has always been
remarkable man. And now especially,
when ........
.-.",All tongues speak Of him,
And the bleared sights are specialized to see him."
a review Of his past life and services is
as much duty as pleasure to every
citizen who helps him carry the weight OF
our threatened Commonwealth.
George b. Mcclellan was born at Phil
adel phia on the Sd Of December, 1926, his
father being an eminent physician of that
city. Atthe age of 10, or in lS42, he en-
tered the West Point Academy, and in
1916, at the age Of twenty was graduated
second in his class. On the lst of July
Of that year he was breveted second lieu
tenant Of engineers. BY an act Of Con
gress passed during the May previous, a
company OF sappers, miners and ponton-
ters was added to the engineer corps, and
in this company Mcclellan was commits
stoned. ....
Brevct Brig. Gen. Totten, Chief Engin-
eer of the army commanded by General
Scott before Vera Cruez, speaks of Nc
Clellan's genius and energy in the high
est terms His exertions in drilling the
recruits who came into his company to
be prepared for toe arduous labors of the
Mexican war were indefatigable. With
tl,a aid /,f lut Ia In
ceeded 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 Gen. Totten as
"in a state of admirable discipline
During the war this company was re-
duced to forty-fve effective men and two
officers one of whom was Mcclellan
He is repeatedly mentioned in connection
with the corps as exhibiting consumate
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
Gen. Totten makes especial mention Of
the labors performed by Mcclellan before
Vera Cruz. He speaks of him as "ani-
mating his corps by his own devotion
and ZEAL" of unsurpassed intelligence
and zeal with which he took his share in
the direction of the seige."
At Contreras, Mcclellan was selected
with another engineer to reconnoitre 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
Mcclellan was with McGruder's battery
While it was doing splendid service, its
: commander, Calender, was wounded
e Mcclellan Immediately took command o
S it. and managed it until it was entirely
: disabled, with such success as to to sus
| tain all its previous reputation. Genera
. Twiggs Immediately presented his nam
n for promotion to General Scott, and ate
l showing consummate Bravery in the &C
: ton of Cherubusco, which took place
next day, he was breveted first lieutenant
In the next battle, Molino del Rey, his be-
havior was so gallant that he was elevat-
ed to captaincy He declined to receive
it, and continued lieutenant on the day Of
Chapultepec, when Gen. Scott mentioned
him as "winning the admiration of all
about him" He was the first to enter
the Alameda with company which he
commanded, and during the day of the
assault repulsed body Of Mexicans great
|, ly outnumbering his own corps, with a
loss of twenty to the enemy. He con-
tinued in active service from the COM
mencement of his company's organiza-
ton until Gen. Scott occupied the city Of
Mexico. He returned from The war with
the rank of captain and the command OF
the company. now greatly augmented, OF
sappers, miners and pontoniers. Between
1S4S and 1851 he translated from the
French a manual of bayonet exercise,
J a text book of the army.
In 1851 he superintended the construc
ton of Fort Delaware. In 1852 he ex
: plored the Red river, under Capt. Marcy
and surveyed the harbors and rivers oi
lexas as senior engineer on the staff oi
General PerSifer +. Smith.
In 1858 Mcclellan was employed on
; the survey to ascertain the best route for
a railroad between the Mississippi and the
Pacific; also in the exploration of the
47th and 49th parallels of north latitude
His report gained the commentator OF
jeff. Davis, then Secretary of War
For three years more Mcclellan was
, variously employed. After executing a
, secret service commission in the West
Indies, and receiving commission in the
9 U. S. Cavalry, he was appointed one OF
a military commission of three officers to
proceed to the Crimea and Northern Rus
sa. for observation on the conflict then
existing, and his report on The Organ
ization of European Armies and the Op-
Grafton of War" is thought by army OF
fcers a most valuable book. 8ar ...
In 1857 he resigned his position in tn,
army, the peaceful condition of the coun
+ try seemed to demand his services n
, longer, to take place in the manage
me,t of the Illinois Central Railroad q
its Vice President and Chief Engineer
After years of work upon that road Ia
became General Superintendent of tn
Ohio and Mississippi line. He was act
ing on that post when the rebellion brok
out. Gov. Curtis, Of Pennsylvania, ap
piled to him to undertake the organiza
, ton Of the volunteer forces OF that State
= but he had previously accepted simlIal
0l:a T., tla hing O