The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-09-22
PRINCE NAPOLEON ON THE WAR.
HIS THIRD L H TT II II
Sketches and Descriptions Of the Generals
and Armies on Both Sides Importance OF
WestPolnt- The Spirit North and South,
&C., &e., ~ ~ &C.
Translated for tho NEW YoRH HERALD from the op'noh
Rationale, Sept, 4 -, 81


Rationale, Sept, a. tal. .
-NrM wAsuIsaroy August l6, 1881.
I spoke in my last letter Of the governmental elc-
nent in the United States, which have found inn
litey inferior the important mission conhded to IT,
shall speak to day OF element differing essentially from
it, and to which the events Transporting in America at this
moment suddenly given very great preponderance
mean the military element, OF which Generals Scott
Mcclellan and Mcdowell in tho Northern army, and
Beauregard and Johnston in the Southern army the
highest and complcest perscnihcaon shall begin by
occupying myself with the first named generals.
GENERAL SCOTT.
General Scott is of enormous height and corpu-
lence, aged about seventyhve years. equity, out
almost ended. He is Lieutenant aneral, grade
pondng that of Marshal, and which attached tho
permanent command Of the regular army time of peace
well as in time Of In the United States there is
but Lieutenant General and he is in perpetuty Com
mander Chief OF the army sort OF war minister for
lfe while the Cabinet officer who has the title Of Minister
of War, is specially charged with the military ad-
minstration. General Scott, therefore, directs all the
operations of the present war; just in Franco
the Minister Of War directs the armies in the field
commanded by generals n-chief General Scott is,
or rather has been-for ! repeat he has the air
of man whose career is ended-a true
gentleman, the Of English general, well edu
Gated enlightened, and belonging, well by his age as
his manners to quite different generation than tho pre-
sent one He has commanded any but the regular
army, in contrast to the militia 1t at the head of
the regular army that lsa7 he made tho splendid
pagn of Mexico landed Vera Cruz marched the CAPT
which after obstinate battle, while Gene
raj Taylor the frontiers of Texas and at the head Of
American militia, won Tho victory of Buena Vista Gene
raj Scott, who is very gallant man, has besides
cessive seflove his countrymen have often compar
ed him to Napoleon that the c,m parson has ended by
making some impression on him. lie likes to recall the
fact that he has never been defeated, and that
his military career tie enemy has never taken from
him either a detachment or a post
GEN. MCCLELLAN.
General Mcclellan commanded, days ago, in West
Virginia, province half subjected and half revotct
Charged with the duty Of pacifyng it, he acquitted him
self of that mission with the greatest success Or tie
secessionist generals who opposed him taken
with his whole column, the other was killed and his
troops dispersed. These Successes which American ex
aggeraton has transformed into great Victories have
given from day to day an immense popularity McClc
Ian You sec his at New York placards ban
ncrs, in the newspaper headings, with the phrase
"McCellan-two victories in day." After
the battle of Bull run, to which l shall again
refer, the President called Mcclellan to tho COM
mand Of the conquered and demoralized army.
He has therefore, under his orders at this the
troops reassembed the Potomac, from Harpers Ferry
to the He has the title Of General Of Divson-a
jor General position which corresponds that Of
General OF Div sion having commanded commanding
corps Of the army There present only officers
OF that grade in the United States-McCellan and the
celebrated traveller known under the OF Colonel
Fremont, who has been candidate for the Presi
dency He commands tho small federal army which ope-
rates against the secessonss in the ssisspp valley
the State of Missouri, around 81, Louis II is, there
fore, in the hands Of General Mcclellan that
the North has placed its military des,lnies, and The
care OF avcnging tho shameful defeat of Bull run.
The connections of General Mcclellan with General Scott
are almost those OF general Of the army with the Minis
ter Of War General Mcclellan, pupil Of West Point
Academy is Of thirty five years OF age, very small
in stature, with black hair and moustaches inell
gent, open and most ag eeabe countenance, and simple
and modest bearing should you SEE him pass in the
French officer of en- ineers or of artillery.
GENERAL M'DowELL.
General Mcdowell commands all the troops on the right
bank OF the Potomac. He Is of forty two years,
tall and large. His face is not particularly fne but
remarkably open asd sympathetic, through its air Of
II Mcclellan mbes Of engineer officers, Nc.
Dowcll resembles Of infantry officers. Did not
bances and assmations, should say that Mcdowell has
the type OF chief of battalion OF foot chasseurs His
superior to his appearance favorable as that is He is
Of the honesest truest, simplest that you
meet He sustained terrible check at Bull run and he
speaks Of it without bitterness, without recrimuaton
with accent of sincerity and an elevation Of sentiments
that do him the greatest honor. Deprived Of the
supreme command in consequence of that reverse,
be has Mcclellan his fellow student West Point
younger than himself by several years, inherit his
donors, his position and his growing popularity. He
has taken, without complaint and without murmur an
inferior place under him whose mission II Is to repair the
misfortune attached to his name Well no one doubts
that Mcdowell will be tho most submissive devoted
of McCellan's lieutenants Mcdowell has, besides,
reputation in the army of being sort Of stole phio
sopher-a reputation sought after and more or less
deserved by certain number Of West Point pupils Ho
drinks neither wine, tea nor coffee does not smoke, and
has habits Of sobrey and self denial quite in keeping
with his Puritan principles.
WEST POINT ACADEMY.
have already referred times to West Point
That establishment the pride of the United States
pies position between military school ST. Cyr and
our Polytechnic school, il mpesses on those formed by
II distinct character which makes Of them separate
class in the midst Of the three great American divisions
the Yankees, the Virgnians and the Western The
West Point pupil speaks foreign languages, French prn
cpay He has been brought up in regard literature
science and military art in the culture Of the great Euro
pean models So he stranger that and mis-
taken patriotism that puerie vanity which concentrates
all the ideas, the studies and the admiration Of Amer
The study Of psre sciences and abstract mathematics
inspires him with taste for dsnterested speculation
and the military profession which he embraces without
sitting his liberal instincts imprints on him ideas Of
DER OF rank Of respect for social moral superioree
little known to the rest Of his countrymen To
gers eye these fundamental differences interpreted
by an absolute contrast in manners The West Point
pupil polished, reserved He knows generally the
skilful simplicity He knows how to conform to tho
usages and habits Of the strangers with whom comes
In contact; practices all the rules Of the scrupu
tous urbanity, with certain admixture Of republ
can holiness which lacks neither charm distinction
required the test Of civil war, Of governmental an
archy and Of the humilating position in which the peo.
pie OF the United States find themselves this moment in
theface of the rest of the world show rising the first
rank quite peiad of new men formed by West Point,
some belonging to the regular army, others having be-
longed to it, all fashioned almost uniform type II
IS at first on the military sage that they appear bit erery
that they '0 not e long passing on to he pol;
cal one.
JEFFERSON DAVIS
The South has already chosen West Point man. Jefer
son Davis, for President; for West Point is divided like
the rest Of the nation and furnishes chiefs both par
ties Generals Beauregard and Johnston the head
OF the secession movement Mcclellan and Mcdowell are
the Union heroes and their take the place in erery
ones mouth Of those politicians chose scedkness inca.
paciy have brought the United States to TIE brink of an
abyss. wv
The war appears to be between comrades In Western
Virginia Mcclellan has had to operate against two West
Point companions, Of whom "a I have ea;5 was
killed and the other made prisoner ="
Beauregard and Mcclellan, military leaders Of the two
opposing parties not only companions but intimate
friends When Beauregard the North no went to
no other house than McClellan's and when Mcclellan
went south he stayed with but Beauregard Ono
side and the other are acquainted in the most intimate