Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-11-08

huVu VI sno Woru' mcNleHan naB Always been
remarked man. And now especially. when
IAN tongues peak Of him, ~ i
Ano tne DleaIed hgnw are specialized to SEQ him."
a brief reviey 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. s'1.si ll...e1 ..,r'.,.C
George B, Mcclellan was born in Pbiladel
phis on the Sd Of December, 1896, his father
being an eminent physician of that city. At
the age Of sixteen, or In l642, be enter ed the
West Point Academy, Npd in 1886, at the age
of twenty, was graduated second in bis class
On the let Of July Of that year he was brevettsd
second lieutenant OF engineers. BY an act of
Congress passed during the May previous, q
company OF eappers,s miners, and pontoniers
was added to the engineer corps, and in this
company Mcclellan was commissioned. r.
Brevet brigadier- General Totten, Chief En-
gineer Of the army commanded by Gen. Scott
before Vera Cruz, speaks of McClellan's genius
and energy in that company in the highest
terms. His exertions in drilling the recruits
who cams7fnto his company TO be prepared for
the arduous labors of the Mexican war, were
indefatigable. With the aid of but two other
officers he succeeded 30 perfectly in drilling the
seyenty-one raw men who had come into bis
hands only two months before, that on the oath
of September they sailed from West Point, re-
ported by General Totten "as in q state of ad
mirable discipline" tf'
During the war this company was reduced to
forty-tive effective men and two officers-one of
whom was Mcclellan. He is repeatedly men
toned in connection with the corps as exhibit.
ing consummate patience and ability. His
company never once lost its discipline and per-
formed some of the most toilsome duties of the
war under very trying circumstances General
Totten makes especial mention of the labore
performed by Mcclellan before Vera Cruz He
speaks of him as "animating his corps by his
own devotion and zeal," Of "the unsurpassed
intelligence and zeal with which he took his
share in the direction Of the siege"
At Contreras, Mcclellan was selected with
another engineer TO reconnoitre the strong
breastworks Of the enemy. They had theiI
horses shot under them, and barely escaped
capture by the Mexican pickets, When the
action commenced Mcclellan was with Magru-
der's battery. While it was etill doing splen
did service, its commander, Calender, was
wounded. Mcclellan Immediately took com
mand of it, and managed IL until it was entire
ly disabled, with such success as to sustain oil
Its previous reputation General Twlggs i'm
mediate)y presented his name for promotion h
General Scott, and, after showing consummstt
/ IUEaNOEy III buO dObiOu VI SuuEuUubCOb WuiCu bUOh
place next day, be was brevetted first lieuten
ant In the next battle, Molino del Rey, biz
behavior was 90 gallant that he was elevated tC
q captaincy. He declined to receive it, and
continued lieutenant on the day of Chapultepec
when General 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 greatly out
numbering his own corps, with o loss Of twenty
to the enemy. Ell"
He continued in active service from the com
mencement of his company's organization unit
General Scott occupied the city Of Mexico. H
returned from the war with the rank Of captain
and the command Of the company, now great
augmented, of sappers, miners, and pontonieri
Between l648 and 1851 he translated from tn
French manual of bayonet exercise, which ha
become the text book Of the army.
In 1851 he superintended the construction o.
Fort Delaware. In 1852 he explored the Re
River, under Captain Marcy, and surveyed tn
hatbors and rivers of Texas as senior enginee
on the staff of General Pefsifer Smith.
In 1853 Mcclellan was employed on tho sur
vsy 10 ascertain the best route for q railros
between the Mississippi and the Pac6c-also /
the exploration of the forty-seventh and forty
ninth parallels of north latitude. His repor
gained the commendation of Jeff. Davis, the
Secretary of War. (.
For three years more Mcclellan was very va
riously employed. After executing a secre
service commission in the West Indies, and re
ceiving q commission In the United State
Cavalry, he was appointed one of militar
commission of three officers to proceed to th
Crimea and Northern Russia, for observatio
on the conflict then existing, and his report 0