Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-11-08
From the New York Evening Post, 2d.l
GeorRe II Mcclellan.

The resignation of General Scott has placed
the responsibility Of the Union armies upon
the shoulders of remarkable man. This is
true not only in the common but the original
acceptation of the word. Mcclellan has al
ways been a remarked man. And now,
especially, when
-"All tongues speak of him,
And the bleared sights spectacled to see him."
brief review of his past life and services is
as much a duty as pleasure to every citizen
who helps him carry the weight of our
threatened commonwealth.
George B. Mcclellan was born in Phila-
dtlphis, on the Sd of December, 1926, his
father being an eminent physician Of that
city. AT the sge of sixteen, or in lS42 he
entered the West Point Academy, and in
1S46, at the age of twenty, was graduated
second in his Glass On the 1st Of July of
that year he was brevetted second lieutenant
of engineers. By an act of Congress, passed
during the May previous, a company of sap
pers, miners and pontoniers was added to
the engineer corps, and in this company Nc
Clellan was commissioned.
BTevet Brigadier-G Totten, Chief
Engineer of the army commanded by Cen
eEal Scott before Vera Cruz, speaks of Nc.
Clellan's genius and energy in that company
in the highest terms His exertons in drill
ing the recruits who came into his company
to be prepared for the arduous lsbors of the
Mexican War, were indefatigable. With the
aid of but two other officers he succeeded so
perfectly in drilling the seventy-oue raw
men who had come into his hands only two
months before, that on the oath of Septem-
ber they sailed from West Point reported by
General Totten las in q state of admirable
discipline"
During the war this company was reduced
to forty-fve effective men and two officers
one of whom was Mcclellan. He is repeat
edly mentioned in connection with the corps
as exhibiting consummate patience and abil-
ity. His company never once lost its dis
cipline, and performed some of the most
tOilsome duties of the war under very try.
ing circumstances. General Totten makes
especial mention of the labors performed by
McC elan before Vera Cruz. He speaks
of him as "animatiDg his corps by his own
devotion and ZEAL" Of 'the unsurpassed in
telligence and zeal with which he took MS
share in the direction of the siege"
A. Contreras, Mcclellan was selected with
another engineer to Ieconnoiter the strong
bIe9stworks 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 Ma
gruder's battery. While it was still doing
splendid service, its commander, Calender,
was wounded. McC. Immediately took COM
mand of it, and managed it until it was en-
tirely disabled, with such success as to sus-
tain all its previous reputation. General
Twiggs imme diately presented his name for
p' emotion to General Scott, and, after show
ing coDsummate bravery in the action of
Churubusco, which took place next day, he
was brevetted First Lieutenant. In the next
! ba tie, Molino del Rey, his behavior was so
gallant that he was elevated to c1ptaiucy.
He declined TO receive it, and continued
Lieutenant on the day of fChapultepec, wheu
General Scott mentions 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 outnumbering his own corps, with a
loss of twenty to the enemy.
He continued in active service from the
commencement of his companys organiza-
ton until General Scott occupied the Oity OF
Mexico. He returned from the war with the
rank of captain aud the command of the
company, now greatly augmented, of sap
pers, miners and pontoniers. Between l948
and 1851 he translated from the French q
manual OF bsyOnet exercise, which has be-
come the text book of the army.
In 1851 he superintended the construction
| of Fort Delaware. In 1862 he explored the
Red River, under Captain Marcy. and sur
veyed the harbors and rivers of Texas as
sifer Smith.
| In 1853 Mcclellan was employed on the
| survey to ascertain the best route for rail.
road between the Mississippi and the Pa
| cifc-also in the exploration of the forty.
seventh and forty ninth parallels of north
latitude. His report gained the commenda'
ton of JEFF Davis, then Secretary of War.
For three years more Mcclellan was
very variously employed. After executing
| a eooraf parvina o0nnmie sion in the West In.
dies, and receiving a commission in the
| United States Cavalry, he was appointed one
of military commission of three officers Il
proceed to The Crimea and Northern Russia
for observation Oh the conflict then existing
and his report on "The Organization OF Eu
ropean Armies, and the Operations of thu
War" is thought by army officers m os
valuable work.
In 1857 he resigned his commission in tn,
army, the peaceful condition of the county
seeming to demand his services no longer
to take place in the management of th
Illinois Central Railroad as its Vice-Presi
dent and chief engineer. After three year
of work upon that road he became genera
superintendent OF the Ohio and Mississippi
line. He was acting on that post when thu
/ rebellion broke out. Governor Curtin, o
Pennsylvania, applied to him to undertake
the organization of the volunteer forces o
that State; but he had previously accepted |
similar offer from Ohio. In assembling th
forces of the latter State and in placing then
upon an efficient war footing, he exhibited 8,
much Cf that determination aud originate,
which had characterized his former services il
Mexico, that he was appointed Major r-Geners
in the United States Army, with the com
mand of department, which included Obi
and Western Virginia. Since that time hi
record is not history, it is the present. rtf
General Mcclellan married, within the las
two or three years, a daughter Of Captai
Marcy, under whom he made his Red Rive