Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-12-14
OUR MILITARY BUDGET.
Who. Who; and wbat,. What

who's Who; and What's what.
Lieutenant General Charles Elicit, Jr, the
same who planned and executed all the celebra-
ted and successful military movements and cam
paigns Of the elder and younger Napoleon, the
Duke Of Wellington, and other great captains Of
ancient and modern times, twill be remembered
has sent TO every member of Congress and scat
sered over the hotel and doggery gathering places
OF the city (for free Distribution one Of bis char,
actsristic pamphlets, In which he writes down
the Conmander-in-chief OF the Army CT the
United States an ass; and thus proves Gen. Scott
10 have been an ass also, In venturng to differ
with him on that point.
In this pamphlet, wherein he announces that he
has plans Of his for the successful con-
duct OF the war; IL Is plain that his bad opinion OF
Major General McClellan's capacity grow, out OF
tne Iatter's declension 10 waste his time in being
bored, and bored, and bored with EIleu's charm.
Ing schemes concerning matters Of which he
knows nothing practical, just a. he has notori-
ousiY bored others In high position for the last
twenty-five years with similar better plans Of his
own for any and everything Of public interest for
the nonce
Wherever he has been employed this propen-
atty Of his IL well known. As well known an the
Tact that he 10 visionary theorist whose schemes
Tor doing everything for everybody" have as
little Practicability about them-his famous plan
Tor catching and ba2ging the rain waters In the
Aneganies, with which to keep up the naviRa.
ton OF the Ohio In dry weather, for instances
the other fact that II man happened to stand In
his way, or to refuse 10 be bored past ind urancs
with his moons struck coRtraptions, he 10 most
likely to essay an interminable controversy with
him on paper.
Thirty years since we were In the enginee,
department Of the same public work with him
and from that day 70 this have known well al
the profession at large know well, this remarka
bic propensity Of his.
II so happened that Gen Mcclellan came into
vogue As leading civil engineer Of the wes
just a. he was being played out In that quarter
and 10 has recently happened that after som,
three Interviews, and being bored In each pas
Endurance with his half demented belief tina
he knew precisely how the campaign on the Pc
tounsc should be conducted, while all but himsel
were profoundly ignorant upon the subject ana
grossly careless OF the public interest membe
Of the Generals star was compelled at length t
inform him, CURLY, that he had no more time
his-Ellett's-disPosal. Those who know Charlie,
Elicit, IT., civil engineer, learning these facts
will simply wonder that his prolific and really
trenchant pen had failed to "pamphlet'' the Gen
eral long ere this late day.
30 much for the causes and animm Of his as
sault
His plans for the campaign, as a matter O.
course, are after the fashion Of the plans Of the ole
man who has for years past bored all In thi
region who would listen to him, with his mode
OF flying machine and his speeches In e1plana
ton Of II. Or those Of the man who proposed q
bridge the Atlantic for railroad purposes with ,
grand hotel in the middle cnt, and an ioebers
chained near the latter for the convenient suppl,
Of the passenger, with juleps-neither of which Il
swht more crazy than his neverto- be forgotten
scheme Of catching the rain water falling on tn,
Aneganies or somewhere else, to be dealt out Z,
raise the water In the Ohio.
He Is noted a sPecious writer; as specicus a
hundreds rho are Kept In lunatic asylums, and
also ~ man Of varied information, which, o.
iate years, has been Of no practical use to him
We apprehend, owing TO the Increasing vagarie,
Of his mind, leading one of which seems to b,
that no one knows anything about anything
worth moving, but himself The b.st of u,
Joke, however, IL, that he knows everything In
tultvely. he does not base his plans of the cam
Psign % General Mcclellan necessarily bases Ii,
upon actual detailed knowledge Of the situation
such a no other man In the world can have, 70
Instance; but upon surmises which he takes 70
granted, tsuch As, that the Union army on thi
line at the lat Of October was $50 600 strong: u
strength then being some l3o,OOo)
We owe an apology to the Siar,s readers 10
devoting 30 much space to Mr. Charles Ellet,
Jr.'s Characteristic hslf-cracied pamphlet; bu
we deem IL proper 70 explain thus, as briefly a
possible, his appearance before the country In hi
latest role Of tbs First Capsein Of the Age Had b.
fsiied much longer 10 do Il, those who know hin
would hardly have failed to inquire Of than
seives-vhst the d-l las become OF Charlie
Eiiett, now that 10 IL high time he should hav,
undertakes the direction Of the war.
Ps-Rb "plan" was, substantially, as follows
VIZ TO end the campaign by pitting single regi
mentsgainst army on the other side of ID,
Potomac To land somewhere abou, Aouia Cree,
argument, at one Of the nearest points to the
orsnge and Alexandris Railroad; 10 push /. a,
rapidly 40 possible up 10 the line of that vor,
and cut down the telegraph wires thsre. and q
seize the arst passing train ALI Of course witbou
the knowledge of the rebels wherever in force
hs regiment was then 10 steam down to Gordon..
vile, destroying the bridge, &c, behind them.
and thsre 70 seize another passing train One
half the regiment was then to proceed on the last
ssdfsd tain In The direction Of Lynchburg, burn
ing r.. Aiygls behihd tSsp;, while the etheE,ssIf
"'s a J1aThsy % thu FIR; Selz,d uaia Ia lls
dlIreton Of Richmond, also destroyin. the