The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-11-03

mands for Its aid 80 nccssant, that every man may b.
said to have been constantly ty, with scarcely
ment for rest and refreshmentn Captain Swift was still
TOO III for such abors, and died afterwards but
Colonel Totem remarks the other officers directed tht
operations Of tho siege with unsurpassed intelligence and
zeal" Such s the plain and truthful record OF tho car
Hest war experience at tho age Of twenty Of the noble
soldier who Ia now the General OF tho Army Of tho Po
tomac and whose star fixed in the American constella
Let tho next stage forward DO related in the ocia
words OF Colonel Totem
severe labors followed tho surrender Of vers Crux
| ana It's CASTLE and accompanied the march to the
Iasat ., eerro Gordo IN which tho company dis
and efficiency II entered the city Of Jaapa with the adj
vance Twiggs division and Puebla with the advance
u worms During the pause at tho latter place the
sruction OF the company in its appropriate studies and
exercises was resumed by It's pesevering jealous
the defences Marching from Puebla with GEN Twggs'
division, the company was joined to Gen. Worth Cha
ION and arrived IN front Of San Antonio the 18th Of
august having greatly assisted In clearing the sAd or
INSTRUCTIONS placed by tho enemy.
Tho company the 10th was ordered take tho head
OF General Pillows column at st. Augustine. Tho SER
vice OF tho company was now noble, and IL specified
all along In the oca reports. Before the day OF Con-
treras, General Twiggs discovering his enemy in
anaturay strong position, with brcastworks that com.
lnanded approach In evory direction, despatched
two engineers 70 roconnore Of whom Lieutenant
g.,
had horses shot under them, and were compelled to
return The action soon commenced-tho battle OF Con-
'reras-in which Lieutenant Mcclellan with Magru-
ders battery, which rendered splendid service After
mentioning Mcclellan several times In his Official report
General Twiggs thus writes
Lieutenant George B. Mcclellan, after Lieutenant
Calendar was wounded, took charge Of and managed
tached with the rockcts) with Judgment ana sue.
cess until became so disabled 10 require shelter
For Lieutenant McClchns efficiency and gaian,ry in this
affair present his for the favorable consider
Of the General in Chief
After night of exposure TO pitiless storm, the
army fought tho next day-August 20--tho baltic Of
Cherubasco; and that ane soldier General Pcrsifcr f.
Smith, thus completes the record Of Mcclellan
Leufonant0. W. Smith, IN command OF the engineer
company and Lieutenant Mcclellan his subaltcrn dis
tnguished themselves throughout the whole Of tho three
actions Nothing seemed TO them bold be under
kcn or 100 dicnlt to DO executed and their services
AZ engineers were valuable those they rendered In
battle 1t the head Of their gallant men.
For such conduct on that ny McClclon was breveted
First Lieutenant.
Lieutenant Mcclellan breyeltsd Captain for gallant
and meritorious conduct in the battle Moino del
Rey but declining, he still Lieutenant on the great
day Of Chepultepec, and the General nam sg him
with four others, these words" Those Ave euten.
ants Of engineers the admiration of all about them
His name appears in the Official reports connection with
Of September Captain Lee aud Lieutonants Tower Smith
and Mcclellan, with company sappers, were employed
in establishing batteries against Chcputepec which wore
actively served during the next day .hI which was
tho day before the assault.
Lieutenant Mcclellan long before day break OF tho 18th
was In the Held and Major Smith, of the Engineer Corps
thus says Of his MORNINGS work." At three O'Clock
party Of tho sappcs moved to the large convent in I'D
vance and found II unoccupb,d Lieutenant Mcclellan
advanced with party insot nx .Sda and reported a.
daylight that no enemy SaY ~ seen. The sap.
pers then moved ferwA :. M And reached TWO
squares beyond the Alams.., .<hen they were re-.
called. This company was under senior Lieutenant
Smith and engaged during the day street lighting
until three O'Clock in tho afternoon, and particularly
breaking into houses with crowbars- and axes Major
Smith says:-Lieutenant Mcclellan had command Of a
company for time in the afternoon, wie Icutenant
Smith was searching for powder to be used blowing ny
houses from which troops had been fred upon cor
trary TO the usages Of war; During this time while ad
vancng the company he reached strong position but
found himself opposed to large force Of the enemy He
had conflict with this force which lasted some time but
the advantage afforded by bis position enabled hs at
length to drive or after having killed more than twenty
Of its number.
Such the ocal record Of Mcclellan so far as brilliant
special service is concerned This, however convey
just idea Of the labor and skill that are required in
order that lasting honor may DO conferred on the
country. II il the every day life OF the officer TINT is
keeny watched by the men and what said OF Mcclellan
Is that was 30 marked by thoroughness to command
respect and confidence, and filed with sympathy to
win estcom and love- In such way no served his country
In Mexico Chief Engineer Totem thus gives in general
his term OF service:-"Lieutcnant Mcclellan on duty
with tho engineer company from its organization at West
Point in the siege Of Vera Cruz in all the battles
o.. 49,
pany LEFT that city May 90 1885, marched to Vera Cruz
and arrived 1t West Point on tho 22d Of June.
Lieutenant Mcclellan brevetcd captain for gallant
and meritorious conduct in battle Chepuepec the
following year S4S) him commander Of this great
company Of sappers and miners and pontoners He
tinued here until 1851, but the military routine
enough for him. During this period no translated from
the French which he knows thoroughly, manual which
has become the text book the SERVICE
the bayonet exercise into the army.
Captain McCean's service was superinend the
construction of Fort Delaware in the fall of 1851 the
spring Of 1852 he assigned duty Major Marcy
in the expedition that explored the Red river then
ordered senior engineer to Texas the stair Of
raj p. f. Smith, with whom he engaged in surveying
The rivers and harbors of that State.
Captain Mcclellan, in the next year. Of the
gineers who ordered 10 make explorations
veys ascertain the practicable route railroad
from the Mississippi river TO the Pacific Ocean; and
among other duties he mode the reconnaissance Of the
Yakima Pass among the Rocky Mountains and tho most
direct TO Puget Sound. He associated the
exploration Of the forty seventh and forty ninth parallels
north latitude with Governor Stevens of Oregon The
Secretary Of War, jefferson Davis, in his official report
to Congress, says Of McClanan's services exan
nation Of the approaches and passes of the Cascade
Mountains, made by Captain Mcclellan, of the corps
engineers, presents reconnaissance OF great value
and though performed under adverse circumstances
exhibits all the information necessary to determine
the practicaby of this portion of the route and reflects
highest credit the capacity and Of that
officer" Nor this the whole service OF this ndoma-
Bile public servant In this report, its closing words,
Secretary Davis says:sCapain Mcclellan, of the corps
engineers after the completion OF his field operations
directed to visit various railroads. and to collect in
formation and established the construction and
working Of existing roads, to data in deter
mining the practcablity of constructing and working
roads the several routes explored. The results Of
his inquiries will be found in very valuable memoir
herewith sGbmittad.n
To this engineering service succeeded for three years.
other duties which largely raised the repu,at Cap
tain Mcclellan. After executing service in the
W. 49, rr...o