Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-10-10
The Wane OF rIeClenan.s Popularity.

The WOhe of WcCieuau's popularity
When MCCLELLAN was called to the command Of
the army of the Potomac be had done no such great
action as to justify the immense confidence repos-
ed in him. But the Northern mind ig so constituted
that it must always have some imaginary hero TO
worship. Mcclellan wss mau,of clever abilities
great ambition and immense preteBsiOns. he went
TO the Crimes and studied military science. ScoTF
had fallen into disgrace. Mcdowell was the m
fortunate leader of the retreat from Bull Run. The
North was hard run and seizsd upon this ardent
young General, out OF whom to manufacture hero
for the occasion. Hs was placed at the heal Of
the army aud manifested great energy at once,
Northern enthusiasm was all ablaze. he vas the
coming man whose tresd was to shake the eaTtL.
The rebellion was soon TO be suppressed and the
couquering hero was to be second NAPOLEON.
But the reputation of this hero of an hour was
destined To be speedily diminished, if not quenched
altogether, because il Wss entirely disProporhoned
to his merits and to the v&st expectations of Il e
gaping crowd.
1t is already on the wana The Cincinnati Com
sasrcial of the Sd inst of the most furious of
LINCOLN journals, thus discourses relative 90 aim :
Events may speedily demonstrate that the COM
mRuder of the army Of the Potomac has been co n
pletey OutgenerRled by Besuregsrd; that the &C.
Cupation of hunsOn's and Mason's HILLS, and the
other advance positions from which the rebels
have fallen back wss a feint to up important
movements in other quarters that, having served
their purpose, these positions were abandoned not
from fear of a flank movement not because the
rebels were awe stricken by the immense preParG-
tions going on in front Of them, but because OBJ
ject could be served by holding them heur long
er. While the army Of the Potomac had been IN
tenty watching the progress of their Entertainments
and daily expecting an attack front, in flank,
large bodies of troops have been thrown into Yves
tern Virginia and Tennessee, to reinforce Lee and
Zollicoffer.
Oar dispatches from Washington, this morning,
indicate that such suspicious have finally been
aroused there and that instead of Washington being
in DANGER the real peril and the real field of opera
tons are hundreds of miles from the Potomac
Manassas is so admirably fortified by all accounts,
that il can be readily held by so geo efficient men,
against twice their numbers. This would enable
Beauregard to aetach 25 900 men for operations in
Tennessee. and as many in Western Virginia. and
vet leave him a contingent force of over so 900.
10 any event, we hope the West will be permitted
TO retain whatever forces she has ready or organ
zng for the field to support those already contend
ing with heavy odds in Western VirE inia, Kentucky
and Missouri. The Coming week will probably de-
velope abundant opportunities fer their employ
Ynent While we do not credit all the rumors that
burden the air. it is very evident that an entire
change has been made in theprogramme OF the war
bv the rebel commanders, and that they have de-
rded to make the Western border the field ct Of
feGsiEe operations.