Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-11-22
The Removal of Gen, Mcclellan.
From the New York Times.1


We presume that this particular in
stance of dlsobedience of orders calling
to cross the Potomac as ordered), though
the immediate occasion, is not the whole
cause of Gen. McC!ellan's removal 1t is
pretty generally understood that this is
only the elimination of a systematic dis
regard Of orders, OF steady aud obstinate
hardness in the conduct of the campaign
against the rebels, and of a consequent
Inc fficiency in command, which would
long ago have secured Lis dismissal under
any Administration less timid than that
which has now possession of power. The
fifteen months during which be has had
virtual control Of the war have been ut
teTly barren OF results to the cause he has
protessed to serve. Few commanders in
history have had such splendid opportuni-
ties, and fewer still have so ostentatiouSly
thrown them away. With an army capa-
bic Of the most heroic achievements, pow
ertul in numbers, unrivaled in discipline
and equlpment, eager always for active
and onward movement, he has accomplish
ed absolutely nothing but successful re.
treats from inferior forces, and the defence
OF the Capital at Washington, which he
should have left no foe capable of meusc-
ing. The rebel armies have grown up in
bis presence, and by his toleration
Through all his long career he has made
but one attack and won but a single vic
tory and that became absolutely truitless
through his failure to follow it up
We have no theory on which to explain
this most extraordinary failure OF Gen
Mcclellan as a commander or the still
nSZtro nd ~ i,n
President in committing the fortunes O.
the war to his hands. Gen. Mcclellan
has shown too many of the qualities of an
accomplished soldier to attribute his fail
ure to simple incapacity. That he is alb
solutely dislOyai to the government, We
have never permitted ourselves to believe.
Yet we think it quite probable that his
heart has never been in the war,-that
through it all he has had hopes of COM
promise which should end ii, and that he
has feared the effect upon such compro-
mise of stern and relentless prosecution
of hostilities. His position and possibly
his feelings have been those ascribed by
Macaulay to Essex. who commanded the
armies of the Parliament at the outbreak
of the great civil war. He was an accom-
plished soldier and Parliamentarian; but
he shrank from civil War-he hoped thro'
it all for an accommodation with the King
and ''mert to a great defeat he dreadeG q
great yact0ry." Under such leader the
war could never prosper. and it was soon
found necessary to replace him by Hamp-
den, who carried into the field the bold
ness and courage he had shown in politics,
and who had the sagacity to see from the
outset that /" IN aoar of all kinds, moderG-
ton IS lanbeci1ity." As g politician, Gen.
McClellan's sympathies, previous 20 the
rebellion, had always been with the South.
He has believed them wronged by North
ern sentiment and by Northern action.
And beyond all question, he has hoped
and believed that a time would come when
the war could be arrested, and when the
Southern leaders, backed by powerful
party in the Northern State, would listen
to terms of accommodations and that
nothing would stand in tt way of such
compromise more than a victory which
should wound their pride by huiniliating
their arms and crushing their power.