Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-11-18

bPienuiu photograph OF the General and hia
personal staff officers, forming q handsome
group In front OF his tent, and another of the
General On horseback, were taken before start.
ing, when Just about to 90 he said: "I can
hardly bear to see my soldiers apain. o.
Then, accompanied by his officers and escort
a magnificent cavalcade, he rode off 10 take
a last farewell Of bis troops. The infantry
and cavalry attached to his headquarters were
tastefully disposed on the adjacent hill. They
presented very soldierly appearance McClei.
Ian rooe along the lines, and as he passed en-.
thusiastic cheers spontaneously arose from the
ranks The soldiers could not restrain their
controlling admiration for their General After
ne had passed along the lines, and was return.
Ing toward the bill, General Patrick, command.
Ing the Povost Guard at headquarters, dashed
up the crest, and, with cap In hand, led the
whole command In three additional tumultuous
cheers for General Mcclellan. The Sturpis
Rifles, which have been with him from the time
OF his drst campaign In Western Virginia, gave
an extraordinary complimentary cheer, and all
the men turned their heads around and gave
one long, last lingering look whilst he rode
away to bid a similar adieu to other commands
He then paesed through the camps of the re
sfrve artillery. The batteries we're all arranged
In convenient positions, the cannoneers stand.
ing by their guns. The men presented sabtes,
while the music mingled with their cheers as
he passed The magnificent artillery reserve
OF the Army Of the Potomac, which, Mcclellan
had organized with 80 much care, he seemed re-
luctant to leave it now when there was an i'm.
mediate prospect OF its efficiency being fully
displayed on the field.
IL was while riding from here that Burnside,
accompanied by brilliant staff, came dashipe
across the field and joined him. They shook
each other cordially by the hand, and rode TO-
gether during the remainder of the day. When
we reached the turnpike, on either side of which
troops are encamped, we Witnessed one of the
greatest and most effective demonstrations 1t
has ever been my fortune to behold. The
troops 10 General Fitz John Porters corps were
martialled in magnificent array on the right of
the road, and those In General Couch's corps on
the left. Butterfeld's, Sykes's and Humphrey .
divisions, in Porter's corps, we're disposed in or
der, the banners Of each command appearing
in the center, close on the road. Hancock's,
Howard's and French's divisions, In Couch's
corps, were arranged 10 somewhat similar
manner, with the artillery OF both commands
planted on prominent positions.
As had been done 10 other instances, McClel-
lan's farewell address TO bis soldiers was read
to them just before he passed to personally bid
them farewell. As he rode along the turn
pike, with head uncovered, between the lines
of troops, and followed by the glit.ering array
of officers, fifty thousand OF his devoted SOL
diere, with hearts and voices in perfect unison,
and all with one accord, burst forth into the
most tumuituous cheering. Along the lines
he rode, amidst the continued acclamations
oil the fifty thousand, while, from the distance,
We would occasionally catch, as though it
were an echoI the sound from the troops we
had left behind, and who we're cheer.
ing yet, long after the General had gone away
from the immediate vicinity of his headquarters.
The banners borne by the various regiments
were held near the road on either side, and
their tattered fragments were fully exposed to
view when the General and party passed through
the line of troops. Some of the standards had
little but the gold and silver trimmings and the
silSen fringes left. A greater portion of many
OF the hags had been shot away in battle under
the gallant leadership of Gen. Mcclellan -
Those tattered banners, having inscribed upon
them the names Of the battles in which the
troops had fought Victoriously beneath their
silken folds, were mute yet mosts eloquent
memorials OF the mighty struggles which Nc
Clellan's soldiers have passed through. Whilst
he rode along, the batteries fred salutes, the
bands played and the soldiers cheered; the
smoke from the artillery hoated in among the
perforated banners, and the acclama atoms OF the
troops mingled with the martial music of the
bands and guns. cannot recall from my ex-
perience any occasion on which the enthus-
asm manifested by these soldiers has been sur
passed.
Passing the end of POrter's and Ceuch's lines
General Mcclellan and party proceeded four OF
i've miles further, to the place where franklin e
corps were encamped. On the way, soldiers
followed and cheered him. He was soon near
Franklin's corps. His arrival was not expected
quite 30 soon, and the troops we're not formed
TO receive him. But, when the soldiers saw
him approaching their encampment, the color
bearers Of the various regiments grasped the
Stars and Stripes and the regimental standards,
and came dashing down the hills, and across
the fields, the members of the regiments, with
out arms, dashng wildly after them. McClel.
Ian passed through this mass Of soldiers to Gen
frankiin's headquarters, where he, Burnside
and franklin, while the lstter's troops were
being collected and disposed, had a protracted
interview.
This ended, the company mounted their hor.
ses again, and road among the troops of Frank.
lin's corps. Smiths division, part formed in
line OF battle and part in column, greeted Nc
Clellan with great enthusiasm. Brooks's divis
ion came rushing across the vally in one grand
solid column, with flags floating in the breeze
to meet the retiring General, They hocked
around him, discArding entirely everything CON
cerning the rules of military formation, and, in
the most feeling manner, bade him an affce.
tionate farewell. The troops in Newton's di.
vision, formed further on, were no less decided
and enthusiastic in their demonstrations. II
was really wonderful to see how deep was the
expression OF feeling by the soldiers on this oc-
casion.
Having passed through the lines of all the
troops in the vicinity, Gen. Mcclellan turned
his horse's head to 60 back to headquarters
whence he intended proceeding to the train
which was waiting to convey him to Washing.
ton. Now we Witnessed the most affecting
scene Of all Until this moment il hardly SEEM
ed that their favorite general could leave them
But now he was going from among them-he
had already gone The moment that they full.
ly realized it all those soldiers, amin ated BY one
universal impulse, ran after him, some weeping
aloud and shouted In the most touching and ap
lpealing manner, "fetch him back, fetch him
back"
As he rode along the turnpike on his return
from Franklin's corps, troops under Couch and
? Porter, which he had passed in regular forma
tion few hours before, now rushed out from
their camp ground, and thronged the roadsid,
anxious to take another last look at the below
ed general. Many of them were melted Il
tears, and after cheering him again and again
Joined in the universal supplication, "com,
back to US, come back to us Mcclellan"
PARTING AT FITz JOHN PoRTER's HEADQUARTERS.
Riding up to General Fiiz John Porter
headquarters he was met by delegation com
posed of several hundred officers in Porter
command. After the party had diamnnnted