The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-09-18
sscrs, 81 meL.,,.n,. popularity.

secret - McLsilsn,s Popularity.
The secret Of such popularity with the
troops as Mcclellan has, is simple. He
takes pains TO be popular. La no unkipd
or carping spirit, be it said---he plays the
demagogue with his soldiers. Every sue
cessful general in the field, to greater or
less extent, does the same.
There have been . few unfortunate
things in McDowell's career that started
him down. Then there WINS nothing ia
his personal presence to remove the un.
favorable impression that had been crea-
ted. He moved among his soldiers as rig
id and unbending ~ though he belonged
to different class and had no sympathie,
in common with them. It was the old
army bearing carried into the volunteer
service unchanged.
Mcclellan, more wisely. changed it. He
forgot West Point when he got among his
volunteers and was as careful of secur-
ing their good opinion as politician be-
fore election day. Look through your
county, dear reader, and tell me who will
make the best candidate for a close con-
test for county clerk or township assessor?
Is 1t the best man you have in the county
or Ia it the ahable, smooth-tongued,
ready smiling parsonage, who suits his
whole course to pleasing everybody with
whom he comes in contact The army
ID not SO very different from the voters at
home. The one class does not always like
that man best who will make the best off,
Ger, nor docs the other
We had an admirable Illustration of the
way to cultivate popularity among the
soldiers, the other evening, when our
troops began their march up the river
Halleck would have quietly issued his or
der, and paid no further attention to the
movement. So would Pope, OF AcDow-
ell, or nearly any one Of our unpopular
officers. Not SO Mcclellan. His first care
was to see that the troops should march
past his headquarters, and to that end
they were taken two or three squares out
Of their way. Next lie placed himself so
that the troops could all see him as they
passed; and then, a, the accustomed
cheers began, oil came the fatigue cap.
and the popular general WAS smilingly
bowling his acknowledgements to the hur-
rahs Of his pleased soldiers.
And If the cheers were IA little slow in
coming, he knew how to start them. A
regiment came marching by in almost
moody silence. This would never do
What regiment is this 7" said McLel-
Ian, looking not to the officers. but into
the ranks. "The Sd Vermont, /" was the
reply. eAnd gallant regiment it is |"
exclaimed the young general. with an en-
thusiasm apparently Us natural. ~ if it
were the very regiment over whose servi-
ces he felt the proudest. Out burst the
"Hip-hip-hurrah. of course the gal
liant Vermoniers must respond to so fiat
tering compliment-and the young gen.
erals object is gained.
Now all this may be very transparent,
but if it gains It's end--if it ms pires con-
fdence mong the men--if it puts them
in better frame for doing their difficult
duty, who shall say it is not wise or that
some of our ADLER but more unpopular
Generals would not do well to initiate
their popular brothers example? 1t is
here, II anywhere, that Mcclellan is Ma
poieenie, and right here is the secret of
the hold he still has on power, in spite of
his disastrous failure on the Peninsula a.
his still more questionable conduct since