Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-11-29
Correspondence of the New York Times.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF TIE POTOMAC, I
Warrenton, Nov. IL, 1862.

ed the Ne,cs.
Correspondence of the New York Times.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF TIE PoroAAu,1
Warrenton, Nov. II, 1862.
The last echoes Of the cheers from a
hundred thousand Threats that yesterday
rang from camp to camp, and were borne
out on the pulsing air, have died away
Gen. Mcclellan has gone, and the army
turns again 10 the work before it. 1t was
necessary for the late commander to
leave He had his election of modes of
doing so, and be has chosen to cause the
trem bling fates of the nation to stand still,
while he has filled up four days with an
scel May be pardoned before thee,au
tere Nemesis! 0, sacred Truth if the
phrase maligns the man, it is the convic-
ton which facts have forced upon my
mind. 4 watchful observer of all tAat
has been said ard done since the order Of
removal came, have been unable to es-
cape the constant impression that what
passed before my eyes was of the nature
of scenic effect, prepared by the hand OF
the artifcer. | have seen priests of D0do-
IA pull the strings to make the oracle speak
as they wished. Men whom the authorities
should know and mark, have busily cir
culated among the soldiers-dropping poi
ons-misrepresenting the action Of the
government and inf1aming the feelings of
the troops Officers still holding COM
mands have, by hundreds, blatantly threat
ened to resign, and stirred up their men
to mutiny Heaven forefend that should
say the late Commanding General asstigat
ed these proceedings, but he has remained
while they went on, and lie has used the pas
sionate elements thus evoked. Yesterday
the grand farewell was made,-thaumatnr
gy again The General and Staff rode
from. camp to camp; the salutes, the shouts,
the caps tossed high in air-all wen, off
as per programme. The formula, f" Now,
boys, three times three for your tagorite
General" was repeated at each division
VITA such curious iteration that one had
80 laugh at the artiice Its all played
out now, boys" exclaims laser claqu
eur. "Never mind" remarks q General
still in command Of brigade chow long
will he remain y "we hare only tl7o or
three days more to se've IN the army ofthe
Potomac" " Why" insinuates another,
" does be no, take Us down with him to
Washington, and clean out the abolition
crew, as Cromwell did the Rump Parlia-
ment 2"
| have nothing to do but tell the truth
OF what transpires; and if you are told
that Gen. McClellan's departure has not
been attended with every outward demon
stration OF passion on the part of the SOL
dlers you do not receive the true report
Time alone can separate what is genuine
from what is factitiouS in the sentiment os
the army towards their late commander
But with much that, for the time being
looks perilous, | feel every assurance that
the etfervescence will presently die away,
the moral tone of the troops be restored,
and a new lite and courage be inspired.-
There are tictions that have, for the mo
ment, all and more than the force Of fact;
but there is this peculiarly inherent in
them, that, being rooted and grounded in
no genuine conviction, and dependent on
adventurous support, they do not last, but
drop away and cease to be. | class the
feeling for Mcclellan, or rather the form
it has taken, with such ictions 1t is not
to be overlooked That that commander has
many qualities calculated to inspire con-
fdeuce and respect in soldiers serving IN
der him. But that American citizens
should have forgotten that they came out
TO serve their country, and gr0Dn to I'M
ogine they came to ser0e George B. Me-
CtelIon, is deiusion which no qualities
he possesses can explain. We shall by
and by be able to unrav ell the series of
historical causes under which this phe-
nomenon has grown into being. Mean
Will the spell is broken, and the time Is
not far distant when army and people will
realize that, in the removal, al incubus
has been lifted from off the nation.
Here follows the cigar and champagne
scene in MOCLELLAN's tent oa Sunday
night, almost precisely as related by the
correspondent Of the Philadelphia Press,
whose account We have published.-ED-
IToRs
Of Burnside he [McClellaD] spoke af-
fectionately and hopefully. burnside is
the best and honestest of men He is no
Mr.. Pope. He sOi!z do a great deal better
than you enpect."
To-day at noon the late Commander of
the Army OF the Potomac, accom-. anied
by his personal staff, left Warrenton on a
special train for Washington and North
ward For al hour previous to the de-
parture, officers poured into the Car in a
stream, to bid him farewell. Burnside
| and he sat on the seat together il earnest,
confidential intercourse. At length all
had gone, and Burnside rose to leave 1t
was an interesting moment. Mcclellan
held out lis hand, and Burnside seized it
warmly in both his. Mcclellan then placed
his hand on the shoulder of his brother
General, and with look foil of uautter-
able things, spoke brief parting sentence
to him, which is his legacy, and not the
public's. As the train moved off North.
eoard a powerful column OF troops at that
moment passed, moving SOuthward 1t
flashed on my mind as an emblem OF the
new order. Courage, and Onward!