The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-11-26

Vlu01COSkOu 81 ACIICIlOOs
We had proposed giving our readers an
abstract of the able review of McClellan's
campaign before Richmond, which has re.
Gently been published by the Prince de
Joinvillc in the Revue des Uondes, and
which is mastery vindcation of McClel.
lans We have however, found in the Ger.
mantown Telegraph, more compact and
brief review Of the young General, from
the pen Of an old army officer, which we
present as substitute, asking for it an at
tentive perusal both by the friends and en-.
vmies Of Major General George B. McClsl.
Ian:
Few men in the present day stand at
more prominently before the world. in our
country and abroad, than Gen. Mcclellan :;
and since the battles upon the Peninsula.
lew have been more severely criticised. -
His apparent tardiness in cxtricatins his
army from 1.-The swamps of the Chickaism
my has been severely commented upon ;
and it is with desire to set the conduct Of
tins good man, and really great General, in
fair point OF view, that the writer would
now attempt to review his plans, and
the conduct of that campaign.
| Personally am unacquainted with Gen.
Mcclellan never saw him to know him.
As an old soldier, | had my prcjudices
against him AS young one, "overslauch.
ing' many an old conrade and friend but
truth is TRUTH" and it is as one attempting
to get at the truth, and who has fair iudc.
ment, that now express my opinion OF
him. 1t is impossible to write history
while historical events are in progress. it
is especially so as regards battles. The
| crowd suppose, because a man has been in
hight, and has the scar Of bayonet or bull
let, Of shell or round shot, therefore he
must know all about it. and they gather
around him, listen with eyes and ears on
the stretch, and report to their ncighbors
as gospel the words Of one who knows less
than they do themselves. if they read the
newspapers, understand the technicals. and
can put two and two together in the way
OF drawing differences. Again, the public
treat the army as man or horse, to
whom it is only necessary to say ''go." and
motion follows. They fancy that a fight
can be witnessed from hill top as a box
ing match can be viewed from third story
window. They forget that this army, say
OF $4,000 men only, must eat at least 100,
600 meals day; aud il the army is to be
kept IN prime order, must sleep at least six
hours out Of the twenty four. Where there
are turnpike roads, artillery can get along
very well where there are no turnpikes.
and the weather is wet, the last carriage OF
u single company Of artillery, the thirteenth
| often mires where the first carriage. a gun
technically, has found no difficulty. What.
| then, must 1t be, when two or three hun.
drtd pieces of artillery, each one accompan-
LED ny ca'sson, or ammunition wagon,
and every six with forge-,naking six
hundred and fifty carriages that 90 into q
battls-have to be carried in wet weather
through swampy country, like that. for
example, on the Chickaho'niny This is
mere fighting material, to which. add two
or three thousand wagons for feeding pur.
poses, and you begin to have an idea OF
what has to be moved when an army moves,
to say nothing Of the cattle by thousands
that have to be driven along, and horde
OF camp followers of all kinds. am moi
speaking now Of q corps Of ten or twenty
thousand men, who start on q foray with
nothing but their shirts, pantaloons and
boots to carry beside their arms but Of an
army which, when a victory is gained, is
prepared to retain what is won in an enc
mv's country. Just such an ar,ny as Nc
Clellan had on the Peninsula,
Another popular delusion grows out o
'the belief that when battle is won, Gen