Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-01-14
Raleigh, Dec. 81, 1862.
LEE BEAUREGARD AND MCCLELLAN.

LEE BEAUREGARD AND MCCLELLAN.
No one who reads the voluminous reports of
Scotts campaign in Mexico can fail to rem ark the
frequency with which special honorable mention is
made Of three young officers of the engineers, In
his first despatch, giving an account of the capture
of Vera Cruz Gen. Scott after ascribng the success
Of his operation mainly to the engineer officers, says:
"I there be anything in the form, position and ar
rangement of the trenches and batteries or in che
manner Of 1t is due to the ability,
devotion and unremitting zeal of these officers. =
Prominent among these specially named are Capt.
R. E. Lee Is. Lieut. P G. T. Beauregard and Bre-
vet End Lieut. Geo. Mcclellan.
Lee seems to have been the special favorite of the
veran General and there is hardly single despatch
in which his name is not honorably mentioned
Perhaps this may be owing to the fact that as he
was the highest in rank the direct execution of the
more important duties was committed to him. In
the reports of subordinate officers, the names Of
Beauregard ard Mcclellan, with special commenda-
tions of their zeal and ability. appear with about e.
quail frequency. We have noted nearly thirty in
stances Of honorable mention of each of their names;
and that of Lee is quite as frequently mentioned,
by Scott himself .
In reading the reports of the battles in Mexico,
and remembering the present positions of the various
officers, some curious condolences are found. Thus
Magruder gives special credit to Sumner, and Jos.
E. Johnston is warm in his commendation OF Reno.
to his immediate superior, Earl Van Dorm: The
Rifles were accompanied throughout by the dist;n-
guished Lieuts. Beauregard, Smith and Mcclellan
the two latter in command Of portion of the Engi
neer Corps all, am happy to say, bore themselves
with the greatest gallantry."
At Cherubusco, Mcclellan was under the imms-
diatc command of Lieut.. G. W. Smith, subsequent
ly Street Commissioner in New York, and row one
OF the Generals-the highest rank in the Confede-
rate service, superior to Major General and nearly
corresponding to Marshal in the French army
Smith is especially warm in his concentrations of
Mcclellan He says "Leut Mcclellan, frequent
ly detached, and several times in command Of the
engineer company, is entitled to the highest ase
for his cool and daring gaantrr on all occasionsin
the actions Of the 10th and Goth" And again:
"The Rifles, with Capt Lee, Of the Engineers,
were reconnoitering the. same works; and had gone
to our right considerably further from the battery
than we we're" Mcclellan was directed to ascer
tain the pasture Of affairs, and reported that Lee
engaged with . superior force " ordered
Lieut.. Mcclellan" continues Smith, to report the
result of his operations to Gen. Twggs. He did
and Mcclellan, in which concurred, the LIST regi-
ment Of artillery was ordered to support the Rifles.
have reason to be more than satisfied with the
daring gallantry of Lieuts. G. B. Mcclellan and j.
G. Foster. and am much indebted to them for the
efficient manner in which they performed their ar:
duous duties on the 18th and 10th of August"
At Chu-ubusco Mcclellan was also under the
immediate command of Smith, who, in his report to
Capt. Mackall, 1.-THE Confederate Gen. Mackall, we
suppose, who was killed near Corinth) says: ITO
Lieut. G. B. Mcclellan, of the Engineer company,
am indebted for most important services, both as
an engineer and company officer. His daring gal
lantry always conspicuous, was never more clearly
shown than on this occasion. Operating most Of
the time separately, | relied implicitly on his juds-
ment in all matters where was not present, and am
happy to say that the result in every case justified
his decisions"
The careful reader Of the whole series Of despatch.
es respecting the campaign in Mexico will come to
the conclusion that the three men who, after the
veteran commanding General displayed the highest
military talents, were the three young officers Of
engineers-Lee, Beauregard, and Mcclellan. Beau
regard has not, on the whole, justified his early
promise in as high degree as the others; though
it may be doubted whether the reason is not to be
found in the jealousy of the Confederate authorities
rather than in any want Of capacity on his part -
Ha,per's Weekly.