, 1863-03-10
Qt)ita9o Qribn,1t.
MCCLELLAN BEFORE THE
SENATE.


Questions That May be Asked Him
by George Wilkes, 4 "Ar Deno-
cT4t.
From the New Yozk Spirit, March 81
This is the state Of man to-day he puts forth
And bears his b1ushfns honors thick upon him:
And when he thinks, good easy man, fun surely,
And then be Galls--.''
Little Mac is bitterly testing the philosophy
of the poet. Since his brilliant canlplign
among the Eastern tories, he has been abrupt
II sent for to the Capital, and from the blush
Ing acknowledgment Of "conservativc'
swords. designed for a service in opposition
to the Government, he is rather perenptorily
required to answer why he failed to use that
legitimate weapon, which a too generous
country garc him along with his commission.
The summons seems to have been In o high
Grade It By an offer to forward his replies by
mail. The Senate, however, thinking, proba-
bly, he had already been long enough directed
By the counsels Of Fitz JOHN Porter, insisted
he should answer them in person. His jour
ney by the rail, as cohtrastod with the oya-
nittecs Of the Golden Circle, csn hardly DO
regarded as triumph. Not only was the
weather cherries, hut he WAS attended only
by single follower; and it was not his for
tune to obtain sleeping quarters in the train.
His arrival at Nilard's moreover, created not
the least sensetion, and instead Of the thronss,
ing uniforms In the lobbies, and the stir Of
silk that roEe at the tables at the bare
appearance Of the military favorite Of
the peace democracy, an absolute indit-.
ference teigued on every side. Indeed,
during the first day Of his arrival, it was
hardly known that he was in TIC house;
There was time when his satellites could
boast for him, III the words Of Barlow, tsthere
would be J. battle only when Mac ordered it;
and there would be 4 cessation OF hostilitlcs
and compromise Just when he decided"
|, There WAS a time when lie rolled into sWash-
4 time when he had foreign princes In his
train, and fifty horses in his stall. 4 time
when tutorta soldiery, enormously believ-
ing him to be hero, rent the aik with Vivas
at every c1attcr Of bis horse's hools; but now,
alas for the transitory etate of bogus great.
and save the poor retainer, who trcads in his
shortening shadow, there arc none 60 poor to
do him reverence.
! It is not surprising that Little Mac should
| shrink from the ordeal Of the Senate, or seek
to turn 1t, by written answer. We can i'm
aginc several questions which it will be ex-
! cecdingly ugly for him to meet and handle.
| he will surely require considerable strategy
| to excuse his early entrance on the career OF
| disobedicncc, as shown by lis contcmptuous
disregard OF the orders Of Gen Scott. He
will need still greater art to account satisfac'
torily for not having acquainted Stone With
| the fact that he had recalled Mccall from
Drainsyille, while stone was ordered to move
| on Leesburg as mere auxiliary force. AND
all his resources Of fincsse will be called into
active requfsition, not only to excuse his pu.
I sll!aDim ous delay before Manassas, but ths
subsequent astounding blnnders that stretch
ed between Yorktown and the Chickahominy
According tc the testimony Of the leading
Generals Of the Army Of the Potomac, there
vas not time In the Peninsula campaign
when the Federal troops did not outnumbel
The forcee Of the enemy; nor a time wher
they we're not superior in equipment, mate
rial and spint. Yet this superb host, whlcl
under a proper leader could have beer
marched anywhere without repulsc, Was dc
eratelyfrittered away; because, as was after
wards revealed by Major Key, it was g no
the programme to win decisive b2ttlcs.h
was Fitz John Porter who was the devil O.
this unaerrlot, and We arc willing to beliey'
man that Mcclellan mainly entrusted wha
WAS called the siege Of Yorktown, hnt whicl
vas truly, only tile siege Of death and di5eas
against the proudcst army, Of Its numbers
which to that day the sun had ever shon
upon: For weeks, with but an indii
soldiers were led into the damp trenches
to be saturated into death with flta
feyers; and when the fearful farce was ended
and the enemy had moved OF untouched, th'
Napoleon Of the peace Democracy, and he1
apparent of the Northern tories, proclaime'
to the world he had won brilliant victory
Though the delay thus incurred had protectc
the Confederate capital with reinforcements
| it cost us shout ten thousand lives Willie th
encouragement with which 1t imbned on
soldiers hearts, was but the forcruuner 9
: those ca1amities which made our legions fug
iVp FIR hn 10 n r
August. Every soldier has imprinted on hi
| memory the general results of that dcp1orabl
!. campaign, Il will not satisfy the accusation
Of his memory to be told that ''Llttle Mac Is
> great hero, a second Napoleon, . profoun
strategist and the only man to lead the army, ,
for in Ills mind rises the ghaetly vision Of It
seven days fight, the hurrying divisions. th
: abandoned comrades, and the lying chiettai
, | foremost in retreat, and seeking an ignomfl
Gus shelter .on a guuboat In tho river. 1tws
while little Mac mis- thus covering before II
| sound Of the pursuing cannon, that Andre
Porter, the Provost Marshal Of the army. sci
lin II note saying that the Army Of the Pot
moc was destroyed, and urging linn to sa
himself. It was while lie was there, NOR
over, that Gen Helntzelman also sent him
note, thnt the soldiers had discovered his abscn
$ aud that he could not answer for the cons
uucnces, uulcxs he canlc on land and xaomed HI
alf to The troop& Whether Hcintzelnan CO
Piled these expressions with an ass1
ance 10 the hero that he would
safe, We arc not thoroughly .ar;s
T. but VIC know that under ..s nTes:,
= Caesar sought the shore;
ali lnglorcus. c1tp1 1 mu'emtn1 o"onrtnnffq rs
troops performed prodigics Of ya1or, a
though deprived Of tho presence Of fthcir ct
commander, they on the last day, at Naive
turned upon the foe and won victory t
o. wns equal to Austerlitz or Wagram: In +
{1,a1v to1 Nn17 ft,nfr e..
nd aud so signal was the triumph, that Ricluat
lay cosnplettly at OH, mercy. Their shouts
= victory rcut the air; but what was thcir
touishment when, instead Of an order
charge the retiring rebel lines and .adva1
+ upon the Confederate capitol, they recci'
IT, dcd to be reclaimed and counted by fl
s1s enemy. It was at this period that numer,
I'D Generals wrung their hands In n
r and that Kearny, with honest and
ot bridled anger denounced the order that
Nd posed such shameful necessity upon
pe' brave soldiers, MS proceeding, s'eithcr Fl
cowardice or treason!'' The indignant p
test Of the now saiuted hero,. was made
!. prcscnee Of dozen chatlng fains, an'
i wound up with the words, II, Philip Ke
Z ney, who am an old soldier, make this dec
- alton, and hold myself personally respol
fG, "a bic for what say!'' Be was not called W
oas to answer for the accusation; aud he Is Z
acquitted Of ali danger Of account, tor
perished By being oycrmatched at Chant
while Mcclellan was withholding help
= Alexandria, and Fitz John Por.er was bet1
55edd FL ing him at Ccntervillc.
en All these facts arc susceptible Of plain
tablishment; and it ia likely the Commit
!; Of the Senate on the Conduct of the
~ have propounded questions which will Ec
-- them. Chief among all the inquiries to
Clellan, however, have probably. been,
X should have been. the interrosatories, VIII
IT. ct he made reports Of his battles according
u; established military rule; and what he
~ with the reports which his subordinate G
Of etNs IauuEo oseA ~ AAtn " wv nHAso ~.
LII. who could recommend t1:z J0hn Forte
e. & the President, with regret that there was
u'' office high enough to duly honor him, shc
:. not have neglected this simple Justice to
~. | o,her servants.