Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-05-15


crushing testimony taken by the Congress
sional Committee on the conduct Of the war,
concerning General cClellan. They are also
familiar with the praises Of the rebel press,
bestowed upon that officer during his inactive
and demoralizing campaigns. We herewith
publish, for the benefit of those who still
cling to the sunken fortunes Of the great
Humbug, and who affect belief that none
but he could lead the Army of the Potomac,
additional testimony. Let every candid
thinking patriot read it, and then ask himself,
"Who is responsible for the prolongation Of
this terrible warp:
From the Richmond Wing. April 2lst.l
THE LATE GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN.
Young Napoleon is dead-dead beyond res
erection. In the flesh he may still walk the
earth, but in spirit, in power, in the hope OF
glory, he is defunct. 1t is q noteworthy tact
that the ulaloos and hullabaloos over this per-
son have ceased in Yankeeland. For two or
three months after his dismissal, he was the
pet object of Democratic sympathy and con-
servative sympathy; but now even Beast But
Ter has grander ovations than he. His name
is seldom heard among men. He is no more
A review of his career from the time he
claimed Rosecrans' laurels in the little affair
at Rich Mountain, down to the time OF the
battle of Antietam, would be instructive to
the nation Of liars who accepted him at his
own lying valuation, and discarded him be-
cause his falsehoods, AS gigantic as they were'
produced no visible impression upon the re-
bellion. 1t might also profit the Confederacy
to trace in the career of this braggart the over
ruling power which has never failed to darken
the counsels of the wicked, aud to cause all
things to work together for good in behalf OF
the Just cause. Nothing is easier to prove
than that the elevation of Mcclellan to the
position of COMMANDMENT Chief OF the yam
kee army was all that was needed after the
election of Lincoln, to insure our independ'
ence. The recital of few facts will show
how greatly we are indebted to him.
In October, 1851, he had $50, 900 men and
the most overwhelming array Of field artillery
that has ever been seen upon the continent
Before him was an army Of 10000 Coniede'
rates, occupying Mason's and Munson's Hills
and defantly daring him to come out OF ms
Notifications. The roads were good and the
weather splendid, he had but to advance in
force to gain an easy victory-so, at least
thought his master Lincoln. But he knew
his men were towards, and he was afraid Of
his reputation. He did not want to fight; he
sought merely to push us from one position
to another by dint Of enormous numbers
hence the flank movement by way of Lees.
burg, which ended so horribly and benumbed
him with fright for three months.
Driven by an imperative order to advance
again, in spite of the winter mud, he entered
the entrenched camp at Manassas only to find
it mass of surrounding ruins.
He shipped round to the Peninsula, takin 6
$4,000 men with him. Magruder opposed
him with but $500 men, kept him in check
and forced him to the use of the spade and
pick, his favorite weapons. He made siege,
and in due time occupied our deserted lines.
The battle of Williamsburg followed. His
advance was whipped by Johnson's rear
guard, but owing partly to the ignorance OF
the country and to the bad handling of some
of our troops, he was enabled to gain enough
advantage on one wing to put some conceit
into his men. He acknowledged, however, at
one time. that it looked as if the Bull Run
rout would be enacted again.
| aIloT ILLS DdLlkc oil CNCLt ONSuiACo VAAASAA
has been forgotten, but deserves to be recall
led. A Confederate surgeon, left in charge OF
the wounded, told Mcclellan that his gun
boats might possibly reach Richmond, but
that his infantry never would. The little Ma
poleon smiled, as if in pity of the surgeons
| ignorance. The surgeon told him further,
that the Abolitionists were making tool OF
him, and that they would throw him aside,
proclaim general emancipation of negroes,
and put an Abolitionist in his place. McClel-
Ian replied that he had no fear of the Adolf
tionists, as long as he had command of the
army. "But," he added, "if they do throw
me aside and set the negroes free. shall 60
to Europe, and cease to have anything to do
with this war" b.
Space will not permit US to follow Young
Napoleon through the narrative of his career.
The Yankees might have taken Richmond
after the battle of the Seven Pines, when our
forces were IN confusion After the battle of
Hanover Court House he might have done the
same thing. After the battle of Antietam
the same.
In the report of the battle he convicts him
self of falsehood in the most glaring manner.
He excuses himself for not renewing the bat
tie the morning of the 18th, by saying his
losses were so great, and there was so much
disorganization in some of the commands.
that he did not think it proper, especially as
he was sure of the arrival that day of 5000
fresh men. He "happens to recollect " the
return of his enemy, Hooker's corps, viz !:
35, 900 men for duty, and four days after, the
same corps showed 1880. Yet after this
admission of loss and disorganization he closes
by claiming great victory, with capture of
IL guns, 80 colors, $1,000 small arms and
5000 prisoners. .
His bombastic dispatches frem Western
Virginia secured his elevation. His reputa-
ton was founded on lies. In lies he lowered
and under lies he is lost-crushed. How
fortunate for us that he was chosen chief of
the Yankee army With the immense num-
bers at his command, an officer of truth, en-
terprise and daring would have pushed US
sorely; but he was in awe of his dishonest
reputation. His lies made him coward, and
from the first day to the last Of his military
career he did not dare, on single occasion,
to expose himself to fire A mendacious,
dastardly boaster, he persisted so unmanfully
that the Righteousness. of his last moments
destroys every vestige of obligation conferred
by his vain-glorious pretensions.
Brute Generals.
When the rebel press poured out their
walls of wrath upon the head Of that hero
and statesman, Ben. Butler--a name dear to
every loyal heart the Copperhead stump
orators and editors at once hurled at his char
acter the most malignant lies, foul-mouthed
ISLANDERS and opprobrious epithets which
treason could invent. Now, that treason has
pounced upon Rosecrans, we shall expect to
see and hear every little, contemplate tory in