Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-10-10
,gNSRAL oEoRaE Il. MCCLELLAN.
George PRiNroN NJ CLE.LAN, was nora
..ta,H.lo1,h,o tho tirt a. M a 20

1904 HI. fa;hCrwHs an eminent, physician
,,nroysed by the praised" and conspicu-
oitby his abb .iies aud his character even
~ ,hat rq,uHy Of accomplished men 10y
,y,om the fame or Philadelphia ns the
metropolis OF physical science and the
hcq!.nr art in America was made respec.
table ID EAlnbuys and in Paris, in Lon
don AVID IN Leydon, No mans ancestry
are uNtter of indifference when We desire
toslaay lis nature. and ascertain the true
measure Of his worth. In monarohm
ccuntr!es, where the voice OF the people
has il,,ls or no weight IN '!esesmu.Gg the
selection OF those who are 10 administer
'he government, u matters little oihe
masses of mankind wh9ther those by
whom they arc ruled come OF sound or
unsouud stock, OF 40 honest aud vigorous
or of corrupt and weakly race. iAc viii
or the whim o. prince giakes slcA mqui-
res supv tlGous. Once invested 10y his
sovereign Nlth the insignia OF oi.lce, the
yilest calitf silcpCes all questions INTO A's
origin with the sp.erdo,s OF hi. rank and
the tcrrors o;hiS authority. but-iOr re-
public, which tests tor Us crm0reuce
and its power in the virtue Of the people
and of their pucic servants, II cAn never
be an siguihcant Iecommenda'oA ct
public man to that Co0tidencs OF hls TEL
low citizens, IN which alone his hope o.
distinction and Of iuilI Icnco lies, that his
fathers 10 their time were citizens Of cred
il, men who knew their rights and main
tanned them-knnw their duties and luI-
filed them. The ancestors ofGeorge Brln-
tor McClellsD wc,e men OF this stamp,
coming of that pure ard hardy Scottish
blood which has 80 long been trouble TO
,yrants; which has thloObed in the veins
OF SO many sturdy champions otJnouce
and order. ana which has been poured out
so freely on the most heroic batlIe-heIds
of history. Through one OF these mystic
.icur affiliations which the Scoien, Ike all
the Celuc trlUes, delight to trace oG: nnd
hold above al. things sacred, k!nsman-
ship hes beon established fer the Amerl-
caa McClellans with that noble old soldier,
Sir Colin Campbell, who fought his way
I'd iIom a Shepherds plaid on the Coledo-
fuan noors to a field pIarshaPs baton in
the army OF England, and baron's coro-
net among her peers Into these refine
meats Of consanguiuity, however, II Is
scarcely worth while TO enter. uaq Colin
Campbell lived and died The just aud God
fearing man he was as q sheperd on tho
banks OF the Clyde, no man in whose VEINS
his blood ran would have been the less
ounobled by his wholesome life; and so
far as the autecedents 60 of George Brin-
ton McClellan's birth, il is enough for us
TO knew that he comes OF n people renown-
ed the world over for Justice, fidelity, va
lor and truth.
As boy OF thirteen his father sent him
into The Freshman class OF the University
II a
yersity course for nearly two years, pa
iiently ard successfully, but like Wash
ipcton he had inward longing for jne lif,
of an engineer and soldier, and IN lc4:
cadets warrant having been ob!aineC
for him, he was removed to the Military
Academy aL West Point.
In the concenial atmosphere Of tho eE
oct studies TO which he hero found him
solf called the young cadet very soon dis
tiuguisa ed himself and rewarded the judi
cious confidence Of his friends. lie va
graduated with high honors, IN the c.as.
{. 4S4C; assigned 10 duty with compa
nv of engineers, and ordered before The
class Of the year. into active service OF
theJs,ae of the Rio GraEdc river. The wa
with M,xico was then fairly begun; AM
Lieutenant Mcclellan reached his pos
iNst a.Lef lNS ORllIe OI hOHtcrty'
~ TIE MEXICAN WAR.
After some, ,tIno spent in active seryic
on the Rio Grauda Lieutenant McClella
Nas rdered to Iampico inJanuary, lSi1
tofs.n par, IL the concenira ion OF irooU
then .8.ng or for the grand expedition
"h'5 as preparing, under General Scot
70 end .le wac and dictate terms . peac
ia tho capi ~ of Mexioo. The youu
Lieu. .suaut was then made witness z
the beginning of his career OF the dItl
9li.,es and tue personal spites which S
ol,,o surround aud hamper the action {
10 most earnest and devoted mlilar
,aaders.
In the beginning OF the month Of Marc
The assembled army discmbarked from i
transports to Sthe west OF the. island
Sacriicios, and the memorable siege
Vera Graz and San Juan d'Ul.oA began.
It is not our purpose minuIely 70 pa
sue the fortunes OF Lieutenant McCle!I,
through TIE wonderful campaign oiwh!,
his siege VAS the initial chapter.
Who indeed, can noH find the heart
re.wrtc or even TO re-peruse the annals
thai campaign, in mh.oa, a. the lanen
bic history o. The last four years too steI
" bids is fear, American soldiers OF |
North and OF the south, OIL the East ana
Wo.t, for the last time marched side
side to death and victory
The executive documents of the Thir
eth Congress in which the story Of th
glorious campaign lies embalmed, al
awaits the historians skilGul hand, can
read row without oYermaststing emoti
only by the fanatic or the fool, 10y him W
is indifferent TO his country's fate or
him who rejoices in her rain.
To those formal and official pages
course Of subsequent events has given
'. painful interes. Of tradgedy. lu the
we read how, working with an equal q
to serve one. common cause, Lieutena'
Beauregard and Mcclellan earned I
commentator Of their commander in
trenches before Vera Cruz; in them
read now the escort of Capt Robt. E. /
engaging The skirmishers of Valencia