The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1864-11-04
Mcclellan, the General.

Our former article was an endeavor 10 un-
derstand the personal character OF McCiei'
Ian iron his history previous to the war, and
of course. very much was left to DO inferred,
while those differences may or may not have
done full justice to the subject. But happ'-
ly for the country the military character OF
the man Is known by direct testimony COM
ing to us IN the shape Of results, although
,hc~ have burned deeply into the hearts OF
the American people, too deeply to DO for
gotten or efaced. 4..r
Mcclellan was called to the command Of
the Potomac arny in July 1861, and it prob
ably numbered 40, 900 men, while reinforce
ments rapidly poured in. There was an i'm
pcra,ive necessity To rcorganizc and disci
pline this large body OF men, which was
Thoroughly done; and although up to the
time when . Forward movement. was ordered
by the President and that movement COM
menced on the last part Of March, a proper
division OF the army into corps was not made,
we give our modern Fabius credit for bring
ing the army into rare, effective disciplined
state BY the lst Of October. At that time 1t
numbered, exclusive OF Dix's command ut
Bltimor., 1876, 1000, aud was in the highest
state Of efficiency, eager and inpatient to be
led forward, while the weather and roads
were all that could be desired. Six hours
marchin, would haze brought this army in
front Of Manassas. in and around which were
never moro than 10 900 rebels. There were
ans auan,i.y Of reviews. gallant women and
fair men, splendid rits John Portes in Kid
gloves. brilliant. d,shins statf-oHicsrs, but no
Signs Of '.marching directly" Or indirectly
Ion YOUR works"
For i've months this magnificent army was
bs.iesc, by oue.fourth Of its numbers, and
On, Potomac bloekadcd. We all remember
how feebly the swearing OF 1.-the army in
Flanders" compared with the curses heaped
upon the Navy Department for allowing the
river to ~ closed by the rebels. As early as
October the Navy Department, urged the
War Department q cooperate with the ma
w and secure the navigation o! the river.
After Efforts repeated again and again Nc
Clelan promised to send 1000 men. Capt.
Craven, commanding the Potomac ao,illa.
being notified, had all his transports at the
.
appointed place Of rendezvous, but no troops
came. Mcclellan being Intercepted in re-
gard TO his failure 10 send the troops, replied
that he had concluded that so large body
Of men could not he landed, and therefore he
did not send them. IL was then agreed that
they should DO sent tho mex. night. The
transports were again in readiness for the ar
rival Of the troops, but n troops came, nor
were any ever sent down for that purpose.
So hunilatcd did Capt. Craven feel that he
threw up his commission and applied to be
sent to sea, as he could not longer bear the
disgrace of the blockade Of the Potomac.
Mcclellan. in his testimony, offered as an cx-
cu.e for not breaking the blockade, that no
feared IL would bring on general engage
msnf to doso =. Think OF i,-this Napoleon
(lieavens. what misnomcr y with an army
of ls5. 600 men was afraid to bring on m
engagement with 10000 Of the enemy
With the exception Of the slaughter Of
Balls Bluff undertaken aud superintendent
hyMcClellan, everything remained quiet on
thu Potomac until the 10Th Of March, when
our hero, while in Washington, heard that
the enemy had evacuated Manassas, when bc
ia,u,ediately issued orders for the army to
march. Il did march and came upon the
iorti6ci,ions vt Manassas to find them mount.
eiwi,h wooden guns. Napoleon then do.
t.rmincd to change his base Of operations,
quit following the retiring foe, and on the
18th Of March the army began to embark for
a voyage Of 800 miles to Fortress Monroe.
He took with him according to his own ac-
count, los, 900 mon. When he arrived tn re
Yorktown was garrisoncd by $500 rebels.
Every corps commander who testified before
tho Committee on the Conduct Of the War,
gave a unanimous opinion that flank move
meut could easily have taken Yorktown and
the er;irc garrison. Blu, Mcclellan squat
down before |, for one month until the gar
fison increased from 800 to 10000, and
then tho rsho,s came the Manassas trick