The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1864-09-29
s.Litfle Mac, Before RichLn Ond
---Can He he LOyaI.s

We commend the following letter to
the consideration of all those who have
been wont to think General Mcclellan a
great and loyal and patriotic man, and
who look upon Vallanoigham as vili6ed
and much-abused individual:-
To the Members Of the National Union Club,
Philadelphia:
GENTLEMEN: [ am in possession Of
your note, in which you ask me if re-
| member having made certain assertions
at the rooms of the National Union Club
in January last, on my return from the
rebel lines, in regard to Sen. George b.
Mcclellan and Clement l.. Vallan-
digham, and desiring to know if l would
reiterate said statement.
[ recollect perfectly well having made
certain statements in regard to the two
persons named, and in presence Of several
members of the Club.
In response to your inquiry if | would
repeat said statement, will answer you
by saying: First, That while the battle
before Richmond, Virginia, in 1867, was
still progressing, and Immediately after
Gen. Mcclellan had fallen back from
before that city, in company with a friend,
an officer in the rebel service, who was
prevented from joining his command in
the fight in question, on account OF a
wound received at the battle of Seven
Pines, and being provided with a special
permit from the War Department at
Richmond, | visited the Notifications
around Richmond, and advanced to a
distance of about two miles north of that
city, where we met Col. Gayle, of the 18th
Alabama regiment, who was particular
friend of the officer in whose company [
was; also Lieut.. Col. P;ckens, of the same
regiment, with whom | had the advantage
OF personal acquaintance. The Col. was
experimenting the disinterment Of a
number of cases of U. s. rifles, which lay
buried in the ground, and in rows, the
soil heaped over them as if they were
graves. -Four of the cases of rifles were
already unburied when | reached the spot,
and had the Ito me unpleasant salts
faction of handling some of those guns,
which had already been taken out of those
cases.
[ heard Col. Gayle say that the inter
ment of these guns was known at the
War Department (RebeD even before
M'Clellan's retreat from before that city
On the inquiry of my friend and Dr.
Kelly, of the rebel army, from Col. Gayle,
if he thought it had been intended that
said guns should fall into the hands of
the Confederates, the Col. answered in
the affirmative, and concluded by saying,
"Mac's all right"
Not more than hundred yards distant
from this spot, Lieut.. Col. Pickens pointed
out to me number of ambulances-tw two
hundred and ten in number--and said he
had assisted at their capture, and that,
when captured, the horses belonging to
said ambulances were. hifched, some to
trees and some to the rear of the ambu-
lances. AS [ was then in the employ of
the United States, it was my business to
gather as much information In regard to
military matters as possible, and on my
inquiry Of Col Pickens if. he thought
these ambulances had been intended to be
in the same "bargain" as the rifles, he
said: sI don't see what else they should
have been intended for, for they were just
where you see them, and the horses
hitched as you see them, while the fight
was going on right here"
Presently some whisky was handed
round, and we all drank toast to ''Little
Mac"