The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1864-10-04

We suppose portion OF the De
mocracy propose to run Gen. McClcl-
Ian on his military fame, although since
his ruinous delays and failures on the
Potomac and on the Peninsula, his
habits of absence from the scene of ac-
ton when battles were in progress, in
the result of which the fate of his ar
my was at stake, the number of intelli-
gent men are few who regard him as a
second or third rate commander. The
peace Democracy who have things
pretty much their oW n way, doubtless
take him on the ground that neither
his military spirit nor his past military
achievements will hurt them for his pur-
pose. The Tribune collects from au-
thentic sources in regard to the where
abouts of Little Mac and the part tax
en by him in some Of the most impor
tant battles while he was 10 command.
While circumstantial evidence shows
that Gen. Mcclellan was on a gunboat
during the battle of Malvern Hill, there
is positive testimony that he was on q
was on gunboat during the terrible
battle of White Oak Swamp or Glen
dale, the day before, June 30); and
that when the battle of Malvern Hill
was fiercely raging, he was several
miles from the scene selecting, as he
himself tells us, ''the final position Of its
armies snd its depots," when as he ex-
pected, it should be defeated. We
summon his Chief Engineer, Gen. Bar
nard (now Chief Engineer of the army
of the Potomac before Petersburg,)
and the Rev. DR.. Marks, an cye-wit-
witness and one of Gen. McClellan's
army friends, to assist his defective
memory.
Gen. Barnard in his review of the
Peninsular campaign, in which he was
Engineer in-Chief and at McClellan's
right hand, says, on page when
speaking of the great battle of the 80;
cit was an eventful day and event
full point; central, too, to the general
position of the army. Where was the
commanding General during this bat
tie? AT the extreme left, and for a
considerable portion of the time on a
gunboat." 1 gdt y5
Mcclellan in his report page las,
confirms this statement. He does
more. On page 1873, he says: fY. ao
cit was very late at night before my
aids returned to give me the result of
the days fighting along the whole line
aud the true position of affairs ~
''It may be well doubted" says his
disguised Engineer-in- Chief, in ailu-
ding to this, whether in all the record7
ed histories of military commanders, a
parallel to this extraordinary avowal
can be found. We supposed it the es-
pecial business of General to know
at each moment, the true position OF
affairs, and to have some agency in
ruling it. Here we find the days
fighting all done, the results-for bet
ter or worse-accomplished, and very
late at night the commanding General
just learning about them!"
Let us hear what the Rev. DIR.
Marks says of the COMMANDMENTS Chief
on this eventful day, in his sketch ofthe
"Peninsular Campaign in Virginia"
On page 29s he says:
The Commander-in- Chief was evil
IDENTIFY oppressed with the deepest So
for he accompanied the Prince
Ide Joinville,] and his nephew, to the
war steamer, and remained on board
till late in the afternoon, communica-
ting his orders by signals and couricrs.
DR.. James Rogers, Brigade Surgeon
of Robinson's Brigade who has been
i'll with fever for several days, was like
wise on this steamer, and afterward re-
lated to me the events and scenes of
that day as they came under his eye.
He said General McC cClellan was, evi-
IDENTIFY laboring under the deepest de-
preston and aprehended the worst re-
suits. But abont o'clock dispatch
came from Gen. Marcy, saying that our
army was holding the enemy at bay at
all points, and in all probability would
drive him from the field. This mes
sage seemed TO !ift an immense blrden