Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-10-12
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from The Journal Of Commerce.


Few who have read, none who have care
fully studied the accounts Of tile battle Of
Antietam, know the amount of credit that
is due to our brave troops and their skillful
general for that victory. Worn and weary,
defeated and nearly demoralized three weeks
previously, they met the enemy with the
consciousness of their responsibility, and
thew won, as they deserved, a nations graft
tude. Here and there some of the more
bitter politicians were found who could not
be induced to thank that heroic army. They
were the men of whom radical newspaper
spoke at the time, who said "a victory by
Mcclellan in Maryland would set us back
more than six months" But In the man,
the people gave to army and commander
the full expression Of their thanks: Inc
soldiers who foughtand fell at South Noun
tain and at Antietam deserve long remem-
brance. A century hence, our descendants
will visit, with saddened countenances, the
graves in which they lie. The earth to
which they go will be hallowed ground,
and In all the years to come, pilgrims will
gather flowers, and leaves of trees that grow
above them, as sacred memorials OF the field
on which men died for the Uaion.
1t was but three or four weeks after the
battle of Antietam when the President vis-
tied the army on the upper Potomac. He
went to look at the graves of the men who
fell at the bridge where Burnside COM
manded. One might well look, at such a
place and time, for some indication of the
measure of gratitude which moved the
representative of the people toward the
brave dead who lay below. Certainly the
demeauor of the President at that moment
may be accepted by all men as a fair means
of Judging the weight of his character, the
intelligence, and the ability to appreciate
and act up to the national requirements
He was surrounded by officers of the army
and his own personal attendants, orderlies,
and others. He resumed his seat In the
ambulance, after viewing the graves, and,
as if to throw off from his mind the effect
of the scene he had witnessed, called on
his friend who was with him TO sing "Pic-
ayune Butler" a well known comic song,
And the sounds rang in the ears of the as
tonished group who were riding by the
ambulance among the graves of their dead
comrades. This is no fancy sketch, but a
sober truth, which has not been, cannot,
and will not be denied by any authority.
From that scene we turn to another which
occurred during the same visit. AS the
Presidential party were riding near the
field of South Mountain, they came to an
open space near the hospitals. The cortege
consisted of the President and his party, in
carriages and on horseback, attended by
General Mcclellan and his staff, mounted,
At a point where two paths or roads cross
ed, small procession, four men carrying a
dead soldier on bier, followed by two Sis
tiers of Charity, were coming up the cross
road. A little quickening of the Presiden-
tial party would carry them across in front
of the funeral party. But this was not ac-
cording to the views OF General Mcclellan,
whose reverence for dead soldier OF the
army is ever greater than for any living
man. He ordered halt, and the President
of the United States waited in the road
while they carried the soldier across in
front of him, some gallant boy who
fought with Reno, perhaps son of
New York or New England, perhaps of
some Western prairie home. Dismounting,
General Mcclellan advanced to the rude
bier, which at his word was set down. He
uncovered the face of his dead comrade,
asked his name and where he fell, and then
lifting his hat, stood with uncovered head
while they passed on to the burial place.
Then the President and the General, with
their attendants, having done fitting honor
to the soldier of the people, went on their
way.
These two incidents we know to be true,
and they illustrate the characters of the two
men. One, feeble, incompetent, dead to all
the grand objects and purposes of the hour,
filter for joker in the company of men of
like minds than for the President of great
people; the other, walking upright and
strong under the vast responsibilities
thrown on him, loving with deyout affec-
ton the soldier of the Union, appreciating
with solemn earnestness what 1t is to give
ones life for his country. -