The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1864-09-09
GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN.

h"' P0oPIO uufiio du cAio'e"N0 Pi"io"SON
to the utmos: limits allotted to men. A
/, youth in years, but veteran in experience
his life affords ample materials for a vol
ume; hence, in the sketch which we now
present, much is omitted Of interest,", While
those points given are necessarily shorn o
everything save the bare mention of thell
existence
George Brinton Mcclellan was born in
Philadelphia 10 1926, and is, therefore
now abou! SO years of age. His father
was An eminent physician and surgeon in
that city, snd for many yeare occupied a
chair in one of the the Professorshps a,
the Jefferson Medical Institute. The ele
waited position attained and SO long held
by DR.. Mcclellan is, were other evidence
wanting, sufficient guarantee of the great
ability Of him who was the size Of the pre-
sent democratic candidate for the highest
office in the gift of the people Of the Uni
ted States. That the son inherited all the
high intellectual characteristics of The faith
er is evident from the great success which
has thus far attended his numerous Titan
ic and comprehensive efforts
Of the early life of the present General
we know nothing save that be attended
for some time ,be University of Pennsy /
vania, and at the remarkably premature
age of Is years he entered West Point
-Four years after, be graduated second in
his class, and in July of the same year
OS46) he entered the army as Brevet "a
Lieutenant of Engineers His application
ana ability are indicated by the high po-
stion he obtained in his class and the ear
ly period of bis graduation-being then
only twenty years of age.
Soon after this he was ordered to MeXi>
co, taking service at first as Lieutenant OF
Sappe.s and Miners and Pontoniers. lie
was in Gen. Wor.h's division at Vera
Cruz, and for his gallantry was mention
ed with high favor IN the official reports.
At Cerro Gordo and the City Of Mexico
he was attached to Cen. Twiggs' division,
again received special mention for gallant
! behavior at Contreras and Cherubusco his
conspicuous galantry won him the brevtt
of Ist Lieutenant, and at Molno del Key
be was offered, but declined, the breyet OF
Captain. A little later he was rendered
the same position for "gallant and meri-
torious conduct" at Chapultepec and &C.
cepted it, taking command of the compa-
ny in which he had hitherto served. AS
will be seen by this brief recapitulatior,
his services in the Mexican war were SO
coDspicuously gallant in every action of
prominence during that war as to secure
for him either the compliment of fayora>
bic official mention, or the more sub,tan>
tial one of promotion. Thus early did he
develope tie germs of that great military
genius which has made him to-day one OF
the first commanders of the age.
After peace was concluded with Mexico,
he was ordered to West Point rs Director
Of Field Lapors and Instructor of the Bay
onet Exercise. In 1851 he superiLtended
the construction of Fort Delaware, and in
| 1852 he was engaged on an exploring ex
petition up Red River. Towards the
close of the same year he accompanied
Gen. Persifer +. Smith to Texas, upon an
expedition 10 survey the rivers and hsr-
bors of that State, acting as Senior Engi>
neer.
In the spring OF 1853 and 81 he was
engaged in railroad and other surveys, in
GLIDING an exploration Of a portion Of the
Cascade Range for the proposed Pacific
Railway, and a repor, upon the construc-
ton, equipment, and so forth, of various
railway. in the United States. At the
close of 1854, he was sent by the govern
ment on secret mission to San Domingo
and adjacent islands, during which he col
lected vast amount oftopographical and
other information.
In 1855 he was commissioned as Cap
tain in the lst Cavalry, and in 1856 he
accompanied Majors Delafeld and Nor
decal 10 the Crmea, to observe and re-
port upon the conflict then in progress
between Russia on tbs one hand, and Eng
land. France, and Turkey on the other
Ills report was printed, and at once at
traeted widespread and surprised asten-
ton.
Early in 1857 he resigned his position
in the army and removed to Chicago, and
for three years filled the responsible posi-
ton of Vice President and Engineer of the
Illinois Central Railroad. In 1860 he re
signed his position on the Illinois Central
Railroad and removed to Cincinnati, where
he was appointed General Superintendent
of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad. A
little later be was made President OF the
Eastern Division of the same road, which
position he occupied at the breaking out
of the present rebellion.
In May. 1861, the States Of Ohio. lndi
ana, and Illinois were placed in the "De
partment of the Ohio" and its command
given to Major General Mcclellan, who
| had thus been commissioned in the Ohio
Volunteers by the Governor Of that State
He at once entered upon the duties Of bis
new position, and as fast as possible pro-
ceeded to the organization of the nine
months Ohio Volunteers. The same
month several bodies Of rebels made their
appearance in Western Virginia, and
threatened the Baltimore ard Ohio Rail.
road Gen. Mcclellan at once took meas
ures to prevent the threatened inteT,ur-
! ton.
Tha. Gen. Mcclellan, in thus entering
ing zealously upon tho war, did so from
sincere desire to prevent the disruption Of
the country. is undoubted. His first ad-
dress to the Union men Of West Virginia
shows that be in no wise entertained a
suspicion of the fanatical purposes to
Z l.