The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1864-11-03
M'CIeIian's GunbOat Expert
ence.

The following correspondence explains
itself. 1t is only necessary to say, says
the Philadelphia Press, that DIR. Van Gle
son is we'll known in this city, and the
statements made in his letter have been
frequently repeated to persons here -
NEWARK, Oct. Z, 1S64.-Dear Sir -
/ remember, soon after your return here
from the James river, where you acted as
Surgeon of the gunboat Galeno, hearing
you state that General Mcclellan was on
board during the retreat of our army to
Harrison's Landing, and during the bat
ties of Glendale and Malvern HILL Hav-
ing frequently heard it reluted, take the
liberty of writing to be reassured.
Yours truly, A. VAN WINKLE.
To r. E. VAN GIgsoN,. NJ. D., Englishtown,
Monmouth county, \. J. y;
[REpLY.l s ..-l-e-
ENGLIsHTowN, \. j., Oct 10, 1851
My Dear Sir:-Y ours of the 7th inst was
received in due time Agreeably to your
request will write the facts concerning
General Nj Clellan's presence on board the
United States steamer Galcna, which l
have so frequently stated to you and many
other of my friends in Newark $3.50
In so doing | must confess my utter
surprise that my testimony should be
needed to substantiate fact already so
well established, that no sane person,
whether he side with him or against him
personally or politically, can doubt it.
Even Mcclellan himself, in giving his
testimony upon this identical question,
admits by Implication that he was present,
although, apparently ashamed to answer
the direct question, he retreats under the
cover of a defective memory. His answer,
you recollect, IS, II do not remember. Ii
is possible | may have been, my camp was
near the river" How is it that General
M'Clelan's memory should become so
wonderfully oblivious to his long and
wearisome stay upon the quarterback and
in the cabin of the Galeua is to NE entire
ly unexplainable, for he certainly was
present in the body, IF perchance absent
in the spirit, aud ate, drank, walked,
smoked aud talked like any other man
An event of such importance, at such a
critical time, is, as you may we'll suppose,
as indelibly stamped upon my memory as
the answer to the first question in the
ssShorter Catechism."
My eyes were constantly upon hin, and
my ears upon the alert, both to learn the
man and catch some tidings of the situa-
ton, of which we had most ominous
forebodinos.
My observations and impressions made
at that time, were ,cSitten at that time in
my daily Journal, now lying before me,
from which l give you the essential facts
of the case under consideration.
On the morning of June so, 1862, the
Galeao, at that time flagship of the
squadron, lay near HaxalPs Landing L
was on the morning of that day sent on
shore to Inspect some of the wounded who
had been sent to the river bank for trans
portation, and after having returned on
board with Captain Rodgers, learned that
another battle was expected during the
afternoon of the same day. About 2 p.
NJ. we Iau 10 the cohjectured headquarters
of General Mcclellan. Captain Rodgers
here went on shore, and after short alb
seuce brought Mcclellan on board with
him. He was received by the officers in
undress uniform, and was accom- panied by
the Prince de Joinville and his two neph-
ews, and others of lesser note, whom did
| not particularly notice, as my whole atten-
tion was concentrated upon Mcclellan
Near 4 2. NJ. Lieutenant Clum of the
Signal Corps, then stationed in the fore
| top, reported "enemy advancing il large
| force upon the left"
We ran up some distance further, where
we could distinctly hear an almost inces-
SAINT roar of artillery, mingled with volleys
of musketry, apparently about a mile or
two off. We then commenced throwing
shells upward (the banks, or rather bluffs,
being quite high,) and to the left la a
few moments we received signal, s'Y our
shells doing we'll" We continued thus
firing until sundown, during which we
| received the following dispatches :-"M'
Call is breaking" '1Sumner is having a
hard time." Mcclellan then left the
| Galena for the feld--abou. 6 p. NJ. The
last despatch received was late in the
evening, s'Our men bringing in enemys
wounded
Near midnight it was rumore1 that We
had held our position, and captured one
thousand prisoners. And so ended .he
battle of Glendale.
On Tuesday, July l, 1862, at about 9
A. NJ, General Mcclellan again came on
board, looking jadcd, anxious and weary.
| At 10 A. nj. we proceeded down the river
as far as Harrison's Landing. Mcclellan
J meanwhile went into the cabin to take q