Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-03-08

IL is sometimes curious rs we'll as instructive
to look back. We find outside of General Nc
Clelan's Report, piece of history which is illus
tratve of some OF the points in it, When on
that memorable ID of September. 1862. the
President and Gen. HaIleck sought him at his
house and begged him to save the capital and the
nation. the radical faction who had accomplished
his overthrow and disgrace few DAYS previous,
were in the highest excitement The ndigna-
ton which they expressed not measured by
any ordinary terms of language
A very curious circumstance, which took
place that day. may to illustrate the tear in
which the Administration stood of these radicals
who had surrounded and possessed them. The
order restoring General Mcclellan to the com
mand of the army, and placing the fate of the
nation in his hands, was made in writing, proba-
bly, after the interview OF the President with him
In the Report this order does not appear. 1t is
given in = ioot-note in the New York edition of
Sheldon Il Co. But the curious fact is this.
The order was telegraphed to the New York pa
pers the evening of the 81 of September,
1862. We published it the next morning, sim
ultaneously with other newspapers 1t was as
follows:
HEADQUARTERS or THE ARMY,
ADJUTANT GENERALS OFFICE.
WASHINGTON, Sept. ,. 1862
BY direction of the President. Major General
Mcclellan will have command of the fortiica-
tons of ashiDgton. and OF all the troops tor the
defence Of the capital
By order of the Secretary of War
f. ID. TOwSsEND A. A. Gen.
But this order seems TO have raised 4 storm
among the radicals which neither the President
the Secretary of War cared to face Can it
be possible that at this moment when the fate of
the nation trembling in the balance. such IA
consideration as political capital controlled the
movements of the highest othcialsf
Ii would seem 50. for the order was re-pu5-
lishei in smended form, suppressing the
names of the President and Secretary OF War.
and far relieving them from any apparent con
nection with the restoration of Mcclellan to the
command Ga the 81 of September dispatch
came from Washington stating that the order
should read as follows:
WAR DEPARTMENT,
ADIuTANr GENERALS OFFICE.
Washington, Sept. ,. 1867
Major General Mcclellan will have command
of the Notifications of Washington, and of all
the troops. for the defence of the capital By
command of Mai Gen. HALLECK
f. d. TOWNSEND. A. A. q.
Can any one assign sensible reason for this
change OF plain order, except the desire to
suppress the names of the President and Secre
tary of War in connection with il, Tor the sake
OF preserving favor with the radical enemies of
Mcclellan
Why was the original order couched in such
dubious language Every one remembers that
it not I'LL explained 10y telegraph that tue
people even understood that Mcclellan was i'm
commaud OF the whole Army of the Potomac
Ii was undoubtedly ingenOusiy wOrded To avoid
the storm of radical Indignation which was an
ticpaied. Instead of frank noble order. ex
pressing clearly the duties of the General upon
whom the very destiny Of the Republic tha,
L. -.
sent forth 10 the nation, 20 deceive them into the
idea that Mcclellan was only placed in command
of the forts. 81 the radical papers declared at
the time IL was only General Haeck's order
placing Mcclellan in the fortifcatons-just the
work he was suited for
But mark the astounding truth now first made
plain and public. though our readers will remem-
Der that We long go inferred il from other facts
Under that order nceni0uslv worded. and under
no other order or word of command from PreSi
dent. Secretary Of War. or Gen. Hallack, bear
ing no authority bat that which this trick ed-up
form of words doubttully gave him. General
Mcclellan led the army into Maryland and
gained the victories of South Mountain and An
tetam. Halleck, it will be borne in mind ex-
pressly tells Mcclellan, in his dispatch OF Octo-
Der 26th. 1858: "Since you leit ashington.
l have given YOU no orders Neither had
any one else. m 10 the close of Antietam
The simple truth was that Mcclellan. the only
man IN Washington fl FOR the occasion, As the
inactOn OF every one else abundanty confesses.
having been charged with the defence of the
capital, mounted his horse when be thought the
time proper one. and went into the field 10 vic
tory and the salvation OF the capital of the na.
ton. President. Secretary of War. Hallack. all
were so paralyxed as far as anything they said or
did remains TO indicate They looked idly on
while Mcclellan saved them aud the country
Hslleck indeed sent grumbling thunder after him