Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-11-17

the army has thought it an opportunc occasion for
succinot outline of that distinguished officers
military career since the Southern rebellion re-
called him to the public service. In transferring
this able article to our own columns, we are GER
tainly moved by no inclination to keep alive the
expiring embers of party fires but simply to do an
act OF parting justice to the character Of citizen
whom we conceive to have served his country with
singular fidelity, distinction, and usefulness, yet
who, unfortunately for himself, being by the ad
miration and gratitude of numerous body of his
fellow-countrymen put forward as candidate for
the Chief Magistracy, has suffered from the as
saults of INSCRIPTIONS partisans much miscon-
structon and injustice from which we would fain
his fair fame, as we would that of any other
iustrious countryman, Of whatever sect or party.
We know Gen. Mcclellan only from current Off
cial history, for it SO happens that we have never
seen him, and our support of him has been on
purely public and disinterested grounds, but if we
could envy any man his renown, we could envy
him the page which his name will occupy in the
annals Of his country.
From the Ne,o York World
On the 9Th Instant the day Of the election, Gen. Nc
GILLIAN addressed letter to the PRESIDENT resgning
his commission in the army and requesting that his resg
nation might be allowed to date from that day. As he
could not then know whether he resigned to become
private citizen resigned to become the Presidenteec
of the United States, the time appropriately and
gracefully chosen As he is not accustomed to act from
any impulses, but acts always from deliberately formed
reasons is doubtless correct to Ler that it his pur
pose, if not elected to retire wholly to private life We
hope that his resignation will be accepted for have
belief that his determination be changed. We do not
know that any connected with the Administration will
wish to change it.
Regarding this resignation, them historical fact it
not inappropriate to look back upon the reputation which
has been achieved since the period of Gen. McCleans
public services commenced.
What strange vlcsstudes have marked this fragment
his life While holding the commission which he has
resigned he received the appointment Of General Chief
the st day of November 1861 and in that capacity
formed and organized and disciplined the Army of the Po
tomae and laid out the great campaigns which to be
by all the armies of the United States. On
the LIST of April 1862 he left Washington at the head of
the Army of the Potomac to conduct the campaign of the
Peninsula which he had planned for the capture of Rich
m0nd As he advanced into Virginia, after another of
the great features of his medtaed campaign fustra
ted by the Government behind him after another of
the renforcemens promised to him withheld and the
control Of the taken from his hands At length
after successful siege of Yorktown he found himself in
front of Richmond, with his principal base resting upon
the York river at the head of about ninety thousand men,
encounter enemy Numbering hundred and forty
thousand: and there in the face of such foe the REIN
forcements which would have added forty thousand men
to his command deliberately halted their march,
and the bridges which should have enabled the junction
be effected deliberately destroyed by order of his
own Government.
Nothing remained for Gen Mcclellan but to save his
army and to this end he executed in the most brilliant
manner of the most difficult aad hazardous of move
ments, by marching his army its lett flank through
series of battles, lasting for days, to base
upon the James river where he placed it in safety out Of
the reach of the enemy whom he had baed dscomftted
and crippled the way There he waited in vain for
Inducements which his Government had not the courage
send and for orders which it lacked the wisdom to
give, that he might again march upon the enemys CAPT.
tal until by strange and ineIpcable folly his army was
detached from his command and sent to join the army of
Gen. Pope then in front Of Washington Attended solely
by his staff and guard of hundred men, this great
forced to sit 10 his tent at Alexandria, to
the guns with which the enemy driving the
bned forces under Pope in confusion toward Washington
nave his earnest ontreaty De with men
on the field of battle simply a volunteer refused The
result made inevitable by the folly imbecity and malice
which presided in the councils Of the Administration,
the utter defeat of the Federal troops which thrown
back upon the capital shattered dsorganzed and demor
lied.
Laying aside all considerations of SELF this more than
patriotic General yielded to the entreaties of hs official
superor met the almost ruined forces Of bis country
their hurried retreat restored order re animated the
troops with the courage that had left them only because
they had been deprived of him, placed Washington in
condition of defence led the army into Maryland and
within two weeks marched it fifty miles, fought two
pitched battles gained two victories and drove the enemy
from the State. Resting for until his exhausted
troops could receive the material and supplies absolutely
to their advance he conducted them the
Potomac in pursuit. Of the enemy, whom he just
and without any assigned cause he suddenly removed
from the command and sent ANONYMOUSLY into retirement
Meanwhile these events progressing, it began
dawn upon all classes Of the people Of this country who
were not blinded by partisan prejudice that this
young who had suddenly appeared upon the theatre
of this civil accomplished General of and
wide scope in his profession also wise, considerable,
and able statesman looking before and AFTER to the great
civil well military issues OF his time 1t began to be
which should govern the military operations of the Gov
ernment that these convictions founded in the just
limitations Of the Federal powers aud in the humane laws
and maxms Of civilized warfare and that he had strven
to impress these views upon the conduct of the Admins