New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-08-13
MCCLELLAN ON MoNTCALM.

| fled that IL cannot DO without them.
| MCCLELLAN ON MONTCALM.
Great warriors, after their retirement, volun-
tsry or involuntary, from the field Of action.
have carried on private campaigns against Timc'
in various ways. The Emperor Charles made
watches; the Emperor Napoleon made histories'
Gen. Mcclellan makes speeches from tavern
windows. Bclsarius asked for an oboe. Gen.
George says: Lend me your ears" after he
has been treated to reverential music from ador.
ing brass bands. He takes advantage Of the
willingness of the American people to listen to
speech. OF any time and from anybody, and
whenever the crowd says, "Fire" no dis
charges himself with promptitude II not with
precision. We do not know that there is any
harm in this amusement, except that 1t fills up
the newspapers. which have small space to
spare, and exposes the General to criticism, OF
which we should think he had already stom.
ach.full. Now. II Gen. George, in his fine
speeches, could be persuaded to confine himself
to those gentle generalties, which are
always safe-f he would but toll the
crowd that he Is enraptured to see 1t
that the honor is unexpcoted-that 1t is
the proudest moment of his life-thst such
kindness overpowers him-that he lacks words
to express his gratitude-that while memory
holds her seat this hour shall never be forgotten
why, he might then return to his virtuous
Sheets with the pleasing consciousness of hav-
ing been safely serenaded, and he might open
tho morning newspaper without fear and trem.
bling. If Gen. Mcclellan, when relieved from
the tolls of actual warfare, had but followed the
example OF Uncle Toby-if he had bought
ten-scre lot and large invoice Of shovelS-if
he had proceeded to dig in the aforesaid field all
manner of ditohes, and lay some Of the finest
sieges TO some of the finest fortified cities" in
America-thero is no computing how many
astonishing victories he might have won. In
stead of entering this field Of economical glory,
and capturing Richmond TO the delight of all
his neighbors, he engages squire, who does not
turn out to be at all trustworthy, and starts
out upon rhetorical campaign.
Having Just captured West Point, in speech
long, brilliant, aud bemuddled, VIC find MIN a.
Lake George, attacking "the ruined rampars
of William Horny" And here, We arc panied
to notice, he came to grief from the fact that
bis ammunition was so hastily and carelessly
prepared. lie had been informed that the brass
band and the citizens would visit him OF mid.
night, and that short Grafton would be ex.
pected. lie had fair warning that he was to be
attacked. and that he must say something pretty
and appropriate TO the neighborhood of Lake
George and "ths ruins Of Fort William Henry"
The emergency was frightful, and the General
rushed for his guide-book, and there read that,
after the capture Of the Fort BY Montcalm,
some Of the English garrison were massacred by
the Indians Of tho French army. Whereupon
our peripatetic commander takes it for granted
that the massacre was permitted by Montcalm.
and frames his speech accordingly thus:
An-r gallant d.f.nss Of the ruioed r.mpsrs Of
William Henry the blood Of your ssnisirr. nOiencd the
very ground which you stand Ia butoherJ porn,to
by tho cruel spatby Of Mouc.la who years stswUd
.sserci log his erme. in ~ great battle under the val, OF
''''' ''' Of YOU ancestors '''' '''
Which was appropriate. And pathetic. And
neat. And pretty. Only. unfortunately. it
happened to be- untrue. An indignant writer
in The Chicago Tribune shows conclusvely that
tho massacre took place after the Indians had
been furnished with intoxicating drinks by the
English, and that Montcalm did everything in
his power and even risked his own life, TO pre-.
vent it-as Gen. Mcclellan would have found
out, if he had consulted Bancroft instead Of the
gude.book. No blunder, for q soldier. could
be moro unfortunate; for no man has better
military character in history than Montcslm.
By tho general admission even Of his foes, he
was not only brave but chiyslrous; and any
schoolboy could have told Con. Mcclellan that
the French commander was the very last man in
the world 10 permit the slaughter Of his prisoners
of war. His bravery and his misfortunes should
certainly have saved him from this insult offered
To his memory by ons who himself claims to be
soldier.
So much for the display at the Fort William
Henry Hotel There h one part Of soldierly
conduct which Gen. Mcclellan, it is evident,
has yet TO learn. General may be unjustly
treated by his Government, he may, without
good cause, be deprived Of his commandI he
may feel his real or supposed Injuries keenly;
but under any circumstances, if he possesses
the chivalrous instincts of thorough soldier,
he will not make merchandise Of his misfor-
tunes, nor trade for popularity upon the capital
of his Disgrace. No really gallant man, how
ever be may have been wounded, will make a
-. &c Li.nnolf and nf his wnnnda Ho will