The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-23
A WAR "REMINISCENCES.
The Army of the wing Gen
Mcclellan of COmmand--Tbe True Story.

/
Mcclellan of Communicable True Story.
Gen. @. P. Buckingham contributes
to the papers the true story of the re-
lieving of Gen. Mcclellan of the COM
mand of the army of the Potomac and
the appointing of Gen. Burnside thereto.
He says: I was at that time ON special
duty at the War department, my office
being adjoining the secretary's private
room. On the evening of the sixth OF
November, about ten o'clock, the secre.
| tary sent for me to come to his office,
where found him with Gen. Halleck.
He told me that he wanted me to 90 and
| find the headquarters of the army of the
Potomac, and spent some time giving
minute directions as to the route should
take. Just before left, he handed me
two envelopes, unsealed, telling me to
take them to my room, and, having read
| them, to seal them up. 1 was thunder
struck to find that one of the envelopes
contained two orders for Mcclellan
one from the President, relieving him
from the command of the army, and the
other from Gen. Halleck, ordering him
to repair to some town in New Jersey,
and report by letter to the War depart
ment. The other envelope contained
| two orders for Burnside--one from the
President, assigning him to the command
of the army, vice Mcclellan, and the
other from Gen. Halleck, directing him
to report what were his plans.
Before leaving next morning, saw
the secretary at his house, and he ex-
planned to me his reasons for sending an
officer of my rank on an errandlike that.
| The first was. that he feared Burnside
would not accept the commands; and my
| instructions were to use, if necessary,
the strongest arguments to induce him
not to refuse. The second reason, though
Characteristic one, had very little foun-
tlation. The secretary had not only no
confidence in McClellan's military skill,
but he very much doubted his patriotism,
and even loyalty, and he expressed to
me some fear that Mcclellan would not
give up the command, and he wished,
therefore, that the order should be pre-
sented by an officer of high rank, direct
from the War department, so as to carry
the full weight of the Presidents au-
thority. He directed me to see Burn
side first and get his decision. If he
consented to accept, L was then to see
Mcclellan; but, if not, I was to return
at once to Washington.
1 found Burnside about fifteen miles
south of Salem, where his division was
halted, and he alone in little chamber.
Closing the door, 1 made known my
errand. He at once declined the COM
mand. Whatever my private opinion
may have been my duty was to follow
the directions of the secretary of war,
onI if ,Naco;1>1a pvaroo,,,a bic oh,oo4.o,,
1t happened, however, knowing as Ibid
events to remove Mcclellan, that I felt
fully satisfied that he Burnside) ought
to accept, and urged him to do So.
Among other objections, he urged his
want of confidence in himself, and his
particularly friendly relations to McClel-
Ian, to whom he felt under the strongest
obligations. I met these objections by
stating that McClellan's removal was re-
solved upon at any rate; and that, if he
(Burnside) did not accept the command,
it would be given to Hooker (who be-
came, in fact, Burnside's successor).
He at length consented to obey the Or
ders and requested him to go with me
to find Mcclellan. We returned to Sa-
lem, whence 1 had ridden on horseback
through a snow storm, and had my To-
comotive fixed up the same evening, and
on it We proceeded about five miles up
the railroad to McClellan's camp. About
eleven o'clock we found him, alone in
his tent, examining papers; and, as we
both entered together, he received us III
his usual kind and cordial manner.
My task was not only a painful one,
but particularly distasteful to me in view
of my friendly feelings for Mcclellan.
But, as the blow had to come, L was glad
that it was not to be given through an
unkind hand and in a mortifying way.
Gen. Mcclellan has himself borne testi-
mony to the kind manner in which /
communicated the order, and can bear
testimony to his prompt and cheerful
obedience to it.