Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-10-31

The luminous figures of the great war
are fading away. The sudden and meX
pcctcd death Of Gen. Geo. b, Mcclellan,
following 30 closely upon Gen. Grants
death, improsscs US with the ravages Of
time. OF our military heroes, few are
left Hancock, Sherman and Sheridan on
the Northern side, and Longstrcct and |
Johnston IN the South, alone remain of |
the great commanders who led divisions |
in the field. Excepting Sheridan, they
are all hoary with age, and cannot much
longer expect to move in q world whore
lately their movements were fraught with |
the destiny OF nations.
1t was the misfortune of Gen. McClel. |
Ian that he was called 10 the command of
the army prematurely. People and poll-
ticians had not yet comprehonded the
stupendous proportions of the conflict.
! In the North everybody was inpatient for
the capture Of Richmond. Its defense
was thought to be trivial, and the delay of
the Union advance was charged TO the in
capacity and dilatorncss Of the command
ing general. Every politician in place OF
authority had Il plan for the speedy sup
preston OF the rebellion, and used his
influence to thwNrt and battle the general.
Stanton was intensely Jealous of Me.
Clcllan, and lent his power as secretary
OF war to break down and drive from
command the man whose greatp prominence
was shading him. In addition, Mcclellan
was n Democrat, and to be a Democrat
in those days was To incur suspicion aud
doubt Of ones loyalty, and to provoke
the hatred of ultra Republican partisans,
who were all-poworful in the government,
remove the Democratic military chief. 1t
was well supported by the increasing
popular clamor against the naction
Of the army, and press and people
howled "On TO Mchmondm with sense
less fury. The president, unable to resist
the pressure, and against the military
q Judgment of the soldier in command
= forced him to an active move
mcnt. Then contradictory and en-
barasslng orders were issued, dc
tachng portion Of his army ant
e Gripping him in the face Of the enemy
Disastrous defeat ensucd. The general
who was denied the free exercise Gf hi,
Judgment, was now burdcncd with The
odium of failure, and the command o
the army taken from him, 1t was cam
paign Of political lgnormuSos that failed
but it was the accomplishing soldier tina
was made the Scapc-goat
Grant aud Mcclellan have been com
: pared. The circumstances of their histor,
!, do not allow comparison Grant wa
successful; Mcclellan was unsuccessful
: But when Grant took command grea
:, armies had been raised, equipped an,
y disciplined. The South had been weak
cned by every victory won, having no re
+, sources to recruit from. Experience ha,
taught the president that civil inter
- ference with military movements invite,
defeat Grant was allowed to carry on
his plans without veXatious and harass
y, ing distractions by would-be soldiers il
!. congress and in the secretary OF war
!, office. Favored by all these clrcum
= stances, he overthrow the Confederate,
. aud won the laurels OF conqucror
q Mcclellan, borne down by adverse for
tune, lost battle and was sent by gloat
ing political enemies into retirement
u Emerging from the wreck of his mill
e tary glory, Gen. Mcclellan next appeare,
S as the Democratic candidate for prcsi
l. dent in 1861. One who was his faithful
a friend has thus admirably written of him
$ "Amidst the fcebleness and hckleness o
IS the administration, the waycring supper