The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-11-06
sketch of Ellis Career.


George Brinton Mcclellan was born in
Philadelphia. December s. lS26, his father be-
ing DR.. McClellan,a celebrated member OF the
faculty OF tue university of Pennsy med
zeal college. After studying at the University
OF pennsylvania, he was appointed to the West
Point Military academy, from which he was
graduated in 1916. ranking second in a class
OF fifty-nine members. He was then assigned
tor the corps of engineers as a brevet second
lieutenant. In the Mexican war he served
with much credit, and was after being COM
mssoned as second lieutenant, breveteI first
| lieutenant for gallant and meritorious con-
duct in the battles Of Contreras and Churu-
busco, and for similar conduct in the battles
OF Mollno del Rey and Chapultapec At the
. close OF the war he was detailed to duty
| with the engineer troops at West Point, and
then, IN lS3l-52, was assistant engineer in the
construction of Fort Delaware. In 1882
ne was engineer of the expior-
ing expedition to the sources of the Red
river of Texas and was also made Chief
, engineer OF the department of Texas, having
charge OF the surveys Of the rivers and har-
bors on the gulf coast of that state. He was
the engineer for the exploration and survey
OF the western division of the proposed
Northern Pacific railroad through the Cas-
cade mountains in 1885,, and in the former
year was promoted to be first
Lieutenant. After special service in
the collection Of railroad statistics; for
the war department, he was made a captain
3, 1000,
served III lS5356 as a member OF the military
commission appointed by tho United States
government to visit the seat of war in the
Crmea. His official report of this visit was
published by order of Congress in 1857, en-
bracing remarks upon the operations in the
Crlmea, and upon the organization instruc-
ton, and equipment OF European armies
On January IT, 1851, Captain Mcclellan re-
signed from the army in order to accept he
position OF chief engineer OF tho Illinois Cen
t'al railroad, of which he was male vice
president i'll the year following. In lSGO he
became president of the St Louis and Cir
ennati railroad. and he was holding this o.
ilce at the outbreak III 1861. On April %, 1861,
lie was commissioned major general of Ohio
volunteers, and he was soon placed i'm com
mand OF the Department of the Ohio, which
Included the States of Ohio Indiana. and
Illinois, with the westerly parts of Pennsvl-
vania and Virginia. He was commissioned
major general Of tho regular army on May
H. 1861. In the following July he was
engaged i'll the action of Rich noun
tain, West Virginia, and by a forced
march upon the Confederates compelled
the surrender of General Pegram near Bev-
erly in that State, The thanks of Congress
were voted to General Mcclellan in the same
month for 'the series OF brilliant and de-
csive victories" which his army had achieved
ION the battle-f Ids of Western Virginia.
On July -. 1861, the day after the
Bull Run disaster, he was summoned
" w washington, anu lew Gays later
was placed in command OF the Dvi-
sion of the Potomac. He was made COM
mander of the department of the Potomac ON
August H. and OF the army of the Potomac
on August 20, Upon the retirement of
General Scott on November |, 1861, General
Mcclellan was appointed general-in chief of
the armies of tho United States
The young commander was very
popular with his troops, and he was
compared TO the young Napoleon After the
general advance upon Manassas in March,
1862 General Mcclellan was in personal COM
mand of the Army of the Potomac during
the Virginia Peninsula campaign. York
town having been besieged and evacuated,
and the Confederate forces defeated at
Williamsburg and Hanover Court house
General Mcclellan took up a posi-
ton on the Chckahoniny and
opened the campaign against Richmond.
Finding his line too much extended, he
changed his base to the James river, accom-
plishng difficult flank movement 10y CON
tinuous fighting for nearly week Among
the more important battles In which his
forces were Ell gagged were those Of Fair Oaks
and Malvern Hill. After General Mcclellan
had fallen back to Harrison's Landing Gen
eral Hallerk, who had meanwhile been