The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-09
MCCLELLAN AND THE POTOMAC ARMY
How He Came To BE Recalled to the Com
mand After Pope's Defeat.


Philadelphia Inquirer Reviewed. Hon. W. D. Kelleys
Judge Kelley holds that Mcclellan was re-
called to command after Popes defeat as re-
organizer and defender of the capital He
quotes from the statement of ex-Secretary
Weles:
I'm an interview with the President on the
succeeding Friday, when only he and myself
were present, he unburdened his mind freely
Military matters were still in confusion, with
out plan or purpose, at headquarters. The Sec
rotary of War. under Pope's defeat and McClel-
lan's reinstatement, was not only disappointed,
but detected and dspirited. The President said
most of our troubles grew out of military jeal-
ousies. Whether changing the plan of opera
tions (discarding Mcclellan and placing Pope in
command in 'front.' was wise or not, was not now
the matter in hand. These things, right or
wrong, had been done If the administration
made to suffer, nor our brave men cut down and
butchered. Pope should have been sustained,
but he was not These personal and profess
sional quarres came in.
whatever may have been said to the con
trary, it could not be denied that the army was
with Mcclellan. He had so skiilfuly handled
his troops in not getting to Richmond as to re-
tain their confidence. The soldiers certainly
had not transferred their confidence to Pope.
He could, however, do no more good in this
quarter. 1t was humiliating, after what had
TRANSFERRED and all we knew, to reward McClel-
Ian and those who failed to do their whole duty
in the hour of trial, but so it was Personal
considerations must be sacrificed for the public
good. He had kept aloof from the discussions
that prevailed and intended to; but said he, L
must have Mcclellan to reorganize the army and
| bring it out of chaos There has been a design,
purpose in breaking down Pope, without re-
gard to the consequences to the country, that is
atrocious. 1t is shocking to see and know this,
but there Is no remedy at present. Mcclellan
has the army with him. These were the views
and this the course of the President when there
was general dismay in the country and confu-
| sion in the army; the rebels near the intrench-
| ments of Washington, and some of the Cabinet
alarmed and preparing to leave"
Upon the subject of McClellans final retire
| ment President Lincoln Observed
Il am now,' said he, stronger with the Army
of the Potomac than Mcclellan. The supremacy
of the civil power has been restored, and the
executive is again master Of the situation. The
troops know, that if / made mistake in substi-
tuting Pope for Mcclellan, / was capable of
rectifying it by again trusting him. They know,
too, that neither Stanton nor | withheld any
thing from him at Antietam and that it was not
the administration, but their own former i6ol,
who surrendered the just results of their terrible
sacrifices and closed the great fight as drawn
battle, when, had he thrown Porter's corps Of
| fresh men and other available troops upon Lees
army he would inevitably have driven it in dis
order to the river and captured most of it before
sunset
When we parted Mr. Lincoln had not said in
orect terms tnat IL was MS purpose to relieve
Mcclellan; he had. however discussed the rela-
tive availability of certain generals for the com
mand, and the tenor of his remarks justified me
in saying to some of my fellow citizens, on my
return to Philadelphia, that McCellan's military
career had practically ended, and that he would
soon be succeeded in command by Hooker or
Burnside. AZ Warrenton, Va, on the 7th of
November George B. Mcclellan received an or
der to turn his command over to Genera. Burn
side and report to the department by letter
from Trenton, New Jersey, by prompt COM
pliance with which order he closed his inglorious
military career