Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-11-20
"ll11LE MAC" E a


aeneral George Il. Mcclellan Dies Sudden
1v Of Heart Observation-Disclosures by
the President and Secretary OF War
Sketch of His Eventful Career.
ORANGE, N. j., Oct. 3O.-Gcneral George
B. Mcclellan, ex-Commander of the army OF
the United States, died suddenly yesterday
morning at $40 o'clock frc.a exhaustion
produced by repeated shocks Of neuralgia
OF the heart, at his home on orange
Mountain, aged fifty-nine years.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3s.--At the Cabinet
meeting Yesterday the death of General Nc
| Clellan was feelingly alluded to by the
| President and members OF the Cabinet
| The following Executive order was issued:
EXECUTIVE MANSION. W~Asn1NGToS, d.. C..
Oct. @a.-The death Of George -. Mcclellan, at
armies of the United States, took place at an
early bour this morning. AS a mark of pubic
soldier INC citizen, whose military ability and
civic virtues have shed lustcr upo the his
tory OF the country, it is ordered by the Presi-
half.nast upon all the buildings OF the exec
utive departments in thisc city until after his
funeral shall have taken place.
DANIEL. S. LAMONT, Private Secretary.
The following general order was issued
yesterday afternoon:
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON. D. c..
Oct. ~. 1SS5.-Withp profound regret the Score.
| lHTN Ol NtE ullIlOAllCSS W IL dIIuy III ~
of General George b.. Mcclellan. formerly
Major.Gencral commanding the armies of the
United States. which occurred ut Orange, n.
j.. this morning. The name and fame of this
distinguished soldier and citizen is known
and honored throughout the Republic. Asthe
organizer Of the army Of the pot1mac, he
deeds. The lessons he save it were never for.
gotten. aud the spirit with which he animated
s SSeatlnaed th as " 1a nd IT'S S sse namaara n,s asast
services to bis country. His pure and noble
he performed in the hour of peril will cause
his memory ever to be cherished with pride
by the people Of the United States.
President Cleveland was profoundly i'm
pressed by the news Of General McClcllan's
death. The friendship between the Prcsi-
dent and General Mcclellan was close, and
was marked by the high opinion which
each entertained respecting the other. Presi-
dent Cleveland greatly desired to have Nc
Clellan in his Cabinet, and probably pre-
ferred him to II other man. Mcclellan
would undoubtedly have been appointed
Secretary of War had it not been Tor the
vigorous opposition of the New Jersey
Democratic leaders, who labOred earnestly
to convince the President that McCIellan's
appointment would be a political mistake.
The President yielded the point very
reluctantly, but lie still kept Mcclellan
in mind, and when he had an
opportunity offered him the Russian
mission. This Mcclellan declined.
Within the past twenty-four hours the
President had determined to ask General
Mcclellan to take the place of Dorman 3.
Eaton On the Civil-Service Commission.
He intended to send his request to McClel-
Ian to-day.
The announcement of McClcllan's death
fell on the Presidents mind with the shock
of a surprise, for lie had not known that
the General was at all unwell. His dis
patch of coincidence to Mrs. Mcclellan was
written the instant he heard thenews. The
a,tographic original will be sent to Mrs.
Mcclellan. 1t is as follows:
WASHINGTON, Oct. ~, lSs5:-To Mrs. George
by the news of your husbands death. and.
while l know how futile are all human efforts
to console, ! must assure you Of my deep SYM
pathy in your great grief and express to you
my own sense OF attliction at the loss Of so
good II friend. GROVER CLEVELAND
George Rrinton Mcclellan was born in
PHILADELPHIA, December 8, 1926. He was edu-
Gated at West Point. and graduated in 1916.
OF Engineers. where he was brcveted as Cap
tain for meritorious service. In 1865, he was
GERS to go to Europe and observe the military
systems OF the European powers. His report
on the subject, especially of his observations
in the Crimean wal, was an able and use.
full work: He resigned in 1857, and was
appointed Engineer.in-Chief of the illinois
Gentra, Railroad. While engaged in this duty
nc made Chicago his place OF residence. In
lSol ne was made President OF the st. Louis &
Cincinnati Railroad Company, but in 1861, on
Inc inc breaking out Or the war, he again entered
inc army. ana achieved Il number of victories
over the rebel forces in West Virginia.
"A few days after the battle OF Bnll Run
mendation of General Winfield Scott, to the
communicating of the army at Washington,
ana, when General Scott retired from active
| S{TNlfn h1n nnf 1nrpr la ,r,, ..~l. No..
mander-in-Chief Of the armies of the United
states. About the end OF January. 1862, Presi-
, uenr L, n In gave orders for a general move
made February q. Mcclellan had mean.
tlme been relieved Of the command Of al the
p TePtor,meht except that OF the Army of the
March 10, to move toward Richmond, convey
{ng nS a,lny P R,w water tn tS down the Potomac and
after the opening Of this campaign he be-
S iS SS $ ar} fs% 5:f" ~ III r. s. Efs not s sSeR:
fhe 9TH Of April, besieging yorktown.
AT the end OF a month. when his batteries
were ready to open on the fort, the enemy
Mcclellan followed slowlII and took up a no..
sitlon on the Chickahominy, Il small stream
n ibis near the Confederate capital. During
Tough the indecisive buttlc of Williamsburg,
which enabled General ]. E. Johnson. the
tte ~ Gomlnalder' TO get his supply trans Off
While encampcd near Richmond McClel-
IAN S army remained three weeks almost mac.
tvc III the swamps of the Chickahominy. and
many soldiers were lost through sickness.
Actlve hostilities were renewed by the enemy
June ~, and then began the seven DAYS bat
tiG-at Mechanicsville, Savuge's Station.
Mnlte Oak Swamp. Gaines Mill and Malvern
mn tJulyl, lSt2)-the result Of which was
that the Union forces were compelled to re.
treat and abandon the conquest OF Richmond.
Meauwhi.c General Hulleck had been mnde
Genernlln Chief of the army, and he ordered
Mco1eil;in TO return with his whole force to
Fortress Monroe. The scattered troons in
Northern Virginia had been united Under
General Pope: General Lee assaulted these
successfully September 80, s62-the second
Alter Pope's failure he was again
caiieu To- the omman OF the Army
" me POTOMAC, and defeated General
Lee at the battle OF Antietam, September IL
teo-: re was again relieved Of commnnd on
tne :mh or November following, and wns not
recalled to the service. He resigned his
1Msa)or Generalship in the regular army In
10 1odt s., ana .n General Sheridan was promoted
AFTER this General Mcclellan took no further,
part IN the war. In August, 1864. he wns thn.
democratic candidate for the Presidency hmt
received only twenty-One electoral votes the
remaining 2l2 being cast for Abraham I'm.
recaive ~ the popu al vote. however, Lincoln