The Portland daily press., 1885-10-30
GEORGE q. MCCLELLAN.
IsDeath of the First Commander of
the Army of the Potomac.
Sketch of the Life and Career of a
Celebrated Veteran.

New YORK, Oct. 29-General George B.
Mcclellan, died suddenly of neuralgia of
the heart at his residence on Orange Noun
tain, N. j., about midnight last night. He
returned home about six weeks ago from his
trip west with his family, and had been un-
der the care of physician for about two
weeks. Nothing serious was expected until
yesterday, when he became worse. He died
surrounded by his family at st. Cloud,
Orange Mountain, where he had lived for
about twenty years. So little alarm had his
condition occasioned that invitations had
been issued for reception at his home this
evening. He was troubled with neuralgia
for the first time about three weeks ago. He
complained of severe pains in the chest
which he attributed to a cold and for five
days was in bed attended daily by DIR.
Seward of Orange. Last week he was SO far
restored to his ordinary health that he went
out driving every day but since last Sunday
he had had some reminders of his former
trouble and at DR.. Stewards advice remained
in doors. Tuesday evening he was so well
that dinner was given by the McClellans to
some of the nelghborS, Gen. Mcclellan tax
ing part and appearing in his usual spirit
Yesterday he stayed in the house reading by
the fire most of the day. During last evening
he was restless but suffered no pain till about
10 o'clock when he began to walk about the
room and complained of severeparoxysm of
pain in the chest and neighborhood of the
heart As he obtained no relief from the
remedies employed by DR.. Seward in treat
ing the first attack three weeks ago DR..
o'clock. By that time Gen. Mcclellan was
almost senseless with pain. Opiates were
administered with a view to relieving the
pain, and he sank into a comatose state
which lasted till he died at $40 this morning.
Mrs. Mcclellan and Miss May Mcclellan.
with Dr.. Seward when he died. The only
son, a young man of 20, a student at Prince
ton College, arrived at Orange to-day. So
far as DR.. Seward knows Gen. Mcclellan
was never troubled with neuralgia before the
recent attack, and DR.. Seward thinks possi-
bly, too much smoking may have weakened
the action of the heart
The funeral will probably take place Mon
day, at the Madison Square Presbyterian
Church. Brief services will be held at the
house before the remains are brought here.
Mrs. Mcclellan desires the burial to be at
Trenton. No organization of any sort will
be invited.
George Brinton Mcclellan, whose death is
announced, would have been SO had he lived
till December. He was born in Philadelphia,
December 3. 1926, and was the son of DR..
George Mcclellan. There was certain
precocity about young Mcclellan, for his
graduation at the University of Pennsyl-
vania occurred when he was but 16 and he
left West Point when only 20, in 1856. His
commission as second lieutenant of engineers
attested the high rank he reached in the
Military Academy.
Opportunity came soon to the young Off
Ger through the Mexican War, and the chance
was used with vigor and success. Brevets
of first lieutenant and captain were earned
by him, and no glory OF later battles sur
passes in interest the brilliancy attaching to
McClellan's service at the siege of Vera
Cruz, and in the engagements at Cerro
GordO, COntreraS, CherubuScO, M0l1n0 del
Bey and Chepultepec. The first stage OF his
military life clearly marked him as among
the foremost men Of the service.
The period between the Mexican War and
the outbreak of the Rebellion was occupied
but partly in military work, as In 1858 he ac-
cepted the positions of chief engineers and
vice-president offered by the Illinois Central
Railway. When the Mexican War was over,
Mcclellan was stationed for time at West
Point; then the construction of Fort Dela-
ware made his engineering skill useful; and
later on he went on an expedition to the Red
River region; while one of the most conspl-
his connection with the military commission
sent to Europe in 1866. Mcclellan was now
a cavalry captain, and his survey of the war
operations in the Crimea was the basis OF
work, published by the government: entitled
Organization of European Armies and
Operations in the Crimea." The technical
knowledge and excellent method shown by
this report made Mcclellan a distinguished
man in army circles Civil life, however, as
Just now stated, had greater attractions for
rai iIroad OufI0Ok QIlurI0O In
1860 we find him president of the ST. Louis &
Cincinnati Railway. At this time no one
could have predicted that his. service in
mighty war would prove a subject of per
manent discussion and dlfterence OIL Judg-
ment.
When the civil war broke out, any man
who had spent even year in West Point
was at premium. The governor OF OHIO
early sought the counsel of Mcclellan, and
his commission as major general OF ONO
volunteers was dated April %, 1861. AS com
mander of the department of the Ohio, Nc
ClelIan was forthwith prominent figure. A
few days later, on May A. President Lincoln
made him major general in the regular
army and the new commander was directed
to rid West Virginia of the rebel forces there
at work. The succeeding two months saw
the West Virginia campaign well conducted
and successfully concluded. Mcclellan be-
to armed rebels, and his vigorous campaign,
Illuminated by his glowing proclamations,
made deep impression on the country.
Having cleared out West Virginia, it was in
stantly concluded that Mcclellan was the
coming deliverer of the country. The Bull
Run disaster but emphasized this conclusion.
The thanks of Congress readily followed
him, and on July 25 Mcclellan found himself
in charge of a division comprising the de-
partment of Washington and of Northeastern
Virginia A few weeks later, on August 20,
the Army of the Potomac was formally COM
mitted to his direction.
The Army of the Potomac experience of
Mcclellan extended, then, from August 20,
over the army to burnside, not forgetting
the Pope episode when for a time Mcclellan
was stranded Two divisions of McClellan's
Potomac life are to be marked out: one, the
organizing time,. prominently successful,
and the other including the disasters of the
Peninsular and offset in measure by the
Maryland campaign. An adequate history
of the war must always credit Mcclellan
with fine organizing skill. He created the
Army of the Potomac, in an important
sense When aggressive movements were
called for, there was in the estimation of his
critics degree of indecision which robbed
brilliant plans of their effectiveness. Wheth-
er or not Mcclellan was unsuccessful be-
cause hampered by the Washington authorl-
ties, and whether or not he was too timid
and slow to be great general, are questions
which do not make uncertain his loyalty,
tested and attested by service in terrible bat
ties, nor deprive him of a high place among
the defenders of the Union.
Gen Mcclellan was nominated for Presi-.
dent by the democratic party on the 31st of
August, 1864, and the election fell on Novem-
ber s. Lincoln carried all the States voting
except Delaware, Kentucky and New Jer-
sey. That day saw also the close of McClel-
lan's military life, for he then forwarded his
resignation of his commission as major gem
eral. Soon after he sailed for Europe, and,
after long visit, returned to civil life. The
construction of the Stevens battery at Ho-
boken was one service to which he was sum-
moned. His connection with the city gov.
ernment of New York, as chief engineer OF
the department of docks, covered about two
years.
From time to time General Mcclellan was
mentioned for various political offices, each
national canvass suggesting his name, but
it was not till 1877, when he was elected gov
ernor of New Jersey, that this talk took tan
gible shape That campaign again gave
him political prominence. His army friends,
always many and demonstrative, felt that
his time was coming again. His admlnlstra-
tion as governor was digniied and efficient.
In social life, General Mcclellan was, pc
culiarly attractive. The wonderful hold, ne
had on the affections of his men in war days
was reproduced in measure, in society;
Political and military critics were dlsarmed
by his frank and genial hearing, AS years