New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-10-30

Gomard, General Scott recommended that tie manual
DO made part Of the system OF instruction. This was
done. Then followed short service under Captain
Marcy In explorations OF the Indian frontier, and
longer task of coast soundngs harbor surveys along
the coast OF TeKas In the beginning of 1883 to Captain
Mcclellan was given charge OF exploring expedition
among the Cascade Mountains OF Oregon aud washing
ton being one OF the general series OF Pacific Railroad
explorations ordered by the Government at about
this tlm". In the sumner OF the following year
no commanded secret expedition to the West
Indies the object OF which was select harbor and
procure site suitable for coaling lie selected
the bay and promontory of SANTANA, tho northeast
coast or uayt, The negotiations for the purchase OF
samana however, were never successfully concluded
In these various services Captain Mcclellan had shown
industry and oOmmcndable SKILL Jefferson Davis then
Secretary Of War, selected him upon his return frem the
West Indies as tho third Of commission charged with
tho duty Of visiting Europe during tho progress Of
Crmean war; to study the military systems or Europe
and to oner suggestions for REINFORCEMENT Of the
OF tho United States. McCleau's companions
Major Deaied, of the engineers, and Major Mordecai,
OF the ordnance both West Pointers and by many years
McClellans seniors. In October 1851 Captain McClel
lans report was published, under the title of The
Armies OF Europe. The work was favorlbly received
everywhere and added largely to the reputation OF It's
author for talent and sound military judgment
shortly after his RETURN in January, 1887 Captain
Mcclellan rendered his resignation an officer OF the
army. lie had been in 1t from boyhood and was now
thirty years % age and still captain. There was no
prospect brighter apparently than dreaTy life
distant frontier in the discharge of routine
duty Other pursuits offered life far more pleasant
and certainly more lucrative. without difficulty he OBJ
tanned tho post OF chief engineer OF the Illinois Central
Railroad, then just opened In few weeks lie was
made viceprcsdent Of the company, and took general
charge OF the business OF the road removing his head
quarters to Chicago Here he continued for three years
making such fmDreSslDn upOu railroad man that i'm
1850 no elected to the presidency Of the OHIO and
Mississippi Railroad Company. lie accopcdho situation
and removed to Cincinnati where no continued reside
until the outbreak OF the war.
The military enthusiasm which swept country
after tho fall of Fort sumter brought applicants FOR mill
tary honors to the doors OF every Governor the North
crn states. Governor Dcnnis0n OF Ohio. had been
largely In the railroad business himself lilo thus lap
p'ned to know that The Ohio aul Mississippi road
being managed b. Captain Mcclellan a West Pointer.
of whom men had spoken highly. He tcIcsraphei for
the captain at anl ae his AID IN tho organization
OF the Ohio Volunteers To this request Mcclellan
readily aoccedcd. bill introduced and passed
Legislature authorizing the Governor TO sc!cc:
officers for tho volunteers outside OF the state
Militia. aal under this act, 90 April %. 1851. Captain
Mcclellan was commissioned MlorGeuora OF tho Ohio
Militia Volunteers. Three weeks l1icc, on thr ltA OK
May, I-G11t the request amt upon frc recommendation
OF Governor Dennis ntnc War .pa-tm'ut acting. too,
on The advice of General scou commissioned Captain
Mcclellan NJI1r-Gc0crll OF the Regular Army. Al the
time Dee wa, put m command OF The Department %
iGa Ohio c0wpi.iugtho -tltcs OF ohio InIa1a aul ll
no.-. \ cuuu Of in-trUciiou-Camp Dcunisou-Was
formed near Cincinnati Organization was pushed for
wltI with energy 1uI determination. Ia less than two
months after li. ur; Interview with Governor Dau.sou
General AIcCenln took tho a.Il Tor ho Er-t campaign
~ te lr. arriving ~ Grafton. Vl,Juuo -. The
tai.u iu Wr- Virginia with which tho 1rlIy uo slI to
have opened m astis cnj"i Tor N.tclilpu month
cr when july 30 le WAS ordered to report no wash
ia-tou ulruto over bus command 10 General R.secrl.s
Hiss arrival a. tuc capital Yrs hailed With delight by TIE
people whom the disaster NJ Ban Ean lll ca-t INTO The
dcepes, .loot Tho soldiers looked ulou him as q ycs.
tau,e organizer OF victory" TH'y became ais euihu-
-stlc champ.ous lo at once Addressed himself g. TIE
task OF r.orelulku, inc army. Material there was
plenty There were courage, patriotism, Intelligence.
physical energy iu abundance. 10 these be added dis
cp.c AL thc Instinct o. Obedience. By October II hc
bad collected, drilled and prepared for action l52.Oji
men, who composed the army yias IN and around wash
iuston on the urt oi November Genera. Scott retired,
and General Mcclellan W., appointed Gcnertn-Cmcf
Of the Armies ot the United states.
lie to5kthc Held In March, l-Gl But I'm the meantime
he had been relieved OF tho command OF all the forces
except tho Army OF the Potomac Ito set Tor tho
peninsula Of virginia and laid soge TO Yorktown which
was abandoned hy the Confederate soon A. his blt
crates. uder Genera y. f. johnston. made stand at
Williams ury long enough o. enable their trains 90 rrt
OH ana IT,. uifh Iowa richmond 1lf' lNlihN moving
Slowly. feAtb the C"lcA'A"mlij ,''"ui nay 20 ""d
opened thc campaign Against Richmond. which Was
J. Arer that battle De- fell back % llari5ons Landing,
whsrc lac utsrchrd himself Ten days after the bntte
Ul.'t,k Gelcrt.-in-sLlci az the armies HdNcck ou
August - ordered AicCeinn 10 return with his whoc
amy Go Fortress Monroe and Yorktown. General Lee
bad about thi- tma moved from Richmond Go threaten
General Pope, who hal been placed command OF tho
Dan nun Tie Goth aud 3Oh of August, was. ut hs
own Request rcicycl from tho command the forces
q ali. Ia sd ID e. 'f IL
o,c ~ ' icrio5E the inv,l Of M,ryiamI The
compelled 10 cross the Potomac and iai back to-
ward the Iinp.dlu. The Government demanded that
Mcclellan who claimed Antictam q, great victory,
should also follow It Up as such Inis
lie allowed Tie beaten S cnc 'l'' to SntrcStc
himself quietly from his Icrlous position aud march
away uu4ocstcd the face Of a victorious army lie
tcceriphrd for shoes and blankets lie said his army
wanted provisions. Fora whole month he lay on tho
20 tonne rcorcarizn2 and recothins his army. Al last
he moved. But 30 was too late. The Government had
lost nl patience. Just when hc seemed to be- making
preparations for an attack ~ force he was relieved IN
If. command ami superseded by General burnside.
General Mcclellan was directed TO proceed To- ltenton
y. J, there 10 await turtNer orders lie continued 10
hold his commission Tor two years longer bat ho was
uevcr Put % duty.
M,Cr.ian's military career has been made tho subject
OF bitter controversy and acrimonious discussion.
From, tho command OF the army he
campaign; aud from that time %hI'Gyer III he hAI
whatever good De hai done was m'snlhc ana distorted
10y ais plri,1ns, uutl the atmosphere about INC man
became id'u lhdt m Impartial ctHf honest
view OF the seemed we'll nigh Impossible. Mr.
WhtclW l;rIl IN his book " ONO ~ the Wal thus sums
up NcC.otn's claim to he counted ono OF the great
generals tie war produced:
General Mcclellan never made good his claim 20 tho
character great general. HIS conduct showed 40
flashes OF genius, ana exhibited that inspiration
OF battle which, in the moment OF action, Nights up the
mind, OF trdly warliko men. lo siEsulnrIy dell
Gent ia that spcrrsof executive capacity which ecu
trOls the tactics OF army IN tho face
of an enemy, aud he never gave
evidence OF his ability to handle skluLy even hity
thousand men I'm battle Bur he thoroughly understood
hp %
armies Too military 10 be warllSc, there was much
IN his conduct to suggest comparison To hAt Grant
Duke Constantine OF Russia, who had 20 perfected
tho dru ana equipment OF the army thai,
against war because IL would ruin bis sol
dicrS In the field his professional and
technical knowledge oysrburlcnCd Inn u ne was lucl-
pablo ct slfully using II IA the solitude OF his head
quarters aud freed from hs absorbing attention 10 per-
-oual considerations. 1t made him an excellent slrate-
N hl. mL.lnLLmmn lhlL hn Ecr LlLnl I'D. own