Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1885-11-12
THE HERO OF ANTIETAM.
GENERAL GEORGE BRINTON Nc
CLELLAN.

CLELLAN.
A Short Biographical Sketch of the
Military and Civic Career Of the Dead
Soldier,
For The Sentinel.
George Brinton Mcclellan was born
in Philadelphia December 3, 1926,
and entered West. Point in 1912,
graduating second in his class in 1846,
He served with distinction in the
Mexican war, and was successfully
breveted as first lieutenant and cap
tain. In 1852 he was assistant en-
gineer in the construction of Fort
Delaware in 1852-3chief engineer in
the Department of Texas, having in
charge the surveys of the coasts of
that State in 1853 4 engineer for the
exploration and survey of the western
division of the proposed Pacific rail-
road and in 1854 5 he was on special
service in collecting railroad statistics
for the War Department. In 1855,
having been made captain of artillery,
he was member of the military COM
mission to visit the seat of war in the
| Crimea. He resigned his commission
in 1857 to take the post of chief en-
| gineer of the Illinois Central railroad,
of which he was chosen vice-president
in 1858, and in 1850 he became pres
ident of the St. Louis and Cincinnati
railroad.
At the opening the civil war he was
commissioned as major-general of Ohio
volunteers, and was placed in COM
mand of the Department of Ohio, com
prising the States of Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois and the western portions of
Pennsylvania and Virginia. He was
made major-general in the regular
army May II, 1861, and commanded
in several engagements in Western
Virginia which resulted in clearing
that region of the Cnfederate forces
to the United States Congress, which
thanked him by resolution. On July
22Sthe day after the Federal defeat
at Bull Run, he was summoned to
Washington, and was placed in COM
mand of the Division of the Potomac,
and shortly after of the Army of the
Potomac. Upon the retirement of Gen.
Scott (November u he was appointed
General-in-C Chief of the Armies of the
| United States. He took the field in
March, 1862, and having in the mean
time been relieved of all the forces
except the Army of the Potomac, he
set out for the Peninsula of Virginia,
and laid siege to Yorktown, which was
abandoned by the Confederates soon
after. The Confederates, under Gen.
j. E. Johnston, made stand at Will
liamsburg (May 5) long enough to en-
able their train to get off and fell
back towards Richmond.
Mcclellan, moving slowly, reached
the Chickahominy about May 20 and
opened the campaign against Rich
mond, which was brought to a virtual
close by the battle of Malvern Hill
(July u, after which he fell back to
Harrison's landing, where he entrench-
ed himself. Gen. HalIeck having in
the meanwhile been made general-in-
chief, ordered Mcclellan august "a
to return with his whole army to
Fortress Monroe and Yorktown Gen.
Lee almost simultaneously moved from
Richmond to threaten Gen. Pope,
who had been placed in command Of
the Union forces in Northern Virgin.
ia. The result was the defeat of Pope
at Bull Run, August 29-3O. Pope, al
J his own request, was relieved from the
command of the forces at and about
J Washington, which was conferred
upon Mcclellan.
The Confederates then undertook
the invasion of Maryland, which was
brought to close by the battle O.
. Antietam September 1917. They
then crossed the Potomac and fell leis
} urely back toward the Rapidan
, Great dissatisfaction was felt at the
slowness with which Mcclellan fol
lowed them, and on November 7, wher
, he appeared to be making prepara
: tions for an attack in force, he was su
, perseded in command by Gen. Burn
side. Mcclellan was directed to pro
ceed to Trenton, N. j., there to avail
, further orders, and took no furthe
: part in the war.
The Democratic National Conven
ton held at Chicago, August 81, 1856
nominated him for the presidency
He received only the 81 electora
, votes of the States of Delaware, Ken
lucky and. New Jersey, the remaining
212 electoral votes admitted being cas-
for Abraham Lincoln. OF the popu
lar vote, 2,223,035 Ga little more thai
55 percent) were cast for Lincoln, ant
1,811,754 e. little less than AS per
cent? for Mcclellan. The latter re
! signed his commission in the Arm,
: on the day of the election, Novembe
8, 1854, took up his residence in Nes
4 York and afterward went to Europe
In 1868 he returned from Europe ant
/, took up his residence near Orange, n
j., and engaged in practice as an en-
gineer. By the will of Mr.. Edwin A
Stevens he was placed in charge Q
the iStevens floating battery, whicl
had for number of years been i
= course of construction at Hoboker
7 He was also made superintendent c
2 the construction of the railway bridg
!, over the Hudson river near Pougl
! keepsie, N. Y, and superintendent {
: docks and piers in the city of Ne
q York, but resigned the latter Office |
y 1872. After that time he was nom
; mated by the Democrats and electe
q Governor of New Jersey.
+ IL AIatrimony Political Drag
% From tie Atlanta Constitution.