The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-11-07
aEokGk B. Mn1LELLAn man

= New jersey, early Thursday morning,
= 10Th hlt.> He was in the 50th year OF his
age. General Mcclellan had been
under the care et a physician for about
twO,weeks, but his death was quite uh:
expected !.
Without knowledge that General Nc
Clellsn had been Ill the country was
startled by the announcement of his
death. Indeed, so little was there OF
=, forewarihng of such h calamity that
= invitations we're ont for a reception
Friday evening at bis residence, at
Orange Mountain, New Jersey. But
the light of that house had gone out the
night before, and the sorrow there has
Its reflex everywhere throughout the
country, for General Mcclellan, barring
the remnant nt.seme petty partisnnshfr,
was profoundly esteemed In every part
part ofiti and among the soldiers of the
Army OF the Potomac lie was held not
only in the highest regard, but was the
object OF their warmest' affection Cf
- AL the. .eommanding -5eaerals.he was the
most popular with his. soldiers, their
. : love never being In the least chilled BY
the political dtsfavor of which he was
the subject.
Concerning his abilities and merits as
a general commanding great military
operations, says the Philadelphia Ledger,
there has been hot contention, and there
is likely 10 DO wide divergence of opinion
! for at least a generation to come-Dossi-
bly, for all time. Some things, however,
arc sure. After carrying on brilliantly
successful campaign in West Virginia
in 1851, and after the army that had
been called to the defence of Washing
ton and for. the assault upon the Con-
federates in Virginia had been defeated
and totally disorganized under Nc
Dowell, and he being called to consti.
tute new arinY-he organized the
Army OF the Potomac. He almost
created that splendid army and this
surely proved great military capacity of
one type. Then under embarrass.nents
discouragements, disadvantages and
hindrAnCas of every kind, he fought that
army through the seven days battles OF
the memorable Peninsular campaign,
beginning with Gaines Mil and closing
with Malvern Hill, During that period,
on aline Of campaign not laid out by
him, but forced upon him, with the
Arnkydividel, scattered AMI weakened
by orders from Washington, fettered
- anf manac3et as TO his most important
movementsnth handling Of the army
throughout that eventful period was the
Banding OF master. And when he
goLthe> army to the position on the
James river, which should have been
Its base front the first, and would have
hpaN apNpr linn ~ HE ,Nia la 4
3prived OF command, deposed and humili-
ated. When the critics, the historians,
the dispassionatc judges of the future
c0ma to make up their verdict As TO the
events ct those days, they will see that
General Mcclellan was expected TO do
in the three months Of his Peninsular
campaign, with iSdividci forces hamp-
cred, hinierea. thwartod, as he was
what II took his iiluStrious sIcCcsscr,
General Grant, ftcCLra mCnthto accom-
nlish with unlimited command of all the
armies operating in Virginia and all the
resources Of the country al his call. This
statement does not diminish the i'm
mortal credit due taGeueral Grant, and
il DOES no moro than strict Justice TO
tienoSal Mcclellan. The direction OF
the army at that time exhibited military
capacity Of a high order under serious
disabilities.
Aatiotam comes next. with its pre-
liminary combat of South Mountain.
Here General Mcclellan was calle upon
to take command of the Army of the
Potomac, defeated, dispirited. disorgan-
lied under Pope in the second Bull Run
campaign. He had to meet the victori- |
Gus and confident Confedorltes, drive |
them back,ani relieve Washngio on from |
one OF its periodical panics. The news |
that Mcclellan was again in command |
acted like charm on the spirits of the |
rank and til0 Antictam was fought and |
Eatlaplly won. Who that remembers !
that time can iail to recall the profound |
sense Of relief telt by the people, and |
the equally profound feeling of gratitude |
20 General Mcclellan for his rescue of |
the country from an impending catas-
tro9he? There was no question of his |
generalShtp on that day This came |
later from the bureau generals in Wash |
lng'on AMI from the political warriors |
who, unhappily, infested the National |
Capital in those days. 1t will be for the |
future 10 awarl historic justice to that |
c inpaign also.
Having considered GoneralMcClellan'sl |
military abilities rs an organizer of !
armies, AMI as their leader and immedi- |
a'e commander i'm harl-tought battles |
In the fell il remains TO consider him |
as the planner of campaigns for the |
conduct OF great war, whose field of |
operations covered half continent. III
was in this tieli that Mcclellan, in our
Judgment, displaYe his highest military
ability. In. few Of those who regard /
with strong lnira'!On the great COM
hinntion' AMI movements in the West,
South aal Southwest, which repeatedly /
cut the CoafeGency into fragments and |
hnaIly straaC'ci ihe rebellion, are aware
that these were fo"cshadowd in General
McClellaa's report. But such is the
fact. On the Ith Of August. 1853. be
made his report OF tha c2nnai-n i'm
which he hH been engaged, anil OF his
administration while Gencral-in-Chief.
Two editions of these reports were pub
shed IN 1851, one by the Government,
the other by Sheldon d Co., New York.
No oae, We may say,cau be a competent
critic Uf Mcclellan part IN the war or
IN ige OF his services without full ac-
quaintance with the volumes referred
TO, an no dispassiOnate stT lent Of them
ami OF cOntemporlpeous history will
feel IKE denying that vast deal Of
ere tit due TO Mcclellan has been with
kelt.
In his letters to the President and the
Secretary OF War,an in his instructions
to the generals in command OF the !
several distant armies, he showed that /
from the very outset 'he hal masterlv /
ant siatesmln-like comprehension OF |
the military and political situation of |
the country" As was written by the |
editor OF the Ledger at the time in a |
re lew OF the report published In the |
Upitcd States ScYrice 3fQgGsine for |
May. 1854; General Mcclellan "seems |
TO have Sraspci the subject IN its great !
est magnitude, ami TO have thought out 1
10 their logical conclusions all its most |
important details. His instructions TO /
Burnside, relating to the Roanoke and |
Ne"usfp expedition, and TO T.. W. |
Sherman directing the reduction OF /
Fort Pulgssisli OF which were executed |
20 the letter, are marvellous Instances !
of military. provision The dirartiops /