Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1886-04-03
GENERAL MCCLELLAN
WRITTEN FOR THE TRIBUNE.

Shortly after the first Bull Run dis
aster, General Mcclellan was recall
ed from Western Virginia, where he
had gained considerable success, to
take command of the army of the Po-
tomac. The veteran General Scott
WAS anxious to retire; old age, infirm-
tiles with the many duties attending
the command of large army render
ed it imperative to place the burden
on younger shoulders, and Mcclellan,
he considered the most suitable and
best qualified to succeed him.
General Mcclellan assumed the
command, established camps of in
struction, giving much attention to
drill and discipline and much care in
selecting officers for important COM
mands. During the process OF organ
ization of the army of the Potomac,
there was continued flow of visitors
to the camps and headquarters As
a matter of course, everybody had
something to say, and in many in
stances entirely too much. The pub
lie press tesmed with the preparations
going on, and a large portion endors-
cd Mcclellan with the merits and
characteristics of the first Napoleon,
before u single blow had been struck
by his army, Others were earnest in
naming Mcclellan as our next Presi
dent. What effect or influence such
matters may have had on subsequent
events, must be left to the inference
of the readers of The TRIBUNE.
General Mcclellan was pronounc-
ed Democrat and 50 was the bulk Of
his army. No man in 61-2 occupied
SO much of the public mind as Nc
Clellan. There was Mcclellan and
anti Mcclellan party, in the press,
among the people, IN congress and In
the army.
In the prospective campaign against
Richmond there eofa TWO command
ers, the pla-:l1ut aud General nc
C,aI:an. The letter of the former TO
the General conaaa.Iju2 9n the field,
In how 5.i.sch IL Eolf plan better
than luine' needs ne e3mment, he
Presidents plan was by way OF Man
assas, a ground that became fertilized
from the bones of Union soldiers.
General Mcclellan considered the
James river, Or by way Of Urbana on
the lower Potomac the best. The
movement by way Of the James river
presented many advantages. 1t
brought the army and everything
thereto belonging within II miles OF
Richmond. It saved to the army a
large fsrce that would be required in
guarding q long line of communica-
tions, supply trains and dspots, from
Manassas to Richmond. The rank
ing Generals fully concurring in Gen
eral McClellan's pIan-the wator
route was finally adopted, and the
army of the Potomac embarked for
Fortress Monroe. A fatal; error and
cause Of much controversy was caus-
ed by the retention Of McDowelps
corps at Washington. This force was
included in McClellan's plan of cam
paign and its withdrawal after hehad
started for Fortress Monroe without
his knowledge or consent was stag
gering blow to him. At Yorktown
Mcclellan had 5000 men. The Pres
ident insisted he had 100000. It is
not difficult to see the mistake of tbs
President. The number stated by
him was on the rolls. How many OF
those were on leave in hospital, on
other duties apart oniactive service
on the field, was not considered by
the President, who wrote to McClel.
Ian as follows on the 9th day of April
1862.
"Your dispatches complaining that
you are net properly sustained, while
they do not offend me, do pain me
very much. In conclusion, let me tell
you it is indispensable to you that
you strike a blow. / am powerless tc
help this; you will do me the justice
to remember that I always insisted
that going down the bay in search Of
field, instead of fighting at or near
Manassas, was only shifting and not
surmounting the difficulty; that we
would find the same enemy and the
same entrenchments at either place
The country will not fail to note Il.
now noting) that the present hesita-
ton to move upen the intrenched en-
envy, is but the story of Manassas re-
peated. I beg to assure you that
have never written you or spoken to
you in greater kindness than now, nor
with a fuller purpose Of sustaining
you SO far as in my most anxious
judgement I consistently can"
That certainly is 4 most remarkable
communication; it shows a lack Of
confidence II not instinct IN General
II 1