The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-07-07
Grace Church, Canton, Miss.
Mcolellan's Departure for Antietam.

General McClellan's last magazine
article appears in the May Century, un-
der the title of From the Peninsula to
Antietam." From it we quote the fol-
lowing: "A few days after this, and be-
fore l went to the front, Secretary Seward
came to my quarters one evening and
asked my opinion of the condition of
affairs at Harper's Ferry, remarking
that he was not at ease on the subject
Harpers Ferry was not ut that time in
any sense under my control. but / told
Mr.. Seward that | regarded the arrange
ments there as exceedingly dangerous;
that in my opinion the proper course
was to abandon the position and unite
the garrison (ten thousand men about)
to the man army of operations, for the
reason that its presence at Harper's
Ferry would not hinder the enemy from
crossing the Potomac; that if we were
unsuccessful in the approaching battle.
Harper's Ferry would be of no use to us
and its garrison necessarily lost; that if
we were successful we would Immediate
ly recover the post without any difficulty,
while the addition of ten thousand men
to the active army would be an import
ant factor in insuring success. l added
that if it were determined to hold the
position the existing arrangements were
all wrong. as it would be easy for the
enemy to surround and capture the gar
risou, and that the garrison ought, at
least. to be Withdrawn to the Maryland
Heights where they could resist attack
until relieved.
The secretary was much impressed
by what said, and asked me to accom-
pany him to General Halleck, and re-
peat my statement to him. acquiesced
and we went together to General Hal
leck's quarters, where we found that he
had retired for the night. But he re-
ceived us in his bedroom.
..Halleck received my statement with
ill-concealed contempt-sald that every
thing was all right as it was; that my
views were entirely erroneous, ETC., and
soon bowed us out, leaving matters at
Harper's Ferry precisely as they were.
'.On the 7th of September, in addition
to the three corps already mentioned
| (the Second. Ninth and Twelfth). the
| First and Sixth corps. Sykes division of
the Fifth corps, and COUGHS division of
| the Fourth corps, were also on the Mary
| land side of the river; the First and
| Ninth corps at Leesboro; the Second
/
| Sixth corps at Rockville; COUGHS divi-
| sion at Offut's Cross Roads; Sykes divi-
sion at Tenallytown.
s'As the time had now arrived for the
| army to advance, and had received no
| orders to take command of it, but had
been expressly told that the assignment
of commander had not been decided,
| determined to solve the question for
| myself. and when | moved out from
Washington with my staff and personal
escort l left my card. with f. p G. writ
| ten upon it. at the White House, War
Office and Secretary Seward's house. and
went on my way.
II was afterwards accused of assum-
| ing command without authority, fol
! nefarlous purposes, and in fact, fought
the battles of South Mountain and An
tietam with halter around my neck,
for if the Army of the Potomac had been
defeated and had survived would, nc
doubt. have been tried for assuming au-
thority without orders and, in the state
of feeling which so unjustly condemned
the innocent and most meritorious Gen
eral F. j. Porter. would probably have
been condemned to death. | was fully
aware of the risk ran, but the path o
duty was clear and tried to follow it
1t was absolutely necessary that Lees
army should be met. and in the state o
affairs | have briefly described, thers
could be no hesitation on my part as tc
doing 1t promptly. Very few in the
Army of the Potomac doubted the favor
able result of the next collision with the
Confederate army. but in other quarter
not little doubt prevailed, and the de
sire for very rapid movement so loudly
expressed after the result was gained
J did not make itself heard during tn,
movements preceding the battles; quit,
the contrary was the case. as was NOR,
} than once cautioned that was moving
} too rashly and exposing the capital t
J an attack from the Virginia side
Randolph Tucker. who is regarded a
one of the soundest lawyers in tn,
house. saws the Washington Post. is on,
: of the most playful in it. If you watc
{ him for five minutes as he saunier
around on the floor you viii observ
! that in that time he will have his arr
around the waist of some republican
C member. he will have adjusted the col
!. lar and tie of some particularly well
4 dressed gentleman, and caressed th
s mustache of some conceited one. If
J. remarkably large or remarkable perso
r comes in his way he viii meet him in
J. mock pugilistic encounter, and he
I sure to have tickled some fat man nj
e der the short rib. In that time he hs
d been solving some knotty legal conul
i drum and he has been smiling all th
i times