Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1886-12-17
McClellan's Book,
He Lays Heavy Burden on the Shoulders
Of Secretary Stanton.


the same race who had so long lived under
the ample folds of the same flag; more des.
perate battles were never fought than those
now about to occur. The military virtues
Of patriotism, patience, endurance, self-ab.
negation and herosm about to receive their
most striking illustrations"
Considerable space is taken up by Gen.
Mcclellan in detailing his entrance into the
struggle from civil life, his campaign in
Western Virginia, and his abors in organ.
izing the Army of Northern Virginia. He
pays warm tributes 10 the gallantry and
capacity of Gems. Hancock, Sedgwick, Rey.
nolds, Meade, Fitz-John Porter and Others
The following extracts in regard TO McClel.
lan's troubles with party leaders and his
arraignment of Secretary Stanton will be
read with interest:
81 have already stated in a general way
what occurred between myself and some of
the Radical leaders shortly after | reached
Washington. They then saw clearly that it
would not be possible TO make a party tool
of me, and soon concluded that 1t was their
policy to ruin me If possible. The
real object OF the Radical leaders was not
the restoration of the Union, but permanent
ascendancy of their party, and to this they
were ready to sacrifice the Union, ii neces-
posing me 10 be politically ambitious, and In
thinking that looked forward to military
success as a means of reaching the pres-
dental chair. At the same time they knew
that if | achieved marked success my in
fluence would necessarily be very great
throughout the country--an influence which
l should certainly have used for the good of
the whole country, and not for that Of any
party at the nations expense. They there
fore determined 10 ruin me in any event
and by any means first by endeavoring to
force me into premature movements, know
ing that failure would probably end my
military career; afterwards by Withholding
the means necessary to achieve success
That they were not honest is proved by the
fact that having failed to force me to ad.
vance at a time when an advance would
have been madness, they withheld the means
OF success when l was in contact with the
enemy, and finally relieved me from COM
mand when the game was in my hands.
Taking both East and West, and counting
the losses also by disease, do not doubt
that more than 100000 Of men were sacri-
feed unnecessarily for the sake of insuring
the success Of q political party.
81 do not base my assertions as To the mo-
tives of the Radical leaders upon mere sur.
come TO my knowledge during the war and
since. For instance, Major Charles Davies,
once professor Of mathematics at West Point,
told me, aud at q different time told General
Joseph f. johnson, the following story I;
During the very early part Of the Peninsu-
lar campaign he was one OF commission
sent from New York 10 urge more vigorous
action in supporting me. They called upon
the President, and found Mr. Stanton with
him. In reply to their statements Of the
purpose of their visit Mr.. Stanton stated
that the great end and aim OF the war
was to abolish slavery. TO end the war be.
fore the nation was ready for that would be
failure. The war must be prolonged and
conducted so as to achieve that; that the
people of the North were not yet ready to
accept the view, and that it would not an
swer TO permit me to succeed until the PEG
pie had been worked up to the proper pitch
on the question; that the war would not be
finished till that result was reached, and
that therefore II was not their policy TO
strengthen General Mcclellan so as to in.
sure his success.
"From the light that has since been thrown
on Stanton's character, am satisfied that
from an early date he was i'll the reasonable
conspiracy, and that his course in ingratiat.
my friend before he was in office, was only
a part of his long system of treachery. had
never seen Mr.. Stanton, and probably had
not even heard of him before reaching
Washington 1861. Not many weeks after
arriving was introduced 10 him AS Il safe
adviser on legal points. From that moment
he did his best to ingratiate himself with
me, and protested the warmest friendship
and devotion. | had no reason 10 suspect
his sincerity, and therefore believed him to
be what he pruiessed. The most disagree
able thing about him was the extreme viru.
lence with which he abused the President,
the Administration and the Republican
party. He carried this 10 such an extent
that was often shocked by il. He never
spoke of the Presiden, in any way than as
the Original Gorilla and often said that
Du Chaillu was fool TO wander all the way
TO Africa in search of what he could so easily
have found at Springfield, Ill. Nothing could
be more bitter than his words and manner
always were when speaking on the admins
tration and the Republican party. He never
gave them credit ior honesty or patriotism,
and very seldom for any ability.
AT some time during the autumn of 1861
Secretary Cameron made quite an abolition
speech to some of the newly arrived regi
ments. Next day Stanton urged me to ar
rest him for melting to INSTRUMENTATION He
often advocated the propriety of my Selling
the government and taking the affairs into
my own hands
"As he always expressed himself In favor
of putting down the rebellion at any cost,
always regarded these extreme views AS the
ebullitions Of an intense and patriotic I'M
ture, and sometimes wasted more or less
time in endeavoring to bring him to more
moderate views, never dreaming that all the
while this man was in close communication
with the very men whom he SO violently
abused, His purpose was to endeavor IN
climb upon my shoulders and then throw
me down."
Mr. Stantons action at the time OF his ap
pointment is thus described. before had
finished my toilet Mr.. Stanton's card came
up, and as soon as possible went down 10
see him. He told me that he had been ap
pointed Secretary of War and that his name
had been sent TO the Senate tor confirmation
and that he had called 10 confer with me AS
to his acceptance. He said that acceptance
would involve very great personal sacrifices
on his part, Ii l wished him to accept he
would do so, but only on my account; that
he had come To know my wishes and deter
mine accordingly. told him that hoped
he would accept the position. Before he was
in office he constantly ran after me and pro
tessed the most ardent friendship; as soon
as he became Secretary of War his whole
manner changed, and | could no longer find
the opportunity to transact even the ordi
nary current business of the office with him
1t is now very clear 10 Inc that far from be
ing, as he had always represented himself to
me, in direct and violent opposition to the
Radicals, he was really in secret alliance with
them, and that he and they were alike un,
willing that should be successful. No other
theory can possibly account for his or their
course, and on that theory everything be.
comes clear and easily explained"
After the seven days fight Mcclellan
wrote to Stanton: ain addition to what
have already said, only wish " say TO the
President that think he is wrong in re.
garding me as ungenerous when said that
force was too weak. merely intimated a
truth which to-day has been plainly proved
II, at this instant, could dispose of ten
thousand 100000 fresh men Icoud gain the
victory to morrow, know that a few thou.
sand more men would have changed this
battle from defeat TO victory. As il is the
government must not aud cannot hold me