The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-12-05
GEN. MCCLELLAN.
A Private Soldiers Opinion as to His Merits.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: If one may
judge by the expressions heard in his own regi-
ment, Comrado Capehart's criticisms of Gen.
Mcclellan are certainly in harmony with the
opinion entertained by nine-tenths of the men
who served in the Army of the Potomac, especi-
ally by those who event in early and staid
late, and had opportunities for contrasting tho
methods of Grant and Sheridan with those of
Little Mac"
On joining my regiment, then under Gen.
Pope, in the Summer of 1862 Ia regiment made
up of companies or sguadrons from six differ
Ont States, viz, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New
York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Vermont),
there was a universal opinion among the boys
that Mcclellan was the greatest General on
earth; that compared to him Alexander or
Frederick the Great Napoleon or Wellington
simply paled into insignincance; that he could
organize and handle more men than any other
General the world had ever produced; that
his mastery retreat" on the Peninsula was
magnificent, etc.
But after the disastrous campaign of Gen.
Pope and the comparatively barren results of
the battle of Antietam had become known and
discussed, there was not man in the regiment
Il write from the standpoint of a man in tho
ranks) who had complimentary word to say
of the "Y0ung Napoleon" none to do him
reverence. Indeed, on the retreat after the
Second Manassas fight, when word was passed
down the column that Little Mac" was stand
ing on the bank, giving directions to the troops
which were then crossing little stTeam-Cub
or Bull Run, there was no enthusiasm dis
played; not cheer went out from the hearts
or throats of the men, who n short time before
were so loud in their praise and admiration for
"our old commander"
The officer pointed out may really not have
been Mcclellan, though he favored him in sizo
and appearance, but the boys believed IL was
nll the same, and i imagined they looked upon
IN m Ia nf Mi al
as TO say, well, my little man, if you had
moved mp promptly and given the proper sup
port to Pope, our faces would not now be turned
northward." No ono called or believed him to
be a traitor but they freely expressed the opin-
ion that he was anxious TO have Pope sacrificed,
lest the lattcrs success should detract from the
then waning glory of Mcclellan, and place him
Pope on the high wave of popularity. Aud
when the details OF the Harper's Ferry sur
render became known, and Lee was permitted
TO make such mastery retreat" after An
tictam, there was not man in the regiment
who did not believe that Mcclellan was much
over rated man, or as Congressman Burrows
said later OF Sunset Cox, that Ibis hats didn't
fit him."
An opinion Of Mcclellan entertained by q
prominent rebel General should perhaps not
have much weight but the evidence of such
one as John B. Hood who possessed an abun.
dance of that quality OF which Little Mac"
was so wofully deficient (pluck), may at least DO
admissible.
A few months before his death. Hood was
sojonrning at Tato's Spring. famous Summer
resort in this State, and one day, while in a
reminiscent mood, and surrounded by cotcrie
oil Union aud ox-rebe soldiers and few civil
ians after he had made some explanations of
the campaign, of which the Johnnics say
Hood played hell in Tennessee" one of the
civilians asked him whom be regarded as the
lbtgst titr Ift.fn gfd a
ing mp bis left hand and counting on his
fingers, Gen Hood said. "Thcre's Grant Sher-
man, Sheridan, Thomas and Hancock; they
arc the ablest soldiers; when they catch you
on the hip they will hit you every time.
But such men as Banks Butler and Ere.
mont. they arc only pot hunters why,
Gcnerai, asked one OF the rebel soldiers,
do you not regard Mcclellan as ono of tho
very best on the Federal side9" With
deep frown, Hood exclaimed: Mcclellan
why, lac was the greatest fraud tho war pro-
dnced on either side. II all the Union Gen
erals had been like Mcclellan the Southern
fact"
The writer recalls an occasion when he felt
like induging in some "rapturous applause
at remark made about Mcclellan by n rebel
soldier though the applause would have been
entirely out of place. Late in the Summer of
1863 Gen. Fitzpatrick sent four mon of my
ISsuntHb into the lcbol lines with instructions
10 ascertain aud report tho whereabouts of Lees
headquarters. IL was just prior 10 the time
Aiarse Bob " made the south side OF tho Rapi
dan ms line. and altcrward tried to get on the
right flank of the Army of tho Potomac
Going dismounted. and crossing the Kappa
hancock above United States Ford at night |
during a terrific thunder storm, we crawled out
On tue bank past the rebel picket and after
moving short distance in tie woods drenched
70 the skim halted half an hoar until the storm
was over. few yards further on we came
quite unexpectedly upon the picket reserve, Of
dozen OF more men. hudded around Il few
smoldering embers. Listening intently we
heard them talking about the war about Jack.
sons death, and Of the fighting qualities Of
Hooker, whom they regarded as a far inferior
man 10 Mcclellan. Nearly every one OF them
had good word for Little Mac. such AS, Ha /
is a gentleman" He is the only decent Gen.
eral the Yankees have" etc. Then one OF the |
rebs, evidently an lrishman, stood up, stretched
himself yawned. and said, Well, gintIemlu. If |
yees all have such good opinion OF McClelleD, |
he must bea moighty bad GineTal for the Yam. |
KEGS III. C. WHITAKER, 20. NJ, I'd N. Y. |
Cav, New Market, Tenn.