The National tribune., 1890-09-04
MCCLELLAN VS.. LINCOLN.
A Comrade's Opinion Of the "Little Napoleon


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: have taken
great interest in the controversy started by the
former TO explain his want of success as a Gem
eral during the late war, and have come to the
conclusion that man who Is always making ex-
cuses for failure is not good for anything else
There Is one article that has recently appeared
IN your paper which echoes my sentiments
upon the subject, in which tho Irishman de-
clared TO the rebel soldiers who were extolling
his qualities as a General, that if they had
such 4 good opinion of him, "he must be a very
bad General for the Yankees"
] was afflicted with the disease known MS the
Young Napoleon aud up TO the time when
was taken to Libby Prison / was a great ad-
mIrer OF him; but my confidence in him was
greatly shaken by the following little incident
that happened while confined there Some
time IN February, 1864. rebel officer-Maj
hosscr by name-yisited the prison, for what
purpose l do not know but after hearing that
he was connected with Confederate headquar-
tiers In Richmond, have since concluded that
his purpose was TO take advantage of the dis.
content prevailing among our officers on the
subject OF exchange OF prisoners, and try 10
manufacture sentiment in favor OF Mcclellan
at the expense Of Lincoln.
He became involved in an open discussion
with some Of our officers which attracted
our attention and caused us to form circle
around him. j stood on tho outside of the
crowd listening fof some time, when heard
him say, III Mcclellan is elected we will have
peace" As none of our officers made any re-
ply, asked this question, Major, what do you
mean By peace 2" when he said, emphatically.
We will have peace" / followed with
another: Do you mean TO say the Confed-
eracy will be recognized 2" This he declined
10 answer; when / said, 4" On the principle that
silence gives assent, infer that is the kind of
ma -. u.
and remarked, A" If that is the kind Of peace
you mean, that the Confederacy will be recog-
nized, then all have 70 say is that you have
made Lincoln man out Of me- Before heard
you talk was Mcclellan man." He then
said, do you want the war TO 20 On?" re-
piled. " Yes, until every man recognizes the
supremacy Of the old flag"
lie then began, in a patr0nizing way, TO say.
You surely do not want the war TO 90 on.
You are a fne-iooking young man" TO save
himself from being personal on the line Of
beauty, be continued, You are ali fine lot
Of men, aud we arc sorry 70 have TO kill you:
but you viii come down here, and we will have
20 do H." and more in the same extrayapant
style, when ! again interrupted him with this
question, Major have you not found out be.
fore this time that two can play at the game of
killing! II you have not, then you had better
20 up 10 the front, where YOU will soon learn
ject," 70 which ] agreed, rcmarking that if
lived 20 get out Of prison ! should vote for Lin
coin. Some Of my friends advised me against
such open expressions of sentiment saying,
The officers Of the prison will not let you 20
II they know that you are going 10 support
Lincoln"
When the time came for lot Of MARYLAND
Officers, whose term had expired, 20 20 home by
special exchange, sure enough my name, which
had been sent down with others on the list 10 90
home, was scratched off by the prison officials,
which discovered by looking over the shout
der OF the clerk-that renegade little Yankee
Ross, who by the way, ought 10 apply for a pen
zion, az his reward for deserving 70 the enemy 10
avoid starvation, which his comrades submitted
70 rather than yield their honor.
From that day looked with suspicion upon
Mcclellan, which was confirmed when VIC lay
in front Of Petersburg and heard the rebels
cheer Tor Mcclellan. then told my men what
heard Ia prison, and expressed nv opinion
that any man who voted for Mcclellan ,yas
giving aid and comfort 10 the enemy; that If
Lincoln was elected the rebels would give mn
the light, as they would not stand another four
years war.
Alter reading the history Of Lincoln In the
- Century" j was prepared TO believe the state
ment that the authorities at Richmond dictated
the nomination Of Mcclellan on the "peace and
war failure platform, judging by the remarks
Of Ma. Rosser, whom conclude was only echo
ing the sentiments entertained around Con.
Iederate headquarters as carly as February,
1864 -
AS TO the remark attributed TO Gen. Lee
about has fearing Mcclellan, ] do not believe
that he ever entertained such sentiments, much
less expressed himself that way for OF all the
Generals on our side now that the scales have
fallen from my eyes i think he was the great
est failure Of the war, not excepting Halleck.
for the advance upon Richmond by way Of the
Peninsula, beginning with the siege of York
town. was greater military fascO than that of
the latter IN his advance upon C0rinth, which
70 say the least. did not end in an ignominions
retreat conducted under the hgh-sounding
phrase 0f change Of base" Surely "a rose
under any-other name would smell as SWEET
JOSEPH +. CARTER, ID Nd. Dorseys, Md.