The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-07-03
GENERAL MCCLELLAN.

The Atlantic Monthly for July contains an
article upon General Mcclellan by Eben
Greenough Scott whoever he may be. written
with all that complscency flowing ont of su-
perior knowledge which belongs to those
whose good fortune it may be TO dwell il the
Athens of America.
The writer's thorough satisfaction with
what he himself knows was provoking enough,
but would probably not have been sufficient
in itself 20 draw from US this notice Of his
ticle. Sundry sneers at Generals Lee and
jackson, however, cast the balance in his
favor and determined as to give him the bene-
fit OF few remarks.
Mr. Scott is manifestly q Mcclellan devotee
whose admiration for his hero becomes all tho
more clear by reason Of the thin veil which
he draws over his feelings for him. for after
crediting him with about all that a soldier
would care to have said of himself, he puts
down to his discredit that lit was as politi-
clan and tactician that he exhibited weak
ness, tactician not being used in the sense Of
one being master of military tactics, but Of
one being deficient in that sort Of tact which
belongs 10 the politician.
Our writer's chief praise for his hero is in
admiration for his qualities as an organizer.
He says: In bis purely military character he
stands among the greatest organizers of armies
known to military history" and he dwells
long and willingly upon his alleged work in
organizing the Federal army of invasion with
which he marched up the Peninsula to at
tack Richmond.
We shall not gainsay Mr. SCOTS estimate
of General MacCellan's talents for organiza-
ton. All we have to say is that history has
furnished no evidence whatever upon which
an estimate OF his talents in that line can be
formed; for what he did was with such an
overwhelming superabundance Of resources
that it would be 10 argue him little better
manded fine army.
Mcclellan was called 10 the command Sin
chief of the Federal forces IN July, 1861, and
retained this command until March, 1862,
when his powers were shorn to the command
of the Army of the Potomac. From that
time to the ending of the seven days disas-
trous battles before Richmond, in which he
came very near being forced to surrender a
large army at discretion TO much smaller
force, he had every resource of the United
States Government to draw on as he chose,
and if he had not marched up the Peninsula
with TN army thoroughly equipped and pre-
pared, all we could say of him would be that
he was absolute incapable.
If Nh. Scott thinks that with McClellan's
resources he was an organizer to produce the
army which he commanded. what should he
think Of those Confederate leaders who pro-
duced from their resources the army that con-
fronted and utterly overthrow his? 1t took
true energy and talent TO arm $4,000 men
from country which hardly.possessed mus
ket or cannon-a country destitute of ma
chine shops or artissns--a country cut of
from access to any part of the civilized world
through the blockade OF its ports. and we
have but little patience with writer who can
overlook such feat as this 10 waste his
panegyrics upon one who can organize an army
with every element OF organization cast at
him from an OVERLOOKING hand.
The absurdities Of Mr. Scotts article NAV
be judged Of by the following passage. He
says
1T was his: good fortune to gain the love
and admiration of his armies to an extent
never attained by any other general whom the
Americans have produced save one, and he
does not mean Lee or Jackson as that one.
Or from the following:
1t was his misfortune 10 incur the dstrust
and opposition Of his Government to degree
experienced by no other commander
In this DIR. Scott shows that he has drawn
his estimate of Mcclellan from McClelan's
book. We can candidly say we had no idea
how small man Mcclellan was until we read
that book. tits simplya series of complaints,
from It's first page 10 its Last, of the way in
which he was gainsaid and thwarted by those
aoove MN, whose only object in life was to