The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-09-05
"Ihc Century Var Book. "

Part V. OF THE Century War Book, "
now ready, has, among other articles, one
upon what was known as The Peninsula
Campaign" written by Major General
George -. Mcclellan. who was then in
command Of the Union army
The following interesting description OF
thhe feeling entertained for General Nc
Clellan by his soldiers WAS written by
George kimball, who was member OF
the command:
Though a quarter OF n century has
passed since those darkest days OF the
war, l still retain a vivid remembrance
of the sudden and complete change which
came upon the face Of affairs when Cen
eral Mcclellan was restored 10 command.
At the time | was serving in Company a.
Twelfth Massachusetts Volunteers, at
tached to Ricketts, division of the First
Army Corps. The announcement of Nc
Clelians restoration came to Us IN the
1862, just after reaching Halls Hi. weary
from long marching ana Wei nigh dis
heartened by recent relerses. The men
were scattered about In groups. discuss
ing the events OF their iIl-starred cam
paign, and induging in comments that
were decidedly uuc0mplmeutary % those
who had been responsible FOR its misman-
agement We dit not know, Of course,
the exact significance OF all that had
happened as We afterward learned 70, but
being mainly thinking men, we were able
TO form pretty shrewd guesses as TO
where the real difficulty lay. Suddenly,
while these mournful consultations were
In full blast, u mounted officer, dasning
past our bivOuac refined up long enough
10 shout: Little Mac" is back here on
the road, boys The scene that followed
can be more easily imagined than de-
scribed From extreme sadness we passed
in a tyinkling to a deirium of delight.
A seliverer had come. \ real rainbow
of promise had appeared suddenly In the
dark political sky. The feeling in our
division upon the return of General Nc
lellan had its counterpart IN all the
others, for the Army OF the Potomac
loved him as 1t never loved any other
leader. In few days we started upon
that long march into Maryland. and
whenever General Mcclellan appeared
among his troops, from the crossing Of
the Potomac at Washington TO the Crap
pie with Lee at Anuetlm, IT was the
signal for the most spontaneous and en-
thusastic cheering | ever listened TO or
in. Men threw their caps
nigh into the air and danced and frolickei
ike schOOlbOys. so glad We're they TO get
their old commander back again. IL Is
true that Mcclellan had always been for
tunate in being able 10 excite enthusiasm
among his troops, but demonstrations at |
lble emphasis from the fact that he had /
been recalled TO command after what the /
army believed 10 be an unWise and uu-
ust suspension. The climax seemed 10 /
% reached, however, at MiddletOWn
where we first caught sight of the enemy
tere. upon our arrival We found General /
Mcclellan sitting upon his horse in the +
Dad. The enemy occupied gap in the
;Outh mountain, a mile Or TWO beyond
Reno and Hatch were lighting, and the
mOke OF their guns could be seen hair
way up the mountain AS each organi-
alton passed the General, the men be-
anne apparently torgettuI OF everything
mt their love for him. They Cheered and |
heered again. until they became 80
oarse they could cheer no LONGER. In
eemed as if an intermission had been