The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-26

Part Y. Of "The Century War Book, -
now ready, has. among other articles, one
upon what Was known As THE Fenlnsula
Campaign" written by Major General
George Is. Mcclellan, who was then IN
command Of the Union army.
The following interesting description or
thhe feeling entertained for General NC
Cieiian by his soldiers was written ~
George Kimhall, who was member oI
the command.
Though a quarter Of a century has
passed since those darkest days Of the
war / still retain a vivid remembrance
Of the sudden and complete change which
came upon the face 0f affairs when cen
eral Mcclellan was restored 10 command.
Al the time ! was serving IN company A.
Twelfth Massachusetts Volunteers, att
tached TO Ricketts, division ~ the First
Army Corps The announcement ~ Nc
Clellan's restoration came 10 us ln the
early evening Of the q OF September
ls62 Just after reaching Hail ltAi, weary
from lons marching ana well nish as
heartened 10y recent revcrses. Ihe men
were scattered about IN groups. discuss
ing the events OF their ill-stairtd cdm-
paign, and INDUCING ~ comments mat
were decidedly uucomplimeutary o. those
who had been responsible for ITS mlsndn-
agement We dd not know, OF course,
the exact significance OF All mat Aad
happened as We aftcrWard learned IT, but
being mainly thinking men, wc We're able
10 form pretty shrcWd EursSeS as 10
where the real difficulty lay. suddenly
while these mOurntul consultations were
In fun blast a mounted officer, dashihs
past our blVouac, refined up long enough
10 shout: Little Mac Is back mere on
the road, boys" The scene mat followed
can be more easily imagined tnau dr-
scribed. From eXtrem4 sadness we passed
In a tyinkling 20 Il deiirlum OF delight.
4 deliNerer 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 rs Ii never loved any other
leader. In a few days We started upon
that long march into Maiyland' ana
whenever General Mcclellan appeared
among his troops. from the crossing OK
the Potomac at Washington 10 the Crap
pie with Lee at Antletam, II was the
signal for the most spontaneous ana en-
thuSiaStic cheering | ever listened 10 or
participated in Men threw their caps
high into the air and danced and frolcked
like schoOlboys, SO glad were they 10 get
their old commander back again. IL IS
true that Mcclellan had always been FOR
tunatc in being able 10 excite enthusiasm
among his troops, but demonstrations al
this time took on an added and notice
able emphasis from the fact that he had
been recalled 10 command after what the
army believed 10 DE an unWise and I'M
lust suspension. The climax seemed 10
be reached, however, at Mlddletown,
where we first caught sight OF the enemy.
Here. upon our arrival, We found General
Mcclellan SittlHk upon EiS morse IN the
road. The enemy occupied a gap in the
South mountain, a mile or TWO beyond.
Reno and Hatch were fighting, and the
smoke Of their guns could be seen half
way up the mountain AS each Organl-
zation passed the General, the men be-
came apparently forgetful Of everything
but their love Tor him. They cheered and
cheered again, until they became SO
hoarse they could cheer no longer. X
seemed as If an intermission had been
declared in order that a reception might
be rendered TO the Generm-in-C hief 4
great crowd continually surrounded him,
were INDUCED in. Hundreds even hugged
the horses legs. and caressed his head
and name. While the. troops We're thus
surging by, the General continually point-
ed with his finger 10 the gap I'm the noun
tain through which our path lay. Ii was
like great scene IN a play, with the roar
OF the guns FOR an accomplishment m
other enthusiastic demonstration that
remembered occurred in the afternoon Of
the nth at Antictam, when the General
rode along our line OF battle. The cheers
could not have been heater than they
were. General Mcclellan may have had
opponents elsewhere: he had few. II anv
among the soldiers whom he command
ed"
This Is one Of the many interesting mar
ratlves contained in The Century War
Book" Terms upon which IL NAV be
obtained will be found elsewhere in this
Issue.