The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-16

everything needed TO put IL In good fighting
condition. Mcclellan, however. for reasons
that unduostionably seemed good to him.
proved to be as immovable against Stanton's
persuasions as he had been against Lincoln's.
Then began the long struggle betwecn the
War Department and Mcclellan, which. at it's
height. threatened the Integrity both OF the
Government and OF the army. 1t was due
TO Stanton that. on March IL. 1852. an
order OF the Presidents relieved Mcclellan
from the command OF tho armies oithe United
states." and assigned him TO the command OF
the Army OF the Potomac" only. To McClel-
Ian was given full liberty TO choose by what
route he was moved; but move at once he
muet "bysomo route" In pursuit OF the enemy.
who were withdrnw wing toward Richm ond. As
this order provided that department com.
manders should thenoeforth report directly to
the War Department. II. OF course, devolved
new work upon Mr.. Stanton. who entered upon
1t with alaerity. On April 4. 1852. Gen. McClel-
Ian was informed Of the creation Of new de-
partments, one. the Department OF the Shen-
andoah. under Gen. Banks. and tho other the
Department Of the Rappahannock. under Gen
Mcdowell. IL was Stanton who. having In
view the protection OF Washington. caused
Gen. MoDowell's corps to be detached from
the forces under McClellan's immediate COM
mand. The opinion 10 expressed by the BIZ
oerapher that throughout the Peninsula cam
paign. the President and the Secretary OF War
cannot he said to have been wanting in for
bearanoe toward tho General. who. like a
spoiled child. was nevertheless Just as deter
mined in his hostility after being INDUCED as
whom opposed. When an order was given to
him the only attention paid to IL by him was to
demand p 'rsistently its revocation or modif-
nNti0n Thn HNvnrnrnnnf Ind tn nnr, rApnto
with him and make corps commanders OF his
two favorites before he would seem to tolerate
their seniors already under his command"
VII.
In chapters SO and 81 OF the first volume Mr..
Gorham examines at some length the attacks
made upon Stanton In the press by friends OF
Gen. Mcclellan. He points out that under
all the obloquy that was cast upon him
during the Peninsula campaign and i'm
mediasely thereafter Mr.. Stanton remained
absolutely silent. The charges brought
against him were never publicly noticed by
him during his lifetime. nor did his answer to
them reach the public until seventeen years
after his death. II came In the form OF q pri-
vate letter written by him on May 10. 1862. to
his old pastor. the Rev. Hemen Dyer. a letter
written under the seal OF confidence. which
was strictly observed for nearly a quarter OF a
century. In this letter. which is reproduced In
the book before us. Stanton says that his ac-
cusers belong to two classes: First. plumber
ers who have been driven from the depart
ment. whore they were Rorging millions; Sec
ondly. scheminR politicians. whose designs are
endangered by an earnest. r~esolute. uncom-
promising prosecution Of this war as a war
against rebels and traitors" Mr.. Stanton
goes on to give a concise account OF the
course pursued by him in the War Office
and declares that the official records
fully prove. first. that he had employed the
whole power Of the Government unsparingly
to support Gen. McClellan's operationsi in pref
erence to those ofevery other General secondly
thathe had not interfere with them or tn warted
them in any particular; and. thirdly. that the
force retained from his expedition. tho force
under Gen. Mcdowell. was not needed. and It
could not have been employed by Mcclellan;
that it was retained by express orders
Of the President upon military investigation.
and upon the best military advice in the coun-
try, and that it's retention was required to save
tho capital from the danger to which IL was ex-
posed by a disregard OF the Presidents positive
order Of the 9th OF March. 1852. With regard
to the political motives which had been imput-
ed to him. Stanton writes as follows: What
motive can 1 have to thwart Gen. McClelIanp
lam not now. never have been. and never will
be q candidate for any office. l hold my present
post at the request OF a President who knew
me personally. but to whom I had not spoken
from the 4th Of March. 1851. until the day he
handed me my commission. know that every
thing / cherish and hold dear would be sacri-
feed BY accepting office. But l thought I
might help to save the country. and for that I
was willing to perish. II wanted to be a poll
tician or o candidate for any office, would I
stand between the Treasury and the robbers
that are bowling around me? Would l pro.
woke and stand against the whole newspaper
gang in this country OF every party who, to
sell news. would imperil q battleP was never
taken for q fool. but there could be no greater
madness than fora man to encounter what I do
for anything else than motives that o~verleap
time and look forward to eternity. l believe
that God Almighty founded this Government.
and for my acts In the effort to maintain Il 1
expect to stand before Him In judgment. You
will pardon this long explanation. which has
been made to no one else. 1t la due to you. who
were my friend when 1 was a poor boy at school.
and had no claim upon your confidence or kind
ness. It cannot be made public for obvious
reasons. Gen. Mcclellan Ia at the head OF our
chief army. he must have every confidence and
support. and l am willing that the whole world
should revile me rather than to diminish one
grain OF the strength needed to conquer the
rebels. In a struggle like this. justice or credit
to individuals Is but dust in the balance"
After the Seven Days Battles. Mr.. Stanton
wrote to Gen. Mcclellan the following note. It
is dated July 5. 1927 have had a talk with
Gen. Marcy. and meant to have written you by
him. but am called away to the country. where
Mrs. Stanton Is with her children to see one of
them die. can. therefore. only say. my dear
General. In this brief moment. that there is no
cause in my heart or conduct for the cloud that
wicked men have raised between us for their
own base and selfish purposes. No man ever
had a truer friend than I have been to you. and
shall continue to be. You are seldom absent
from my thoughts. and l am ready to make any
sacrifice to aid you. Time allows me to say no
more than that l pray Almighty God to deliver
you and your army from all peril. and lead you
on to victory" To this Gen. Mcclellan made
a reply on July 8. In which he said:
1T is with a feeling Of great relief
that l now say to you that I shall
at once resume on my part the same cordial
confidence which once characterized our inter-
course" And. again: II have been perfectly
frnnk with you, Let no cloud hereaftar arisa