The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-23
RECENT PUBLICATIONS.
General Mcclellan.

Gen. Peter S. Niche. so long the professor
Of natural and experimental philosophy at
West Point. OF all the prominent generals
connected with the Union armies during the
war Of the rebellion there has been a wider
difference of opinion respecting Gen.
George B. Mcclellan than concerning any
other. 1t cannot be doubted that he was a
man Of high character, sincere patriotism
and possessed of those engaging qualities
which give a man hosts of friends who are
as true as steel. lie also possessed that
higher gift called magnetism, which COM
pels the admiration and confidence of
masses of men. These gifts enabled him
TO cause officers who were his superiors in
military ability to be his champions. Gen
eral Mcclellan was the North's hero early
IN the war because of successes in West
Virginia. He had been sent abroad to wit
ness the Crimean war and had written a
report winch attracted wide attention.
Win this reputation he came to the Army
or the Potomac after the hascO of the first
cattle OF Bull Run. He displayed rare
capacity in ~reOrganizing the demoraliZed
army and the hundreds of new regiments.
he mad the confidence Of the country, so
that the greatest achievements were eX-
pected of him. 1t is charitable to him TO
OF the country.
The biographies of General Mcclellan
heretofore published were written by his
admirers, but this book was written by a
sOIdler without bias who had experience in
the war for the Union and was connected
with the army until his death a few months
ago. EVERY page bears evidence Of a judi
S "a spirlt ana conscientious purpose TO 40
General Mcclellan full justice as well as
those who were associated with him in the
great drama in which he was a leading, if
not the leading, actor. Just before his
death Gen. Fitz John Porter. who was
always the able champion of General Nc
CIelian, wrote General Niche that his lis
the pest work ever written on the subject
With such an Endorsement one may regard
me conclusions OF the writer as worthy OF
acceptance.
As before stated. General Mcclellan at
tracted the attention of the country by his
campaign in West Virginia. 1t is claimed
Dy some men that the success was due TO
the efforts of others. Nevertheless, General
Mcclellan was in command, and when the
campaign was ended he issued a hamboy-
ant address to the Soldiers of the Army of
west Virginia" This brilliant success pre-
pared the country TO expect great things Of
Little Mac when he was called to Wash
lngton. lie began the organization Of the
Army of the Potomac. In such work he
mad no superior during the war. Under his
pIIectlon raw regiments We're. formed into
Drlsades and divisions, and soldiers for the
neld were made of raw recruits. There was
never such an army in this country as that
which General Mcclellan organized about
Washington during the fall of 1861 and the
winter of 1862. From the snowy staff of the
commanding general to the last regiment
TO arrive everything was complete. He soon
made things so uncomfortable for the testy
veteran General Scott that the latter re-
tired, and soon after the command Of all
Clellan'S direction.
Not much was said because General Nc
CIellan did not advance during the late
fan Of 1861. His reason for delay was that
his army was too small to light the rebels
In the vicinity of Washington. During the
winter the most eager Union people began
to be impatient. President Lincoln was
greatly tried, but General Mcclellan was
not disturbed, saying that it would be I'M
( wise tn NOVA HnTl no had Cnnah on a Tr1N
as was necessary. 1t was his misfortune
that he always greatly overestimated the
enemy. His Pinkerton detectives made HIM
peleVe that the enemy about Washington
in the fall of 1861 was 100000 strong, when
1T was known that it did not exceed 10000.
Finally the PeninSular campaign was
planned and the Army Of the Potomac was
put in motion. 1t was stopped by the en-
envy in participation at Yorktown, and a
siege was begun with great elaboration.
After a long time had been w~asted-which
the Confederates utilized by getting their
armies about ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS was
evacuated. The whole thing was q ruSe
that deceived General Mcclellan. Then
followed. the fighting about Richmond,
In which our troops were badly handled.
General Mcclellan here, as when in Wash
ington, put the rebel army at 100000, when,
as a matter OF fact, 1t was not over half
that number. But he fought and maneu-
vered as il with 100000 men he were con-
fronted with 200, 900. At Malvern Hill, where
his army was placed after the change OF
base In a strong position to oppose the ad-
vance of the rebels, the enemy was so cut
up and demoraliZed that it was the judg-
ment OF the best officers present that If Nc
Clellan's army had taken the offensive it
could have MARCHED into Richmond. But
while the battle was being fought General
Mcclellan was absent looking out a line
OF retreat to Harrison's Landing, where the
army could be more easily reached with
supplies. No one had authority to order an
advance, but soon the order did come from
Mcclellan to fall back to Harrison's Land
ing. General Mcclellan attributed his par
tial failure TO the refusal or the President
] 20 Gnnn him AInDnu~nl1fn Afvfrs1. 80 200
men stationed about Washington.
In the campaign which eliminated in the
pattle Oh AnIeIam 1eneraI McCle!lan I'M
agined a vastly superior army in his front.
The Confederate order of movement fell in
TO his hands. and would have enabled him
to have easily crushed his enemy in detail
if he had acted with prOmptness. but he did
not, and his opportunity was lost. Antietam
was a badly fought battle on the Union
side. Laboring under his constant delusion
that the army of the enemy was superior
to his own in numbers. the delivery OF bat
tie was hesitating and uncertain and the
result was little better than a drawn battle
with appalling loss. McClellan's strategy
on paper was good. but he always failed i'm
tactics. He was never before the enemy
when his army was not as large or larger
than that against him, yet so defective were
his tactics that when an engagement Oc-
CURED at any point his force was inferior
to that of his opponent. His biographer
says that only on one field was he near the
front lines to inspire men. In fact, he left
more important matters than details TO
his subordinates without consultation. il
was not Mcclellan who saved the army in
the seven days change of base from York
to the James, but division commanders. like
Fitz John Porter. Heintzelman and Frank
lin.
scientifically the most accomplished SOL
der in the army. the ablest organizer an
army ever had. he lacked the capacity and
the nerve to fight battles such as his sue
cessOrs possessed. Such is the judgment OF
this biographer. and all the facts sustain IT,
For years he has been accused of luke
warmness. If not a lack of loyalty in its
highest sense: the accusation is false. The
man who could accent a nomination from
a convention and d%enounce its platform
because he believed the war for the Union
must be fought TO a successful issue was
not lacking I'm patriotism. General McClel-
Ian was a man Of fine personal character
high-minded and honorable. but after he
had published his own story of his connec
z ton with the war no defense could be made
for him. for that story is a demonstration
Of his unftness for the place he so long &C.
, cupied. D. Appleton & Co, New York.
When the Land Was Young.
This story suggests, in some respects
l '"To Have and to Hold" Like that. it is
a first story, it is written by a young lady