Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-06-23
MCCLELLAN IN CHICAGO.
Impress Of the Young officer on the
Military Affairs of the City
in 1861.

yes" said the major. ct -emem-
Der when George b. Mcclellan was
elected captain &c she old Chicago
light guard Capt j. B. Wymsn. the
organizer Of the company. was called
away from the city by business. In
looking about for his successor mem
bers of the company and citizens in
terested in military affairs turned TO
George b. Mcclellan. who had resigned
from the regular army 20 become chief
engineer OF the Illinois Central rail-
road
Mcclellan was at that time about
30 years old. He was. through his visit
10 the Crimea and his book. published
soon after his return. one of the best
known Of the younger officers OF the
regular army. The light guard was
then the crack military company OF
the northwest. and 10 was natural that
the men should turn TO the former
army officer who had just located in
Chicago and who carried himself like
a thorough soldier.
Mcclellan did not remain long
enough in Chicago 80 leave his i'm
press on the local companies. When
the war came in 1861 the light guard
was not In existence as a military or
ganization and Mcclellan entered the
service as commander and organizer
Of the Ohio troops and was appointed
major general in the regular army be
fore the real work of the war had be
gun. Most OF his old military friends
In Chicago went into service early In
the western regiments. Turchin going
% the Nineteenth Illinois Barker 20
the Twelfth Illinois cavalry. Forsyth
and others 20 the Eighth cavalry.
"Of an the old military circle Of
1857 and 1855 Capt Barker. Of the
Chicago dragons. was the only one
90 be closely associated with Capt Nc.
Clellan Of she light guard. in the early
months OF the civil war After partici-
patinr in the Cairo expedition Bark
or. through The Intervention OF Nc.
Clellan. took the dragons east 90 be-
come the escort or bodyguard Of LIT
tie Mac" The most popular soldier Of
the dav After three months service
The dragons scattered into various
regiments. several going to Farms
worth's Eighth cavalry. a score OF
more az thc Dragons who served with
Mcclellan. became commissioned on
GERS and won distinction
"McCiellan's acQuo intauCe ia Chi
cago (he had boon here before The
Mexican war. and an o. led the FIRST
meeting of The ST. Andrew society
took another Chicago military com
pany east for special service early IN
1851. This was che Sturels guards
armed and equipped as sharp shooters
by solomon Stursis. and assigned "a
duty as McCloilan's bodyFuard In the
army OF the Potomac. 10 would be in
teresting 90 trace the Influence OF Nc
Clellau's military experience in Chi
cago on his acQuaintances here.
wonder II there Is anyone living who
can do ~"
III Ellsworth had lived a few
months longer" said the colonel. "a
good many OF the zouaves who went
into Turchin's regiment would have
gone east The story Of the military
companies in existence in the several
states in 1860 is "a curious one But
in no state was the history OF such or
CARNATIONS more highly spiced with
romance than in Kentucky During
the excitement preliminary TO the
outbreak OF hostlities in 1861 com
panies in many counties We're organ
lied for both armies. In Lexington
John Morgan. captain Of crack com.
pany. went into the confederate serv-
fee. Sanders I'd. Bruce captain Of the
Chasseurs. another crack company OF
Lexington. went into the union serv-
ice.
Bruce was given command OF the
Twentieth Kentucky. and later Of q
brigade under Nelson. Morgan was
given an important cavalry command.
and made several raids in Kentucky.
In 1868 he surrounded one battalion
OF the Twentieth Kentucky with 5000
men. and after a stubborn fight cap
tured it, This gratifed him exceed
ingly. but the several Kentucky cav
airy regiments ealloped after him
through Kentucky and Ohio and in
turn captured Morgan and his immedi-
ate command.
II saw those Kentuckians when
after their long ride. they made their
last charge on Morgan's men. and Il
was worth remembering In all my
war experience / never saw men 50
/ eager to make a capture as were these
Kentuckians-so of them Morgan's
old neighbors. They were not malevo
lent. In their own language. they
simply wanted TO take John in out Of
the wet" But they went at il in Z
way to make Morgan feel that h