Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-02

the development Of McClelan's siege train.
Capt. Mcclellan during the Crimean war
had noted carefully the work and organize
ton of the heavy artillery of the European
armies. particularly the Royal British Ar
tillery. When called to the supreme COM
mand after the Bull Run campaign, he
selected Col Robert o. Tyler and his LIST
Connecticut Regiment, which was recruited
UP to 1,S0O men and put on heavy artil-
lery basis. The regiment was located at
Fort Richardson, on the highest Of the
Arlington Heights, and put under the most
rigid discipline. Artillery schools were
established in every company and drills,
inspections and reviews followed in rapid
succession. Before January, 1862 we'll
ordered encampment was established. The
fort was in perfect order and target prac-
tice from the big guns begun.
Personnel Of the Regiment.
The personnel of the regiment was Of the
best for the purpose for which 1t was Sc
lected. A large number were. from the
manufactures and smaller shops of the
Nutmeg state. Some were experts on the
moving of heavy machinery, and more than
once succeeded in pulling the great guns
out of a hole, after active field and siege
operations had begun, when regular army
methods prescribed in the manuals of ar
tilery had failed.
One of the companies was made up Of
students from Wesleyan University, at Mid
dletown, Conn. 1t did not take long for
these boys, who had been familiar with
"tangents'' and "co-tangents" to become
experts in the matter OF artillery defini-
tons, and they spent their long winter
evenings in quizzing each other as to every
detail of the siege guns<and mortars, and
of the Notifications. In fact, hardly a pri-
vate of the regiment but could soon define
the difference between~an "escarpment,"
''revelment' and a "parapet." All these
students became commissioned officers be-
fore the war closed. Two members of the
"class of 1862, Hatfield and Brigham, went
home to Hartford in 1865 as majors Of the
regiment.
Mrs. McClellan's Review.
On March Z. 1867, just before starting for
the peninsula, the regiment had the honor
Of special review by Mrs. Ellen NJ. Nc
Clellan. the wife Of its distinguished COM
mander. Her advent was greeted by firing
fifteen guns from the fort, and she re-
ceived all the honors of a major general.
She passed down the line with Col. Tyler,
and the regiment went through all its PAGES
before her, common" quick" and "dou-
ment was known as Mrs. McClellan's
Own" The other regiments Of the army
called it 1.-The Mcclellan pets"
AS the wife Of the distinguished and be-
loved general is still living and was present
at the unwilling today, quotation from
one of her recent letters Is given to show
her continued interest in the command:
your very kind letter has given me much
gratifies me to hear from a member of the
dear old Army of the Potomac, and to
know that you have not forgotten your old
commander, who loved you all so much.
well remember the day to which you refer,
and how proud / was to be allowed to re-
view the list Connecticut
II shall be very glad to see the members
of the dear old regiment, and l hope you
will all TO when i In
Washington. How like a dream it all seems.
am trying to be well for the I'd Of May"
The Siege Of Yorktown.
1t was at Yorktown, where the regiment
was first put to the test. Mcclellan de-
tailed an officer of the Royal Artillery of
England to assist Col. Tyler, and this Of
ficer Maj. sDoull, showed In his report that
more weight Of metal was put in front Of
Yorktown than the British and French did
at Sebastopol, and 1t was done In quicker
time. The battery put up on Wormsley's
company (G) and another Cd was undoubt-
eddy the heaviest ever erected In the history
of the world 1t consisted OF ten thirteen
inch seacoast mortars, weighing 10000
hounds each. and each throwing a shell
weighing 200 pounds. These big mortars
were carried up the creek at night In old
canal barges. and were located behind a hill
which served as gigantic earthwork. Tho
hill was leveled out into the creek to
wharf of logs and stone, and the sides Of
the barges cut away to make easier the
process of landing. This natural fortifica-
ton was about one-Quarter Of a mile from
the Moore house, where the surrender of
CORVALLIS occurred In 17Sl.
McClellan's Mistake.
Mcclellan has been criticised for sitting
down in front Of Yorktown. where Ma
gruder had, as is now said. but about
IN O0O man Rnt IL seems the plan WAS
to induce the southern generals to make
a stand at Yorktown. Mcclellan succeeded
in getting Johnston to bring about 10000
men to that point. and II he could have
held them there week longer, 1T may be con-
ceded by critics, no such opportunity
was ever offered for ending the war by
one master stroke. Mcclellan could have
pushed troops on transports up the York
and the James, and his batteries could
have demolished Yorktown and its defend
ers in twenty-four hours. The orders were
to open the batteries at am. May 5, but
ON the morning Of May Yorktown was