Year: 1862

tinue 1t, however, and run the risk, why the
fault will be their own, and their losses will be
heavy; for our vessels-ofwar, under Earl Rus
sells answer, will seize them whenever and
wherever they may be found, NO matter how
much fault the people of Nassau may find at
their doing SO.


II General Mcclellan . soldiers


The public are we'll aware that we have, at
all times expressed In the columns of the
HERALD the greatest confidence in the skill,
energy and ability Of General Mcclellan, and
that at no time have we wavered or doubted
his capacity as military leader. Notwithstand-
ing the labored assault upon him by the radi-
cal Senator from Michigan and the revilings of
the organs of the "infernal republicans" we
to-day entertain higher opinion of his qualities
as general than at any other period during
the war. The facts and data upon which we
base our confidence are not the mere hearsay
statements or the ipss disa Of this or that man,
but the result of . careful analysis of the cir
cumstances and events in the peninsula cam
paign, which our position as public journalist
has enabled us to obtain. We have heard, read
and carefully examined the statements Of both
sides, and fully believe that when the history
of this war Is candidly and impassionately
written it will be shown that to General
Mcclellan are we indebted for the salvation of
the country.


The brilliant career Of the young Mcclellan
in the Mexican war, where he won his
captaincy by skill and bravery on the
battle field, has long formed portion Of
the history of the country, and is we'll known
to all, especially those writer's who are now
assailing him and endeavoring to prove that
he is no soldier. 1t was there that he won the
confidence of the veteran Scott, who, to this day,
men of the age But his exploits in that war
are not all that he has done to inspire public
confidence Elsewhere will be found q review
Of his short and brilliant campaign in Western
Virginia, with all his proclamations, plans of
the campaign, military orders, Napoleonic des-
patches and incidents connected with it, which
we commend to the special attention of his &C
cusers. Through the instrumentality of General
Scott everything connected with the campaign
in Western Virginia was placed entirely under
the charge of General Mcclellan There was
no red tape or political jugglery to interpose to
break up his plans or divert his attention from
the work to be done. Left entirely to him self,
he organized his forces in q comparatively brief
period, adopted comprehensive plan, and
marched into Western Virginia. The celebrity
of his movements inspired the public, and was
universally commended, resulting in driving
the rebel forces out of that portion Of the State
and ibersting Western Virginia in a short but
brilliant campaign. 1t also proves that when
left to himself, free from the intrigues of the
politicians and not cabined, cribbed and
hampered by the Jacobins, Congressional med
dlers and ofiicious Marplots, he carries into his
operations all the activity and dash of Napo-
leon. He arrived at Grafton On the Esd Of
June, and in less than one month accomplished
his object, and issued congratulatory address
to his soldiers.


The first campaign Of the rebellion was thus
brought to decisive and satisfactory conclu-
sion, furnishing striking contrast with the
blunders and miserable failures on the lower
Potomac, where the political generals were try
ing to control military affairs. At this juncture
our forces at Washington, poorly drilled and
worse oficered, were, through the pressure Of
the Coward to Richmond" fanatics, forced upon
the well organized forces Of the rebels, result
ing in the Bull run rout. The successes in
Western Virginia had lily prepared the public
mind for this terrible disaster. The masses were,
therefore, appalled, at the spectacle presented.
Dismayed, but not disheartened, they looked
around for military leader, young and active,
to reorganize our forces and lead them to victory.
All eyes were centered upon Mcclellan rs the
man of the hour, and with the advice Of Gene
raj Scott the President summoned him, by tele-
graph, to Washington to take command Of the
dsorgsnized forces at the national capital. On
his arrival there he found nothing but chaos and
confusion; the capital threatened and at the
mercy Of victorious enemy. The ad-
ministration and the public hourly expecting
an attack, he was called upon, not only
to reorganize the helpless mob into an army to
protect the capital, but to retrieve our disas-
,ers To this task he applied himself and for
weeks he spent long days Of hard and active
work and slcepless nights in the accomplish
ment Of this object. lie found arms, ammuni-
ton and equipments lacking, and regiments
and companies pouring In from the populous
North without the necessary equipments to de
fend themselves Yet out Of all this he, in a
comparatively short period, prepared one of
the finest armies known In the history Of the
world. Even his accusers are compelled to ad-
NIT this fact, and give to him the credit Of hav-
ing no superior in the world as an organizer of
an army.


When Congress adjourned, after the Bull run
rout, Washington was at the mercy Of the rebel
army, and could have been easily captured;
but when it again met in December all danger
had been removed by the skill, energy and
discpline Of the vonur commander. But, un-