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Vignettes
and TidbitsMcClellan’s
KindnessFrom
The Century Magazine 1887 |
General
George B. McClellan
Photo Wikipedia Commons |
Reference is frequently
made to the peculiar personal attachment which General McClellan’s troops had
for him. The following incident may be worthy of record as illustrating one of
the causes of this attachment:
“In August, 1862, during the march of the
Army of the Potomac, from Harrison’s Landing to Fort Monroe. The 85th Regiment
Pennsylvania Volunteers was halted midday just before crossing the pontoon bridge
across the Chickahominy. It was extremely hot, and the road very dusty. A group
of tired soldiers flung themselves on the ground to rest, not knowing they were
on the leeward side of the road.
Presently the clanking of sabers told
of the approach of a body of mounted men. Just as they reached us the leader drew
up and said quietly: “Better cross to the other side lads, or you will be covered
with dust.”
It was a slight act, but it showed that the commander of the
army – for such we recognized him to be, just as he and his staff moved on – was
not indifferent to the comfort of the humblest soldier.”
- M.L. Gordon
South Pasadena, California, June 5th 1886
September 19, 2010 |
| "George
B. McClellan historical marker near the southern boundary of Gray County in the
McClellan Creek National Grassland." - Barclay
Gibson 2009 photo |
Historical
Marker TextGeorge
B. McClellanWest
Point graduate George B. McClellan (1826-1885) was a U.S. Army engineer and a
member of an expedition led by Randolph B. Marcy that explored the Texas
Panhandle in 1852. McClellan Creek was named for him, and nearly a century
later Lake McClellan was named in his honor. He was vice president and chief engineer
of the Illinois Central Railroad and served as a Union general during the Civil
War. He designed the McClellan saddle used by the U.S. Army. He ran for president
in 1864 against Abraham Lincoln and served as governor of New Jersey from 1878-1881.
(1996) |
George
B. McClellan historical marker
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, 2009 | |
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