August 11, 1861 – How McClellan Takes His Observations

A correspondent of the New York Tribune writing from Washington, says:

We may, perhaps, meet a man in a broad straw hat, and without his tale-telling shoulder-straps, riding slowly through the camp, looking intently at the men, and noting every item of their accommodations, and overhearing, without seeming to listen, every word of their much or little grumbling. Unless he happens to he personally known, few take notice of him, and the utmost of recognition he receives is from the wide-awake sentry, who demands his authority for passing through the lines. Yet if this man were to appear In all the gaudy paraphernalia with which the articles of war entitle him to bedeck himself, the musket of every sentry would be at the “present,” and the hand of every man and officer would visit his cap with respectful military salute—for this unostentatious man is an officer of high rank, on a quiet tour of observance. He may be a Brigadier General, or even a Major General, or it is not impossible that it is the now universally-trusted McClellan himself.

For this young Commander, never fond of show, but ever, save on State occasions, wearing the blue blouse of the Sturges Rifles (his body-guard), in preference to the more showy habiliments to which the regulations of the service entitle him; has many a time reviewed a regiment when they were utterly unconscious of his presence; and has passed through many a camp, which has been in Egyptian darkness as to the rank of their quiet guest. In fact, the writer was lately in the camp of one of our best regiments (the 27th, from Western New York), the officers of which complained that they had never yet caught sight of McClellan, when it was known to the writer that Gen. McClellan had three times passed through their camp within the preceding 48 hours.

This sketch must be understood not as a picture of a particular camp at a particular hour of the day, but as a short summary of the vailed impressions gathered from wandering through a dozen camps, and, of course, encountering each one at an hour different from the one at which any otter given camp was observed.

Chicago Daily Tribune, Chicago, IL

1 Comment

  1. Lisa Fulton

    Great catch. I think there was truth to McClellan’s boast that his troops loved him. This take on his close observation of the condition in the camps is very interesting.

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