long controversy. He belieA^ed that what time was lost in immediate pursuit of the enemy would be more than compensated by the concentration, freshness, equipments, good spirits, and recovered morale of his army. Urgent orders were sent him to move on, and irritating insinuations were hurled upon him. At last an order from the President came on 7 Nov., relieving McClellan of the com- mand, and conferring it upon Gen. Burnside, who then (as he had before) declared his unfitness for it and his indisposition to accept it. McClellan was directed to await orders at Trenton, N. J., and afterward at New York.
Though he was set aside by the government, his hold upon the people of the country was never re- laxed. The army idolized him, and" his popularity followed him. In 1868 he visited Boston, where he was received enthusiastically, and in 1864 he was chosen to deliver the oration at West Point on the occasion of the unveiling of the monument erected to the memory of the officers and soldiers of the regular army. He took no further part in the war, but in his enforced inactivity prepared his "Report on the Organization and Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac," which was published by the government. He also published an edition himself, with a preliminary account of the cam- paign in western Virginia. The most substantial proof of his popularity was his nomination at Chi- cago by the Democratic party as their candidate for the presidency of the United States in August, 1864. But the time was ill chosen. Mr. Lincoln's popularity had been continually growing, and the conviction of many, among whom were warm friends of McClellan, was that a change of adminis- tration would at best, in that emergency, be but a doubtful policy. McClellan's defeat was a foregone conclusion. He received but 21 electoral votes against 212; but the popular vote made a better record— he had 1,800,000 against 2,200,000. As he had not sought the nomination, he was not dis- appointed in the result. He had resigned his com- mission in the army on 8 Sept., 1864, and imme- diately after the election he went to Europe, where he remained until 1868.
On his return lie took up his residence in New York city. In 1868-'9 he was employed to com- plete the Stevens iron-clad floating battery for har- bor defence. This was a visionary caprice of the inventor and owner, for which McClellan was in no wise responsible : it had been long in process of construction, and unforeseen difficulties presented themselves, which led to its abandonment. He de- clined the presidency of the University of Califor- nia in 1868, and that of Union college in 1869. In 1870 he was made engineer-in-chief of the depart- ment of docks of the city of New York, which post he left in 1872, having, in 1871, declined an ap- pointment as city comptroller. He was also invited to become superintendent of construction of the railroad bridge across the Hudson at Poughkeep- sie. In 1881 he was appointed by congi'ess a mem- ber of the board of managers of the National home for disabled soldiers, which office he held until his death. During these latter years his principal residence was in Orange, N. J., but in the winters he resided in New York or Washington. He was elected governor of New Jersey in 1877, served for one term with credit, and declined a renomination. He made several tours in Europe, visiting the East, and published his observations in magazine articles. In the series of military papers, appearing in the current issues, he wrote several monographs illus- trating his campaigns, and vindicating his reputa- tion. While he was in the enjoyment of good health, with a long life apparently before him, heart disease was developed, and he "died suddenly at his country residence. In 1886 appeared a vol- ume entitled " McClellan's Own Story." with a short biographical introduction by the editor, Will- iam C. Prime. It contains his own views, in his own words, with extracts from his private corre- spondence with his wife.
McClellan was about 5 feet 8 inches in height, firmly built, with broad shoulders. He was very solid and muscular, and an excellent horseman. Modest and retiring, he had withal a great self- respect, a gracious dignity. His personal magnet- ism has no parallel in military history, except in that of the first Napoleon ; lie was literally the idol of his officers and men. They would obey him when all other control had failed. In the opinion of many, he was unduly careful of his troops, so that his power to organize was neutralized by his caution in the field. He was a clear writer and an effective speaker. As a student of military history, he had no superior in his systematic knowledge of wars, battles, and tactics. He was also an accom- plished engineei". His plans of campaign were just, clear, and timely: but any interference with them threw him back upon his natural caution, and caused him to take more time to reorganize and re- cast than the exigencies of the war and the rapid movements of the enemy would permit. He be- lieved himself the personal butt of the administra- tion, and that it did not wish him to succeed. He was constantly engaged in controversies, and his despatches, reports, and later papers are always in the tone of one vindicating himself from real or fancied injustice. He was a man of irreproachable character, a model Christian gentleman in every situation of life. He devised the McClellan saddle, which has proved useful and popular, in 1856. His writings include " A Manual of Bayonet Exer- cise," adapted from the French (1852); "Govern- ment Reports of Pacific Railroad Surveys " (1854) ; " Report on the Organization and Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac " (1864) ; papers in " Har- per's Magazine," 1874-'7, and in "Scribner's" on Egypt and the Nile.
McCLELLAN, Samuel, soldier, b. in Worces-
ter, Mass., 4 Jan., 1730; d. in Woodstock, Conn.,
17 Oct., 1807. His parents emigrated to America
early in the 18th century and settled on a farm
near Worcester. The family came from Kirkcud-
bright, on the Frith of Solway, Scotland, where in
earlier times they had taken part in Scottish wars as
stanch upholders of the cause of the Stuarts. Samuel
was brought up as a farmer, but joined the army,
and served as a lieutenant in the French and Indian
war. The experience thus gained, and the example
of the British officers with whom he served, proved
of great advantage to him in the Revolutionary
war. In 1773 a troop of horse was raised in Wood-
stock and neighboring towns, of which he was
made captain. On the news of the battle of Lex-
ington the company immediately marched to Bos-
ton. Subsequently he was commissioned major,
lieutenant-colonel, and colonel of the 12th regi-
ment of militia, and on 10 .June, 1779, brigadier of
the 5th brigade of militia. His commissions are
preserved in the family residence at Woodstock,
Conn., all signed by Gov. John Trumbull. One
reads by authority of George III., and another by
authority of the Continental congress. After the
invasion of New London and the massacre at Fort
Groton he was placed in charge of those posts, and
continued in that capacity until the close of the
war. When only a major in the militia he was in-
vited by Gen. Washington to join the Continental
