He gave up his post in 1868, and, after a lecturing tour in the United States, joined the staff of the Daily News as leader-writer in 1870. In this capacity he became one of the most useful and respected upholders of the Liberal politics of the time. He lectured again in America in 1870–1871, and again in 1886–1887. He represented Co. Longford in Parliament as a Liberal and Home Ruler from 1879 to 1885; North Longford, 1885–1886; Londonderry, 1886–1892; and North Longford from 1892 to 1900. He was chairman of the Anti-Parnellites from the fall of C. S. Parnell in 1890 until January 1896; but his Nationalism was of a temperate and orderly kind, and though his personal distinction singled him out for the chairmanship during the party dissensions of this period, he was in no active sense the political leader. His real bent was towards literature. His earliest publications were novels, some of which, such as A Fair Saxon (1873), Dear Lady Disdain (1875), Miss Misanthrope (1878), Donna Quixote (1879), attained considerable popularity. His most important work is his History of Our Own Times (vols. i.-iv., 1879–1880; vol. v., 1897), which treats of the period between Queen Victoria’s accession and her diamond jubilee. Easily and delightfully written, and on the whole eminently sane and moderate, these volumes form a brilliant piece of narrative from a Liberal standpoint. He also began a History of the Four Georges (1884–1901), of which the latter half was written by his son, Justin Huntly M‘Carthy (b. 1860), himself the author of various clever novels, plays, poetical pieces and short histories. Justin M‘Carthy, amongst other works, wrote biographies of Sir Robert Peel (1891), Pope Leo XIII. (1896) and W. E. Gladstone (1898); Modern England (1898); The Reign of Queen Anne (1902) and Reminiscences (2 vols., 1899).
McCHEYNE, ROBERT MURRAY (1813–1843), Scottish
divine, was born at Edinburgh on the 21st of May 1813, was
educated at the University and at the Divinity Hall of his native
city, and held pastorates at Larbert, near Falkirk, and Dundee.
A mission of inquiry among the Jews throughout Europe and in
Palestine, and a religious revival at his church in Dundee, made
him feel that he was being called to evangelistic rather than to
pastoral work, but before he could carry out his plans he died,
on the 25th of March 1843. McCheyne, though wielding remarkable
influence in his lifetime, was still more powerful afterwards,
through his Memoirs and Remains, edited by Andrew Bonar,
which ran into far over a hundred English editions. Some of his
hymns, e.g. “When this passing world is done,” are well known.
See his Life, by J. C. Smith (1910).
McCLELLAN, GEORGE BRINTON (1826–1885), American
soldier, was born in Philadelphia on the 3rd of December 1826. After passing two years (1840–1842) in the university of Pennsylvania, he entered the United States military academy, from which he graduated with high honours in July 1846. Sent as a lieutenant of engineers to the Mexican War, he took part in
the battles under General Scott, and by his gallantry won the
brevets of first-lieutenant at Contreras-Churubusco and captain
at Chapultepec; he was afterwards detailed as assistant-instructor
at West Point, and employed in explorations in the South-West
and in Oregon. Promoted in 1855 captain of cavalry, he served
on a military commission sent to Europe to study European
armies and especially the war in the Crimea. On his return he
furnished an able and interesting report, republished (1861)
under the title of Armies of Europe. In 1856 he designed a saddle,
which was afterwards well known as the McClellan. Resigning
his commission in 1857, McClellan became successively chief
engineer and vice-president of the Illinois Central railroad (1857–1860),
general superintendent of the Mississippi & Ohio railroad,
and, a little later, president of the eastern branch of the same,
with his residence in Cincinnati. When the Civil War broke out
he was, in April 1861, made major-general of three months’
militia by the governor of Ohio; but General Scott’s favour at
Washington promoted him rapidly (May 14) to the rank of
major-general, U.S.A., in command of the department of the
Ohio. Pursuant to orders, on the 26th of May, McClellan sent
a small force across the Ohio river to Philippi, dispersed the
Confederates there early in June, and immensely aided the Union
cause in that region by rapid and brilliant military successes,
gained in the short space of eight days. These operations,
though comparatively trivial as the Civil War developed,
brought great results, in permanently dividing old Virginia by the
creation of the state of West Virginia, and in presenting the
first sharp, short and wholly successful campaign of the war.
Soon after the first Bull Run disaster he was summoned to Washington, and the Union hailed him as chieftain and preserver. Only thirty-four years old, and with military fame and promotion premature and quite in excess of positive experience, he reached the capital late in July and assumed command there. At first all was deference and compliance with his wishes. In November Scott retired that the young general might control the operations of the whole Union army. McClellan proved himself extraordinarily able as an organizer and trainer of soldiers. During the autumn, winter and spring he created the famous Army of the Potomac, which in victory and defeat retained to the end the impress of McClellan’s work. But he soon showed petulance towards the civil authorities, from whom he came to differ concerning the political ends in view; and he now found severe critics, who doubted his capacity for directing an offensive war; but the government yielded to his plans for an oblique, instead of a direct, movement upon Richmond and the opposing army. At the moment of starting he was relieved as general-in-chief. By the 5th of April a great army was safely transported to Fortress Monroe, and other troops were sent later, though a large force was (much against his will) retained to cover Washington. McClellan laid slow siege to Yorktown, not breaking the thin line first opposed to him, but giving Johnston full time to reinforce and then evacuate the position. McClellan followed up the Confederate rearguard and approached Richmond, using White House on the Pamunkey as a base of supplies; this entailed a division of his forces on either bank of the Chickahominy. At Fair Oaks (Seven Pines) was fought on the 31st of May a bloody battle, ending the following day in a Confederate repulse. Johnston being severely wounded, Lee came to command on the Southern side. After a pause in the operations McClellan felt himself ready to attack at the moment when Lee, leaving a bare handful of men in the Richmond lines, despatched two-thirds of his entire force to the north of the Chickahominy to strike McClellan’s isolated right wing. McClellan himself made little progress, and the troops beyond the Chickahominy were defeated after a strenuous defence; whereupon McClellan planned, and during the celebrated Seven Days’ Battle triumphantly executed, a change of base to the James river. But the result was strategically a failure, and General Halleck, who was now general-in-chief, ordered the army to reinforce General Pope in central Virginia. The order was obeyed reluctantly.
Pope’s disastrous defeats brought McClellan a new opportunity to retrieve his fame. Again in command of the Army of the Potomac, he was sent with all available forces to oppose Lee, who had crossed the Potomac into Maryland early in September. McClellan advanced slowly and carefully, reorganizing his army as he went. The battle of South Mountain placed him in a position to attack Lee, and a few days later was fought the great battle of Antietam, in which Lee was worsted. But the Confederates safely recrossed the Potomac, and McClellan showed his former faults in a tardy pursuit. On the eve of an aggressive movement, which he was at last about to make, he was superseded by Burnside (Nov. 7). McClellan was never again ordered to active command, and the political elements opposed to the general policy of Lincoln’s administration chose him as presidential candidate in 1864, on a platform which denounced the war as a failure and proposed negotiating with the South for peace. McClellan, while accepting his candidacy, repudiated the platform, like a soldier and patriot. At the polls on the 8th of November Lincoln was triumphantly re-elected president. McClellan had previously resigned his commission in the army, and soon afterwards went to Europe, where he remained until 1868. Upon his return he took up his residence in New York City, where (1868–1869) he was engaged in superintending the construction of an experimental floating battery. In 1870–1872
