pass harmlessly over them; then they would up and at them with a vengeance in double-quick time."

Colonel McCook's younger brother-but seventeen years old-was a member of the Second Ohio regiment, and was left as a guard to the hospital. One of the enemy's cavalry dashed upon him and ordered him to surrender; the brave youth, with fixed bayonet, steady nerve, and cool bearing, replied, "I never surrender!" The father, Judge McCook, who had all the day been arduously engaged in assisting and taking care of the wounded, bringing them in from the field, and that, too, at the imminent peril of his own life, was in the hos pital tent and heard the order to his son, and saw others of the enemy's cavalry near by, and rushed out, and speaking in a loud tone, "Charley, surrender, for God's sake, or you are lost." Charley turned to his father, and with all the lion in his countenance, replied, "Father, I will never surrender to a rebel." In a moment a ball pierced his spine, but he instantly discharged his musket at the rebel horseman, and laid him low in death, and then fell himself. The rebels then undertook to drag him off, but his father rushed in and released him, and he died Monday morning. His body was brought away by his father, and was sent to Ohio for burial. The Colonel McCook above alluded to was afterwards the well known General McCook in Halleck's army.

Colonel W. R. Montgomery, for thirty years an efficient officer of the United States Army, who had seen service whereever during that time it was to be seen, was in command of the First New Jersey regiment. In the midst of the torrent of the retreat, he stemmed its tide, forced his regiment in good order through its surge of men and horses and wagons, which carried back with them his associate regiment, the Second New Jersey, Colonel McLean, but had no effect on him. With exhortations, remonstrances and bayonets, he checked, but could not stop the disastrous flight. Abandoned by Colonel McLean and the Second, he pressed on alone, and alone his regiment reached the field, and took the post which his

orders indicated, formed in square to receive the enemy's cav alry, and staid five hours on the battle-field waiting for orders.

With regard to this flight, much was, at the time, written as to the bad effects of the civilians present. It was stated and believed that their scampering away from danger first alarmed the teamsters, and thus produced the panic. It would appear that a few men here and there in citizens' dress, could have very little to do in creating a panic, even if they did run. But testimony is abundant that these non-professional soldiers really acted a noble part-that they, in reality, greatly aided in restraining the headlong flight of brave regiments from the battle-field. An eye-witness wrote to the National Intelligencer: "Whatever credit there was in stopping that rout, is due wholly to Senators Wade and Chandler; Representatives Blake, Riddle and Morris; Mr. Brown, Sergeant-atArms of the Senate; Mr. Eaton of Detroit, and Thomas Brown of Cleveland. These gentlemen, armed with Maynard rifles and navy revolvers, sprang suddenly from their carriages some three miles this side of Centreville, and, presenting their wea pons, in loud voices commanded the fugitives to halt and turn back. Their bold and determined manner brought most at that point to a stand-still. Many on horseback attempted to dash by them, and had their horses seized by the bits. Some of the fugitives were armed, and menaced these gentlemen; and one, a powerful man, supposed to be a teamster, shot Mr. Eaton through the wrist, as he held his horse by the bridle-rein. None, however, were permitted to pass, except an army courier, who exhibited his dispatches. Mr. Wade and his party held the crowd until the arrival of the First New Jersey regiment, then on its way toward the battle-ground, the Colonel of which turned back the flying soldiers and teamsters. Two or three officers were stopped and turned back." We are glad to record this, to so well-known men, simple justice. Congressman Ely, of New York, was taken prisoner in his efforts to keep the men up to the assault.

General McDowell was so overcome by fatigue, that while writing a short dispatch in the telegraph office, at Fairfax, ho

fell asleep three times. He had been busy all the night preceding in making preliminary arrangements, and had been in the saddle from two o'clock in the morning until ten at night. At nine and a half o'clock his dispatch was received at Washington, announcing his retreat, and his purpose to make a stand at Centreville. At one and a half A. M. it was announced that he would fall back to Fairfax. It was left to his own judgment whether to retire to the Potomac line

or not.

Regarding the barbarity of the rebels, the stories told almost defied belief. The New York Herald correspondent wrote: "The barbarity practiced by the rebels towards wounded men in this encounter, throws to the winds the boasted chivalry of the South, and their assumption of Samaritan tenderness. They trampled the wounded and dying victims of their powder and lead to the ground-fired upon nurses engaged in carrying away the mortally wounded-threw hot shot into buildings used as hospitals, setting fire to them. The rebels engaged with our forces at Bull's Run committed all those diabolical deeds, which have, as yet, only been equalled by the East India Sepoys and the Tartars of old. They commenced these acts on Thursday, this side of Bull's Run, on the wounded of the First Massachusetts and Twelfth New York volunteer regiments, and continued it on Sunday."

The Boston Post wrote:

"But where shall we find words, in this enlightened age, to reprobate the infamy of their conduct, after their success, toward our noble soldiers! Are soldiers turned butchers? Is their boasted chivalry a mockery? Who can read without a thrill of horror the loathsome reports of their brutality. The wounded are fired into while mangled lying on the field-the bleeding soldiers are tied to trees and bayoneted-the weapons of the fallen soldier are taken from him and plunged into him, dead or dying. A Union soldier takes up the wounded rebel, ministers to him a cup of cold water, and the dastard dispatches his benefactor while in the act! To what depths of barbarism have American soldiers stooped in their treatment

of their fellow-citizens! The blood of the wronged and the outraged cries aloud for vengeance."

The incident of soldiers sending home Zouave skulls as trophies of Zouaves having their heads cut off and put upon poles confirmed by repeated proofs-will ever remain on record to add to the weight of infamy which attaches to the Southern cause.

XVIII.

GENERAL MCCLELLAN.

THE reverse at Bull Run so disorganized-if not demoralized our army of the Potomac, as to render an acting Generalin-Chief necessary. All eyes turned, instinctively, to General McClellan, whose Western Virginia Campaign had just closed, to crown him with the laurels of a great commander. His energy, his knowledge of his profession, his physical strength, the prestige of his name, all combined to render him qualified for the responsible trust of bringing order out of that chaos at and around Washington; and he was called immediately (July 22d) to the General command of the field-a position he assumed August 1st, 1861.

The position since filled so eminently by this General, has rendered his reputation world-wide, and renders a sketch of his life eminently proper, if we would answer the interest now felt in his life; we therefore compile from such sources as are available, the following:

George B. McClellan, the son of an eminent physician at Philadelphia, was born in that city, December 3d, 1826. At the age of sixteen, or in 1842, he entered the West Point

Academy, and graduated in 1846, at the age of twenty, at the head of his class. On the 1st of July of that year, his title was Brevet Second Lieutenant of Engineers.

This was the period of the Mexican war, and McClellan, about the age of Alexander Hamilton when he began to show extraordinary ability, was called into active service. Congress (May 15th, 1846) had passed an act, adding a company of sappers, miners, and pontoniers to the corps of engineers, and McClellan was made Second Lieutenant in this company. Colonel Totten names with warm approbation his great exertions, with two others, in organizing and drilling this corps. As the recruits assembled at West Point, they were at once put into a course of active drill as infantry, and of practical instruction in making the different materials used in sieges, running saps, and forming pontoons; and, through the exertions of three officers only, when they sailed from West Point (September 24th) seventy-one strong, the Colonel says they were "in admirable discipline." This company was first ordered to report to General Taylor, and went to Camargo, but were then ordered to countermarch to Matamoras, and move with the column of Patterson. Here Captain Swift and nineteen men were left in the hospital, and from that time until a few days before the landing at Vera Cruz, the company was under Lieutenant Smith (Gustavus W. Smith, now a MajorGeneral in the rebel army), who had but one other officer, Lieutenant McClellan. แ During the march," Colonel Totten says, "to Vitoria from Matamoras, the company, then reduced to forty-five effectives, executed a great amount of work upon the roads, fords, etc., as it did in proceeding thence to Tampico, when it formed, with one company of the Third and one of the Seventh infantry, a pioneer party, under Captain Henry of the Third infantry. The detailed reports of these labors exhibit the greatest efficiency and excellent discipline under severe and trying circumstances, Lieutenant Smith having then but one officer, Lieutenant McClellan, under his command."

Colonel Totten at Vera Cruz, saw this company, now rejoined by its captain, land with the first line on the beach