AMERICAN SOCIAL FORCES.
[To TEL EDITOR OF TEE " SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Under this heading in the Spectator of June 4th you do a cruel injustice to the memory of General McClellan. Having drilled and trained a concourse of men with guns, he fought his way to Richmond, and there intended to remain until the war should be brought to a conclusion. Staggering under the determined assaults of the Confederates, he sum- moned to his aid the thirty thousand men he had left as a reserve under General McDowell. It was only then he found that they had been withdrawn by Mr. Lincoln, who had not even informed him that he had taken so momentous a step. Thus was his campaign marred, for retreat became inevitable. No doubt signal incapacity was displayed, but it was not on the part of McClellan. The overthrow of his successors and the march of General Lee upon Maryland led to his being implored to resume the command. The battle of Antietam was the result, and the victorious march of Lee was stayed. Their immediate fears removed, the President and Secretary Chase again, rather ungratefully, deprived him of his com- mand. This you call McClellan's utter failure in the field, and you say that Lincoln retained him "long after he had ceased to be useful, save to the enemy "!
By the way, how much older do you imagine "the Young Napoleon" to have been than Grant and Sheridan ? I sup- pose journalists have to deal at short notice with subjects so many and various that accuracy is not to be expected, but it is rough upon the dead at times.—I am, Sir, &c., [We publish our correspondent's letter, but do not agree. with his statement of the facts. We cannot, however,. embark upon a controversy which embraces the whole Civil War.—ED. Spectator.]
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