Napoleonic.
McClellan, not content with rendering himself ridiculous by his proclamation after the affair of
Rich Mountain, is on the stilts again.
His late "order of the day," announcing an advance upon
Richmond, is a parody upon the Napoleonic proclamations.
In some places he almost quotes the words of the great conqueror.
For instance,
Napoleon says, "it will only be necessary to say 'I was in the great battle, under the walls of
Moscow,' to authorize the reply, 'there goes a brave man!'"
McClellan tells his Yankees, "when this war is over, we will all return to our homes, and feel that we can ask no higher honor than the proud consciousness that we belonged to the army of the Potomac."
Richmonds as it is in other respects, the first portion of this proclamation is at least instructive.
We subjoin it:
"For a long time I have kept you inactive, but not without a purpose.
You were to be disciplined, armed and instructed.
The formidable artillery you now have, had to be created.
Other armies were to move and accomplish certain results.
I have held you back that you might give the death-blow to the rebellion that has distracted our once happy country.
The patience you have shown and your confidence in your General, are worth a dozen victories.
"These preliminary results are now accomplished.
I feel that the labor of many months have produced their fruit.
The army of the Potomac is now a real army, magnificent in
material, admirable in discipline and instruction, excellently equipped and armed, your commanders are all that I could wish.
The moment for action has arrived, and I know that I can trust in you to save your country.
As I ride through your ranks I see in your faces the sure presage of victory — I feel that you will do whatever I ask of you."
While
McClellan was thus employing the time which
we most generously left at his disposal,
we were doing nothing, waiting for
France and
England to come in and fight out our quarrel, under the belief that cotton was king, and ruled all things.
Was ever madness like this madness?
Was ever folly like this folly?
Did infatuation ever so absorb the human understanding?
