The character of the man led him to look upon success or failure with this supreme composure, which nothing seemed able to shake; but in July, 1862, he probably understood that the Confederate States were still as far as ever from having achieved the objects of the war.  General McClellan had been defeated in battle, but the great resources of the United States Government would enable it promptly to put other and larger armies in the field.  Even the defeated army was still numerous and dangerous, for it consisted, according to McClellan’s report, of nearly or quite ninety thousand men; and the wise brain of its commander had devised a plan of future operations which promised far greater results than the advance on Richmond from the Chickahominy.

We shall touch, in passing, on this interesting subject, but shall first ask the reader’s attention to a communication addressed, by General McClellan, at this time to President Lincoln.  It is one of those papers which belong to history, and should be placed upon record.  It not only throws the clearest light on the character and views of General Lee’s great adversary, but expresses with admirable lucidity the sentiments of a large portion of the Federal people at the time.  The President had invited a statement of General McClellan’s views on the conduct of the war, and on July 7th, in the very midst of the scenes of disaster at Harrison’s Landing, McClellan wrote these statesmanlike words: 

“This rebellion has assumed the character of a war; as such it should be regarded, and it should be conducted upon the highest principles know to Christian civilization.  It should not be a war looking to the subjugation of the people of any State in any event.  It should not be at all a war upon population, but against armed forces and political organization.  Neither confiscation of property, political executions, territorial organizations of States, nor forcible abolition of slavery, should be contemplated for a moment.  In prosecuting the war all private property and unarmed persons should be strictly protected, subject only to the necessity of military operations.  All private property taken for military use should be paid or receipted for; pillage and waste should be treated as high crimes; all unnecessary trespass sternly prohibited, and offensive demeanor by the military toward citizens promptly rebuked.  Military arrests should not be tolerated, except in places where active hostilities exist, and oaths not required by enactments constitutionally made should be neither demanded nor received.  Military government should be confined to the preservation of public order and the protection of political right.  Military power should not be allowed to interfere with the relations of servitude, either by supporting or impairing the authority of the master, except for repressing disorder, as in other cases.  Slaves contraband under the Act of Congress, seeking military protection, should receive it.  The right of the Government to appropriate permanently to its own service claims to slave-labor should be asserted, and the right of the owner to compensation therefor should be recognized.