upon the individual. The General who
crushes the soul out of his command by exacting infamous punishments for
trivial offences, is but a short remove from the commander who would
basely surrender it to the enemy on the barest pretext. Punishment has
too often been connected with prejudice against Volunteers in the Army
of the Potomac, controlled as it has been too much by martinets. That a
nation of freemen could have endured so long the contumely of a proud
military leader when his incapacity was so apparent, will be a matter of
wonder for the historian. The inconsistency that would follow the great
Napoleon in modelling an army and neglect his example in giving it
mobility, with eminent propriety leaves the record of its exploits to
depend upon the pen of a scion of the unmilitary House of Orleans.

But the decree "thus far shalt thou come," forced upon an honest but
blindly indulgent President by the People, who will not forget that
power is derived from them, had already gone forth, although not yet
officially announced to the Army; and it was during the week at
Warrenton, our halting-place on the morrow, that the army, with the
citizens at home, rejoiced that the work of staying the proud waves of
imbecility, as well as insult, to our Administration, had commenced. The
history of reforms is one of the sacrifice of blood, money, and time.
Frightful bills of mortality, shattered finances, nineteen months of
valuable time, do not in this case admit of an exception.

CHAPTER XIII.

_Camp near Warrenton--Stability of the Republic--Measures, not Men,
regarded by the Public--Removal of McClellan--Division Head-Quarters a
House of Mourning--A Pigeon-hole General and his West Point
Patent-Leather Cartridge-Box--Head-Quarter Murmurings and
Mutterings--Departure of Little Mac and the Prince--Cheering by Word of
Command--The Southern Saratoga--Rebel Regret at McClellan's Departure._

Writers prone to treat of the instability of Republics, will find
serious matter to combat in the array of events that culminated at
Warrenton. Without the blood that has usually characterized similar
events in the history of Monarchies, in fact with scarcely a ripple upon
the surface of our national affairs, a great military chieftain, or to
speak truly, a commander who had endeavored, and who had the grandest of
opportunities to become such, passed from his proud position as the
leader of the chief army of the Republic, to the obscur