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52 demnation. Gen. McClellan (according to Hallecks official report) at the time Pope was fighting with the hordes of rebels at Brister Thoroughfare gap, Gainsville, and Bull Run, when ordered by Hallack to move to his support returned to that General which suited him, namely "Place the army of the Potomac in the defenses of Washington, let Pope get out of his scrape." My God??? is is possible that any one leaving a commission in the United States army, could ever thing of that as anything but the nations scrape, as though Gen. Pope was the only one interested, this shows Gen. McClellan to lack that devoted patriotism which an officer in the army ought to possess. But allow me here to say that Gen. McClellan, was in this respect just like nine tenths of the officers in our army. Devoted patriots were, and are, as scarce as hens teeth, not only among officers but also among privates. We set out from Rockville about the 10 of September. We necessarily moved slowly, nevertheless we expelled the enemy from Maryland and Pennsylvania in the remarkably short period of eight days. On the 11th we first saw the enemy on the 12th we followed as far as the little village of Havana(?) with the infantry and the cavalry drove the rebels out of Fredrick City. On the 13th the infantry moved beyond Fredrick City and the Cavalry fought the rebels in the Katackitin [Catoctin?] mountains. On the 14th the infantry came up with the enemy at South mountain. We marched all day in hearing of the battle. About 2 oclock we reached the summit of the Katacktin mountains and looking across the valey we could see the battle raging on South mountain 6 miles distant. I believe I never saw a spot of earth that will compare in beauty with Mideltown Valey, as seen from the mountains. Its meadows, cultivated fields, and lovely groves, its streams bordered by sycamores to trace their varied windings, I beheld with the most ecstatic joy. "There is not in this wide world a valley so sweet."