It may perhaps be said with justice, that General McClellan had saved the Federal cause from decisive defeat.

There was no army to protect Washington but the body of troops under his command; these were largely raw levies, which defeat would have broken to pieces, and thus the way would have been open for Lee's march upon Washington or toward Philadelphia--a movement whose probable result would have been a treaty of peace and the independence of the Southern Confederacy.

All these hopes were reversed by McClellan's rapid march and prompt attack.

In the hours of a single autumn day, on the banks of the Antietam, the triumphant advance of the Confederates was checked and defeated.

And, if the further fact be considered that the adversary thus checkmated was Lee, the military ability of General McClellan must be conceded.