“General McClellan has been, or is to be, relieved and Burnside placed in comamnd.” –Diary of Josiah Marshall Favill.

October 31st. Remained at Key’s Pass all day, but received orders to march to-morrow morning. Weather favorable for campaigning. We hear to-night that a great event is about to happen to the army of the Potomac. General McClellan has been, or is to be, relieved and Burnside placed in comamnd. I met McClellan with an escort, on my return to the brigade, and wondered where he was going. The general has many friends in the army, who will be sorry to part with him, and even those of us who have no great faith in his abilities, are attached to him through long association, and will feel the change, as another link broken in the chain of friendship, which, in the army, is highly developed. I doubt if a single man in this army would have suggested Burnside as his successor. Burnside’s name is not associated with any great deeds, and we can hardly believe he is to become commander-in-chief. He is a superb looking officer, but too much in love with himself to amount to much. He is stylish to a degree, wears side whiskers, large slouch hat, top boots and is altogether an ideal cavalier, but without the force of character which men look for in a commanding officer. He commanded our brigade, so called, at the first battle of Bull Run, without winning any distinction.