 McClellan 's final years were devoted to traveling and writing , including his memoirs McClellan 's Own Story ( published posthumously in 1887 ) , in which he stridently defended his conduct during the war . He died unexpectedly of a heart attack at age 58 at West Orange , New Jersey , after suffering from chest pains for a few weeks . His final words , at 3 a.m. , October 29 , 1885 , were , " I feel easy now . Thank you . " He was buried at Riverview Cemetery , Trenton , New Jersey . 
