On March 11, 1862, Lincoln removed McClellan as general-in-chief, leaving him in command of only the Army of the Potomac, ostensibly so that McClellan would be free to devote all his attention to the move on Richmond. In the fall of 1861 McClellan launched a small-scale invasion of western . In this event, it would not only be in the direction of his plan to make no attack, but it would play into his hands that his opponent should accumulate his forces on the Peninsula. [102] His original draft was completed in 1881, but the only copy was destroyed by fire. [31] But this was also a time of tension in the high command, as he continued to quarrel frequently with the government and the general-in-chief, Lt. Gen. Scott, on matters of strategy. George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826 October 29, 1885) was an American soldier, Civil War Union general, civil engineer, railroad executive, and politician who served as the 24th governor of New Jersey. MG George B. McClellan (1861-1862) MG Henry W. Halleck (1862-1864) . Early in the campaign, Confederate General John B. The reason for McClellan's reluctance was that, as in previous battles, he was convinced he was outnumbered. His first personal command in battle was at Rich Mountain, which he also won. McClellan's army began to sail from Alexandria on March 17. It contained two alternatives, each envisioning a prominent role for himself as commander. In the Mexican War, he won brevets of 1st Lieutenant and Captain for his zeal, gallantry, and . George McClellan Library of Congress Quick Facts Significance: General-in-Chief of the Union Army Place Of Birth: Philadelphia, PA Date Of Birth: December 3, 1826 Place Of Death: Orange, NJ Date Of Death: October 29, 1885 Place Of Burial: Trenton, NJ Cemetery Name: Riverview Cemetery [60], McClellan was reunited with his army at Harrison's Landing on the James. Isaac Stevens, governor of the Washington Territory, became dissatisfied with McClellan's performance in his scouting of passes across the Cascade Range. As noted by historians such as Stotelmyer, the significance of the Union victory at South Mountain should not be underestimated. Despite his successes and lucrative salary ($10,000 per year), he was frustrated with civilian employment and continued to study classical military strategy assiduously. Despite being a tactical draw, Antietam is considered a turning point of the war and a victory for the Union because it ended Lee's strategic campaign (his first invasion of the North) and it allowed President Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, taking effect on January 1, 1863. On September 2, 1862, Lincoln named McClellan to command "the fortifications of Washington, and all the troops for the defense of the capital". The controversy was not that his proclamation was diametrically opposed to the administration's policy at the time, but that he was so bold in stepping beyond his strictly military role. It was a remarkable achievement, in which he came to personify the Army of the Potomac and reaped the adulation of his men. Old ladies and men wept for joy, and scores of beautiful ladies waved flags from the balconies of houses upon the street, and their joyousness seemed to overcome every other emotion. McClellan worked on engineering projects in New York City and was offered the position of president of the newly formed University of California, which he declined. The day before, at the Battle of Antietam, Lee's force had engaged in the bloodiest one-day battle of the Civil War against the army of General George B. McClellan. Scott rejected both plans as logistically unfeasible. [13], McClellan's experiences in the war would shape his military and political life. [111], The Fire Department of New York operated a fireboat named George B. McClellan from 1904 to 1954. [49] The army's advance from Fort Monroe up the Virginia Peninsula proved to be slow. Rumors traveled through the capital that McClellan might resign, or instigate a military coup, if Scott were not removed. Despite significant advantages in manpower, McClellan was unable to concentrate his forces effectively, which meant that Lee was able to shift his defenders to parry each of three Union thrusts, launched separately and sequentially against the Confederate left, center, and finally the right. "[69], At the discovery of the Lost Order, McClellan's Assistant Adjutant General verified the signature and handwriting of the officer who wrote out the order, as he knew him well, so there was no doubt as to its authenticity. "[15] George B. McClellan, portrait by Mathew Brady, 1861. George Brinton McClellan was born in Philadelphia on December 3, 1826, the son of a prominent surgeon, Dr. George McClellan, the founder of Jefferson Medical College. Ellen, or Nelly, refused McClellan's first proposal of marriage, one of nine that she received from a variety of suitors, including his West Point friend, A. P. Hill. McClellan's daughter, Mary ("May") (18611945), married a French diplomat and spent much of her life abroad. The camp was the training grounds for recruits and a hospital for the wounded. "[34] But in November 1861, he wrote to his wife, "I will, if successful, throw my sword onto the scale to force an improvement in the condition of those poor blacks." [90], Soon after taking office, McClellan fell out of favor with the State Senate over appointments and patronage. About 10 miles away from the capitol of the Confederacy, George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac was within striking distance of ending the year old Civil War. McClellan revised his plans to have his troops disembark at Fort Monroe, Virginia, and advance up the Virginia Peninsula to Richmond, an operation that would be known as the Peninsula Campaign. He chafed at the boredom of peacetime garrison service, although he greatly enjoyed the social life. [90], The concluding chapter of his political career was his strong support in 1884 for Grover Cleveland. On May 31, as McClellan planned an assault, his army was surprised by a Confederate attack. After a month of preparation, just before he was to assault the Confederate works at Yorktown, McClellan learned that Johnston had withdrawn up the Peninsula towards Williamsburg. When the public heard about the Galena, it was yet another great embarrassment, comparable to the Quaker Guns at Manassas. [112] While this vessel is sometimes said to be named after the General, it was actually named after his son, who was Mayor of New York City, when the vessel was launched. Lincoln's order was ambiguous as to whether McClellan might be restored following a successful campaign. He sought the position of Secretary of War in Cleveland's cabinet, but Senator John R. McPherson, who had opposed McClellan for governor in 1877, succeeded in blocking his nomination. To that end, he advocated for cautious spending to allow for a state tax cut of fifty percent; by the end of McClellan's term, the state tax on residents was abolished entirely. Many historians argue that he was talented in this aspect. I attended the University of Pennsylvania and then went on to study at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Historian Allan Nevins wrote, "Students of history must always be grateful McClellan so frankly exposed his own weaknesses in this posthumous book. [75], The battle was tactically inconclusive, with the Union suffering a higher overall number of casualties, although Lee technically was defeated because he withdrew first from the battlefield and retreated back to Virginia, and lost a larger percentage of his army than McClellan did. George B. McClellan (1826-1885) was an American soldier and politician, best known for his service in the American Civil War, where he was a major general in the Union Army. After the defeat of Pope at Second Bull Run, President Lincoln reluctantly returned to the man who had mended a broken army before. I have never witnessed such a scene. But all of these opportunities were impossible, given the opposition within the administration and the knowledge that McClellan posed a potential political threat. George B. McClellan (1826-1885) 1826, Dec. 3 Born, Philadelphia, Pa. [43] On November 13, he snubbed the president, who had come to visit McClellan's house, by making him wait for 30 minutes, only to be told that the general had gone to bed and could not receive him. [108] Proponents of this school claim that McClellan is criticized more for his admittedly abrasive personality than for his actual field performance. But Lincoln told his secretary, John Hay, "We must use what tools we have. As Swinton notes "It is possible, howeverand there is a considerable volume of evidence bearing upon this pointthat General McClellan, during all the earlier portion of the month before Yorktown, had it in his mind, even without McDowell's corps, to undertake the decisive turning movement by the north side of the York. "[95] This fierce discussion has continued for over a century. One of McClellan's great-grandfathers was Samuel McClellan of Woodstock, Connecticut, a brigadier general who served during the Revolutionary War. He complained that he had arrived too late to take any part in the American victory at Monterrey in September. [107] And fourth, that Lincoln and Stanton deliberately undermined McClellan because of his conciliatory stance towards the South, which might have resulted in a less destructive end to the war had Richmond fallen as a result of the Peninsula Campaign. The names are legendary: Thomas . [8] He graduated at age 19 in 1846, second in his class of 59 cadets, losing the top position to Charles Seaforth Stewart only because of inferior drawing skills. [36] McClellan's writings after the war were typical of many Northerners: "I confess to a prejudice in favor of my own race, & can't learn to like the odor of either Billy goats or niggers. [3] His mother was Elizabeth Sophia Steinmetz Brinton McClellan (18001889), daughter of a leading Pennsylvania family, a woman noted for her "considerable grace and refinement." He realized that McClellan was a strong organizer and a skilled trainer of troops, able to recombine the units of Pope's army with the Army of the Potomac faster than anyone. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union. On November 1, 1861, Winfield Scott retired and McClellan became general-in-chief of all the Union armies. The number of men McClellan was actually faced varies, with Joseph Harsh in Confederate Tide Rising placing Lee's army at 112,220 men compared with the 105,857 under McClellan. [29], After the defeat of the Union forces at Bull Run on July 21, 1861, Lincoln summoned McClellan from western Virginia, where McClellan had given the North the only engagements bearing a semblance of victory. Her father was of English origin, while her mother was Pennsylvania Dutch. [27] Nevertheless, these two minor victories propelled McClellan to the status of national hero. 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