An English observer remarked that it was the "stride of a giant". 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. [60], McClellan was reunited with his army at Harrison's Landing on the James. On January 27, Lincoln issued an order that required all of his armies to begin offensive operations by February 22, Washington's birthday. [33] He created defenses for Washington that were almost impregnable, consisting of 48 forts and strong points, with 480 guns manned by 7,200 artillerists. See more George B. McClellan George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826October 29, 1885) was an American soldier, civil engineer, railroad executive, and politician. The New York Evening Post commented in McClellan's obituary, "Probably no soldier who did so little fighting has ever had his qualities as a commander so minutely, and we may add, so fiercely discussed. Will send you trophies. "[31] On July 26, the day he reached the capital, McClellan was appointed commander of the Military Division of the Potomac, the main Union force responsible for the defense of Washington. McClellan assessed local defensive capabilities for the secretary. I have never witnessed such a scene. Instead, his subordinate officers testified, and their candid admissions that they had no knowledge of specific strategies for advancing against the Confederates raised many calls for McClellan's dismissal. 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. [50] During this time, General Johnston was able to provide Magruder with reinforcements, but even then there were far fewer troops than McClellan believed were opposite him. 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. The camp was the training grounds for recruits and a hospital for the wounded. Ohio Governor William Dennison was the most persistent, so McClellan was commissioned a major general of volunteers and took command of the Ohio militia on April 23, 1861. [54] Ethan Rafuse notes "McClellan's change of base to the James, however, thwarted Lee's attempt to do this. Dec 3, 1826 - Oct 29, 1885. The testing of battle uncovered another McClellan failing - his management of his own generals. Upon graduation, George McClellan was appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. Place Of Burial: Trenton, NJ. McClellan was called as the first witness on December 23, but he contracted typhoid fever and could not attend. McClellan was removed from his command of Ohio volunteer armies in less than six months, becoming the Union army's leader. Early in the conflict, McClellan was appointed to the rank of major general and played an important role in raising a well-trained and disciplined army, which would become the Army of the Potomac in the Eastern Theater; he served a brief period (November 1861 to March 1862) as Commanding General of the United States Army of the Union Army. McClellan's pursuit began on September 5. McClellan immediately replied with a 22-page letter objecting in detail to the president's plan and advocating instead his Urbanna plan, which was the first written instance of the plan's details being presented to the president. [78] McClellan wrote to his wife, "Those in whose judgment I rely tell me that I fought the battle splendidly and that it was a masterpiece of art. With the assistance of his father's letter to President John Tyler, McClellan was accepted at the United States Military Academy in 1842 at the age of 15, with the academy waiving its usual minimum age of 16. Gen. John Gibbon, and said, "Here is a paper with which if I cannot whip Bobbie Lee, I will be willing to go home." Because McClellan failed to pursue Lee aggressively after Antietam, Lincoln ordered that he be removed from command on November 5, 1862. [66], Lee divided his forces into multiple columns, spread apart widely as he moved into Maryland and also maneuvered to capture the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry. 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. Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration. [64] The president admitted that it was like "curing the bite with the hair of the dog". He claimed to have defeated an attempt at vote fraud by Republicans by ordering the delay of a train that was carrying men to vote illegally in another county, enabling Douglas to win the county. Ellen accepted Hill's proposal in 1856, but her family did not approve and he withdrew. He favored a war that would impose little impact on civilian populations and require no emancipation of slaves. I feel some little pride in having, with a beaten & demoralized army, defeated Lee so utterly. [71], Still, historians including James M. McPherson in Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam and The Battle Cry of Freedom, Stephen Sears in Landscape Turned Red, John Keegan in The American Civil War, and James V. Murfin in The Gleam of Bayonets have provided clear evidence that McClellan, despite his expressed joy upon being given the order, delayed by some 18 hours before reacting to the intelligence coup, resulting in Lee's being able to elude the late-arriving Union forces, and this remains the standard view. Basing artillery on a strategic bluff high above a bend in the river, and sinking boats to create an impassable series of obstacles in the river itself, the Confederates effectively blocked this potential approach to Richmond. Peninsula Campaign: From Yorktown to Seven Pines Peninsula Campaign: Seven Days' Battles The Peninsula (or Peninsular) Campaign was a major Union offensive against the Confederate capital. George B. McClellan was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 3, 1826. . 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. During the summer and fall, McClellan brought a high degree of organization to his new army, and greatly improved its morale with frequent trips to review and encourage his units. He refused to give any specific details of the proposed campaign, even to his friend, newly appointed War Secretary Edwin M. Stanton. He had received intelligence reports on May 26 that the critical Baltimore and Ohio Railroad bridges in that portion of the state were being burned. Upon his return to the United States in 1856, he requested an assignment in Philadelphia to prepare his report, which contained a critical analysis of the siege and a lengthy description of the organization of the European armies. This put him in opposition with officials of the administration who believed he was attempting to implement the policies of the opposition party. Initially, McClellan was somewhat successful against General Joseph E. Johnston, but the emergence of General Robert E. Lee to command the Army of Northern Virginia turned the subsequent Seven Days Battles into a Union defeat. Many classic histories have portrayed McClellan's army as moving lethargically, averaging only 6 miles (9.7km) a day. I find myself in a new and strange position herePresdt, Cabinet, Genl Scott & all deferring to meby some strange operation of magic I seem to have become the power of the land. George B. McClellan, portrait by Mathew Brady, 1861. [1], Because of his political connections and his mastery of French, McClellan received the assignment to be an official observer of the European armies in the Crimean War in 1855. [6] After two years at the university, he changed his goal to military service. Both passed the legislature in 1878 and 1880, respectively. 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. He created a false impression of many troops behind the lines and of even more troops arriving. Special Order 191 revealed the widely dispersed configuration of Lee's Army, making it vulnerable to destruction in detail. Debates were held as to whether the army should be evacuated or attempt to resume an offensive toward Richmond. [70] Within hours of receiving the order, McClellan dispatched some of his cavalry to assess whether The Confederates had moved in accordance with the order. [96][97] They referred to him affectionately as "Little Mac";[98] others sometimes called him the "Young Napoleon". In fact, the general-in-chief position was left unfilled. As Lee recounted, McClellan was attempting to make "this a battle of posts" which would lock the Confederate army in an attritional battle with superior Union firepower. [102] His original draft was completed in 1881, but the only copy was destroyed by fire. [27] Nevertheless, these two minor victories propelled McClellan to the status of national hero. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for CIVIL WAR GENERAL GEORGE B. McCLELLAN & WIFE ~ c. - 1863 at the best online prices at eBay! On March 8, doubting McClellan's resolve, Lincoln again interfered with the army commander's prerogatives. For this reason, some of his Southern colleagues approached him informally about siding with the Confederacy, but he could not accept the concept of secession. A graduate of West Point, McClellan served with distinction during the MexicanAmerican War (18461848), and later left the Army to serve as an executive and engineer on railroads until the outbreak of the American Civil War (18611865). Military Officer and Politician. On August 8, believing that the Confederacy had over 100,000 troops facing him (in contrast to the 35,000 they had actually deployed at Bull Run a few weeks earlier), he declared a state of emergency in the capital. Unlike some of his fellow Union officers who came from abolitionist families, he was opposed to federal interference with slavery. Northern fears of a continued offensive by Robert E. Lee were realized when he launched his Maryland campaign on September 4, hoping to arouse pro-Southern sympathy in the slave state of Maryland. The Union victory and Lincoln's proclamation played a considerable role in dissuading the governments of France and Britain from recognizing the Confederacy; some suspected they were planning to do so in the aftermath of another Union defeat. Under the pressure of his ultimate soldier's responsibility, the will to command deserted him. "[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." Thank you." [82] For all his popularity with the troops, McClellan failed to secure their support and the military vote went to Lincoln nearly 31. . Beginning in 1872, he also served as the president of the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad. "[101] Doris Kearns Goodwin writes that a review of his personal correspondence during the war reveals a tendency for self-aggrandizement and unwarranted self-congratulation. [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. I think Lee has made a gross mistake, and that he will be severely punished for it. Add an answer. A brilliant engineer and a great organizer, McClellan created the Army of the Potomac, the Union's . [86], McClellan was appointed chief engineer of the New York City Department of Docks in 1870. Yardley, Penna. [25], McClellan's first military operations were to occupy the area of western Virginia that wanted to remain in the Union and subsequently became the state of West Virginia. It was an armada that dwarfed all previous American expeditions, transporting 121,500 men, 44 artillery batteries, 1,150 wagons, over 15,000 horses, and tons of equipment and supplies. [7], At West Point, he was an energetic and ambitious cadet, deeply interested in the teachings of Dennis Hart Mahan and the theoretical strategic principles of Antoine-Henri Jomini. He served as the 24th Governor of New Jersey from 1878 to 1881; he eventually became a writer, and vigorously defended his Civil War conduct. George B. McClellan. He marched toward Maryland with six of his reorganized corps. [39], The dispute with Scott became increasingly personal. 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