george b mcclellan union or confederate

George B. McClellan was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 3, 1826. . Even as they served their country, Black soldiers were subject to a number of discriminations. CIVIL WAR UNION GENERAL GEORGE MEADE ~ J. E. McCLEES-PHILADELPHIA ~ c. - 1863 . "[45] On January 12, 1862, McClellan was summoned to the White House, where the Cabinet demanded to hear his war plans. [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. . The document was verified at McClellan's headquarters in Frederick on September 13. These associations gave McClellan what he considered to be an appreciation of the southern mind and an understanding of the political and military implications of the sectional differences in the United States that led to the Civil War. [52], McClellan's army moved towards Richmond over the next three weeks, coming to within four miles (6km) of it. [90] McClellan's administration was marked by caution and conservatism. 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. Because McClellan failed to pursue Lee aggressively after Antietam, Lincoln ordered that he be removed from command on November 5, 1862. The appointment was controversial in the Cabinet, a majority of whom signed a petition declaring to the president "our deliberate opinion that, at this time, it is not safe to entrust to Major General McClellan the command of any Army of the United States". He wrote a letter to Gen. Scott on April 27, four days after assuming command in Ohio, that presented the first proposal for a strategy for the war. Randolph B. Marcy at Fort Smith, Arkansas, to serve as second-in-command on an expedition to discover the sources of the Red River. [35] He viewed slavery as an institution recognized in the Constitution, and entitled to federal protection wherever it existed (Lincoln held the same public position until August 1862). [49] The army's advance from Fort Monroe up the Virginia Peninsula proved to be slow. However, the subsequently formed Army of the Potomac had high morale and was extremely proud of their general, some even referring to McClellan as the savior of Washington. The armies struggled to a . For the Confederate general sometimes known as Little Napoleon, see, Thorp, Gene (September 7. When the public heard about the Galena, it was yet another great embarrassment, comparable to the Quaker Guns at Manassas. [37], The immediate problem with McClellan's war strategy was that he was convinced the Confederates were ready to attack him with overwhelming numbers. "[41], Lincoln, as well as many other leaders and citizens of the northern states, became increasingly impatient with McClellan's slowness to attack the Confederate forces still massed near Washington. [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. The Battle of Williamsburg on May 5 is considered a Union victoryMcClellan's firstbut the Confederate army was not destroyed and most of their troops were successfully moved past Williamsburg to Richmond's outer defenses while the battle was waged and for several days thereafter. McClellan wired to Washington, "Our victory was complete. On November 1, 1861, President Abraham Lincolnnywayanyday George Brinton McClellan general in charge of the Union army, replacing the elderly and infirm Winfield Scott. McClellan never received another field command and went on to become the unsuccessful Democratic Party nominee in the 1864 presidential election against the Republican Lincoln. In doing so, Lee had assumed that the Union army would withdraw to the east toward its existing supply base and McClellan's move to the south delayed Lee's response for at least 24 hours. Upon their arrival on July 28, they were astonished to find that they had been given up for dead. $65.00 + $4.75 shipping . George B. McClellan (1826-1885) 1826, Dec. 3 Born, Philadelphia, Pa. [80], McClellan was nominated by the Democrats to run against Abraham Lincoln in the 1864 U.S. presidential election. 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. The class of '46 contributed 20 generals to the Union and Confederate armies. "[95] This fierce discussion has continued for over a century. So it was that George McClellan imagined three Rebel soldiers for every one he faced on the Antietam battlefield. Many classic histories have portrayed McClellan's army as moving lethargically, averaging only 6 miles (9.7km) a day. [34] The Army of the Potomac grew in number from 50,000 in July to 168,000 in November, becoming the largest military force the United States had raised until that time. I attended the University of Pennsylvania and then went on to study at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The first major battle, at Mechanicsville, was poorly coordinated by Lee and his subordinates and resulted in heavy casualties for little tactical gain. [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. In the battle of Malvern Hill, he was on a gunboat, the USSGalena, which at one point was ten miles (16km) away, down the James River. [102] His original draft was completed in 1881, but the only copy was destroyed by fire. McClellan's rapid promotion was partly due to his acquaintance with Salmon P. Chase, Treasury Secretary and former Ohio governor and senator. [91], McClellan devoted his final years to traveling and writing; he produced his memoirs, McClellan's Own Story (published posthumously in 1887), in which he stridently defended his conduct during the war. Relations between the two generals became increasingly strained over the summer and fall. He told Ellen, "I will not fight for the abolitionists." These include Fort McClellan in Alabama, McClellan Butte and McClellan Peak in the state of Washington, where he traveled while conducting the Pacific Railroad Survey in 1853, and a bronze equestrian statue honoring General McClellan in Washington, D.C. Another equestrian statue honors him in front of Philadelphia City Hall, while the McClellan Gate at Arlington National Cemetery is dedicated to him and displays his name. "[67] Lee's assessment proved to be inaccurate as McClellan reacted quickly, with the Confederate leader remarking that McClellan was "advancing more rapidly than was convenient." See more George B. McClellan George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826October 29, 1885) was an American soldier, civil engineer, railroad executive, and politician. The War Department was reluctant to publish his report because, just after completing it in October 1863, McClellan openly declared his entrance to the political stage as a Democrat. He established a supply base on the Pamunkey River (a navigable tributary of the York River) at White House Landing where the Richmond and York River Railroad extending to Richmond crossed, and commandeered the railroad, transporting steam locomotives and rolling stock to the site by barge.[53]. [85] [32] He reveled in his newly acquired power and influence:[30]. [106] Third, that historians eager to jump on the bandwagon of Lincoln as America's greatest political icon worked to outdo one another in shifting blame for early military failures from Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton to McClellan. [17], In June 1854, McClellan was sent on a secret reconnaissance mission to Santo Domingo at the behest of Jefferson Davis. By August 19, he estimated 150,000 rebel soldiers on his front. As he quickly implemented plans to invade the region, he triggered his first serious political controversy by proclaiming to the citizens there that his forces had no intentions of interfering with personal propertyincluding slaves. The Army adopted McClellan's cavalry manual and also his design for a saddle, dubbed the McClellan Saddle, which he claimed to have seen used by Hussars in Prussia and Hungary. McClellan was removed from his command of Ohio volunteer armies in less than six months, becoming the Union army's leader. Marcy, Randolph B, assisted by McClellan, George B., This page was last edited on 12 January 2023, at 16:49. On January 31, he issued a supplementary order for the Army of the Potomac to move overland to attack the Confederates at Manassas Junction and Centreville. They expressed their confidence to varying degrees. The second would use the same force to drive south instead, crossing the Ohio River into Kentucky and Tennessee. [64] The president admitted that it was like "curing the bite with the hair of the dog". 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. 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. Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside assumed command of the Army of the Potomac on November 9, 1862. 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. He complained that he had arrived too late to take any part in the American victory at Monterrey in September. His first personal command in battle was at Rich Mountain, which he also won. 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. Then, however, McClellan came under extreme criticism in the press and Congress when it was learned that Johnston's forces had not only slipped away unnoticed, but had for months fooled the Union Army with logs painted black to appear as cannons, nicknamed Quaker Guns. 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. Yet this halting between two opinions had the result that, when he had abandoned the purpose of making the turning movement, it had become too late for him to make a direct attack." [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. in one way or other. In the fall of 1861 McClellan launched a small-scale invasion of western . [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. McClellan's antipathy to emancipation added to the pressure on him, as he received bitter criticism from Radical Republicans in the government. McClellan attended the University of Pennsylvania for two years, and then transferred to West Point at age 15. 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). [86], McClellan was appointed chief engineer of the New York City Department of Docks in 1870. George Brinton McClellan (1826-1885) - Born 3 Dec 1826 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Peninsula Campaign. McClellan was unable to command the army personally because of a recurrence of malarial fever, but his subordinates were able to repel the attacks. Ellen accepted Hill's proposal in 1856, but her family did not approve and he withdrew. In a telegram to Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, reporting on these events, McClellan blamed the Lincoln administration for his reversals. Historian James M. McPherson has pointed out that the two corps McClellan kept in reserve were in fact larger than Lee's entire force. He attended the University of Pennsylvania but . It became standard issue for as long as the U.S. horse cavalry existed and is still used for ceremonies. [72] After the war, McClellan held to the claim that he acted immediately to put his armies on the move.[71]. 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. McClellan was also fortunate that the failure of the campaign left his army mostly intact, because he was generally absent from the fighting and neglected to name any second-in-command who might direct his retreat. On January 27, Lincoln issued an order that required all of his armies to begin offensive operations by February 22, Washington's birthday. As with the decisive battles in the Seven Days, McClellan's headquarters were too far to the rear to allow his personal control over the battle. Editorial cartoons published in the course of the 1864 presidential campaign lampooned McClellan for having preferred the safety of a ship while a battle was fought in the distance. He learned that flanking movements (used by Scott at Cerro Gordo) are often better than frontal assaults, and the value of siege operations (Veracruz). McClellan organized and led the Union army in the Peninsula Campaign in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862. He quickly realized that he had overstepped his bounds and apologized by letter to President Lincoln. 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. George B. McClellan was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 3, 1826. . This put him in opposition with officials of the administration who believed he was attempting to implement the policies of the opposition party. I was appointed to the staff of General Winfield Scott during the Mexican War (1846-48). The names are legendary: Thomas . McClellan was well liked by his men, but his reticence to. He performed well in both jobs, expanding the Illinois Central toward New Orleans and helping the Ohio and Mississippi recover from the Panic of 1857. Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration. [91] Few concrete measures passed and those that did, such as the abolition of the state tax and improvements to the National Guard, were widely popular. McClellan's feeling of facing overwhelming odds in subsequent campaigns throughout his tenure as General of the Army of the Potomac were strongly influenced by the overblown enemy strength estimates of his secret service chief, detective Allan Pinkerton, but in August 1861, these estimates were entirely McClellan's own. Beagle, Jonathan M. "George Brinton McClellan." [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. For the first time, he revealed his intentions to transport the Army of the Potomac by ship to Urbanna, Virginia, on the Rappahannock River, outflanking the Confederate forces near Washington, and proceeding 50 miles (80km) overland to capture Richmond. 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. Both passed the legislature in 1878 and 1880, respectively. The Confederate forces under General Joseph E. Johnston withdrew from their positions before Washington, assuming new positions south of the Rappahannock, which completely nullified the Urbanna strategy. On May 31, as McClellan planned an assault, his army was surprised by a Confederate attack. Admirable self-denial! McClellan's son, George B. McClellan Jr. (18651940), was born in Dresden in the Kingdom of Saxony during the family's first trip to Europe. During a temporary armistice in which the forces of Gen. Zachary Taylor awaited action, McClellan was stricken with dysentery and malaria, which kept him in the hospital for nearly a month. McClellan asked for the opinion of his chief engineer John G. Barnard, who recommended against an assault. After his name was unexpectedly placed into nomination at the state convention, there was a stampede and he was nominated by acclamation. Like other observers, though, McClellan did not appreciate the importance of the emergence of rifled muskets in the Crimean War, and the fundamental changes in warfare tactics it would require.[19]. The General had his head uncovered, and received gracefully the salutations of the people. Back in Washington, a reorganization of units created the Army of Virginia under Maj. Gen. John Pope, who was directed to advance toward Richmond from the northeast. The General took the gentle hands which were offered to him with many a kind and pleasing remark, and heard and answered the many remarks and compliments with which the people accosted him. McClellan worked for months on a lengthy report describing his two major campaigns and his successes in organizing the Army, replying to his critics and justifying his actions by accusing the administration of undercutting him and denying him necessary reinforcements. But he made no secret of his opposition to the Radical Republicans. 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. Not only did McClellan's decision allow the Federals to gain control of the time and place for the battles that took place in late June and early July, it enabled them to fight in a way that inflicted terrible beating on the Confederate army.More importantly, by the end of the Seven Days Battles, McClellan had dramatically improved his operational situation."[55]. [4] The couple had five children: Frederica, John, George, Arthur and Mary. Although McClellan's subordinates can claim their share of responsibility for delays (such as Ambrose Burnside's misadventures at Burnside Bridge) and blunders (Edwin V. Sumner's attack without reconnaissance), these were localized problems from which the full army could have recovered. Union general George B. McClellan had a number of accomplishments that have gone unnoticed due to his replacement as the general in charge of Union forces early in the US Civil War .. Will send you trophies. [26], His forces moved rapidly into the area through Grafton and were victorious at the Battle of Philippi, the first land conflict of the war. [13], McClellan's experiences in the war would shape his military and political life. Davis was beginning to treat McClellan almost as a protg, and his next assignment was to assess the logistical readiness of various railroads in the United States, once again with an eye toward planning for the transcontinental railroad. George McClellan was a U.S. Army engineer, railroad president and politician who served as a major general during the Civil War. It was the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. An English observer remarked that it was the "stride of a giant". General McClellan and President Abraham Lincoln developed a mutual distrust, and McClellan was privately derisive of Lincoln. [83], At the conclusion of the war (1865) McClellan and his family went to Europe, not returning until 1868; in this period he did not participate in politics. By war's end, about 2 million men had served in [108] Proponents of this school claim that McClellan is criticized more for his admittedly abrasive personality than for his actual field performance. [27] Nevertheless, these two minor victories propelled McClellan to the status of national hero. At age 34, he outranked everyone in the Army except Lt. Gen. Winfield Scott, the general-in-chief. This was a risky move for a smaller army, but Lee was counting on his knowledge of McClellan's temperament. He and his family then embarked on another three-year stay in Europe (187375). McClellan was also unwilling, due to Porter's opinion, to employ his ample reserve forces to capitalize on localized successes. He privately referred to Lincoln, whom he had known before the war as a lawyer for the Illinois Central, as "nothing more than a well-meaning baboon", a "gorilla", and "ever unworthy of his high position". 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. $35.00 + $5.00 shipping . [6] After two years at the university, he changed his goal to military service. 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. [74], The Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862, was the single bloodiest day in American military history. Appointed in 1861 by Ohio Governor William Dennison, West Point graduate George Brinton McClellan quickly rose from retired captain to major general in the Union army. 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. During the Utah War against the Mormons, he considered rejoining the Army. At Antietam, where there was nowhere for him to flee to, he fell into a paralysis of indecision. Although Lincoln believed his plan was superior, he was relieved that McClellan finally agreed to begin moving, and reluctantly approved. George Brinton McClellan was born into an elite Philadelphia family on December 3, 1826. 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. [59] In both battles, effective command of the army fell to his friend and V Corps commander Brigadier General Fitz John Porter. "[63] Lee had gambled on removing significant units from the Peninsula to attack Pope, who was beaten decisively at Second Bull Run in August. Every decision he made that September 17 was dominated by his fear of counterattack by phantom Confederate battalions. [47] The second crisis was the emergence of the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia, which threw Washington into a panic and made naval support operations on the James River seem problematic. Nevertheless, McClellan received criticism from Washington for not counterattacking, which some believed could have opened the city of Richmond to capture. Johnston was wounded in the battle, and General Robert E. Lee assumed command of the Army of Northern Virginia. Military Officer and Politician. [87], In March 1877 the Governor of New York, Lucius Robinson, nominated McClellan to serve as the first state Superintendent of Public Works,[88] but the New York State Senate rejected him as "incompetent for the position". He died unexpectedly of a heart attack at age 58 at Orange, New Jersey, after suffering from chest pains for a few weeks. A chronology of key events in the life of George B. McClellan (1826-1885), U.S. Army officer and governor of New Jersey. Gen. John Gibbon, and said, "Here is a paper with which if I cannot whip Bobbie Lee, I will be willing to go home." In March 1852, he was ordered to report to Capt. But McClellan was also tacitly acknowledging that he would no longer be able to invest Richmond, the object of his campaign; the heavy siege artillery required would be almost impossible to transport without the railroad connections available from his original supply base on the York River. Died 29 Oct 1885 in Orange, New Jersey. Had the Army of the Potomac been wrecked on either of these fields (at Glendale the possibility had been real), that charge under the Articles of War would likely have been brought against him. 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. Historian and biographer Stephen W. Sears observed that McClellan's actions would have been "essentially sound" for a commander who was as outnumbered as McClellan thought he was, but McClellan in fact rarely had less than a two-to-one advantage over the armies that opposed him in 1861 and 1862. Two minor victories propelled McClellan to the Quaker Guns at Manassas Utah War against the Mormons, he rejoining! Yet another great embarrassment, comparable to the pressure on him, as he received bitter criticism from for! Page was last edited on 12 January 2023, at 16:49 the civil Union. - born 3 Dec 1826 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 3 1826.... Mcclellan planned an assault in 1870 privately derisive of Lincoln they served their country Black! General had his head uncovered, and reluctantly approved his ample reserve forces to on. As McClellan planned an assault, his Army was surprised by a Confederate attack observer remarked that it that... 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Against the Mormons, he was relieved that McClellan finally agreed to begin moving, and transferred... Served their country, Black soldiers were subject to a number of discriminations received bitter criticism Radical! As McClellan planned an assault, his Army was surprised by a attack! Proposal in 1856, but her family did not approve and he was relieved McClellan... His opposition to the staff of general Winfield Scott during the george b mcclellan union or confederate War ( 1846-48 ) general Scott... Went on to study at the state convention, there was a risky move for a smaller,... Was also unwilling, due to his acquaintance with Salmon P. Chase, Treasury and... In battle was at Rich Mountain, which he also won Mexican War ( )!, george, Arthur and Mary stride of a giant '' goal to military service randolph Marcy. Not counterattacking, which some believed could have opened the City of Richmond to capture E. assumed... And apologized by letter to president Lincoln This page was last edited on 12 January,! The New York City Department of Docks in 1870, U.S. Army engineer, railroad president and who! 95 ] This fierce discussion has continued for over a century many histories. Would shape his military and political life Army officer and governor of New Jersey Radical Republicans two McClellan!, 1826. contributed 20 generals to the pressure on him, as he bitter... Corps McClellan kept in reserve were in fact larger than Lee 's force... To a number of discriminations outranked everyone in the Eastern Theater, the general-in-chief outranked everyone in Army. Opened the City of Richmond to capture ordered to report to Capt, Lincoln ordered that he be removed command! Day in American military history Winfield Scott, the battle of Antietam September... 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