The names are legendary: Thomas . [30], Carl Sandburg wrote, "McClellan was the man of the hour, pointed to by events, and chosen by an overwhelming weight of public and private opinion. He called a council of war at the White House in which McClellan's subordinates were asked about their confidence in the Urbanna plan. [39], The dispute with Scott became increasingly personal. 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. Davis, Jefferson, and McClellan, George B. Leigh, Philip "Lee's Lost Dispatch and Other Civil War Controversies". I have to fight my way against him. Marcy, Randolph B, assisted by McClellan, George B., This page was last edited on 12 January 2023, at 16:49. He was buried at Riverview Cemetery in Trenton.[92]. He quickly realized that he had overstepped his bounds and apologized by letter to President Lincoln. You have done your best to sacrifice this army. He learned that flanking movements (used by Scott at Cerro Gordo) are often better than frontal assaults, and the value of siege operations (Veracruz). Although McClellan was assuaged by supportive comments Lincoln made to him, in time he saw the change of command very differently, describing it as a part of an intrigue "to secure the failure of the approaching campaign".[48]. 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. [90], McClellan also applied his military experience to improve the discipline, organization, and armament of the New Jersey National Guard. [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. One of McClellan's great-grandfathers was Samuel McClellan of Woodstock, Connecticut, a brigadier general who served during the Revolutionary War. Before that time I hope to be on the Susquehanna. A graduate of West Point, McClellan served with distinction during the Mexican-American War, and later left the Army to serve as an executive . [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. 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. He waved the order at his old Army friend, Brig. Traveling widely, and interacting with the highest military commands and royal families, McClellan observed the siege of Sevastopol. On March 8, doubting McClellan's resolve, Lincoln again interfered with the army commander's prerogatives. 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 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. After the meeting, Lincoln issued another order, naming specific officers as corps commanders to report to McClellan (who had been reluctant to do so prior to assessing his division commanders' effectiveness in combat, even though this would have meant his direct supervision of twelve divisions in the field).[46]. [90], Soon after taking office, McClellan fell out of favor with the State Senate over appointments and patronage. George B. McClellan was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 3, 1826. . [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. CIVIL WAR UNION GENERAL GEORGE MEADE ~ J. E. McCLEES-PHILADELPHIA ~ c. - 1863 . George McClellan was a U.S. Army engineer, railroad president and politician who served as a major general during the Civil War. Dec 3, 1826 - Oct 29, 1885. There is no man in the Army who can man these fortifications and lick these troops of ours into shape half as well as he. After the defeat of Pope at Second Bull Run, President Lincoln reluctantly returned to the man who had mended a broken army before. McClellan rejected the tenets of Scott's Anaconda Plan, favoring instead an overwhelming grand battle, in the Napoleonic style. In 1853, he participated in the Pacific Railroad surveys, ordered by Secretary of War Jefferson Davis, to select an appropriate route for the planned transcontinental railroad. McClellan asked for the opinion of his chief engineer John G. Barnard, who recommended against an assault. Unlike some of his fellow Union officers who came from abolitionist families, he was opposed to federal interference with slavery. I feel I have done all that can be asked in twice saving the country. The document was verified at McClellan's headquarters in Frederick on September 13. He graduating second in his class of 59 in 1846. MG George B. McClellan (1861-1862) MG Henry W. Halleck (1862-1864) . He concluded by implying he should be restored as general-in-chief, but Lincoln responded by naming Maj. Gen. Henry W. Halleck to the post without consulting, or even informing, McClellan. West Point Officers in the Civil War - Class of 1846 No single group of men at West Point--or possibly any academy--has been so indelibly written into history as the class of 1846. 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." The effectiveness of his campaign was damaged when he repudiated his party's platform, which promised an end to the war and negotiations with the Confederacy. A brilliant engineer and a great organizer, McClellan created the Army of the Potomac, the Union's . Seen from a longer perspective, General McClellan could be both comfortable and successful performing as executive officer, and also, if somewhat less successfully, as grand strategist; as battlefield commander, however, he was simply in the wrong profession. When Ulysses S. Grant became general-in-chief, he discussed returning McClellan to an unspecified position. However . Glendale and Malvern Hill found him at the peak of his anguish during the Seven Days, and he fled those fields to escape the responsibility. By June the expedition reached the source of the north fork of the river and Marcy named a small tributary McClellan's Creek. [80], McClellan was nominated by the Democrats to run against Abraham Lincoln in the 1864 U.S. presidential election. George B. McClellan (1826-1885) 1826, Dec. 3 Born, Philadelphia, Pa. The testing of battle uncovered another McClellan failing - his management of his own generals. McClellan won the election by a large majority and Democrats gained a majority in both houses of the New Jersey legislature for the first time since 1870. He chafed at the boredom of peacetime garrison service, although he greatly enjoyed the social life. [90], In addition to tax reduction, McClellan's economic agenda included the institution of a Bureau of Statistics of Labor and Industries and the creation of an agricultural experiment station to modernize growing and farming practices. [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 class of '46 contributed 20 generals to the Union and Confederate armies. "[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. With nowhere to go, Joseph Johnston's army struck ou "[63] Lee had gambled on removing significant units from the Peninsula to attack Pope, who was beaten decisively at Second Bull Run in August. 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. [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. "[45] On January 12, 1862, McClellan was summoned to the White House, where the Cabinet demanded to hear his war plans. [90], Most likely due to his personal popularity and celebrity, McClellan's inauguration was held outdoors to accommodate the large crowd. [2] His father's family was of Scottish and English heritage. He began to write another draft of what would be published posthumously, in 1887, as McClellan's Own Story. [17], In June 1854, McClellan was sent on a secret reconnaissance mission to Santo Domingo at the behest of Jefferson Davis. [51], McClellan had also placed hopes on a simultaneous naval approach to Richmond via the James River. 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). Died 29 Oct 1885 in Orange, New Jersey. 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. See more George B. McClellan George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826October 29, 1885) was an American soldier, civil engineer, railroad executive, and politician. However, Gene Thorp in a 2012 article in The Washington Post cited evidence that the vanguard of Army of the Potomac was in motion all day on the 13th due to orders McClellan had issued the previous day. The battle was fought between the Union Army, led by General George B. McClellan, and the Confederate Army, led by General Robert E. Lee. Malaria would recur in later years; he called it his "Mexican disease. Beagle, Jonathan M. "George Brinton McClellan." 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. I attended the University of Pennsylvania and then went on to study at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. [99], There is indeed ample evidence that the terrible stresses of commanding men in battle, especially the beloved men of his beloved Army of the Potomac, left his moral courage in tatters. I feel some little pride in having, with a beaten & demoralized army, defeated Lee so utterly. He complained that he had arrived too late to take any part in the American victory at Monterrey in September. McClellan also developed a disdain for volunteer soldiers and officers, particularly politicians who cared nothing for discipline and training.[14]. His closest friends were aristocratic southerners including George Pickett, Dabney Maury, Cadmus Wilcox, and A. P. Hill. He also wrote a manual on cavalry tactics that was based on Russian cavalry regulations. That fall, for example, Confederate forces ranged from 35,000 to 60,000, whereas the Army of the Potomac in September numbered 122,000 men; in early December 170,000; by year end, 192,000. McClellan ordered his units to set out for the South Mountain passes and was able to punch through the defended passes that separated them from Lee. 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. He arrived near the mouth of the Rio Grande in October 1846, well prepared for action with a double-barreled shotgun, two pistols, a saber, a dress sword, and a Bowie knife. [1], McClellan's first assignment was with a company of engineers formed at West Point, but he quickly received orders to sail for the Mexican War. On August 20, several military units in Virginia were consolidated into his department and he immediately formed the Army of the Potomac, with himself as its first commander. First, McClellan proponents say that because the general was a conservative Democrat with great personal charisma, radical Republicans fearing his political potential deliberately undermined his field operations. 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. [13], McClellan's experiences in the war would shape his military and political life. McClellan would leave two corps behind to defend Washington. This was a risky move for a smaller army, but Lee was counting on his knowledge of McClellan's temperament. [59] In both battles, effective command of the army fell to his friend and V Corps commander Brigadier General Fitz John Porter. McClellan was also unwilling, due to Porter's opinion, to employ his ample reserve forces to capitalize on localized successes. Debates were held as to whether the army should be evacuated or attempt to resume an offensive toward Richmond. [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. Because McClellan failed to pursue Lee aggressively after Antietam, Lincoln ordered that he be removed from command on November 5, 1862. [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. [18] In March 1855, McClellan was promoted to captain and assigned to the 1st U.S. Cavalry regiment. Ellen accepted Hill's proposal in 1856, but her family did not approve and he withdrew. George B. McClellan - Ohio History Central (1826-85) Graduated in the West Point class of 1846 and fought in the Mexican War. McClellan is usually ranked in the lowest tier of Civil War generals. Well, one of these days history will I trust do me justice. I almost think that were I to win some small success now I could become Dictator or anything else that might please mebut nothing of that kind would please metherefore I won't be Dictator. [84] Prior to his return in September 1868, the Democratic Party had expressed some interest in nominating him for president again, but Ulysses S. Grant became the Republican candidate in May 1868, and this interest died. Beginning in 1872, he also served as the president of the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad. 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. George B. McClellan was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 3, 1826. . [90][91], In the general election, he faced William A. Newell, a Republican former governor who accused McClellan of living in New York, which he easily refuted. In the fall of 1852, McClellan published a manual on bayonet tactics that he had translated from the original French. George Brinton McClellan (1826-1885) - Born 3 Dec 1826 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He witnessed Scott's success in balancing political with military affairs and his good relations with the civil population as he invaded, enforcing strict discipline on his soldiers to minimize damage to property. George Brinton McClellan was born into an elite Philadelphia family on December 3, 1826. At age 34, he outranked everyone in the Army except Lt. Gen. Winfield Scott, the general-in-chief. The class of '46 contributed 20 generals to the Union and Confederate armies. McClellan supported continuation of the war and restoration of the Union, but not the abolition of slavery, although the party platform, written by Copperhead leader Clement Vallandigham of Ohio, was opposed to that position. The Battle of South Mountain also presented McClellan with an opportunity for one of the great theatrical moments of his career, as historian Sears describes: The mountain ahead was wreathed in smoke eddies of battle smoke in which the gun flashes shone like brief hot sparks. That approach failed following the Union Navy's defeat at the Battle of Drewry's Bluff, about 7 miles (11km) downstream from the Confederate capital, on May 15. : Westholme Publishing, 2015. 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. After his name was unexpectedly placed into nomination at the state convention, there was a stampede and he was nominated by acclamation. What name was given to the attempt in 1860 to get southern states to stay in the Union. He favored a war that would impose little impact on civilian populations and require no emancipation of slaves. [73], The Union army reached Antietam Creek, to the east of Sharpsburg, on the evening of September 15. 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. 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! George Brinton Mcclellan Jr, McClellan, George B. McClellan, George B. [96] However, the debate over McClellan's ability and talents remains the subject of much controversy among Civil War and military historians. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Civil War General George B. McClellan (Union Army) Original Signature on Cover at the best online prices at eBay! [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). Working with Lt. Gen. Winfield Scott, the Army's general-in-chief, the . [1] He performed reconnaissance missions for Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott, a close friend of McClellan's father. "Prince John" Magruder defended the Peninsula against McClellan's advance with a vastly smaller force. [16], Returning to the East, McClellan began courting his future wife, Mary Ellen Marcy (18361915), the daughter of his former commander. Lincoln's share of the vote in the Army of the Potomac was 70%. [100], One of the reasons that McClellan's reputation has suffered is his own memoirs. Lincoln's Cabinet met on October 18 and agreed to accept Scott's resignation for reasons of health.[41]. [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." 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. He reported to Washington that he faced 200,000 Confederates, perhaps due to a false report on the arrival of another Confederate army P.G.T. [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. I have all the plans of the rebels, and will catch them in their own trap if my men are equal to the emergency. 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. His administration stressed the necessity of education in the conversion of unskilled labor to skilled labor and in industrial development generally by expanding the state library and calling for trades training for young men in public schools, as suited for the local economy. [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 made no use of his cavalry forces for reconnaissance. 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. In so doing, he missed three greatly superior passes in the near vicinity, which were eventually used for railroads and interstate highways. With the outbreak of the Civil War in April 1861, northern civilian leaders encouraged McClellan to re-enter federal military service. On September 2, 1862, Lincoln named McClellan to command "the fortifications of Washington, and all the troops for the defense of the capital". [60], McClellan was reunited with his army at Harrison's Landing on the James. 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. Randolph B. Marcy at Fort Smith, Arkansas, to serve as second-in-command on an expedition to discover the sources of the Red River. George B. McClellan. 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. In, Rowland, Thomas J. [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. in one way or other. 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. Upon graduation, George McClellan was appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. The camp was the training grounds for recruits and a hospital for the wounded. 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. But although McClellan was meticulous in his planning and preparations, these characteristics are largely viewed as making him an ineffective battlefield commander, and he has been criticized frequently leaving . George Brinton McClellan was an American soldier, Civil War Union general, civil engineer, railroad executive, and politician who served as the 24th Governor of New Jersey. Lincoln's order was ambiguous as to whether McClellan might be restored following a successful campaign. [103], Robert E. Lee, on being asked (by his cousin, and recorded by his son) who was the ablest general on the Union side during the late war, replied emphatically: "McClellan, by all odds! . In a telegram to Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, reporting on these events, McClellan blamed the Lincoln administration for his reversals. But all of these opportunities were impossible, given the opposition within the administration and the knowledge that McClellan posed a potential political threat. Even as they served their country, Black soldiers were subject to a number of discriminations. During the Utah War against the Mormons, he considered rejoining the Army. In March 1852, he was ordered to report to Capt. A sensational story had reached the press that the expedition had been ambushed by 2,000 Comanches and killed to the last man. $35.00 + $5.00 shipping . [57] Military historian Stephen W. Sears wrote, "When he deserted his army on the Glendale and Malvern Hill battlefields during the Seven Days, he was guilty of dereliction of duty. His army is in a very demoralized and chaotic condition, and will not be prepared for offensive operationsor he will not think it sofor three or four weeks. 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. He accomplished this by marching small groups of men repeatedly past places where they could be observed at a distance or were just out of sight, accompanied by great noise and fanfare. Free shipping for many products! Due to his experience and abilities, the Army appointed him a major general on May 14, 1861. [105] Second, that as the radical Republicans were the true winners coming out of the Civil War, they were able to write its history, placing their principal political rival of the time, McClellan, in the worst possible light. 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. Known within the family as Max, he too became a politician, serving as a United States Representative (18931903) and as Mayor of New York City from 1904 to 1909. Under the pressure of his ultimate soldier's responsibility, the will to command deserted him. McClellan, in full George Brinton McClellan, (born December 3, 1826, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.died October 29, 1885, Orange, New Jersey), general who skillfully reorganized Union forces in the first year of the American Civil War (1861-65) but drew wide criticism for repeatedly failing to press his advantage McClellan's pursuit began on September 5. He refused to give any specific details of the proposed campaign, even to his friend, newly appointed War Secretary Edwin M. Stanton. The outnumbered Confederate forces fought desperately and well. 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.
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