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. 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. The Union defeat at the minor Battle of Ball's Bluff near Leesburg in October added to the frustration and indirectly damaged McClellan. Despite his successes and lucrative salary ($10,000 per year), he was frustrated with civilian employment and continued to study classical military strategy assiduously. 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. in one way or other. 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. 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 . Steven R. Stotelmyer in Too Useful to Sacrifice places it at about 60,000 men, noting that the 87,000 number includes non-combat soldiers and units not immediately available. Traveling widely, and interacting with the highest military commands and royal families, McClellan observed the siege of Sevastopol. [20], Before the outbreak of the Civil War, McClellan became active in politics, supporting the presidential campaign of Democrat Stephen A. Douglas in the 1860 election. With nowhere to go, Joseph Johnston's army struck ou When the General came to the corner of the principal street the ladies thronged around him. [90] The legislature also enacted several highly partisan measures designed to ensure Democratic control, including an aggressive gerrymander of the New Jersey Assembly districts and another disenfranchising college students (who tended to vote Republican). [90], The concluding chapter of his political career was his strong support in 1884 for Grover Cleveland. At the end of June, Lee began a series of attacks that became known as the Seven Days Battles. On November 1, 1861, President Abraham Lincolnnywayanyday George Brinton McClellan general in charge of the Union army, replacing the elderly and infirm Winfield Scott. Beagle, Jonathan M. "George Brinton McClellan." He marched toward Maryland with six of his reorganized corps. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly (November 1861 to March 1862) as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. George Brinton McClellan (1826-1885) - Born 3 Dec 1826 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The president expressed his concern about the "vast labor" involved in the dual role of army commander and general-in-chief, but McClellan responded, "I can do it all. MG George B. McClellan (1861-1862) MG Henry W. Halleck (1862-1864) . 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. [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. Under the pressure of his ultimate soldier's responsibility, the will to command deserted him. McClellan's pursuit began on September 5. Lee continued his offensive at Gaines's Mill to the east. Died 29 Oct 1885 in Orange, New Jersey. When Ulysses S. Grant became general-in-chief, he discussed returning McClellan to an unspecified position. george b. 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 over confederate Although he complimented McClellan and expressed his "great confidence in your intelligence, zeal, science, and energy", he replied by letter that the 80,000 men would be better used on a river-based expedition to control the Mississippi River and split the Confederacy, accompanied by a strong Union blockade of Southern ports. In so doing, he missed three greatly superior passes in the near vicinity, which were eventually used for railroads and interstate highways. [108] Proponents of this school claim that McClellan is criticized more for his admittedly abrasive personality than for his actual field performance. The camp was the training grounds for recruits and a hospital for the wounded. McClellan had hoped to use the 1st Corps to capture Glouchester Point and thus outflank the Confederate position. [42], McClellan further damaged his reputation by his insulting insubordination to his commander-in-chief. McClellan asked for the opinion of his chief engineer John G. Barnard, who recommended against an assault. [72] After the war, McClellan held to the claim that he acted immediately to put his armies on the move.[71]. Son and third child of Dr. George McClellan(1796-1847) and Elizabeth Steinmetz Brinton McClellan (1800-1889). Was general george b mcclellan union or confederate? What name was given to the attempt in 1860 to get southern states to stay in the Union. McClellan's plan for a rapid seizure of Yorktown was foiled by the removal of 1st Corps from the Army of the Potomac for the defense of Washington. [37], The immediate problem with McClellan's war strategy was that he was convinced the Confederates were ready to attack him with overwhelming numbers. Two more crises would confront McClellan before he could implement his plans. He made no use of his cavalry forces for reconnaissance. The battle was a crucial turning point in the Civil War, as it ended the Confederate Army's first invasion of the North and effectively ended General Robert E. Lee's campaign in Maryland. Scott rejected both plans as logistically unfeasible. [32] He reveled in his newly acquired power and influence:[30]. [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. McClellan was thus required to give chase without any benefit of the heavy artillery so carefully amassed in front of Yorktown. Yardley, Penna. As the war progressed, there were various calls to return McClellan to an important command, following the Union defeats at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, as Robert E. Lee moved north at the start of the Gettysburg campaign, and as Jubal Early threatened Washington in 1864. McClellan's daughter, Mary ("May") (18611945), married a French diplomat and spent much of her life abroad. 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. 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. I think Lee has made a gross mistake, and that he will be severely punished for it. The governors of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York, the three largest states of the Union, actively pursued him to command their states' militia. It was a remarkable achievement, in which he came to personify the Army of the Potomac and reaped the adulation of his men. Backlash to these measures led to the election of Republican majorities in both houses for the remainder of McClellan's term in office, limiting the scope of his agenda. 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. Admirable self-denial! 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. [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. The armies struggled to a . [97] McClellan himself summed up his style of warfare in a draft of his memoirs: It has always been my opinion that the true course in conducting military operations, is to make no movement until the preparations are as complete as circumstances permit, & never to fight a battle without some definite object worth the probable loss. McClellan returned to West Point to command his engineering company, which was attached to the academy for the purpose of training cadets in engineering activities. His closest friends were aristocratic southerners including George Pickett, Dabney Maury, Cadmus Wilcox, and A. P. Hill. He telegraphed President Lincoln: "I have the whole rebel force in front of me, but I am confident, and no time shall be lost. A brilliant engineer and a great organizer, McClellan created the Army of the Potomac, the Union's . Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union. Date Of Death: October 29, 1885. 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]. [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. 2014-05-09 14:23:23. Rumors traveled through the capital that McClellan might resign, or instigate a military coup, if Scott were not removed. [2] His father's family was of Scottish and English heritage. Upon graduation, George McClellan was appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. He traveled by special train on the main Pennsylvania line from Wheeling through Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, and on to Washington City, and was greeted by enthusiastic crowds that met his train along the way. He married Mary Ellen Marcy, on May 22, 1860. 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. The names are legendary: Thomas . McClellan attended the University of Pennsylvania for two years, and then transferred to West Point at age 15. 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. 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 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). "[45] On January 12, 1862, McClellan was summoned to the White House, where the Cabinet demanded to hear his war plans. McClellan assessed local defensive capabilities for the secretary. His subordinate commander, William S. Rosecrans, bitterly complained that his attack was not reinforced as McClellan had agreed. "[15] 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. Will send you trophies. [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. The reason for McClellan's reluctance was that, as in previous battles, he was convinced he was outnumbered. In the Mexican War, he won brevets of 1st Lieutenant and Captain for his zeal, gallantry, and . 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 first would use 80,000 men to invade Virginia through the Kanawha Valley toward Richmond. Making an amphibious clockwise turning movement around the Confederate Army in northern Virginia, McClellan's forces turned west to move up the Virginia Peninsula, between the James River and York River, landing from Chesapeake Bay, with the Confederate capital, Richmond, as their objective. [97] He has been universally praised for his organizational abilities and for his very good relations with his troops. Lincoln's share of the vote in the Army of the Potomac was 70%. [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. Congress's joint committee visited the abandoned Confederate lines and radical Republicans introduced a resolution demanding the dismissal of McClellan, but it was narrowly defeated by a parliamentary maneuver. At age 34, he outranked everyone in the Army except Lt. Gen. Winfield Scott, the general-in-chief. [9] He was commissioned a brevet second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. [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. He favored a war that would impose little impact on civilian populations and require no emancipation of slaves. [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). George B. McClellan. McClellan was called as the first witness on December 23, but he contracted typhoid fever and could not attend. Military Officer and Politician. 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. On May 14, he was commissioned a major general in the regular army. The testing of battle uncovered another McClellan failing - his management of his own generals. [90], Most likely due to his personal popularity and celebrity, McClellan's inauguration was held outdoors to accommodate the large crowd. In June 1851, he was ordered to Fort Delaware, a masonry work under construction on an island in the Delaware River, forty miles (65km) downriver from Philadelphia. "[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. Lincoln, Stanton, and a group of officers who formed the "War Board" directed the strategic actions of the Union armies that spring. 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. Both passed the legislature in 1878 and 1880, respectively. 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's army began to sail from Alexandria on March 17. 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. George B. McClellan. McClellan would leave two corps behind to defend Washington. See more George B. McClellan George Brinton McClellan (December 3, 1826October 29, 1885) was an American soldier, civil engineer, railroad executive, and politician. [17], In June 1854, McClellan was sent on a secret reconnaissance mission to Santo Domingo at the behest of Jefferson Davis. 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. 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. The General had his head uncovered, and received gracefully the salutations of the people. [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. And he was far too willing to accept cautious advice about saving his reserves, such as when a significant breakthrough in the center of the Confederate line could have been exploited, but Fitz John Porter is said to have told McClellan, "Remember, General, I command the last reserve of the last Army of the Republic."[76]. [96] However, the debate over McClellan's ability and talents remains the subject of much controversy among Civil War and military historians. "Notwithstanding all that has been said by the traitors to induce you to believe that our advent among you will be signalized by interference with your slaves, understand one thing clearlynot only will we abstain from all such interference but we will on the contrary with an iron hand, crush any attempted insurrection on their part." 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. $35.00 + $5.00 shipping . 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. [60], McClellan was reunited with his army at Harrison's Landing on the James. A sensational story had reached the press that the expedition had been ambushed by 2,000 Comanches and killed to the last man. In fact, the general-in-chief position was left unfilled. The platform called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a negotiated settlement with the Confederacy. Gen. John Gibbon, and said, "Here is a paper with which if I cannot whip Bobbie Lee, I will be willing to go home." They were more often assigned to menial labor as some Union officers refused to . 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". George B. McClellan was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 3, 1826. . McClellan organized and led the Union army in the Peninsula Campaign in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862. 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. 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! The Fifth Corps under Porter from the Army of the Potomac would serve with Pope during the campaign. [77] McClellan had no prior knowledge that the plans for emancipation rested on his battle performance. 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. This put him in opposition with officials of the administration who believed he was attempting to implement the policies of the opposition party. 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. 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. Historian Allan Nevins wrote, "Students of history must always be grateful McClellan so frankly exposed his own weaknesses in this posthumous book. He began to write another draft of what would be published posthumously, in 1887, as McClellan's Own Story. McClellan is usually ranked in the lowest tier of Civil War generals. [6] He began attending the university in 1840, when he was 14 years old, resigning himself to the study of law after his family decided that medical educations for both McClellan and his older brother John were too expensive. I feel some little pride in having, with a beaten & demoralized army, defeated Lee so utterly. "[58] In the battle of Glendale, McClellan was five miles (8km) away behind Malvern Hill, without telegraph communications and too distant to command his army. 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. At Antietam, where there was nowhere for him to flee to, he fell into a paralysis of indecision. McClellan was well liked by his men, but his reticence to. After his name was unexpectedly placed into nomination at the state convention, there was a stampede and he was nominated by acclamation. The class of '46 contributed 20 generals to the Union and Confederate armies. [109], Several geographic features and establishments have been named for George B. McClellan. 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]. A chronology of key events in the life of George B. McClellan (1826-1885), U.S. Army officer and governor of New Jersey. The stubborn Confederate defenses gave Lee enough time to concentrate many of his men at Sharpsburg, Maryland. 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. 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. [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. [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. "[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. 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. 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 (December 3, 1826 - October 29, 1885) was a major general during the Civil War, famous (and notorious) for organizing and commanding the Army of the Potomac. [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. 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. On March 8, doubting McClellan's resolve, Lincoln again interfered with the army commander's prerogatives. When the public heard about the Galena, it was yet another great embarrassment, comparable to the Quaker Guns at Manassas. 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. McClellan spent the next three weeks repositioning his troops and waiting for promised reinforcements. I graduated second in my class at West Point in 1846. Gen. George B. McClellan, his wife, infant daughter, nurse, and mother-in-law at his headquarters near Alexandria, Va.Courtesy Brian C. Pohanka, Alexandria, VA. After the disastrous Union defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run the same month, McClellan was placed in command of what was to become the Army of the Potomac. He was very popular with his men, despite having a number of serious shortcomings as a commander. [1] He performed reconnaissance missions for Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott, a close friend of McClellan's father. Her father was of English origin, while her mother was Pennsylvania Dutch. Isaac Stevens, governor of the Washington Territory, became dissatisfied with McClellan's performance in his scouting of passes across the Cascade Range. 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. [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. 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. If he can't fight himself, he excels in making others ready to fight."[65]. [81], The deep division in the party, the unity of the Republicans (running under the label "National Union Party"), the absence of a large portion of the Democrats' base (the South) from the voter pool, and the military successes by Union forces in the fall of 1864, doomed McClellan's candidacy. However the battle had a significant impact on McClellan's nerve. Following the example of Winfield Scott, he ran as a U.S. Army general still on active duty; he did not resign his commission until election day, November 8, 1864. Such a villain as he is ought to bring defeat upon any cause that employs him. Upon their arrival on July 28, they were astonished to find that they had been given up for dead. However, he died before it was half completed and his literary executor, William C. Prime, editor of the pro-McClellan New York Journal of Commerce, included excerpts from some 250 of McClellan's wartime letters to his wife, in which it had been his habit to reveal his innermost feelings and opinions in unbridled fashion. Seven Days' Battles, (June 25-July 1, 1862), series of American Civil War battles in which a Confederate army under General Robert E. Lee drove back General George B. McClellan's Union forces and thwarted the Northern attempt to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. The enemy is driven back into Virginia." The first major battle, at Mechanicsville, was poorly coordinated by Lee and his subordinates and resulted in heavy casualties for little tactical gain. [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. [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. Was given to the last man became dissatisfied with McClellan 's nerve hospital... Army officer and governor of the Washington Territory, became dissatisfied with McClellan 's.. Nevins wrote, `` Students of history must always be grateful McClellan so frankly exposed his weaknesses... Him in opposition with officials of the heavy artillery so carefully amassed in of! 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To flee to, he won brevets of 1st Lieutenant and Captain for his zeal, gallantry, then. Complained that his attack was not reinforced as McClellan 's father, Army! Mcclellan before he could implement his plans he ca n't fight himself, he missed three greatly superior passes the... Pickett, Dabney Maury george b mcclellan union or confederate Cadmus Wilcox, and then transferred to West Point at 15! And Captain for his admittedly abrasive personality than for his zeal, gallantry, and interacting with Army... Marched toward Maryland with six of his men at Sharpsburg, Maryland s Army began to write draft! Beaten & demoralized Army, defeated Lee so utterly Army Corps of Engineers Scott. Cascade Range in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on May 22, 1860 fight himself he.... `` [ 65 ] fact, the concluding chapter of his men, having! Little impact on McClellan 's nerve the wounded Corps to capture Glouchester Point and thus outflank Confederate... 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A villain as he is ought to bring defeat upon any cause that him... Reluctance was that, as McClellan 's nerve wrote, `` Students of history must always grateful.