On November 1, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln names George Brinton McClellan general in chief of the Union army, replacing the aged and infirm Winfield Scott. In just six months, McClellan had gone from commander of the Ohio volunteers to the head of the Union army.
McClellan, a Pennsylvania native, graduated from West Point second in his class in 1846 and went on to serve with distinction under General Winfield Scott in the Mexican-American War (1846-48). McClellan left his successful military career in 1857 for an engineering position with the Illinois Central Railroad, and by the time the Civil War broke out in 1861, he was president of the St. Louis and Cincinnati Railroad. He resigned that position to accept command of the Ohio volunteers with the rank of major general. During the summer of 1861, McClellan led Union troops in a series of small battles in western Virginia that resulted in Federal control of the strategic region. He earned a national reputation, though it is debatable just how much McClellan contributed to these achievements; in several cases, decisions by his subordinates were the main reason for the success. Nonetheless, McClellan provided Northern victories when they were in scarce supply. On July 16, 1861, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution recognizing his accomplishments in Virginia.
Just five days later, the main Union force, commanded by General Irwin McDowell, suffered a humiliating defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run, Virginia. In the aftermath of the debacle, many turned to McClellan to save the war effort. He arrived in Washington, D.C., on July 26 to take command of the disorganized and demoralized Army of the Potomac and quickly began to build a magnificent fighting force, establishing a rigorous training procedure and an efficient command structure. He also demonstrated brashness, pomposity and arrogance toward many of the nation’s political leaders. He loudly complained about Scott, and treated the president with utter contempt.
Still,McClellan was the only real choice to replace Scott. No other Union general had achieved much of anything at that point in the war. After alienating much of the administration by early 1862, McClellan moved the Army of the Potomac to the James Peninsula for an attack on Richmond, Virginia. As a field commander, he proved to be sluggish and timid, and he retreated from the outskirts of the Confederate capital when faced with a series of attacks by Confederate General Robert E. Lee during the Seven Days Battles in June 1862. In July, Henry W. Halleck was named general in chief, and much of McClellan’s Army of the Potomac was transferred to General John Pope’s Army of Virginia. After Pope was defeated at Second Bull Run in August, much of McClellan’s command was restored to him. Lee invaded Maryland, and McClellan defeated him there at the Battle of Antietam in September. Despite this victory, McClellan’s refusal to pursue the retreating Confederates led to his permanent removal in November 1862. In 1864, he challenged Lincoln for the presidency as the Democratic nominee but lost decisively.
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Anyone else have the pleasure to serve at Ft. McClellan, AL ? I loved that place what a beautiful post. Unfortunately as the former chemical school there was contaminated soil and water, gov hasn’t acknowledged it yet. Good memories there from my first jolt of deep south culture.
Just another glorification of some clueless schmuck. Never ends, the necessary evil, the preservation of the USA USA USA! Just another dab of mortar to point-up the faltering brick wall. Just one more drink from the gilded chalice, when one drink is too many, a thousand not enough.
Secession – the right of a free man to leave, and the founding principle and action of the USA – is THE fundamental human right. Its opposite is slavery. Let Catalonia secede from Spain, etc.
“Once one concedes that a single world government is not necessary, then where does one logically stop at the permissibility of separate states? If Canada and the United States can be separate nations without being denounced as in a state of impermissible ‘anarchy’, why may not the South secede from the United States? New York State from the Union? New York City from the state? Why may not Manhattan secede? Each neighbourhood? Each block? Each house? Each person?” ― Murray N. Rothbard
“The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities.” ― Ayn Rand
God bless General McClellan! He saved so many Confederate lives! Lol
Fuck the state. The most important things that happened that day in history (or any other), were some babies were born and someone brought a pie and a smile to a crippled shut-in . . . and engaged in research and development into healing their ailment, not the MIC.
“Not a day passes over the earth, but men and women of no note do great deeds, speak great words and suffer noble sorrows.” ~ Charles Reade
Here’s to the Tomb of the Unknown Citizen:
“Civilization is a stream with banks. The stream is sometimes filled with blood from people killing, stealing, shouting and doing things historians usually record; while on the banks, unnoticed, people build homes, make love, raise children, sing songs, write poetry and even whittle statues. The story of civilization is the story of what happened on the banks. Historians are pessimists because they ignore the banks of the river.”
― Will And Ariel Durant, “The Story of Civilization”
Hidden hand action going on in the pic gives a good indication of who was buttering his bread.
If you’re referring to Salmon B. Chase and his friendship with the Secretary of the Treasury, that’s correct.
Yes — connected. Notice his middle name, also — is he an ancestor of that faggot Sam Brinton who is the undersecretary of something-or-other in Xio Bribum’s administration?