It was not until March 1862 that he was ready to move. Making matters worse, at a time when many wanted immediate action, McClellan spent several months organizing and building what eventually became the Army of the Potomac. These disagreements quickly soured his relationships in Washington. The general was a staunch Democrat and had strong disagreements with President Lincoln on matters of policy. Upon taking this position, he was heard to proclaim, ‘I can do it all’.McClellan had a very short honeymoon period with the Lincoln Administration in Washington. On November 1, his meteoric rise continued when, at the age of 34, he was made General-in-Chief of all Union forces.
After the dismal Union defeat at First Manassas on July 21, 1861, McClellan was called to Washington to take over Union forces in the East. That year, McClellan began making a name for himself with his campaign in western Virginia, where he achieved several victories. Shortly after that, he was appointed the commander of the Department of the Ohio. In April 1861, McClellan accepted a post commanding the Ohio militia and became a Major General of Volunteers. The Civil War BeginsĪt the outset of the Civil War, there was a desperate need for military officers and men such as George McClellan were highly sought after. He worked in these positions until the outbreak of the Civil War. He quickly became the vice president of the Illinois Central Railroad and then the president of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad.
#A SIMILARITY BETWEEN GEORGE MCCLELLAN AND ROBERT E LEE WAS PROFESSIONAL#
During these years, McClellan developed a strong preference for professional military officers over volunteers.In 1857, McClellan resigned from the army. In 1855 he traveled to Europe to officially observe the Crimean War, studying the tactics and technology being used. After the war with Mexico, McClellan served in numerous posts that allowed him to utilize his skills as an engineer. In Mexico, he worked as an engineer and took part in reconnaissance work, seeing action in several battles. The 19-year-old McClellan became a brevet second lieutenant and began his career as an army engineer.īecause his graduation occurred just as the Mexican War was beginning, McClellan went right into action. He graduated in 1846, second in his class. In 1842, at the age of 15, he entered into West Point. At age 13, he began studies at the University of Pennsylvania. George Brinton McClellan was born into a prominent Philadelphia family on December 3, 1826. George McClellan’s story is one of success and failure, and it is very important to the history of the American Civil War. George McClellan built the most famous Union army of the war, the Army of the Potomac, and led the army to victory at the Battle of Antietam. McClellan, arguably had just as much influence on the course of the war as did Grant and Lee, and yet few know who McClellan was or what he did. Many know these two to have been great Civil War generals. * All Partners were chosen among 50+ writing services by our Customer Satisfaction Team
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