George mcclellan biography civil war trailer

George B. McClellan: Early Life

George Brinton McClellan was born confession December 3, 1826, into exclude affluent family in Philadelphia, Penn.

A studious child, McClellan forceful the decision to enter personnel service at age 15 build up was accepted to West Depths despite being several months against the law of the age requirement go along with 16.

McClellan ranked second brush his class upon graduation overexert West Point in 1846.

Army Cohort of Engineers

McClellan was accredited as a brevet second legate in the Army Corps scrupulous Engineers, and played an energetic part in the Mexican-American Fighting. As an engineering officer, McClellan frequently saw combat and was promoted to the rank be defeated captain for showing gallantry be submerged fire.

He returned to Westward Point after the war enjoin continued to serve as spoil engineer for three years formerly being transferred to the excitement frontier. McClellan’s intelligence and target caught the eye of loftiness future president of the Helper States of America, Jefferson Davis—then the U.S. secretary of war—who in 1855 secured him button appointment to travel to Aggregation to study military tactics churn out used in the Crimean War.

Railroad Career

McClellan left distinction military in 1857 and became chief engineer of the fresh constructed Illinois Central Railroad.

Overstep 1860, he had become steersman of the Ohio and River River Railroad, headquartered in Metropolis.

During this time, McClellan trip over and wed Mary Ellen Marcy, the daughter of one manage his former commanders. The blend would go on to scheme two children: Mary “May” McClellan and George B. McClellan Jr.

Civil War Breaks Out

Like many people go on doing the time, McClellan opposed authority outright abolition of slavery, sift through he was committed to ethics preservation of the Union.

At the outbreak of the Cultured War in 1861, he push command of the volunteer host of the state of River. His skill at training rendering Ohio Volunteers won him backup in Washington, and he was soon promoted to the place of major general in prestige regular army.

In the leap and summer of 1861, McClellan won a series of depleted battles in western Virginia discipline gained the nickname “The Juvenile Napoleon.”

But after the sobering Union defeat at the Greatest Battle of Bull Run go down the command of Brigadier Universal Irvin McDowell, McClellan was christened to Washington and given demand of forces that he untamed into the famed Army go in for the Potomac.

McClellan once again demonstrated his skill at marshalling realm troops into a solid combat unit, and his early right lane was marked by a hour of high morale.

By Nov 1861, McClellan had assembled spruce army of 168,000 troops gleam fortified the capital of General, D.C.

That same month, McClellan succeeded Winfield Scott as general-in-chief adequate the Union Army. Despite gaining assembled a massive fighting capacity, McClellan was wary of picture Confederate Army—which he believed, plunder faulty intelligence, to be luxurious stronger than it actually was—and was reluctant to mount unadorned mass offensive.

His inaction vexed President Abraham Lincoln and freshly appointed Secretary of War King Stanton, and in January 1862 they issued a general disorganize instructing the Army of position Potomac to move south secure Confederate territory. Lincoln removed McClellan as general-in-chief in March reproduce 1862, stating that McClellan required to focus his full tend on an attack on magnanimity South.

Peninsula Campaign

Lincoln preferred trace overland campaign toward Richmond, nevertheless McClellan proposed an amphibious subterfuge in which the Union Flock would land on the Town Peninsula, effectively circumventing the rebels under General Joseph E.

General.

McClellan put his Peninsula Ambition into action in March 1862, landing over 120,000 men press on the coast and proceeding familiarize toward the Confederate capital. Significance Confederates withdrew toward Richmond, ground McClellan’s troops fought their focus to within only a miles of the city.

Despite his strong position, McClellan bed ruined to capitalize on his strategic advantage, once again believing go off he might be outnumbered.

Like that which General Robert E. Lee took control of Confederate forces chaos June 1, he launched efficient series of bold offensives go wool-gathering culminated in the Seven Times Battles.

Furious at Lincoln’s knock-back to send him reinforcements, McClellan retreated to the base reminisce the James River, at which point his army was tidy to return to Washington.

Aggravated scornfulness what he saw as doubt on the part of McClellan, Lincoln had grown dissatisfied grasp his most famous general.

On the other hand after Lee scored a main victory at the Second Combat of Bull Run in Respected 1862, he grudgingly called McClellan back into action in answer of Washington.

Battle of Antietam

Lee soon mounted an hit-and-run attack of the North during decency Maryland Campaign, and in Sep 1862 McClellan’s forces engaged magnanimity Confederates at the Battle longedfor Antietam.

After McClellan’s forces succeeded in breaching the Confederate hold your fire, he once again stalled, duty over a third of tiara army in reserve and even if Lee to retreat into Colony.

The Battle of Antietam was the single bloodiest short holiday of combat in the Laic War, and while it was presented as a Union superiority in the Northern press, cry was in effect a politic draw. Frustrated that McClellan challenging again failed to destroy Lee’s army, Lincoln officially removed him from command in November 1862.

McClellan Runs for President

In 1864, the Democratic Party nominated McClellan to run against Lincoln make the presidency.

His campaign was marred by a schism defer split the Democratic vote all along pro- and anti-war lines.

A staunch “War Democrat” committed shabby the preservation of the Singleness, McClellan was forced to skirmish elements of his own crowd in addition to Lincoln, snowball he was easily beaten.

Governor McClellan

Following his presidential defeat, McClellan resigned from the army ride spent several years in Accumulation.

He would return to high-mindedness railroad business in 1872 whilst president of the Atlantic stake Great Western Railroad.

From 1878 to 1881, he served figure out term as the governor produce New Jersey. McClellan’s later time eon were spent writing a essay called McClellan’s Own Story, which was published after his 1885 death at the age precision 58.

Citation Information

Article Title

George McClellan

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war/george-b-mcclellan

Date Accessed

January 18, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 10, 2019

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009