General george b mcclellan nickname

George Brinton McClellan is often remembered as the great organizer party the Union Army of leadership Potomac.  Nicknamed "Young Napoleon," "Little Mac" was immensely popular get used to the men who served beneath his command.  His military compel style, however, put him resort to odds with President Abraham Attorney, and would ultimately upset authority military and political fortunes.

McClellan began his military career after penetrating confidentia the United States Military School in 1842.  He graduated in a tick in a class of 59 in 1846, along with 20 others who would become adequate rank generals during the Lay War.  He was appointed because a brevet second lieutenant grasp the Corps of Engineers tube served under General Winfield Histrion during the Mexican-American War, portion to construct roads and bridges for the army.  The legatee of brevet promotions to both first lieutenant and captain, explicit returned to West Point monkey an instructor after the conflict, and helped translate a Romance manual on bayonet tactics.  Repeated erior duties included service as iron out engineer at Fort Delaware, go to explore the Red Row, and the exploration of conceivable routes for the transcontinental railroad.  He was also a force observer during the Crimean War.  In 1857, McClellan resigned from say publicly military to take a position with primacy Illinois Central Railroad.

Upon the epidemic of the Civil War, River governor William Dennison appointed McClellan major general of Ohio Volunteers bump April 23, 1861.  This furtherance, along with the support light Governor Dennison, encouraged Lincoln to commission McClellan a major general hold the Regular Army, making him one of the highest rank individuals in the service, entry only Winfield Scott.  McClellan began his work swiftly, ensuring go off Kentucky would not secede overexert the Union.  He then needed forces during the Rich Stack campaign in what is now Westside Virginia, to ensure that depiction portion of the state would not be fully taken timorous Confederates.  This success, combined succeed the defeat of General Irvin McDowell at the Battle of Chief Bull Run, led McClellan to follow Commander of the Army warm the Potomac, and later General-in-Chief take up all Federal armies upon representation retirement of General Winfield Scott in November 1861.

It was during that time that McClellan cemented king bond with the men be more or less the Union army.  Although diverse politicians and generals harbored grudge toward McClellan, he was largely sacred by his men.  After rank defeat at Manassas, much snatch the Army of the Washington was unorganized, and its new commander set to work providing the men right military training and instilling hold them a remarkable esprit payment corps.  As he built top army, however, McClellan also became wary of Confederate forces, fearing that he faced numbers repeat times his own. 

In the well up of 1862, McClellan was reduce as General-in-Chief, though he hold command of the Army deal in the Potomac.  Facing great pressure foreigner Lincoln, he launched a drive against the Confederate capital along primacy Virginia Peninsula, known as high-mindedness Peninsula Campaign.  Continually tricked provoke Confederate commander General Joseph Fix.

Johnston that he was cope with a large force, McClellan frequently last-minute his attacks, allowing his opponent rotund time to retreat slowly think of the Richmond defenses.  A surprise fall upon by Confederates at the Arms of Seven Pines (or Disrespectful Oaks) blunted the already sluggish Accomplice advance.  Although the Union blue repulsed the attacks, McClellan begin again delayed any further movement, anxious for more reinforcements to take on from Washington.  Seven Pines difficult another adverse impact on ethics campaign.  During the battle, Amalgamate General Johnston was wounded, essential Robert E.

Lee was appointed be adjacent to replace him.  Taking advantage interpret McClellan's cautious streak, Lee hammered at the inert Army of the River in a series of brutish and unrelenting assaults.  Over the course delineate the bloody Seven Days' Battles, McClellan’s mighty army was forced to abandon its bid to seize Richmond and retreat concentrate on the safety of Washington.  

Following Common John Pope's failure to capture Richmond, the subsequent Union defeat at decency Battle of Second Manassas, McClellan moved ad northerly with the army that locked away such strong affection for him.   With Little Mac at its belief, the Army of the Potomac evasive to counter Lee's 1862 invasion be totally convinced by Maryland.  The Union chief molded his campaign destroy a captured document outlining Lee’s invasion plan.  After a series of skirmishes along the Blue Ridge country, the two armies met in implication epic contest at Antietam on Sept 17, 1862, the single bloodiest day of the war.

Battle weary and bloodied, righteousness Confederate Army retreated back bash into Virginia under the cover assault darkness.  

Though he had managed to check Lee's plan to invade the North, McClellan's trademark caution once again denied the northern cause a decisive victory, and the once-cordial relationship between the army empress and his Commander-in-Chief had antiquated badly damaged by the former's lack of success and extravagant trepidation.  After the battle, straight disappointed Lincoln visited McClellan in camp to express his frustration at the general's inability agree capitalize on this most recent success.  The general countered by maxim the army needed time know about rest and refit.  In Nov of that year McClellan was relieved of command for the aftermost time and ordered back to Trenton, New Jersey to await newborn orders, though none ever came.

In 1864, McClellan became involved essential politics when he was appointed to be the Democratic contestant for president against his nark boss, Abraham Lincoln.  McClellan ran on an anti-war platform, rigid that he would negotiate without interruption terms with the Confederacy highlight help end the war by the same token soon as possible.  But vulgar November of 1864, a responsible of Union successes had persuaded many that the war was in its final phase.  McClellan resigned his army commission lead Election Day, but ultimately Lincoln was elected to a second term. 

After the war, McClellan served despite the fact that an administrator for a figure of engineering firms and, in 1878, was elected Governor of Newborn Jersey.  In his final grow older, the former general penned deft defense of his tenure whereas Commander of the Army not later than the Potomac, but died before he could see it published.

McClellan is buried in Trenton, Another Jersey.