McClellan drafted a pretty good multi theatre strategic offensive for 1862; Union armies would break through the Confederate cordon in TN and advance towards Vicksburg and Chattanooga in the West, and circumvent the Confederate fortifications around Manassas and march along the shortest land route to besiege Richmond in the East. Cut off the head of the snake, cut them in half, and take the gateway into the deep south. Unfortunately for the Union war effort, the General in Chief slot was left vacant, while also making McClellan responsible for a field army. Worst possible use of his abilities.
McClellan was ambitious as all hell, and success would only fuel his ego. However, he only formally entered politics after 1863, when he became a democrat, and that was after Emancipation alienated him. Strongly believing in hidden Southern unionism, he opposed large scale confiscation of property, especially Emancipation. If McClellan's plan is successful (in such a way that doesn't leave him room to accuse Lincoln of sabotaging him) in swiftly ending the war, would Lincoln give him a cabinet position, or keep him as commanding general for the next forty years? If so, would this keep him from joining the democrats, and emerging as their obvious frontrunner for the 64 elections?
While they were ultimately the right move, conscription and Emancipation gave the Democrats something they could really run against in 1864; even without their traditional base of support in the South, which didn't cast a single vote in Lincoln's name in 1860, they got within 44k votes of beating him. Would the relative lack of bloodshed and unpopular war measures be enough to make up for the quick reintegration of the South into the political landscape?
McClellan was ambitious as all hell, and success would only fuel his ego. However, he only formally entered politics after 1863, when he became a democrat, and that was after Emancipation alienated him. Strongly believing in hidden Southern unionism, he opposed large scale confiscation of property, especially Emancipation. If McClellan's plan is successful (in such a way that doesn't leave him room to accuse Lincoln of sabotaging him) in swiftly ending the war, would Lincoln give him a cabinet position, or keep him as commanding general for the next forty years? If so, would this keep him from joining the democrats, and emerging as their obvious frontrunner for the 64 elections?
While they were ultimately the right move, conscription and Emancipation gave the Democrats something they could really run against in 1864; even without their traditional base of support in the South, which didn't cast a single vote in Lincoln's name in 1860, they got within 44k votes of beating him. Would the relative lack of bloodshed and unpopular war measures be enough to make up for the quick reintegration of the South into the political landscape?