The Army of the Potomac without McClellan

This is an unlikely scenario if we go by the status quo but the prospect seems interesting to me. The scenaio is this:

What if General George B. McClellan had never been given command of the Army of the Potomac? Who would take his place? How does this change the war? And what hapens to McClellan if he doesnt command the AotP?
 

67th Tigers

Banned
This is an unlikely scenario if we go by the status quo but the prospect seems interesting to me. The scenaio is this:

What if General George B. McClellan had never been given command of the Army of the Potomac? Who would take his place? How does this change the war? And what hapens to McClellan if he doesnt command the AotP?

McClellan was originally slated to take a more westerly department, with Lee slated for the Potomac originally.

Potomac was really several armies collected together, one of which was McDowell's, without McClellan, I can see a number of smaller armies....
 
I think, personally, that the AotP would have a few problems without McClellan there. In a way I can compare him to Robert E. Lee, just let me explain before you make a judgement on this.

When McClellan took command of the AotP it was a dissorganised and demoralised rabble with no idea of what they were supposed to be doing and fearing the Confederates would crush them within a few weeks. McClellan took command and the AotP change almost totally. It became a well organised and trained army with good morale and a direction that it was being steered in...even if it was just defensively.

Similarly when Robert E. Lee took command of the ANV the forces in Virginia were dissorganised and somewhat of a rabble...but better than their Union counterparts. Within a matter of days the ANV were reorganised to suit Lee and became a much more well organised fighting force and on top of that Lee's army had exceedingly good morale following his offensive moves after Joe Johnstons continual defensive ones. As I recall Lee was revered like a god by his men.

Lee and McClellan are both remembered for their actions in the field. Lee is remembered as one of the greatest generals America ever produced whos daring and inventivness on the battlefield led him to many victories over a more numerous and well armed foe while McClellan is remembered as a hesititating and timid general who was afraid to throw his army into any battle even when he had total superiority over his adversary.

Both Lee and McClellan do not get enough credit for creating the ANV and the AotP. Without their influence it may well have been a lot longer before either sides Eastern armies became an effective fighting force.

I have no doubt that somebody would have made the AotP a good fighting unit but none of the Union Army commanders of the Eastern theatre, at least untill Meade and Grant, showed any real skill for organising an Army like McClellan could. The same could be said of the Confederates and Lee.
 
I think, personally, that the AotP would have a few problems without McClellan there. In a way I can compare him to Robert E. Lee, just let me explain before you make a judgement on this.

When McClellan took command of the AotP it was a dissorganised and demoralised rabble with no idea of what they were supposed to be doing and fearing the Confederates would crush them within a few weeks. McClellan took command and the AotP change almost totally. It became a well organised and trained army with good morale and a direction that it was being steered in...even if it was just defensively.

Similarly when Robert E. Lee took command of the ANV the forces in Virginia were dissorganised and somewhat of a rabble...but better than their Union counterparts. Within a matter of days the ANV were reorganised to suit Lee and became a much more well organised fighting force and on top of that Lee's army had exceedingly good morale following his offensive moves after Joe Johnstons continual defensive ones. As I recall Lee was revered like a god by his men.

Lee and McClellan are both remembered for their actions in the field. Lee is remembered as one of the greatest generals America ever produced whos daring and inventivness on the battlefield led him to many victories over a more numerous and well armed foe while McClellan is remembered as a hesititating and timid general who was afraid to throw his army into any battle even when he had total superiority over his adversary.

Both Lee and McClellan do not get enough credit for creating the ANV and the AotP. Without their influence it may well have been a lot longer before either sides Eastern armies became an effective fighting force.

I have no doubt that somebody would have made the AotP a good fighting unit but none of the Union Army commanders of the Eastern theatre, at least untill Meade and Grant, showed any real skill for organising an Army like McClellan could. The same could be said of the Confederates and Lee.

Agreed people are very critical of McClellan's lack of drive. However has been a good organizer & good at instilling discipline and cohesion in to the AOP which had been routed in it's first battle. He had the confidence of his subordinates and was popular with the rank & file.

He didn’t have the moral courage required for a top-commander, but he was far from the bumbling dumbass he’s sometimes made out to be that honour go’s to Burnside.

If a more aggrieve commander was in charge (say Joe Hooker) he’s likely move directly against the AONV the end-result being another bullrun.
 

67th Tigers

Banned
I have no doubt that somebody would have made the AotP a good fighting unit but none of the Union Army commanders of the Eastern theatre, at least untill Meade and Grant, showed any real skill for organising an Army like McClellan could. The same could be said of the Confederates and Lee.

Also, McClellan pulled off some of the most impressive operational movements of the war. McClellan may in some ways be superior to Lee, but cursed with a lack of able Lieutenants, certainly nothing in Longstreet's or AP Hill's league.
 
We now conclude this meeting of the Rescue McClellan's Reputation Society. :D

67th, Lee was slated for the Potomac? I thought Lincoln offered him commander of all armies.
 
Last edited:

Typo

Banned
McClellan actually did okay on the peninsular if you look at it the right way, his casualties were a lot lower than the Confederate's.
 
I am far from a member of the McClellan apprieciation society but I recognise his pros as well as his cons.

Lets make no mistake about this McClellan was a bad field commander. He was bad because of his hesitance, he was bad because of his over-estimations of his adversaries strength and he was bad because he spent far to much time fighting a war with the politicians in Washington than he did fighting the Generals in Virginia.

But he was one of the best military organisers in American history and had a good grasp of logistical knowledge while also being able to gain and keep the confidence of men under his command, excluding some of the Generals, even if he failed to deliver the victories he promised them. In a way McClellan cared a bit too much about his army and was reluctant to lose it...which speaks to me of a lack of confidence on McClellans part.

McClellan probably would have been better off out west where the gaze of the media wasn't totally on him and he wasn't under as much pressure as the commander of the Unions Premier Army was. He was a very inexperianced general when he took command of the Department of the Ohio and was still very inexperianced when he took command of the AotP. Whatever other problems he had as a general he was a long way away from being ready for Army command in 1861.
 

67th Tigers

Banned
We now conclude this meeting of the Rescue McClellan's Reputation Society. :D

67th, Lee was slated for the Potomac? I thought Lincoln offered him commander of all armies.

3 Officers (McClellan, Fremont and Lee) were offered the rank of Major General of Regulars, each to command one of the 3 commands then being formed. Lee turned down his command and McDowell stood in initially. A 4th command was created later in the west, with Halleck promoted MGen of Regs

Lee would have been the junior of the 4 MGens in the army (1st: Scott, 2nd: McClellan, 3rd: Fremont and 4th: Lee).
 
McClellan actually did okay on the peninsular if you look at it the right way, his casualties were a lot lower than the Confederate's.

That had a lot more to do with McClellan's subordinates, than McClellan.

Mechanicsville, June 26th - Porter faced attacks from Longstreet, AP Hill, and DH Hill. They were supposed to be backed by Jackson, but were not. Porter repulsed them, inflicting heavy casualties on the Confederates. McClellan provided no reinforcements to Porter and ordered him to withdraw.

Gaine's Mill, June 27th - This time Longstreet, AP Hill, and DH Hill were supported by Jackson, leading to perhaps the largest Confederate attack of the war. Porter received minimal support from McClellan, and that late in the day Union troops withdraw across the Chickahominy, burning the bridges behind them.

On the other flank, Magruder’s reconnaissance in force is stopped cold by Hancock and driven off by a vigorous counterattack.

McClellan held a strong defensive position. He knew three more army corps were being sent to reinforce him. Several of his subordinates want to attack Magruder’s forces.

McClellan left the army, after ordering a retreat. He designated no second in command. He did not leave direction for Corps movement during the withdrawal. He did not appoint a commander of the rear guard.

He abandoned his army.

In spite of that, they not only survived, they inflicted heavy damage on the Confederates.
 
I have no doubt that somebody would have made the AotP a good fighting unit but none of the Union Army commanders of the Eastern theatre, at least untill Meade and Grant, showed any real skill for organising an Army like McClellan could. The same could be said of the Confederates and Lee.

Actually, from what I've read Hooker was good at organization and morale.

Which in no way diminishes the superb job McClellan did in those areas early in the war.
 
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