[MRM]

McClellan was an interesting general. When he came in to take control of the Union forces Lincoln was just in office and the war was going badly. He was cheered as a conquoring hero and there was concern that he might march on the White House and take over the government with overwhelming popular support. He didn't fortunately, and went on to drill the Union troops, and drill them, and drill them, but curiously, not attack with them. It was essential that he train the troops because at that time turning a simple line of soldiers a few degrees so they could shoot the enemy and not cut down their own ranks was extremely complex and required well trained troops or they would lose their line and get torn to pieces by the enemy. But after defying direct orders to go on the offensive, Lincoln finally had to replace him. He ran against Lincoln but lost fairly convincingly and was consigned to the scrap heap of history, but mlitary historians still discuss whether the training he made the troops go through early in the war made possible the good performance of the Union soldiers later in the war when Grant finally figured out that all he needed to do was through more men at the lines than the south had bullets, and the south would run out of bullets before the Union ran out of men. So without McCellan, their might have been no Grant. So I guess the record is mixed as to General McClellan.