George Mccellan
Essay by 24 • March 6, 2011 • 1,054 Words (5 Pages) • 1,330 Views
The removal of McClellan was a loss for the army of the Potomac. The loss of McClellan was a loss of experience in army techniques, an advanced knowledge of organization, and an very qualified general.
George McClellan was a very accomplished military general. He graduated second in his class from West point and had a mind for military organization and strategy. He trained the army of the Potomac for the Union army during the Civil War and improved the army's chances of winning the war because of the new way he organized the troops. He was a veteran soldier and able engineer. His skills and knowledge were important to the success of the Potomac army. He was dismissed by Lincoln the first time for not acting on Lincolns orders to advance, even when McClellan felt that the army was not ready to do so. McClellan was called back to the army because a general with experience and knowledge was needed. The removal of McClellan was a loss for the army of the Potomac.
General George McClellan was a very qualified general. He graduated second in his class from west point, had new clever organization ideas for the army and had to command his army without helpful help of other people. McClellan was an "accomplished soldier and able engineer (Document D)". He had the best qualifications for the job as general; his removal was not a military improvement but an interference of politicians. President Lincoln never studied military tactics or commanded on a battlefield as McClellan had. Any advice that was given to McClellan by politicians did not help the army, McClellan believed that he owed no thanks to any people in Washington because if the army was saved it would be because of him because the politicians were telling him to sacrifice the lives of the soldiers (Document D), which in the end would only damage the army. General McClellan was the best man qualified and his removal was a loss to the army.
George McClellan was an experienced soldier and was doing they best he could to the best of his ability. He had to deal with politicians that were not experienced in military strategy trying to tell him what to do. He was trained at one of the best military academies in the country, he had the knowledge and did what he was taught to do in certain situations. McClellan did not have sufficient forces needed to have the victories needed by Lincoln. He did all he could with the size of the force he had, the men did all that they could, but were overwhelmed by superior numbers (document C). McClellan worked best with a large, fit force, not a dead and wounded force. When the president wanted to army of the Potomac to press on the army was unfit to advance (Document G). He had built up the army and only did what he thought was best and what he thought was to the soldier's ability. McClellan did what he was trained to do and what he thought was best for the soldiers, his removal was not beneficial to the Potomac army.
George McClellan was the best person to be the general of the Potomac army. He trained the once inexperienced army into a more victorious army. The confederates knew that he had a "mind for military strategy", they felt that his plan to take Richmond was excellent and wise (Document D). The only true complaint Lincoln made that McClellan partially agreed with was that he was very cautious, he was prone to be sure that everything was completely ready before acting out anything (Document F). He was confident that Lincoln would not be able to find a better general the him, and after Lincoln dismissed McClellan the first time he had to eventually call him back because his
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