George McClellan: Incompetent Or Traitor?

[John Thomas8]

I've an opinion, having studied the ACW for decades, that this individual caused 2 extra years of the Civil War due solely to incompetency. He had a talent for making an army but a distinct and profound inability to use one effectively.

All opinions welcomed.

[John Thomas8]

During Lee's Maryland campaign, GM relied far too much on "intelligence" provided by the Pinkertons. During the Antietam battle, GM stayed with the Pinkertons and failed to utilize his experience cavalry for real time battlefield assessments.

[Gregg]

He was his time's Donald Trump, thought only he was smart enough. Wasn't as good as he thought, a physical coward.

Deliberately slow rolled the war looking for an opportunity to displace Lincoln in a coup to "save" America.

The Civil War brought out the worst in a lot of Generals. McClellan, McClernand, Halleck, Freemont, Butler and Hooker all consciously sabotaged battles or campaigns hoping to advance themselves by causing others (Grant and Sherman mostly) to fail. Poor Grant never knew how badly Halleck schemed behind his back, nor McClellan who he idolized at the beginning of the war.

[northland10]

I'm still trying to find where I am at on the poll. I may need to consider this further.

When I was reading Team of Rivals, I found myself screaming to just fire the guy already. Of course, I already knew how it would come out but she did a good job with pulling you into the narrative.

My understanding is that GM was very good at lashing an army together but couldn't take them out to sea.

[Mr brolin]

Political general
Physically cowardly
More concerned with his image than reality on the ground
A deeply sycophantic man with delusions of adequacy and competence in the offense and a distaste for his superiors and betters
Narcissistic salesman
Morally..... Iffy

Now...... Where have I seen these characteristics before......?

However, unlike The Fecking Grifter, McLellan was a good engineer, intellectually astute and a good logistician.

A good defensive general is probably an apposite description

[AndyinPA]

I went with failed field commander, as that's pretty obvious. I don't remember enough Civil War history, although I knew a lot at one time, but I would agree that he let Lee off the hook, and he was good at putting the army together, but couldn't follow through. I hope he was "just" incompetent, but I'm not so sure about the traitor part.

I'll follow this thread as it goes along, but my memory of Civil War history isn't good enough to probably add much. I've been to Gettysburg and Antietam, and found both of them extraordinarily moving. I don't think I believe in ghosts, but the Jenny Wade House basement really creeped me out, but that's off topic.

[John Thomas8]

Stephen W. Spears is an excellent source:

Landscape Turned Red: The Battle of Antietam, Houghton Mifflin, 1983.
George B. McClellan: The Young Napoleon, Ticknor & Fields, NY, 1988.

[Gregg]

I went with failed field commander, as that's pretty obvious. I don't remember enough Civil War history, although I knew a lot at one time, but I would agree that he let Lee off the hook, and he was good at putting the army together, but couldn't follow through. I hope he was "just" incompetent, but I'm not so sure about the traitor part.

I'll follow this thread as it goes along, but my memory of Civil War history isn't good enough to probably add much. I've been to Gettysburg and Antietam, and found both of them extraordinarily moving. I don't think I believe in ghosts, but the Jenny Wade House basement really creeped me out, but that's off topic.

I live 2 blocks from the Jenny Wade House, the 4th Alabama's wounded were brought to my living room and 8 of them died there. I don't believe in ghosts.

I think its possible Foggy is gonna try to arrange for some of y'all to come see me this summer. If so, we'll have a little time to talk about it.

[AndyinPA]