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May 21, 2013, 8:56am

Little Bighorn History Alliance ~ www.littlebighorn.info :: Take a Break! :: Around the Campfire :: On McClellan

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Topic: On McClellan (Read 202 times)

Dark Cloud
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On McClellan
« Thread Started on Aug 4, 2012, 11:09am »

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books...._reviewed_.html

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Dark Cloud
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"The great enemy of truth is very often not the lie – deliberate, contrived and dishonest – but the myth – persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. Too often […] we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." JFK

justvisiting
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Re: On McClellan
« Reply #1 on Aug 4, 2012, 11:38am »

Nice review.

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"Opinions count for little. I have enough of my own that I do not require others. Facts, sources are another matter."

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lew
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Re: On McClellan
« Reply #2 on Aug 4, 2012, 11:38am »

For the other side of the story. http://georgebmcclellan.com/faq1.html

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justvisiting
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Re: On McClellan
« Reply #3 on Aug 4, 2012, 11:41am »

Lew, equally nice!

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quincannon
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The essesnce of command is timing, Mr. Cohill. A successful commander keeps his own counsel.

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Re: On McClellan
« Reply #4 on Aug 4, 2012, 11:47am »

DC: Don't have the book and probably will not buy it. Two things from the review though.

McClellan had a considerable amount of his Army of the Potomac attached to Pope's Army of Viginia, and those elements were with Pope before Second Manassas. Fitz John Porter's and Reno's Corps were there long before 28 August 1862. Reno's Corps played the central role at Chantilly on 1 September 62 as well. Now that does not change the fact that McClellan was reluctant, but the reviewer, and I suppose the author does not take this into consideration evidently. That seems to be an inaccurate slant on things.

South Mountain: If one wishes to call South Mountain a victory for the Union Army, then it betrays the fact that South Mountain was a delaying action on the part of confederate forces engaged, primarily in the vacinity of Turner's and Fox's Gaps where Jessie Reno got whacked. The confederates accomplished their mission of buying time, and did not engage the main body of Lee, for Lee was to smart to get his main body into an action where he would have had to battle McClellan at a distinct disadvantage,, Instead the time purchased allowed him to pick his own ground behind Antietam Creek in and around Sharpsburg.

If McClellan was guilty of anything it was in organizing and building an army and then being afraid of losing it. His attacks in sequence at Sharpsburg were made to order for Lee's defensive posture of shifting, resorting, and answering each challenge, although it did get a little dicey on the right until Hill showed up.

« Last Edit: Aug 6, 2012, 7:21am by quincannon »

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yantaylor
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Re: On McClellan
« Reply #5 on Aug 6, 2012, 4:51am »

I only have a couple of books that deal with the ACW, but one of them was not very kind to the Redoubtable McC, it says that Lincoln himself called him a stationary engine, he did have the best dressed HQ Staff in the Army though, it also mentions about him being fooled by the Confederate Guns at Munson’s hill, they turned out to be painted logs. Lincoln then placed Gen. Burnside in command resulting in the futile attacks along Marye’s Heights.
Lincoln finally found his men, with Gen. U. S Grant

Ian.

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