Browsing named entities in John G. Nicolay, A Short Life of Abraham Lincoln, condensed from Nicolay and Hayes' Abraham Lincoln: A History. You can also browse the collection for George B. McClellan or search for George B. McClellan in all documents.

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John G. Nicolay, A Short Life of Abraham Lincoln, condensed from Nicolay and Hayes' Abraham Lincoln: A History, Chapter 16. (search)
essage men and money voted the contraband Dennison Appoints McClellan rich Mountain McDowell Bull Run Patterson's failure McCnd Patterson III Pennsylvania, moving toward Harper's Ferry, and McClellan in West Virginia, in order to reassure non-combatants, severally Governor Dennison had given a commission of major-general to George B. McClellan, who had been educated at West Point and served with distincstriously facilitated his promotion that by the beginning of June McClellan's militia commission as major-general had been changed to a commiegion to gather recruits and hold the important mountain passes. McClellan, in turn, advanced a detachment eastward from Wheeling, to protecof one thousand Confederates. Following up this initial success, McClellan threw additional forces across the Ohio, and about a month later on East Tennessee, and from Cairo on Memphis. Meanwhile, General McClellan was ordered from West Virginia to Washington, where he arrive
John G. Nicolay, A Short Life of Abraham Lincoln, condensed from Nicolay and Hayes' Abraham Lincoln: A History, Chapter 17. (search)
thus giving greater momentary importance to conditions existing and events transpiring in Missouri, with the city of St. Louis as the principal center of the third great military field. The same necessity which dictated the promotion of General McClellan at one bound from captain to major-general compelled a similar phenomenal promotion, not alone of officers of the regular army, but also of eminent civilians to high command and military responsibility in the immense volunteer force authorized by Congress. Events, rather than original purpose, had brought McClellan into prominence and ranking duty; but now, by design, the President gave John C. Fremont a commission of major-general, and placed him in command of the third great military field, with headquarters at St. Louis, with the leading idea that he should organize the military strength of the Northwest, first, to hold Missouri to the Union, and, second, by a carefully prepared military expedition open the Mississippi River.
John G. Nicolay, A Short Life of Abraham Lincoln, condensed from Nicolay and Hayes' Abraham Lincoln: A History, Chapter 18. (search)
s. It has already been told how Captain George B. McClellan was suddenly raised in rank, at theunassuming in discussing military questions, McClellan quickly contracted the habit of expressing cude respecting their inquiry and advice. McClellan's activity and judgment as an army organizeretired list, and in his stead appointing General McClellan to the command of all the armies. The aent, as the October days had come and gone. McClellan and his brilliant staff galloped unceasinglyit would require to actually get in motion. McClellan answered: By December 15, --probably 25 ; an no plan, no preparation, no movement. Then McClellan fell seriously ill. By a spontaneous and mosCameron's answer were a pertinent comment on McClellan's policy of collecting the whole military stssippi. Three times within the same month McClellan repeated this injunction to Buell with additost valuable stake we have in the South. McClellan's comment amounted to a severe censure, and [1 more...]
John G. Nicolay, A Short Life of Abraham Lincoln, condensed from Nicolay and Hayes' Abraham Lincoln: A History, Chapter 19. (search)
Toward the end of December, 1861, the prospects of the administration became very gloomy. McClellan had indeed organized a formidable army at Washington, but it had done nothing to efface the me would not move into East Tennessee, and Halleck seemed powerless in Missouri. Added to this, McClellan's illness completed a stagnation of military affairs both east and west. Congress was clamori is to be fought in that vicinity . ... There will be no battle at Nashville. His telegrams to McClellan were more urgent. Give it [the Western Division] to me, and I will split secession in twain i before the President and Secretary of War. May I assume the command? Answer quickly. But McClellan was in no mood to sacrifice the ambition of his intimate friend and favorite, General Buell, aorders of Grant. Halleck, however, held tenaciously to his views and requests, explaining to McClellan that he himself proposed going to Tennessee: That is now the great strategic line of th
John G. Nicolay, A Short Life of Abraham Lincoln, condensed from Nicolay and Hayes' Abraham Lincoln: A History, Chapter 21. (search)
n mentioned. Finding on January 10 that General McClellan was still ill and unable to see him, he nd finally, on January 13, by which date General McClellan had sufficiently recovered to be present. McClellan took no pains to hide his displeasure at the proceedings, and ventured no explanation he would be taking upon himself if he forced McClellan to fight against his own judgment and protesse; and when, a little later, General Marcy, McClellan's father-in-law and chief of staff, came in,ary of War proved correct. That same night, McClellan revoked Hooker's authority to cross the lowehe President made one more effort to convert McClellan to a direct movement against Manassas, but wnston. No further comment is needed to show McClellan's utter incapacity or neglect, than that forn detail the remaining principal episodes of McClellan's operations to gain possession of the Confehment. But while Mr. Lincoln was shocked by McClellan's disrespect, he was yet more startled by th[24 more...]
John G. Nicolay, A Short Life of Abraham Lincoln, condensed from Nicolay and Hayes' Abraham Lincoln: A History, Chapter 22. (search)
Pope assigned to command Lee's attack on McClellan retreat to Harrison's Landing Seward senommand During the month of May, while General McClellan was slowly working his way across the Chith all the reinforcements he could spare to McClellan's help. Through the Secretary of War he ins the President's letter of July 2, answering McClellan's urgent call for heavy reinforcements: e united before the enemy could reach them. McClellan, however, continued day after day to protest get out of his scrape as best he might. McClellan's conduct and language had awakened the indi apparently believing them to be friendly to McClellan, and therefore probably unwilling to give th personal favor to their former general, and McClellan at once sent a telegram in this spirit. nviction he had long entertained-how greatly McClellan's defects overbalanced his merits as a milit McClellan's body-guard. At that time General McClellan commanded a total force of one hundred t[41 more...]
John G. Nicolay, A Short Life of Abraham Lincoln, condensed from Nicolay and Hayes' Abraham Lincoln: A History, Chapter 23. (search)
trade; restoring the Missouri Compromise and extending its provisions to all United States Territories; greatly increasing the scope of the confiscation act in freeing slaves actually employed in hostile military service; and giving the President authority, if not in express terms, at least by easy implication, to organize and arm negro regiments for the war. But between the President's proclamation and the adjournment of Congress military affairs underwent a most discouraging change. McClellan's advance upon Richmond became a retreat to Harrison's Landing. Halleck captured nothing but empty forts at Corinth. Farragut found no cooperation at Vicksburg, and returned to New Orleans, leaving its hostile guns still barring the commerce of the great river. Still worse, the country was plunged into gloomy forebodings by the President's call for three hundred thousand new troops. About a week before the adjournment of Congress the President again called together the delegations f
John G. Nicolay, A Short Life of Abraham Lincoln, condensed from Nicolay and Hayes' Abraham Lincoln: A History, Chapter 24. (search)
, intended that it should have a twofold effect upon public opinion: first, that it should curb extreme antislavery sentiment to greater patience; secondly, that it should rouse dogged proslavery conservatism, and prepare it for the announcement which he had resolved to make at the first fitting opportunity. At tine date of the letter, he very well knew that a serious conflict of arms was soon likely to occur in Virginia; and he had strong reason to hope that the junction of the armies of McClellan and Pope which had been ordered, and was then in progress, could be successfully effected, and would result in a decisive Union victory. This hope, however, was sadly disappointed. The second battle of Bull Run, which occurred one week after the Greeley letter,, proved a serious defeat, and necessitated a further postponement of his contemplated action. As a secondary effect of the new disaster, there came upon him once more an increased pressure to make reprisal upon what was assume
John G. Nicolay, A Short Life of Abraham Lincoln, condensed from Nicolay and Hayes' Abraham Lincoln: A History, Chapter 25. (search)
the years 1861 and 1862, the popular enthusiasm with which the free States responded to the President's call to put down the rebellion by force of arms had become measurably exhausted. The heavy military reverses which attended the failure of McClellan's campaign against Richmond, Pope's defeat at the second Bull Run, McClellan's neglect to follow up the drawn battle of Antietam with energetic operations, the gradual change of early Western victories to a cessation of all effort to open the MMcClellan's neglect to follow up the drawn battle of Antietam with energetic operations, the gradual change of early Western victories to a cessation of all effort to open the Mississippi, and the scattering of the Western forces to the spiritless routine of repairing and guarding long railroad lines, all operated together practically to stop volunteering and enlistment by the end of 1862. Thus far, the patriotic record was a glorious one. Almost one hundred thousand three months militia had shouldered muskets to redress the fall of Fort Sumter; over half a million three years volunteers promptly enlisted to form the first national army under the laws of Congress
John G. Nicolay, A Short Life of Abraham Lincoln, condensed from Nicolay and Hayes' Abraham Lincoln: A History, Chapter 26. (search)
the armies go into winter quarters T was not without well-meditated reasons that Mr. Lincoln had so long kept McClellan in command of the Army of the Potomac. He perfectly understood that general's defects, his want of initiative, his heshich would and did immediately arise when, on November 5, 1862, he removed him from command. Whom should he appoint as McClellan's successor? What officer would be willing and competent to play a better part? That important question had also longommand. He was a West Point graduate, thirty-eight years old, of handsome presence, brave and generous to a fault, and McClellan's intimate friend. He had won a favorable reputation in leading the expedition against Roanoke Island and the North Carolina coast; and, called to reinforce McClellan after the Peninsula disaster, commanded the left wing of the Army of the Potomac at Antietam. He was not covetous of the honor now given him. He had already twice declined it, and only now accepted
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