Marlborough -> RE: McClellan's political rating (7/19/2008 8:53:11 PM)
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Eventually, it cost Lincoln a peace candidate with military credentials running against him in the 1864 election, who might very well have won absent Sherman's capture of Atlanta in the fall. That would have been a pretty high long term price. In the short run, McClellan was very popular with the troops, the public, and many in Congress. There definitely was a political cost to removing him from command, and his supporters become more ardent critics of the Administrations handling of the war. McClellan remained a large figure even when offstage in 1863, I remember reading that during Lee's Second Invasion of the North, there was talk of bringing McClellan back to 'save the Union' once again as Hooker's replacement. Bottom line is that IMHO, if any Union general should have a '4', Little Mac should be at the head of that list.
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