Born at Philadelphia of distinguished Connecticut ancestry, he is considered by many one of the most controversial figures in American military history. His first cousin was Major Henry B. McClellan, Chief of Staff to Confederate General Jeb Stuart. George McClellan attended local schools and the University of Pennsylvania prior to his entry at West Point in 1842. He graduated second in his class from the Military Academy in 1846 whereupon he was breveted to 2nd Lieutenant, Corps of Engineers, on July 1, 1846.

He served in the Mexican War, 1848-1846, attached to the Company of Sappers, Miners and Pontoniers, being engaged in opening the Road from Matamoras to Tampico, 1846-1847; the Siege of Vera Cruz, March 9-29, 1847; and Battle of Cerro Gordo, April 17-18, 1847. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant, Corps of Engineers, April 24, 1847.

McClellan was next engaged in the Skirmish of Amazoque, May 14, 1847; Battle of Contreras, August 19-20, 1847; and Battle of Churubusco, August 20, 1847. He was breveted to 1st Lieutenant, August 20, 1847, for gallant and meritorious conduct in the Battles of Contreras and Churubusco. He was next engaged in constructing the batteries against Chapultepec, September 9-13, 1847; and the Assault and Capture of Mexico City, September 13-14, 1847. He declined a brevet to Captain, September 8, 1847, for gallant and meritorious conduct in the Battle of Molino del Rey but accepted a Brevet, September 13, 1847, for gallant and meritorious conduct in the Battle of Chapultepec.

Lt. George B. McClellan
Taken in 1846, with his father and brother,
shortly before leaving for the Mexican War.

McClellan was next on Special Service, in collecting railroad statistics for the War Department, 1854-1855 and was promoted to Captain, 1st Cavalry, March 3, 1855. He served as a member of the Military Commission to the "Theatre of War in Europe", 1855-1856, his official report being published by order of Congress, 1857, embracing his remarks upon the Operations in the Crimea and the Organization, Instruction, Equipment of European Allies. He resigned on January 16, 1857.

McClellan served as Chief Engineer for the Illinois Central Railroad, 1857-1858; and its Vice President, 1858-1860. He was President of the St. Louis and Cincinnati Railroad, 1860-1861. He returned to military service when commissioned a Major-General, Ohio Volunteers, April 23, 1861.

Such was McClellan's elan, efficiency in organization, capability, and sheer personal magnetism, that President Lincoln, who had never seen him before, appointed McClellan a Major-General in the U. S. Army, where he was outranked only by Winfield Scott, whose commission dated from the time McClellan was fourteen years old. He received a commission of Major-General, U. S. Army, May 14, 1861 and served in command of the Department of Ohio, May 13-July 15, 1861, engaged in the Action of Rich Mountain, WV, July 11, 1861; and by a forced march upon the Rebel Camp, compelled General Pegram's surrender near Beverly, WV, July 12, 1861. McClellan received the Thanks of Congress, July 16, 1861, for "the series of brilliant and decisive victories" achieved by his army over the Rebels, "on the battlefields of Western Virginia".

He was placed in command in Washington, D. C. of the Division of the Potomac, July 27, 1861; of the Department of the Potomac, August 17, 1861 and of the Army of the Potomac, August 20, 1861. Upon the retirement of Winfield Scott, McClellan was appointed as General-in- Chief of the Armies of the United States, November 1, 1861 to March 11, 1862.

Reaching Washington five days after the debacle at Bull Run, McClellan brought order to chaos, reduced the several dissident commands to a state of discipline, and won the regard of his men not soon equaled. Greatly against his own judgment, but on orders of the Administration, McClellan moved against the Confederacy via the Virginia Peninsula in the spring of 1862. Against his strenuous protests, a part of his army was retained for the defense of Washington.

He vastly overestimated the forces opposing him under General Joseph E. Johnston, who was wounded at Seven Pines and replaced by Robert E. Lee and, when McClellan retired to Harrison's Landing on the James River after a campaign magnificent in conception but lackluster in execution, he left himself open to a charge made by Confederate Colonel William Allan, who stated:

"He directed . . .strategy . . .but left . . . .tactics . . almost entirely to his subordinates."

McClellan insisted that his failure was due to a lack of support from Washington and, again overestimating the enemy's forces, he refused to reassume the offensive until given reinforcements which the Administration and Henry W. Halleck, by then General-in-Chief, were unwilling to provide. The Army of the Potomac was ordered north by water and, as its units arrived at Alexandria, they were assigned to General John Pope's Army of Virginia, a force organized to attempt to capture Richmond via the line of the Orange & Alexander Railroad. This expedition soon foundered due to Pope's bombast and ineptness as a tactician and McClellan was again called in to reorganize the weary and dispirited forces in the eastern theater. Reportedly cheers echoed over the Manassas plains when the news reached the troops that "Little Mac" had been restored to command. In command of the Army of the Potomac, McClellan was engaged in the advance on Manassas, March 6-10, 1862; Virginia Peninsular Campaign, March-August, 1862, being engaged in the Siege of Yorktown, April 5-May 4, 1862; Occupation of Williamsburg, May 5-6, 1862; Battle of Fair Oaks, May 31-June 1, 1862; and the Battles of the Seven Days' change of base to the James River, June 26-July 2, 1862; in command of the Defenses of Washington, D. C., September 2-7, 1862.

He was in the Maryland Campaign, in command of the Army of the Potomac, September 7-November 10, 1862; being engaged in the Battle of South Mountain, September 14, 1862; Battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862; and March to Warrenton, VA, October-November, 1862.

In perhaps the greatest testimonial to McClellan, it was said:

"The effect of this man's presence upon the Army of the Potomac in sunshine or in rain, in darkness or in daylight, in victory or defeat was electrical, and too wonderful to make it worthwhile attempting to give a reason for it."

George B. McClellan

Following Antietam, Lee hurriedly retreated across the Potomac but was not pursued for more than a month because, McClellan contended, his army was deficient in necessary supplies. This view was unsubstantiated in the mind of Lincoln who, on November 7, 1862, replaced McClellan with General Burnside. McClellan was ordered to await further orders, which never arrived. While waiting orders at New York City, November 10, 1862-November 8, 1864, McClellan was nominated by the Chicago Convention as a Candidate for President of the United States but was defeated in the election of 1864 by President Abraham Lincoln. McClellan resigned on election day, November 8, 1864. Following his defeat, McClellan traveled through Europe for the next four years, 1864-1868.

George B. McClellan

McClellan served as Engineer for the completion of the "Stevens Ironclad Floating Battery", a steamer for harbor defense, 1868-1869. He declined the Presidency of the University of California, 1868 and that of Union College, NY, 1869. McClellan served as Engineer-in-Chief of the Department of Docks of the City of New York, 1870-1872. He declined an appointment as Controller of New York City, September 16, 1871. He was elected Governor, State of New Jersey, serving January 1, 1878 to January 1, 1881. He died October 29, 1885 at Orange Mountain, NJ, aged 59 years. He was buried at Riverview Cemetery, Trenton.

McClellan's friend and fellow cadet, Professor Henry Coppee, L.L. D., President of the Aztec Club, 1886-1887, stated:

"McClellan was modest and retiring, and had withal a great self-respect, a gracious dignity. His personal magnetism has no parallel in military history, except in that of the first Napoleon; he was literally the idol of his officers and men. They would obey him when all other control had failed. In the opinion of many, he was unduly careful of his troops, so that his power to organize was neutralized by his caution in the field. He was a clear write and an effective speaker. As a student of military history, he had no superior in his systematic knowledge of wars, battles, and tactics. He was also an accomplished engineer. His plans of campaign were just, clear and timely; but any interference with them threw him back upon his natural caution, and caused him to take more time to reorganize and recast than the exigencies of the war and the rapid movements of the enemy would permit. He believed himself the personal butt of the Administration, and that it did not wish him to succeed. He was constantly engaged in controversies, and his despatches, reports, and later papers are always in the tome of one vindicating himself from real or fancied injustice. He was a man of irreproachable character, a model Christian gentleman in every situation of life."

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