McClellan

Aric Watson (WATSON_A@DENISON.BITNET)
Fri, 8 Oct 1993 23:37:37 ECT

I certainly feel that McClellan is worthy of some criticism. After all, what
other general could screw up an opprotunity like that presented by the Lost
Order? In the Battle of Antietam he kept a full third of his army from the
field, on the mistaken belief that Lee had some huge counterattack planned.
Given, Lee is possibly one of the best generals in our history, and the
Confederate soldier is by all accounts extremely proficient; but can you truly
believe that it was necessary for McClellan to hold back that many troops from
the battle? Don't you think it could have drastically shortened the war if
he'd trounced Lee's army? I don't think he could've totally annihilated the
army and ended the war then and there, but it certainly seems possible that
the course of the war could've been affected in positive manner had McClellan
been a little more aggressive...
Aric Watson (Watson_A@CC.Denison.Edu)