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How did Major General George B McClellan transport his troops to western Virginia in May of 1861?
It was on May 26, 1861 that Major General George B. McClellan from his headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, ordered 3,000 volunteer enlisted men to advance on the western end of Virginia. The transportation was the Baltimore & Ohio railroad.
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How did General George B McClellan first gain national fame in 1861?
In June of 1861, General George B. McClellan rose to national prominence by his actions in western Virginia. He commanded a small force of Union soldiers that ousted Confederates there and the South could never regain that pro-Unionist section of Virginia which eventually became the state of West Virginia. This was great news in the North and McClellan's name became known in Northern newspapers.
What caused Union General George B McClellan to be confident when he learned Confederate General Robert E. Lee was now in charge of the defense of Richmond?
It seems that Union General George B. McClellan learned that Confederate General Joseph Johnston was wounded at Fair Oaks and Jefferson Davis replaced him with Robert E. Lee. In McClellan's writings about the war he indicated that General Lee would not be a problem. He believed Lee was timid and lacked experience. This idea may have been the result of the time that McClellan's forces pushed Confederates out of western Virginia early in the war. At the time Lee was in charge of Rebels seeking to retain western Virginia but failed. There is no doubt that McClellan knew of Lee before the war.Lee of course had a stellar career before the war and was once the superintendent of West Point. Nevertheless, in June of 1862, McClellan did not fear Lee as Johnston's replacement.
What events in what became West Virginia brought national attention to Major General McClellan in 1861?
In the late Spring and early Summer of 1861, Major General George B. McClellan assembled an infantry force and organized it for an extended operation in the western Virginia mountains. The people in western Virginia were not in favor of secession and this helped McClellan and his campaign to gain momentum in that part of the state. Within a month, McClellan's troops established control in this important border zone. McClellan had organized almost 20,000 volunteers and the Confederates had only about 3,000 troops to oppose the Union troops. The result was a Union victory in what were perhaps two skirmishes in western Virginia. The Northern press picked up on this successful story and labeled the skirmishes as major victories. McClellan was recognized in some Northern quarters as a master of organization and logistics which were required in that region of high mountains, deep forests and primitive communications.
How did Union General Winfield Scott respond to the plan of General George B McClellan to assault Richmond from western Virginia?
Union General Winfield Scott informed his subordinate, General George B. McClellan that his plan could not be carried out. Winfield pointed out that McClellan's troops were volunteers with a three month enlistment. These troops would never reach Richmond before the regiments would be free to return home. Additionally, Winfield pointed out that McClellan had ignored basic rules of logistics. By crossing western Virginia, he would have no chain of supply for his troops. Winfield scuttled McClellan's plan against Richmond. As an aside, these two men would continue to be at odds with each other, causing Scott to end his control of Union forces.
What two key general posts were filled by Union General in Chief George B. McClellan?
As the new Union General in Chief George B. McClellan was making plans in the East for the Army of the Potomac, General McClellan did not neglect the Western Theater. He appointed General Don Carlos Buell to head the Department of Ohio, and General Henry W. Halleck to head the Department of Missouri. As an aside, at the time, little did both McClellan nor Halleck know that before the year of 1862 was over, Halleck would replace McClellan as general in chief.
What was one unique feature of the 1861 US Civil War Battle of Philippi?
The Battle of Philippi on June 3, 1861 was unique in a number of ways. It deserves attention because it was the first organized land battle of the US Civil War. Later, western Virginia would break off of Virginia and become the US state of West Virginia. It was the first success of Union General George B. McClellan and he defeated Rebel forces that were under the general command of Robert E. Lee. Neither Lee nor McClellan were active participants in this battle.
The name of Virginia's lawmaking body in 1619?
The Virginia General Assembly which is the oldest legislature in the Western Hemisphere.
What was the connection between Union generals George B McClellan and William S Rosencrans?
When the US Civil War began, William Rosencrans volunteered as an aid to Major General George B. McClellan. At the time, McClellan was the commander of the Department of Ohio. As a brigadier general, h e participated in McClellan's operations in western Virginia. Rosencrans won a significant victory at the battle of Rich Mountain. When McClellan left to take command of the Army of the Potomac, Rosencrans then became the commander of the Department of Ohio. As an aside, Rosencrans was an excellent student at West point. In 1842 he graduated from West point as fifth in his class of fifty one students.
How was the Union's Army of Virginia created in 1862?
General in Chief Henry Wager Halleck had promoted John Pope to major general and based on his successful exploits in the Western Theater, he was given command of a new Union armt, namely the Army of Virginia. Halleck had formed the new army by combining forces from the departments of the Mountain, Shenandoah, Rappahannock and from troops in the Military district of Washington. This new army located in northern Virginia and McClellan's Army of the Potomac, caused General Lee and Jefferson Davis great concern. These forces could combine into one huge Union army or attack Richmond from the north and from the peninsula, as McClellan's troops were still stationed at Harrison's Landing
What Union commanders did Major George B McClellan appoint to lead his troops into western Virginia?
The Union troops under the command of Major General George B. McClellan were divided into two separate forces. Colonel Benjamin F. Kelly led 1,600 troops and Colonel Ebenezer Dumont led 1,400 men. The plan was to create a pincher attack on Philippi.
What happened to Union General John Pope's Army of Virginia?
Not long after Union General John Pope lost to the Confederates at the Second Battle of Bull Run, President Lincoln relived pope and sent him to the the western frontier to deal with Native American issues. His Army of Virginia that Lincoln created for him was incorporated into Major General George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac. Lincoln believed this was necessary in order to hamper Robert E. Lee's war operations.
How long Union General George B McClellan serve in active duty during the US Civil War?
General George B McClellan served just over eighteen months of active duty during the US Civil War. From his humble beginnings that helped the western part of Virginia part from Virginia, McClellan rose to the top of the US military command structure. He was general in chief of the Army of the Potomac, perhaps the most powerful army the Western Hemisphere had ever seen. He trained and developed this army and created a significant fighting force for the Union. During those eighteen months he became the best known general in the North. It was his own genius that created the idea of a peninsula plan to capture Richmond that sadly for him failed. His supporters hailed him as the Union's savior when he forced the retreat of Robert E. Lee from Antietam.In the end, his political views and problematic tactical practices ended his military career. Few generals were ever such figures that actually ran for the US Presidency in 1864, against President Lincoln, the man who once promoted McClellan to general in chief.
