What caused President Lincoln to criticize General McClellan after the Battle of Antietam?

Answer 1

The reasons behind Lincoln's dismissal of McClellan were complex. With that said, President Lincoln had few choices. Ambrose Burnside replaced General George B. McClellan after the Battle of Antietam. Prior to his final dismissal in November of 1862, McClellan was stripped of his army in favor of the new army under General John Pope. Most people believed that McClellan's career was over. However, Pope's defeat at the second Battle of Bull Run saw Lincoln restore McClellan as the leader of the Army of the Potomac. Lincoln's cabinet objected to give McClellan command of the Army of the Potomac, but Lincoln correctly reasoned that this army loved McClellan and would fight their best under his command.

Answer 2

On the night after the Battle, Lee started to retreat his army from Maryland, thus allowing McClellan claim the victory.

Though satisfied for the outcome of the battle, Lincoln was not so convinced, as

McClellan waited too much before starting to pursue the enemy, thus failing the exploitation of the success.

Afterwards, McClellan's idle attitude in the conduct of the operations, particularly when Lincoln's suggestion, based upon a very favourable situation in being at that moment, to resume the offensive by slipping the Army of the Potomac between Lee and Richmond remained ignored, made the President lose his patience.

On November 7,1862 McClellan was removed from command and substituted by Major General Burnside.

Answer 3

In the eyes of US President Abraham Lincoln, General George B. McClellan was the Union's chance to end the Southern rebellion quickly. He had a brilliant prior military record and almost at once reorganized the troops in Washington DC. He immediately worked with Lincoln and General Winfield Scott to devise a plan of action in August, 1861.Lincoln became dissatisfied with General McClellan over his failure in the Peninsula campaign, among other battles. Lincoln judged McClellan to be too slow to move into battles, and the general's constant complaining for more troops was endless. Even at the Union technical victory at Antietam, Lincoln believed that McClellan let the chance to destroy the Army of Northern Virginia, slip through his fingers. And, each man grew apart over the manner and methods to win the war. Thus, disagreements over military and political issues caused Lincoln, in the end to replace McClellan. This, as an aside was the second time Lincoln had in a sense "fired " him.

Answer 4

US President Abraham Lincoln was critical of General George B. McClellan for not pursuing the retreating army of Robert E. Lee after the Battle of Antietam. The criticism was unfounded because apparently Lincoln did not understand the horrific damage caused by that battle on both sides. It had been the worst day in terms of casualties in American history. Additionally, Lincoln had two major obsessions during the war. One was the total destruction of the Army of Northern Virginia and the capture of the Rebel capital of Richmond.There was also a self-serving political angle to the McClellan-Lincoln post Antietam dispute. The November 1862 off year elections were coming closer. Political damage had already been done by Lee's invasion. For political Northern powers, that the invasion was allowed to take place was a mark against the Lincoln Administration. If the Union could have destroyed the South's prize army and perhaps even capture the South's prize general, Lee, then the November elections would have been more positive for the Republicans.

Answer 5

President Abraham Lincoln was at first very satisfied that he had selected General George B. McClellan to create and train the Army of the Potomac. McClellan was called to Washington DC by Lincoln in the wake of the disaster at the First Battle of Bull Run. After Winfield Scott retired, McClellan was promoted to general in chief of all Union forces.Lincoln was disappointed in McClellan when he was not ready to use his army to attack Richmond. Finally after some disagreements, Lincoln endorsed McClellan's Peninsula campaign. This was an ingenious plan to attack Richmond from the west. By landing troops on a Virginia peninsula, they would be only 60 miles from Richmond. An attack from Washington DC would cover 100 miles.

Because Lincoln believed that McClellan could not handle being general in chief and fight major battles, he relieved McClellan's general in chief title but did not replace him.

The campaign was a disaster. Lincoln and McClellan had both military problems between them but also political ones too. McClellan was a War Democrat and despised the Radical Republicans he believed were hurting the war effort.

President Lincoln then began a new campaign to attack Richmond from the north, and chose John Pope to lead the newly created Army of Virginia. Most of the troops for the new army were taken from McClellan's Army of the Potomac. Basically McClellan was a general with no army.

General John Pope soon began his march southward to Richmond, and later, McClellan was blamed for not expediting the troop movements from his army to Pope's army.

Nevertheless, Pope marched on and marched on to defeat. This was the Second Battle of Bull Run, and the South was now being led by General Robert E. Lee in the Eastern Theater.

Lincoln's Cabinet members were outraged and believed McClellan was responsible for the second Bull Run defeat. Some wanted McClellan charged for treason.

Then unexpectedly, McClellan replaced Pope. Lincoln saw that General Lee was on a raid into Maryland and believed only McClellan was capable of leading his old army, the Army of the Potomac, against Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia. Pope was farmed out to fight the Dakota Native American uprising.

Lee and McClellan met at the bloody battle of Antietam. This was the worst single day's battle in American history. Over 25,000 casualties occurred on September 17, 1862.

The battle was a technical draw but Lee had no choice but to retreat back to Virginia.

Lincoln urged McClellan to follow Lee and destroy his army.

McClellan refused saying his men needed rest.

Finally in November of 1862, Lincoln relieved McClellan of duty and replaced him with General Ambrose Burnside.

Basically, President Lincoln hired McClellan, promoted him, demoted him, promoted him and demoted him in November, 1862.

Answer 6

Lincoln was unhappy with General McClellan because the democrats nominated McClellan to oppose Lincoln.

Answer 7

He was too slow to take action