What two plans to win the US Civil War did Union General George B McClellan send to Winfield Scott in 1861?

Answer 1

In late April of 1861, the then Major General George B. McClellan sent two plans to General Winfield Scott to end the Southern rebellion. From his office in Ohio, McClellan, wishing to gain a higher rank, was certain that Scott would chose one of his plans or at the very least, give the plans some thought.

McClellan's first plan involved securing Cairo, Illinois. With this done, Union forces would cross the Ohio River and follow the valley of the Great Kanawha onwards to assault Richmond, Virginia the Confederate capital. Based on the Napoleonic wars, the capital of any enemy capital city, which was an " area of gravity " meaning a vital location. The fall of Richmond would be a huge step towards ending the Southern rebellion. In the Mexican War, when General Scott captured the Mexican capital of Mexico, Mexico City, it caused the Mexican surrender.

As part of the first plan, McClellan also sought to move troops to Louisville, Kentucky to help keep this border state in the Union. He urged prompt action but also warned that troops would be needed to protect Washington DC.

If for whatever reason this plan proved to be impractical based on enemy troop movements, McClellan had a second plan. This seemed more ambitious and had possible unforeseen consequences. He proposed marching an army of at least 80,000 troops to capture the Tennessee capital of of Nashville. With that conquest, Union troops would have almost free reign to move east to and the end result would be the capture of New Orleans. This plan called for assaults on Augusta, Georgia and Mobile, Alabama.

Scott was impressed with these ideas and passed them on to US President Lincoln.

Answer 2

The first two plans to win the US Civil War was sent to General Winfield Scoot in April of 1861 by General George B. McClellan. McClellan proposed two plans of action The first plan was the following:

1. Secure Cairo, Illinois and then crossing the Ohio River in the area of Gallipolis and proceed up the valley of Great Kanawha pressuring Richmond;

2. Send troops to Louisville or Cincinnati to help keep Kentucky neutral; and

3. Then march quickly and attack Richmond.

The idea was that by taking the Confederate capital, it would bring a short end to the Southern rebellion.

The second plan was based on the assumption that Kentucky would abandon its neutrality. If this was the case then McClellan suggested crossing the Ohio River at either Louisville or Cincinnati with about 80,000 troops and march on Nashville, Tennessee.

The idea centered around making quick work of Confederate Tennessee and keep Kentucky on the defensive.. With this in place, Union troops would capture Montgomery, Alabama.

This would be supported with Eastern troops taking Charleston and Atlanta.

If this was successful, then the troops that captured Montgomery, could successfully march on New Orleans, Mobile Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida.

The result of this would force the South into a quick surrender, having major cities taken by Union troops.

On the surface, General Scott thought well enough of McClellan's plans that he forwarded them to US President Lincoln.