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Why did Union General George B McClellan believe an assault on Richmond from Washington DC was not a wise strategy?
ChuckSiata
Union General George B. McClellan did not believe that using Washington DC as a solid base of operations for an assault on Richmond was a wise military action. He was well aware of the fact that US President Lincoln was in favor of this. Lincoln, Radical Republicans and Northern newspapers had continued to push for this from the beginning of the war. And, since the Union defeat in the first Battle Run, the military situation had changed. With that said, McClellan envisioned an attack by his Army of the Potomac from Washington DC. His forces could assault the Rebel's fortified positions at Centreville and Manassas , or else proceed with a movement to turn one or both flanks of those entrenchments, or use a combination of both tactics. McClellan, however saw problems with this. He did not believe that this could be decisive. Certainly his army might bring victory at that point, and bring with it positive results in that these were key Confederate defensive positions. With that said, he did not believe the desired results would bring about the destruction of the eastern Confederate forces, nor help end the war quickly, as everyone still desired.
He was certain that the Rebels would manage an effective retreat pattern, and be in a position to mount a counter offensive. The result would be continued offensives and counter offensives. Additionally, even if the Rebels were not able to protect their outer defensives, and retreat to Richmond, there was another problem to face.
The Union pursuit would be difficult in that the Confederates would destroy rail lines and bridges as they fell back. Anticipated lethal entrenchments protecting Richmond from the north would force him ( McClellan ) to adopt an alternative and this would take precious time. Too much time. In summary, a direct attack on Richmond and the extra time its defenses would generate would cause or allow a dangerous concentration of Rebel forces with which to deal with. And, McClellan's supply and communication lines were all targets from various positions the Rebels might attack from in the territories between Richmond and Washington DC.
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Kept the Union's General McClellan from taking the Confederate capital Richmond.?
general Robert E. Lee
7 Lincoln urged General McClellan to attack the Confederate capital of?
Richmond, Virginia
Who did general john pope replace?
General George C. McClellan after refusing orders to advance to Richmond and losing several significant battles.
How did General Lee smaller army defeat McClellan force and keep Union troops out of Richmond?
General Lee won the war in a funny way. He put steeping stones to keep his troops out of Richmond.
The Unions goal in the Peninsular Campaign in March 1862?
The Union began the Peninsular Campaign in March 1862. General-in-Chief McClellan moved his Army of the Potomac from Washington down the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay to the peninsula south of the Confederate Capital of Richmond, Virginia, before advancing toward Richmond. McClellan planned a giant amphibious operation to capture Yorktown before moving on Richmond from the south. However, the Confederate Merrimack blocked the water route up the James River to Richmond, so McClellan decided to advance up the peninsula between the York and James rivers. By early April 1862 McClellan's forces had been transported by sea to the south end of the peninsula and were ready to take Yorktown. The Confederates had fewer troops than the North so they needed a diversion to keep the Union soldiers from taking Richmond. to capture Richmond, Virgina
How did Confederate General Joseph Johnston alter General McClellan's plans to capture Richmond in 1862?
When Confederate General Joseph Johnston withdrew his forces near Washington DC southwards to protect Richmond, one huge opportunity for General McClellan vanished. McClellan had hoped the Rebel army would remain north of Richmond. Had that happened two favorable elements of his campaign were ended. McClellan's plan was to have a chance to attack Johnston's forces from the rear and he also had the chance to place his army between the Rebel army and Richmond.
What did US generals McClellan and Halleck discuss at Harrison's Landing in July 1862?
General Halleck's first assignment was to meet with General McClellan at Harrison's Landing. Each of them had different views on the best way to end the Confederate rebellion. McClellan wanted to cut Richmond's lines of communications by sending troops south of Richmond to do this. Halleck had no intentions of allowing that. Halleck's plan was to have McClellan join forces with General Pope and with this large pair of armies attack Richmond. Also, to protect the endless fear of a Confederate assault on Washington DC, Halleck wanted to keep a sizable force between Washington DC and Richmond. Halleck was willing to compromise. If his plans would not work for McClellan, then he was free to again attempt to capture Richmond with his own army plus some additional 20,000 troops on their way to help McClellan. McClellan, always fearing larger Confederate armies then what existed, asked for 30,000 troops. This left McClellan with two choices. Resume his attempt to capture Richmond or retreat from the Peninsula. McClellan's idea was not to retreat but carry on an attempt to capture Richmond.
What part of the Army of the Potomac was removed from General McClellan to reinforce Washington DC?
Union General George B. McClellan lost the corps under General McDowell as Lincoln wanted extra protection for Washington DC. Also, Burnside in North Carolina did not help McClellan's efforts to capture Richmond. Washington DC was heavily protected and it was not necessary to remove an entire corps from McClellan.With Johnston's army retreating south from Manassas, there was little chance of an attack on Washington DC. All Southern efforts would be made to protect Richmond.
When did general lee force general mcClellan to retreat from the Richmond area?
Summer of 1862
Who created the Union's Peninsula campaign of 1862?
The Peninsula campaign was the work of the Union's General in Chief, George B. McClellan. As general in chief, McClellan submitted a brilliant plan to catch the Confederates off guard and instead of attacking Richmond with a march due south from Washington DC, he convinced President Lincoln that time and distance could be saved by launching the attack against Richmond from the peninsula that lay east of Richmond. Lincoln finally agreed with the plan but as McClellan was proceeding, Lincoln thought it best to remove McClellan as general in chief so that he could focus all his attention on Richmond and not be distracted with other military operations.
Kept the Union's General McClellan from taking the Confederate capital Richmond.?
general Robert E. Lee
What event in May of 1862 forfeits any chance for reinforcements to General McClellan's army on the Peninsula?
General George B. McClellan has had bad feelings towards President Lincoln and his cabinet when he learns that troops he counted on would be saved to protect Washington DC. He is then refused reinforcements for two reasons. One is the threat to Washington DC posed by Major General Stonewall Jackson as he closes in on Harpers Ferry. On top of that, McClellan already outnumbers the Confederates defending Richmond by a two to one margin. McClellan refuses to believe the number of Confederate left to defend his target, Richmond.
What decision by Union General George B McClellan delayed his advance to Richmond in the Peninsula campaign?
On April 4, 1862, General McClellan decided that the best way to force the Confederates out of Yorktown, was to lay it to siege. This caused a serious delay in McClellan's advance westward towards Richmond.
7 Lincoln urged General McClellan to attack the Confederate capital of?
Richmond, Virginia
How close did General McClellan's army get to Richmond during the peninsula campaign?
5 miles
What caused Peninsular campaign of Union General George B McClellan to fail?
McClellan's Peninsular campaign failed because the Confederate army was defending Richmond better that McClellan anticipated. They retreated, then turned and attacked McClellan, surprising the Union general.
Why did Union General Henry Halleck travel to Washington DC in early July 1862?
On July 25, 1862, General in Chief Henry W. Halleck, accompanied by Major General Ambrose Burnside visited Harrison's Landing to confer with General McClellan. Halleck's purpose is to pressure McClellan to do "something". Halleck orders McClellan to advance against Richmond or withdraw from the Peninsula and send troops to join Major General Pope's Army of Virginia. McClellan commits to nothing. He is placing himself and General Pope's mission in jeopardy.
