A Promise Kept:McClellan's Campaign of 1862

67th Tigers

Banned
Introduction

Our subject was a child prodigy. He matriculated from the University of Pennsylvania at 13, had lied about his age and entered the United States Military Academy at 15, graduating second in his class (due to his poor ability to sketch) and being selected for the most elite branch of the US military, the Corps of Engineers.

Personally brave to a fault, he has breveted for valour three times in Mexico, a feet only equalled by one other officer (Captain Robert E. Lee). His performance marked him out as special, and he was used by Jefferson Davis as what would now be called an intelligence agent. In 1854 he covertly infiltrated the Dominican Republic to scout out the defences for a possible US invasion. In 1855 he was one of three officers personally selected to observe the war raging in Europe, making him one of a handful of US officers to have seen a major battle.

Resigning his Commission in 1857, he joined the Illinois Central railroad as chief engineer, by 1859 he had the presidency of the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad (Eastern Division), a wage of $10,000 per annum (several million dollars a year in today's money) and had finally won the hand of the girl he'd pursued for several years in marriage. He was approached several times to command "deniable operations" for the United States, but decided to stick out the job in hand. His party trick was to bend coins with one hand.

His interest in politics was aroused in the 1860 elections, when he witnessed, and thwarted, an attempt by the Lincolnite Republicans to rig the vote in parts of Ohio. When the war came he was immediately selected by his state to command the militia, and the next day the long expected telegraph promoted him to Major-General, the 2nd highest ranking officer on the Army Register.

His name is George McClellan.

"The Rank of Lieutenant-General is reserved for you, when you take Richmond."

- President Abraham Lincoln to Major-General George Brinton McClellan, 8th March 1862 (paraphrased for clarity)

Notes

This is me starting a new timeline. One in which McClellan doesn't loose 1st Corps as he is starting the Peninsula campaign, but executes the plan as written.
 

JjeeporCreepor

Well, it was all there for the taking for the Young Napoleon, wasn't it, if he could just overcome his innate sense of caution? (And as you point out, he was far too remarkable a character to be written off the way he often is in AHs).

Mind you, I'm increasingly coming round to the idea that the Peninsular Campaign was a turning point for both sides, a hinge of the whole war. If McClellan could have found some confidence, if Jackson could have just stayed awake...could have gone either way. Really.
 

67th Tigers

Banned
McClellan's plan, Spring 1862

After displacing the ailing Winfield Scott as Commander in Chief McClellan developed a new strategic plan. Scott wanted simply not to fight, his plans involved defending the United States and waiting years for the blockade to break the Confederacy. McClellan believed that the majority of the citizens of the Confederacy were simply wayward sons, led astray by the slaveholding elites. The US would invade the Confederacy, seek decisive battles and break the notional power of these elites.

In another universe McClellan would be fevered during the January of 1862, but not here.

His plan involved one army advancing down the Mississippi from St. Louis, whilst another landed at New Orleans, linking up around the town of Vicksburg. Meanwhile four more expeditionary forces would sieze Pensacola, Jacksonville, Port Royal and New Bern. This would be accompanied by a movements towards Nashville and Knoxville by Grant and Buell respectively after which Grant would drive south into Alabama and Buell would march on Georgia and hence to the sea, linking up with Shermans forces at Port Royal. Meanwhile, the Army of the Potomac would attack up the James River and sieze Richmond before joining Buell in the climatic drive to the sea.

In the west McClellan's plans were put into effect:

Pope advanced down the Mississippi, and invested Island No. 10 in a siege.

Grant advanced on Forts Henry and Donelson as ordered, and took both to great acclaim, making him a national celebrity. He then advanced on Nashville, taking it in late February.

Buell advanced across the Cumberland River in early march, driving Kirby-Smith's little army out of Knoxville without much of a fight.

Thomas Sherman's expedition to Port Royal the previous November was successful, adding a second failure to Robert E. Lee's miserable record as a commander he pushed inland and severed the main coastal railroad.

Burnside's expedition was successful in capturing New Bern.

The problematic expedition was up the James. The Confederate Ironclad Virginia blocked the way, forcing McClellan to reconsider. He would advance up the York instead....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top
Top