George McClellan

Biography

George Brinton McClellan was born in 1826 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and graduated from West Point in 1846. He rose to prominence as the commanding general of the Army of the Potomac, the Union's principal Eastern Theater force, earning the nickname 'Young Napoleon' for his organizational abilities and strategic vision. Though celebrated for his defensive capabilities and troop morale improvements, McClellan's cautious approach and reluctance to commit fully to offensive operations drew criticism from President Lincoln and the War Department, ultimately leading to his replacement and later unsuccessful 1864 presidential campaign against Lincoln.