GEN. M’CLELLAN’S ARMY: President Lincoln’s Visit to the Army on the James River; His Enthusiastic Reception by the Troops (7/11/1862)

New York Times - Times Machine ^ | 7/11/1862

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Wednesday, July 9, 1862.

The event of yesterday was the, to most of the army, unexpected visit of President LINCOLN, who arrived at the Landing in the afternoon, in the Ariel, a steam transport, having left Fortress Monroe at 9 o'clock in the morning. He was soon discovered by the crowd of Quartermasters, Surgeons and soldiers near the Landing, he sitting and smiling serenely on the after deck of the vessel, and was greeted with repeated cheers, and it was speedily told through the camps that Mr. LINCOLN had come to have a look at the army, who knowing but that something significant was in the visit. Gen. MCCLELLAN, with a portion of his Staff, met the President at the Landing, the party riding soon after to headquarters, from which directly there issued an order for an immediate review of the troops. After a short conversation with Gen. MCCLELLAN, of an entirely unofficial character, the party started out to review the army, the cool of the early evening favoring such a ceremony. The President drove in a carriage to the headquarters of corps, and there mounted, in turn riding along the lines of each division. He seemed in excellent spirits, and in his conversation with the different Generals, expressed his pride at the gallant conduct of the army and of its leaders. The soldiers, as he rode before them, vied in their cheers with the roar of the cannon, which belched forth their stately national salutes as he approached each several division, giving the head of the nation such a welcome as to assure him that he was among friends, and men not so exhausted by the fatigues of the recent awful days as to be unable to give full rotundity and volume to the tone of the vociferous greeting.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents U.S. History, 1861-1865: Seminar and Discussion Forum
The American Civil War, as seen through news reports of the time and later historical accounts

First session: November 21, 2015. Last date to add: May 2025.
Reading: Self-assigned. Recommendations made and welcomed.

Posting history, in reverse order

https://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:homerjsimpson/index?tab=articles

To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by reply or freepmail.

Link to previous New York Times thread

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4077386/posts

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

Gen. M’Clellan’s Army: President Lincoln’s Visit to the Army on the James River – 2-3
News from South Carolina: A Gunboat Reconnoissance of the Santee and Wackenaw Rivers – 3-4
News from Fortress Monroe: Wounded Men Up the York River – 4
From the South: The Great Battles on the Peninsula – 5
News from Washington: Return of the President from the James River – 5-6
Editorial: Audacity as a War Energy – 6
Editorial: Recruits from the Northwest – 6
Enlistment Must be Hastened – 6-7
Editorial: The Army in New-Mexico – Information Wanted – 7
Editorial: British Intervention – 7
A Perilous Ascension: Narrow Escape of Five Aeronauts – 7

[allendale]

Too bad Lincoln never lived to write his memoirs. Suspect at the time he wanted to fire M’CLellan on the spot.

[georgiarat]

That is probably true. McClellan was a strategic thinker but terrible at tactical battles under pressure and making quick adjustments. A lot like Longstreet on the confederate side.

Does anyone believe that the public would support a conflict today that would cost the pieces of an equivalent today of 18,000,000 lives? Not likely.
Too bad both sides did not want to have peace rather than war.

[allendale]

Longstreet was probably the best thinker the Confederates had. He understood that terrain was the key factor in any battle, that frontal attacks were suicidal and that the Confederacy did not have the manpower or the resources to squander with such tactics. He knew how to fight and win decisive “defensive” battles. Eventually Lee came to accept Longstreet’s thinking and tactics a bit too late. He was perhaps the best General the South had behind Lee and Jackson. BTW Jackson did not have the best days of his career during the Peninsular Campaign.

After Gettysburg, Longstreet was sent to fight in the West but was not given command. The campaign around Chattanooga might have ended much differently if he had command.Also he might have been sent West because after Gettysburg Lee probably had difficulty in his presence remembering the advice he gave that was not taken. After the war he was inappropriately maligned by some Southern historians.