Burnside Replaces McClellan
On November 7, Federal Major General George B. McClellan received an order from General-in-Chief Henry W. Halleck: “By direction of the President, it is ordered that Major General McClellan be relieved from command of the Army of the Potomac; and that Major General (Ambrose) Burnside take the command of that Army.”
General George B. McClellan
After over a year of frustration, President Abraham Lincoln’s patience with McClellan finally ended. Lincoln had been pressured from all sides of the political spectrum to relieve McClellan because of his constant reluctance to attack the Confederates. Some accused McClellan of political duplicity because, as a Democrat, he regularly disagreed with Lincoln’s Republican policies and possibly tried to undermine him.
Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton took precautions to prevent McClellan from resisting the order by first informing Burnside of his promotion and then having both the messenger and Burnside deliver the order to McClellan. Burnside only accepted the command after being informed that if he refused, the promotion would go to Major General Joseph Hooker, whom Burnside strongly disliked.
McClellan had expected the news, and he agreed to help transition command to Burnside before returning home to New Jersey. Meanwhile, news of McClellan’s removal devastated the Army of the Potomac; “Little Mac” was as popular among his troops as he was unpopular among his superiors. McClellan held a highly emotional final review on November 10, where his farewell address brought many soldiers to tears.
The next day, McClellan boarded a train to leave the Army of the Potomac for the last time. From the platform of the rear car, he announced, “Stand by General Burnside as you have stood by me, and all will be well. Good-by lads.”
As McClellan’s replacement, Burnside had been successful in earlier independent campaigns on the North Carolina coast. However, he had been selected to command the Army of the Potomac largely because he had the fewest perceived liabilities or political aspirations. Most of McClellan’s other immediate subordinates were too reluctant to fight, too politically vocal, or too difficult to control.
Confederate General Robert E. Lee expressed disappointment that McClellan had been relieved because McClellan had been a predictable foe. Lee told Lieutenant General James Longstreet, “(McClellan and I) always understood each other so well. I fear they may continue to make these changes till they find someone whom I don’t understand.”
