McClellan's Letter to Robert E Lee

[RJNorton]

Gene, this does not answer your question, but I found this in a book titled Memories of the Men who Saved the Union by Donn Piatt.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Matters grew serious in this direction. The reader who doubts has only to turn to "McClellan's Own Story," and he will find every page bristling with assertions and assumptions in the way I indicate. Key himself grew alarmed. He told me, long after those days, that, while on the James, he and McClellan were riding in from a visit to a distant camp, where the soldiers, breaking ranks, had crowded about him, filling the air with cheers, when, after a long silence, McClellan said:

"How these brave fellows love me, and what a power that love places in my hands! What is there to prevent my taking the Government in my own hands?"

Key was startled, and hastened to say: "General, don't mistake those men. So long as you lead them against the enemy, they will adore and die for you; but attempt to turn them against the Government, and you will be the first to suffer."

https://archive.org/stream/memoriesofme2...t_djvu.txt