McClellan's Letter to Robert E Lee

[Gene C]

Anyone ever heard of this before?

"In 1915 Captain John R King, who had commanded a company of the 6th Maryland Infantry during the war, told William Myers (McClellan's biographer) that, immediately after the battle of Antietam, McClellan had written a letter to his Confederate opponent, inviting him to a conference with a view to uniting both their armies and marching on Washington to end the war. McClellan would be dictator and Lee commander-in-chief. General Joe Davidson, who had been on Hooker's staff at Antietam, substantiated this story and arranged a meeting between Captain King and General James Longstreet, the ex-Confederate, who was then in Washington. King brought up the subject of the letter and Longstreet claimed to have seen it. Lee had sent for him, shown him the letter, and asked him what it meant, but Longstreet advised Lee to have nothing to do with it. Lee also showed it to Robert Toombs, who gave the same advice."

I read that in a book I am currently reading and have never heard of this before, and I have not found any other reference to it either.

Anyone know anything about it?

[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

[Anita]

Gene, what is the name of the book you quoted from and is there a footnote to the quote? I've only spent a few hours searching but so far I haven't found anything that supports the story. While it's in keeping with McClellan's grandiose ego and hatred of Lincoln it's hard to believe he would act on his his desires as expressed to Key in Roger's post. Instead he ran for President to fulfill his desire to be king.

[Gene C]

Sorry I wasted your time Anita.
No footnote regarding this letter. A very questionable and vague reference to the incident in McClellan's papers

Alan Pinkerton by James Mackay. I'll review it when I'm finished

[Anita]

(10-29-2016 01:22 PM)Gene C Wrote:  Sorry I wasted your time Anita.
No footnote regarding this letter. A very questionable and vague reference to the incident in McClellan's papers

Alan Pinkerton by James Mackay. I'll review it when I'm finished

Thanks Gene. No time wasted as I always learn interesting things in the process of a search. It's so easy to segue and see where it takes me. I'll look for your review.

[LincolnMan]

If true, Lee showed great wisdom in his decision to decline.

[JMadonna]

Which is probably why McClellan didn't follow up after Antietam and Lee was so bold daring him to do so.

[LincolnMan]

Great point. Agree!

[HerbS]

McClellan had huge pipe dreams in this letter! Lee was too smart for him+thank Longstreet for his way of thinking!

[brtmchl]

Very interesting Gene.

I would think that the Confederates would use this information as propaganda to throw the Union ranks into disarray and get rid of McClellan. That is of course, had they wanted to remove McClellan. They may have viewed his slow and overcautious attitude as a better asset.

[STS Lincolnite]

I certainly am not a great fan of McClellan, but I have serious doubts as to veracity of this claim. I don't doubt that McClellan made comments as have been quoted previously. -- "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?" But the idea that he wrote an actual letter to Gen. Lee with direct overtones as to a joint overthrow of the Government is a bridge too far for me - especially without any more substantial evidence or direct corroboration. Like Gene, I am not aware of any other source that clearly presents any real credible evidence to support the claim that such a letter existed. I did a quick check of Longstreet's memoirs and he makes no mention of any such letter in his chapters that touch on the Maryland Campaign or its immediate aftermath.

(01-23-2017 09:24 PM)brtmchl Wrote:  I would think that the Confederates would use this information as propaganda to throw the Union ranks into disarray and get rid of McClellan. That is of course, had they wanted to remove McClellan. They may have viewed his slow and overcautious attitude as a better asset.

I think you are right that the Confederate Generalship would have preferred McClellan. This from Longstreet's memoir discussing McClellan's being relieved of command:

"When informed of the change, General Lee expressed regret, as he thought that McClellan could be relied upon to conform to the strictest rules of science in the conduct of war. He had been McClellan's preceptor, they had served together in the engineer corps, and our chief thought that he thoroughly understood the displaced commander."

Translation, McClellan was utterly predictable and therefore would not be a real threat.

[LincolnMan]

Lincoln had some pithy advice to the voting public for the future presidential campaign again the General- something about not changing horses in the middle of the stream. Lincoln won re-election.

[LincolnMan]

Yes, with some help from Sherman taking Atlanta.