McClellan and the Union High Command, 1861-1863: Leadership Gaps That Cost a Timely Victory

McClellan's "On to Richmond" battle cry dominated strategic thinking in the high command. When he failed and was sacked by President Lincoln, a coterie of senior officers sought his return.

This re-examination of the high command and McClellan's war in the East provides a broader understanding of the Union's inability to achieve victory in the first two years, and takes the debate about the Union's leadership into new areas.