Description:

GEORGE MCCLELLAN
IMPORTANT: THIS LOT IS MISIDENTIFIED AS LOT 41 IN THE PRINTED CATALOG. IT WILL BE CALLED AS LOT 39 AT AUCTION Very fine content A.L.S. " Geo B McClellan Maj Gnl USA" 3pp. 4to., Washington, Sept. 4, 1861 to New York financier William H. Aspinwall (1807 - 1875) outlining his basic strategy for bringing the Civil War to a quick and decisive conclusion. He writes, in most part: "...I am much obliged to you for the suggestions you made both with regard to the conduct of affairs and my own personal interests, and feel encouraged to find that your views, in the main, agree with my own. It is my dear and firm conviction that the success of the cause in which we are engaged demands most energetic and vigorous military action on the part of our government. I can see no possible solution of our difficulties until we have crushed the main army of the enemy in front of this city by an overwhelming defeat. In that army consists the entire military strength of the rebels. Its defeat, if rapidly followed up, must ensure our success; and until it is thoroughly defeated no partial operations, on the seaboard, the Mississippi or elsewhere, can be more than mere diversions. I would ask your cordial assistance and that of all your friends towards bringing up to the strength of the army under my immediate command up to the strength of three hundred thousand men. With such an army under my command the annihilation of the enemy is certain; and, great as the expense may be, I am sure that it will prove the most economical method of termination the war. One short decisive campaign, conducted on a grand scale will prove far more economical, in life and treasure, than a series of campaigns on a small scale. It appears to me that the relations of the Government, both at home and abroad, the interests of all classes in the north, whether, Capitalists, Merchants, Manufactures, Professional men or Laborers demand the speediest possible termination of the war without regard to cost. You had better give two thirds of your fortune to secure the termination of this war in one year, than refuse to contribute a dollar and allow it to be continued for ten... " McClellan took command of the Army of the Potomac soon after the defeat of McDowell at First Bull Run. In that capacity, he created formidable defenses around Washington and between July and November, 1861 he increased the strength of the Army of the Potomac threefold to 168,000 troops. He wanted an army of nearly 275,000 in order to crush the Confederacy in one Napoleonic-style campaign. He fought with Scott over his Anaconda plan, which he felt would drain valuable resources from his own grand strategy. McClellan also continually miscalculated the number of Confederate troops opposing him (In August 1861 for example, he believed that 100,000 rebel troops were operating in Virginia when they in fact had only 35,000), which caused him to delay actions until he was confident his numbers were overwhelming: a strategy that eventually led to his removal from command in November 1862. McClellan's correspondent, William H. Aspinwall was the founder of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. During the Civil War he had been sent by Lincoln on a secret mission with John M. Forbes to England in a mission to attempt to thwart the construction of Confederate iron-clads there. Ex. collection of Harold C. Brooks. Minor fold separations repaired with glassine, else very good condition.

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December 16, 2010 11:00 AM EST
Stamford, CT, US

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