Why Did Mclellan Lose The Civil War

The Peninsula Campaign was an offensive strategy the Union used to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond. Led by General George B. McClellan, the Potomac army would travel by boat to Fort Monroe in late April. McClellan planned to travel to Richmond along the peninsula formed by the York and James rivers. McClellan did not fight or act until late may, the first part of the Campaign took place at the battle of Seven Pines. The Confederacy was led by General Joseph E. Johnston, however, due to injury General Robert E. Lee took command of the Confederate army. Once Lee was given control of the army the Confederacy and Union troops engaged in several battles, known as the Seven Days’ Battles, which would effective stop the Peninsula campaign. McClellan thought he would be able to end the war by capturing Richmond. Yet, because of Robert E. Lee’s tactics, the war would last another

Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston removed his army from Manassas to Culpeper, a move defensible area. When Union troops inspected the area the enemy held “Confederate works revealed that the enemy’s defenses had been far weaker than McClellan had claimed”(The Civil War Trust). Lincoln knew McClellan had overestimated the Confederate army, McClellan was most likely afraid that Johnston had a very well thought out defense strategy. Therefore, to save the lives of his troops he held back instead of attacking. Though McClellan was tricked by Johnston, he continued his march to the Confederate capital. The Army of the Potomac would travel up the Virginia peninsula by boat to Fort Monroe. Once McClellan arrived at the tip of the peninsula he would then begin his march toward Richmond, hoping that Johnston would be caught off guard (History). McClellan’s army was massive, “many Southerners feared that if Richmond were to fall, the Confederacy might collapse,” which was exactly what McClellan wanted (The Civil War