I too would love to see a thorough, aggressive, well-reasoned defense of McClellan – whether by Dimitri or someone else – so I could understand it and assess it. In Dimitri’s posts I’ve gotten bits and pieces. For example, I believe that Dimitri contends that North and South forces were roughly equal at the beginning of the Peninsula Campaign, so McClellan was not crying wolf when he complained that he needed more troops. Whether that’s true or not, I don’t know. I think almost everyone admits that McClellan was an excellent organizer. But I’ve never seen anyone defend his retreat to the Galina, or at the time of Second Bull Run, or leading up to and at Antietam.

I’m not going to look it up now, but after he got the Lost Orders, McClellan wired Lincoln and told him in substance, “I know what Lee is doing and I’ve got him. If I don’t whip Lee now, I’m incompetent and should be relieved.” Until someone explains to me otherwise, it seems to me McClellan was right.

Keep up the good work!