By age 35; General George B. McClellan (1826–1885); designated the "Young Napoleon;" was the commander of all the Northern armies. He forged the Army of the Potomac into a formidable battlefield foe; and fought the longest and largest campaign of the time as well as the single bloodiest battle in the nation's history. Yet; he also wasted two supreme opportunities to bring the Civil War to a decisive conclusion. In 1864 he challenged Abraham Lincoln as the Democratic candidate for the presidency. Neither an indictment nor an apologia; this biography draws entirely on primary sources to create a splendidly incisive portrait of this charismatic; controversial general who; for the first eighteen months of the conflict; held the fate of the union in his unsteady hands.
#128457 in Books 1990-08-22Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x 1.46 x 5.00l; 1.57 #File Name: 0306804182704 pagesISBN13: 9780306804182Condition: NewNotes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Review
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful. a necessary source for the study of 19th cebtury americaBy Barrie W. BrackenIgnore for the time being the fact that this is only the first volume of this work. Search for Vol. II will probably bring one to light certainly at a much higher price. Vol I is the most interesting of the two and offers great insight into the post war mind of Davis. If we want to understand the mind of this period we need to read this book along with the Buchanan expose of his presidency; Butler's Book by B. F. Butler who nominated Davis as Democratic presidential nominee; the Diary of Edmund Ruffin vol I; and many more; npne of which are neutral or even accurate in many ways but if we don't look at the reflections of the participants we are condemned to seeing history only through the eyes of later writers. Forget that McPherson introduces this book and that it is only volume one. It is a necessary and even fairly interesting read.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Jeffery W LoftonGreat book1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A Rare and Advantaged RetrospectiveBy frank wynerth summers iiiConfederate President Jefferson Davis had remarkable leisure; access and opportunity to work on this extraordinary work at Beauvoir and elsewhere. In this book are collected memories; quotes and documents essential to understanding the period and it's crisis. One need not endorse all of his philosophical and political positions and principles to value the book and the insights it can provide.
