A Union Lieutenant Reflects on General George McClellan’s Presidential Campaign

Author:   Andrew Knox
Date:1864

Annotation:

A Union lieutenant in the 1st Connecticut Artillery offers his opinion of General George McClellan’s presidential campaign.

Document:

…Reinforcements are coming to this army daily so active times will soon be on hand. At present I have nothing to do but eat and sleep and go visiting when I choose, which is not very often. This idleness would be very pleasant to some, but it is far from being agreeable to me. I am living quite respectable now on codfish and mackerel. Potatoes too are plenty at 4 cents a pound. I don’t think I would wish anything better if I could have it as well as not. I lived bad enough though during the first three months. But I managed to get along without much complaint. In speaking about Gen. McClellan’s election, on the platform of the late convention I do not think he stands any sight whatever. It is decidedly a peace platform. I doubt if he will get many votes from the soldiers if he accepts the nomination under those principles. In fact I hear many soldiers already denouncing him, and but few speak in his favor. Perhaps if he would come out with a strong war acceptance these things may be changed. There is no denying but that he has a host of friends in the army, militarily speaking. But after all I think a majority of the soldiers are for Lincoln. There is few left of the old Army of the Potomac that was in when he commanded it. Consequently it is much less McClellan than it was by a good deal.

Source: Gilder Lehrman Institute

Additional information: Andrew Knox to his wife