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McClellan did not engage the South in battle in the fall of 1861 and soon 1862 had arrived.  Time was on the North's side, as it had over three times the free population and a much more developed manufacturing and transportation system.  For the South to win the war, it had to win quickly.  But the South simply waited.

McClellan did not engage the South in battle in the fall of 1861 and soon 1862 had arrived.  Time was on the North's side, as it had over three times the free population and a much more developed manufacturing and transportation system.  For the South to win the war, it had to win quickly.  But the South simply waited.

McClellan also waited, and waited, and waited.  He much preferred defense to offense.  He did not like the harm caused by war, including the loss of life.  He did not get along with Lincoln and did not think much of him.  Finally, Lincoln wrote this famous letter to McClellan:

McClellan also waited, and waited, and waited.  He much preferred defense to offense.  He did not like the harm caused by war, including the loss of life.  As described above, McClellan did not get along with Lincoln and did not think much of him.  Finally, Lincoln wrote this famous letter to McClellan:<ref>http://usmilitary.about.com/library/miljokes/bllincolnandmcclellan.htm</ref>

:My Dear McClellan:

:My Dear McClellan:

:Abraham Lincoln

:Abraham Lincoln

Amid the fighting and Union failures in 1862, Lincoln also suffered a personal tragedy.  Lincoln lost his beloved young son, William ("Willie"), after a brief illness that was probably caused by contaminated water in D.C.  "Lincoln feels his loss very deeply," was understatement of the effect as reported by ''Harper's Weekly'', the prominent national magazine.<ref>http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1862/march/death-lincolns-son-willie.htm</ref>  In fact, Mrs. Lincoln mourned for a year and President Lincoln was profoundly shaken by this.<ref>http://www.mrlincolnswhitehouse.org/inside.asp?ID=18&subjectID=2</ref>  Though Lincoln had little use for religion in his youth, this tragedy may have put him on a path towards faith.  Even General McClellan did his best to console Lincoln about this personal tragedy.  

Amid the fighting and Union failures in 1862, Lincoln also suffered a personal tragedy.  Lincoln lost his beloved young son, William ("Willie"), after a brief illness that was probably caused by contaminated water in D.C.  "Lincoln feels his loss very deeply," was an understatement of the impact as reported by ''Harper's Weekly'', the prominent national magazine.<ref>http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1862/march/death-lincolns-son-willie.htm</ref>  In fact, Mrs. Lincoln mourned for a year and President Lincoln was profoundly shaken by this.<ref>http://www.mrlincolnswhitehouse.org/inside.asp?ID=18&subjectID=2</ref>  Though Lincoln had little use for religion in his youth, this tragedy may have put him on a path towards faith.  Even General McClellan did his best to console Lincoln about this personal tragedy.  

Back to the war: General McClellan's superb defensive skills came in handy when General Lee launched a massive invasion of northern territory (Maryland, which was also sympathetic to the Confederacy).  Known as the "Battle of Antietam," this was the single bloodiest day in battle in all of American History.  Savage combat for twelve hours resulted in the death, wounding or disappearance of 23,000 soldiers on September 17, 1862.  The defense was successful by McClellan, and this led to President Lincoln's issuance of a preliminary version of the Emancipation Proclamation.<ref>http://www.nps.gov/anti/</ref>  General McClellan, however, should have pursued the retreating Confederate Army, but he failed to do so.

Back to the war: General McClellan's superb defensive skills came in handy when General Lee launched a massive invasion of northern territory (Maryland, which was also sympathetic to the Confederacy).  Known as the "Battle of Antietam," this was the single bloodiest day in battle in all of American History.  Savage combat for twelve hours resulted in the death, wounding or disappearance of 23,000 soldiers on September 17, 1862.  The defense was successful by McClellan, and this led to President Lincoln's issuance of a preliminary version of the Emancipation Proclamation.<ref>http://www.nps.gov/anti/</ref>  General McClellan, however, should have pursued the retreating Confederate Army, but he failed to do so.