Hey everyone, thanks for tuning into episode number 131 of our Civil War podcast.

I'm Rich. And I'm Tracy. Hello y'all. Welcome to the podcast. We know that with the last show, we actually just got McClend's Peninsile campaign launched.

But before we get back to the action, we decided that we wanted to hit the pause button this week and use this episode to talk about a couple of things that we've already alluded to previously.

But that we think are worth taking the time to stress since they're vital to understanding what happens on the peninsula.

We want to use this episode to cover three topics. One, McClend's relationship with the army of the Potomac, which really was a kind of occult of personality.

Two, McClend's Suspicious Arithmetic and the Security of Washington. And related to that, then three, Lincoln and Stanton's decision to withhold McDowell's corps from McClend.

And instead, keep that force in Northern Virginia in the vicinity of Washington.

In the episodes we devoted to the background to the peninsula campaign, one of the things we tried to stress again and again was the extraordinary bond that developed between George McClend and the soldiers of the army of the Potomac.

Ethan Rayfus in his book, McClellan's War, talks about this strong and personal connection that the general consciously fostered between himself and his army.

Rayfus writes, quote,

McClellan recognized the American citizen soldier was sensitive to his rights and would not tolerate the British discipline to which soldiers serving authoritarian regimes in Europe were subjected.

Moreover, an authoritarian approach to leadership was repugnant to a man of McClellan's taste and background.

Rayfus continues saying, quote,

more attracted to McClellan was the paternal style of leadership.

paternalism emphasized that the relationship between ruler and ruled must be based on mutual respect, affection, and the evident moral and intellectual superiority of the leader.

The paternal leader did not instill discipline and secure obedience from his followers through fear and coercion.

Instead, he appealed to the reason and consciences of his followers.

Rayfus concludes by noting that, quote,

historian Daniel Walker Howe writes that the paternalistic leader provide a father figure in whom devotees could feel a measure of security and offered followers an exemplar of ideals, in short a hero.

The follower took security in the conviction that his interests were in the hands of a man of superior intellect and character.

This paternalism permeated McClellan's efforts to build the army of the Potomac, his powerful intellect, tremendous capacity for work,

and consciously cultivated heroic image and spired respect.

...