Hey everyone, welcome to episode 73 of our Civil War podcast.

I'm Rich.

I'm Tracy. Hello y'all. Thanks for tuning into the podcast.

Last week we talked about the fact that everyone in the North, Abraham Lincoln, politicians,

the press, the public, pretty much everyone in the North had high expectations when major

general George McClellan was called to Washington in July of 1861 to take command of the Union's

main field army. But then a summer gave way to fall, McClellan proved himself to be active

in energetic in every way except engaging the enemy.

By mid-October the army of the Potomac had 150,000 men on its roles. Two-thirds of them ready

for active campaigning. But although the fine autumn weather invited some sort of action against

the Confederates, McClellan left his army in its camps and contended himself with staging

elaborate parades and reviews. And some people began to suspect that the young Napoleon was

more interested in displaying his army than using it.

In certain circles, especially among the most extreme of radical Republicans, it wasn't

long before appreciation of McClellan's hard work gave way to impatience at the army

of the Potomac's inactivity.

And we've mentioned the radical Republicans a few times now, so perhaps it might be good

to take a few minutes here and define that term. Basically radical Republicans thought

that the war should be fought not just for the preservation of the Union, but also for

the abolition of slavery. Really the radical Republicans believed that the struggle over

slavery precipitated secession and war. So to their minds, it was folly to think that

the Union would fight a great bloody civil war and then simply leave slavery alone.

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