McClellan was a thorn in Lincoln’s side--“always up in the air,” as
the President put it--and yet he hesitated to remove him. “The Young
Napoleon” was a good organizer, but no fighter. Lincoln sent him
everything necessary in the way of men, ammunition, artillery and
equipments, but he was forever unready.
Instead of making a forward movement at the time expected, he would
notify the President that he must have more men. These were given him as
rapidly as possible, and then would come a demand for more horses, more
this and that, usually winding up with a demand for still “more men.”
Lincoln bore it all in patience for a long time, but one day, when he
had received another request for more men, he made a vigorous protest.
“If I gave McClellan all the men he asks for,” said the President, “they
couldn’t find room to lie down. They’d have to sleep standing up.”