I suppose it might have -- 3 other avowed abolitionists (Howard, Doubleday & Birney) were not all that popular with their fellow officers either. But the administration did not seem to give Slocum much consideration either.
This is also why I doubt the seriousness of consideration for Sedgwick as well. He was the most openly pro-McClellan officer in the high command.
Lets consider the situation in June 1863
The options:
Remain with Hooker - Increasingly unlikely given the Halleck/ Hooker feud and some of Hooker's demands. Of course the question is was he more the sinner or the one sinned against. Personally I have never liked Hooker but the more I look at the situation he finds himself in (admittedly some of it his own making) the more I find myself sympathising with him. There is also the issue that retaining Hooker means you automatically lose Couch and what Lincoln/Halleck decide to do (Initially support Hooker and then eventually replace him) ends up losing both of them!
Promote Couch. He is the senior Corp Commander (seniority appears to be 4th July) but his feud with Hooker and the various schemes and strategems that went with it was blatant. Therefore one would be promoting/ rewarding intrigue and divisive actions which doesn't look good... especially if Couch doesn't work out! [Not that this was an automatic factor that ruled someone out - see Meade!]
So if you are to assume that neither of the above options are desirable then yes the next place one should look is Slocum and yes this doesn't really appear to happen.
Instead John Reynolds is summoned to Washington (a fact Hooker must have known about) and pretty much offered army command. However perhaps reasonably he says he won't do it unless the restrictions that Halleck has been able to have placed on Hooker don't apply to him and this request is refused so he declines.
At this point Halleck/ Lincoln seem to have pretty much resigned themselves to retaining Hooker.
Then Hooker makes more demands (control over French at Harpers Ferry) and this appears to be the final straw.
Therefore Meade by default (to quote Homer Simpson 'De fault... my two favorite words') gets Army command thrust upon him. (Some of his reluctance may be feigned for he has been scheming to have either he or his good friend Reynolds placed there) Furthermore when he does get the job he gets it without the restrictions that has Reynolds turn it down!
However and here is the question that you have effectively posed. What are the options other than Meade.
Slocum - ignored.
Sedgewick - not sure about his superiority though he was a Major General by Antietam so must be before Sept 17 '62 which means he is second in seniority.
Howard - Hardly likely... Seniority 'November 62' - Another for the 29th? If so Brig Gen (Sep 3 '61) which likely gives him seniority to Hancock, Sickles and Sykes! Specifically for the those from 'the class of Nov 29' the seniority goes off ones seniority at Brigadier General and here it runs Reynolds (Aug 20 '61), Meade (Aug 31 '61), Howard (Sep 3 '61), Hancock (Sep 23 '61) Sykes (Sep 28 '61) [Sickles is likely between Howard and Hancock but see below]
Hancock - the newest Corp Commander. Supremely talented but simply not long enough in Corp Command though it should be noted that his seniority is the same as Meade, Reynolds and Sykes - at Major General at least.
Sickles... believes it should be him! But he's not a West Pointer. Also his Seniority has question marks surrounding it for it was declared that he like Meade, Reynolds et al should have seniority dating from 29th Novemeber. However Lincoln only formally appoints him on March 11th which is two days after the senate have finally and reluctantly approved the nomination. Now I don't know which date his seniority actually counts as but I think and I believe Sickles certainly claims that it is November 29th. As to his Brigadier General seniority all I have been able to determine is 'September '61'. That means he is behind Reynolds, Meade and probably Howard though he may well have seniority over Hancock and Sykes.
Outside candidate... Pleasonton! However there is a major issue for him. Seniority at Major General... June 22 '63... or in other words he's still a Brigadier General during much of the time they are trying to decide on who the Army Commander is! So he can at least be ruled out with some ease.
No idea if this helps but once I started I couldn't stop for I had assumed the Seniority to be clear cut. What I hadn't figured on was so many of the relevant people having been promoted to Major General on the same day. Still as to the question, Why Meade not Slocum or indeed Sedgewick then I assume it is purely politics.
Slocum is an abolitionist which is not a popular position within the AoP. Sedgewick is tainted by being 'McClellan's man'. Meade is therefore the safer choice if Reynolds won't do it though strangely given Reynold's conditions on taking army command not being imposed on Meade then logically they could have now given it to Reynolds, my only guess being that Lincoln/Halleck felt that Reynolds had snubbed them...
Forum Host
Bringing the