Research Lincoln and the John Key Affair

Jantzen64

Sergeant
Joined
Aug 10, 2019
In November 1862, following the battle of Antietam, Lincoln ordered the dismissal of Major John J. Key, the brother of McClellan's Judge Advocate General. Major Key was heard to utter - in response to the question as to why McClellan didn't "bag" the rebels after Antietam - that that was not the "game." Rather, Key commented that the idea was to engage in a stalemate to tire both sides out so that the union could be restored and a compromise could be reached on slavery. https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=390. Lincoln, upon hearing of, and confirming these utterances, dismissed Key, admittedly to make an example over him.

What do our scholars on this Board think of this incident? Was this just loose talk that Lincoln felt he had to nip in the bud, or was there any substance to Key's comments? I've not seen a lot written on this subject beyond the basic incident. I can't help but note that it was around this time that Lincln dismissed McClellan. Mere coincidence or something more?
 
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