Mcdowell

[major bill]

We discuss many Civil War generals but we rarely talk of General Irwin McDowell. I understand he became head of the Department of Northeastern Virginia because General Scott and Secretary Chase liked him. McDowell did seem to have all the normal requirements for higher command except most of his positions had been staff type positions. Was McDowell a poor leader or did his defeat at Bull Run taint his reputation.?

 

[WJC]

My impression has been that he was forced to fight in July 1861, even though he knew his force was ill-prepared. Afterward, the same public and politicians who demanded he fight blamed him for the defeat. His career was essentially over.

 

[amweiner]

Great question! From what I've read, he didn't have much of a way with people and his subordinates seemed turned off by his rather dismissive personality (not to mention his gross table manners). It sounds like he was fairly intelligent as a tactician, supposedly warning Pope that he was walking into a trap. But it also appears that he asked too much of his men at First Manassas, didn't go for the killing blow when he had a chance, and just couldn't get people to see him as an effective leader. By Second Manassas, the troops (according to Catton) actually saw him as a traitor.

 

[OpnCoronet]

To me, he had the worst possible characteristic for a military commander. He was Unlucky.