McClellan Why did Mary McClellan allow his book to be published? A theory

wbull1

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http://www.civilwarbummer.com/mcclellans-wife-or-brilliant-and-beautiful-2/ Gives a history of General McClellan's wife who was apparently not only better looking and smarter but also a couple of inches taller than her husband. Reportedly she read his remarks but never responded in support of his assessment of his worth or the incompetence of those around him. She suffered in silence and did not criticize him in public. After he died what could a respectful wife do except to have the writings he wanted to be published see the light of day. If knowledgeable people thought the words he wanted to make public revealed him as a blowhard how could that in any way be seen as a dishonorable action by his loving wife? She was not being critical. Whatever enjoyment she got from the publication would be as private as her own personal assessment of the man she married
 
Author seems to have fuzzed the line between what he thought any woman would have done and felt, and what history records. Just because his behavior seems embarrassing to us doesn't mean it was to her. McClellan had a lot to admire about him, pomposity notwithstanding. She may have been very proud of the guy and he seems to have not strayed, something we've seen accepted in other famous names. ( There's this hysterical take on Ellen Sherman not minding that her husband was a dog. And other fairy tales. )

Whatever enjoyment she got from the publication would be as private as her own personal assessment of the man she married


Yes. You can't tell me she was unfamiliar with his quirks before marriage. With a wide field from which to choose, she chose him for a reason. Reasons. We'll never know them and shouldn't but her publication of his book sure indicates Mary saw nothing not to admire in her husband.

We do this to our historical figures. Let's see, Lincoln was married to a shrew who made his life h***, Lee's wife was poor dealing with dust bunnies and couldn't do much of anything right, the Shermans were perfectly happy as long as he found a teenaged girl as mistress- it's a little crazy. No, no and no ( sourced, too long for the thread ) and they're all just a few on this list. Hope we figure this stuff out, that just because these people are not here to defend themselves it's ok to look under history's bed. Because as you say- it's between husband and wife. Private.
 
It is, as I said, a theory. I don't know. It is speculation, not fact. Reportedly she turned down nine proposals and did not accept his until the second time he asked. Her decision to marry was probably a thoughtful choice. You can certainly love someone and be exasperated with them at the same time. At least I can. No doubt she saw much to admire in him. Re-reading my post I don't believe I made any claim of more than speculation.
 
Historian Gary Gallagher has repeatedly quipped, w/ a twinkle in his eye :wink:, that Ellen's allowing the letters to be published "was proof" that she didn't love him.

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In the few letters that I've read that she wrote to her husband, she actually did respond "in support of his assessment of his worth [and] the incompetence of those around him." Not sure why the opposite is stated in the article. Just seems like baseless McClellan bashing and psychoanalyzing.
 
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I am not a McClellan fan, but his writing deserved to be printed, I am sure some found them to be relevant. I don't care much for Marcy either, but that is purely about his character and nature. Ellen made her bed, and she had to lie in it, good or bad. It was her decision, she could have married A. P. Hill.
 
I think the McClellans had a good marriage. I do think she would have married A P Hill if her father hadn't managed to scrounge up Hill's medical records. The old man thought she could do better and shouldn't marry a career soldier - McClellan had a crisper pedigree, better education and at the time was not in the army but working a civilian job that paid darn good. He was richer than Hill! As it turned out, A P Hill met the love of his life, Kitty Morgan, and it all worked out for the best. McClellan said there was no more gallant soldier than A P Hill and felt rather fortunate that he had gotten Miss Nelly. For a guy with a huge ego, that was considerably more modest than anybody might expect from him. He was definitely in love with his wife, and there's no reason to think she was not in love with him.

Post-war, there were a number of wives and widows on both sides who made the reputation of their husbands their life's work. Some didn't. I think that was more what Mary McClellan did - let the general's work stand on its own or fall on its own. She simply went on about her business. Several wives of famous generals unintentionally harmed them by trying to protect them!
 
That's a side of Sherman I hadn't heard of before.

Oh, it's not quite like that! Ellen just reached a stage in life where bedroom activities weren't important and Sherman hadn't got there yet. So...sometimes he strayed but always came back. Ellen seems to have chosen to ignore it - if she even knew in the first place. It's actually not certain anything got past heavy flirting anyway!
 
I think the McClellans had a good marriage. I do think she would have married A P Hill if her father hadn't managed to scrounge up Hill's medical records. The old man thought she could do better and shouldn't marry a career soldier - McClellan had a crisper pedigree, better education and at the time was not in the army but working a civilian job that paid darn good. He was richer than Hill! As it turned out, A P Hill met the love of his life, Kitty Morgan, and it all worked out for the best. McClellan said there was no more gallant soldier than A P Hill and felt rather fortunate that he had gotten Miss Nelly. For a guy with a huge ego, that was considerably more modest than anybody might expect from him. He was definitely in love with his wife, and there's no reason to think she was not in love with him.

Post-war, there were a number of wives and widows on both sides who made the reputation of their husbands their life's work. Some didn't. I think that was more what Mary McClellan did - let the general's work stand on its own or fall on its own. She simply went on about her business. Several wives of famous generals unintentionally harmed them by trying to protect them!
I think by the time General McClellan passed away there was a wide consensus that he had let victory and the probably Presidency slip through his grasp due to his failure to grasp the primacy of civilian rule in military affairs.
Grant had succeeded in implementing McClellan's plan while making it appear that he was implementing President Lincoln's plans.
Mary Ellen saved the letters to show how a character flaw had prevented a talented man from achieving all that was possible.
 
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George McClellan was not all that comfortable with Americans and ordinary soldiers. He preferred New York and Europe.
 
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