George Brinton McClellan was born in Philadelphia on December 3, 1826, the son of a prominent surgeon, Dr. George McClellan, the founder of Jefferson Medical College. His father's family was of Scottish and English … See more

Secretary Stanton ordered McClellan to report to Trenton, New Jersey, for further orders, although none was issued. As the war progressed, there were various calls to return McClellan to an important command, following the Union defeats at Fredericksburg See more

1877 campaign
McClellan was a resident of West Orange, New Jersey in 1877 when the New Jersey Democratic Party … See more

McClellan's son, George B. McClellan Jr. (1865–1940), was born in Dresden in the Kingdom of Saxony during the family's first trip to Europe. Known within the family as Max, he too … See more

Ohio and strategy
At the start of the Civil War, McClellan's knowledge of what was called "big war science" and his railroad experience suggested he might … See more

At the conclusion of the war (1865) McClellan and his family went to Europe, not returning until 1868; in this period he did not participate in politics. Prior to his return in September … See more

The concluding chapter of his political career was his strong support in 1884 for Grover Cleveland. He sought the position of Secretary of War in Cleveland's cabinet, but Senator John R. McPherson, who had opposed McClellan for governor in 1877, succeeded in … See more