Alexander S. Webb (1835–1911)

Holds up very well for a book published in 1881. Webb offers the standard narrative of the campaign in the middle chapters. It is the opening and concluding chapters where his analysis is of interest. He offers a convincing discussion of the factors that impaired McClellan in the campaign. Web includes a fair amount of criticism of McClellan for his own contributions to those impediments, in particular his failure to offer proper respect to Lincoln’s desires (thus losing Lincoln’s confidence) and his failure to obtain the essential coordination with the navy.… (mer)