McClellan's Farewell

Marker No. C-9
Fauquier County, VA

Marker Text: After President Abraham Lincoln relieved Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan of command of the Army of the Potomac on 7 Nov. 1862, the general composed a farewell order. It was read to the army by divisions on 10 Nov. when the new commander, Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside, held a grand review of the army about half a mile north of here. Both Burnside and McClellan attended, and the three-mile-long line of soldiers cheered McClellan heartily, many weeping. This closed McClellan's military career. He returned home to Trenton, N.J., and ran unsuccessfully against Lincoln on the Democratic Party ticket in 1864.

Location: At the intersection of U.S. Route 29 (Lee Highway) and County Route 605 (Colonial Road/Dumfries Road), on the west side of Lee Highway north of Warrenton, VA. Grouped with marker C-55 (Fredericksburg Campaign). Erected by the Department of Historic Resources in 1997.

  Yesterday's marker told the story about Rectortown, where General George B. McClellan received the orders that he was being replaced as the commander of the Army of the Potomac. Because Gen. McClellan was essentially the “father” of the Army of the Potomac, relieving him of duty was not a simple affair. He stayed on several days with the Army before finally heading home. One can trace the activities through the historical markers in Fauquier County, VA.

Photo taken looking north on U.S. Route 29.  McClellan gave his farewell address about 1/2 mile north of the marker and troops lined this road into Warrenton, VA.

  As the historian James McPherson noted, “Nothing in McClellan’s tenure of command became him like the leaving of it.” Rejecting calls that he resist the order and march instead on Washington, McClellan urged the army to support Burnside, as one contemporary described as having “ten times as much heart as he has head”.

McClellan Relieved From Command

Marker No. FF-8
Fauquier County, VA

Marker Text: At Rectortown, four miles north, General George B. McClellan received the order relieving him from command of the Army of the Potomac, November 7, 1862. As Burnside, his successor, was present, McClellan immediately turned over the command to him.

Location: On Virginia Route 55 (East Main Street – John Marshall Highway) in Marshall at the intersection with Virginia Route 710 (Rectortown Road) in the lawn next to a drive-in bank. Erected by the Virginia Conservation Commission in 1942.

Photo taken looking west on Route 55 in Marshall, VA. Click any photo to enlarge.

  I have not posted for a couple months due to other responsibilities and projects needing my attention. Being in the middle of the 150^th Anniversary of many U.S. Civil War events and battles, I naturally have hundreds of historical marker related to the Civil War. With other projects I have been doing and the number of markers I could have posted, I discovered I was not enjoying myself and I photograph markers and post them here because I enjoyed it. So I needed a break.

  Today's post marker tells the story of Union General George B. McClellan being relieved of his command over the Army of the Potomac. On Oct. 26, 1862, almost six weeks after Confederate General Lee had retreated from Antietam, General McClellan ordered the Army of the Potomac to cross into Northern Virginia, a process that took nine days. Abraham Lincoln was not pleased with General McClellan following the Battle of Antietam when he failed to pursue General Lee's Confederate Army as it returned to Virginia. McClellan had yet to do anything to dispel Lincoln’s sense that he was unwilling to take the fight to the enemy.

McClellan's Crossing

Marker No. W-14
New Kent County, VA

Marker Text: Here a part of McClellan's army crossed the Chickahominy on May 23, 1862, advancing on Richmond. It was attacked by the Confederates at Seven Pines.

Location: On U.S. Route 60 at Bottoms Bridge at the county line between New Kent and Henrico Counties. Grouped with markers E-12 (Capt. John Smith Captured), W-15 (Bottom's Bridge), W-17 (New Kent Road), Z-163 (New Kent/Henrico County) and a county marker about New Kent County. Erected by the Conservation & Development Commission in 1927.

Photo taken looking east on U.S. Route 60.  Click any photo to enlarge.

  Today's marker is a very simple marker telling the traveler that part of General George McClellan's Army crossed the Chickahominy River here on May 23, 1862. The marker does not give us a great deal of information, but this marker was one of the earliest state historical markers erected by Virginia in 1927. Most of the early markers had very limited and brief information. Other examples of these early markers I have previously posted are “Stuart” outside of Fredericksburg, VA or “Capture of Front Royal” in the town of Front Royal, VA or “Bull Run Battlefields” near Manassas, VA.

  These early markers were not attempting to give details about history, but to alert the traveler to some significant historical event which occurred at this location. In 1927, early highways suitable for automobile travel for those families and individuals wanting to explore the U.S. were only beginning to develop and major highways, like U.S. Route 60 where this marker is located were one of the first major new highways which allowed convenient travel across a state.