A Fascinating Letter: Gen. George McClellan Responds to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s Confidential Documents Inquiry

When Ulysses S. Grant became General-in-Chief of the United States Army, he grew concerned about missing documents dating from the period when George McClellan had served as General-in-Chief. To determine why these records were unaccounted for, Grant examined the organization of the army and its record-keeping practices during McClellan’s tenure.

In response to a Grant inquiry, McClellan gives a detailed response to Grant in this letter. In it, he defends his practices and also airs some of his personal grievances, including that he found out of his dismissal by President Lincoln via a newspaper.

As history can repeat itself, read more about the investigation of the storage of confidential documents by hitting the Full Record button.