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Army of Northern Virginia: February to September 1862

Appearance of Robert E. Lee

Why did McClellan not press his advantage?

The answer remains the same as before: he constantly overestimated the numbers of his foes. But by this point there was also a real defeatism that had crept into McClellan’s mind. He began firing telegraph messages that claimed the Confederates had 150,000, even 200,000, men and that his army might soon perish.