A “Stationary” Engine
Lincoln said of the much-promising General McClellan: “He is an admirable engineer, but he seems to have a special talent for a stationary engine.”
He also cited him as a scholar and a gentleman.
Nevertheless, as the education lavished on the Army of the Potomac to make it earn foreign military critics’ praise at reviews, was not thrown away, but made sound soldiers which in time were invaluable to General Grant, Lincoln did him justice by quaintly, but earnestly, saying:
“I would like to borrow his arm if he has no further use for it.”
(General Franklin heard this.)
But “Little Mac” had no design on the dictatorship, being surely a lover of the Union, too.