 McClellan further damaged his reputation by his insulting insubordination to his commander @-@ in @-@ chief . He privately referred to Lincoln , whom he had known before the war as a lawyer for the Illinois Central , as " nothing more than a well @-@ meaning baboon " , a " gorilla " , and " ever unworthy of ... his high position . " On November 13 , he snubbed the president , who had come to visit McClellan 's house , by making him wait for 30 minutes , only to be told that the general had gone to bed and could not receive him . 
