 The New York Evening Post commented in McClellan 's obituary , " Probably no soldier who did so little fighting has ever had his qualities as a commander so minutely , and we may add , so fiercely discussed . " This fierce discussion has continued for over a century . McClellan is usually ranked in the lowest tier of Civil War generals . However , the debate over McClellan 's ability and talents remains the subject of much controversy among Civil War and military historians . He has been universally praised for his organizational abilities and for his very good relations with his troops . They referred to him affectionately as " Little Mac " ; others sometimes called him the " Young Napoleon " . It has been suggested that his reluctance to enter battle was caused in part by an intense desire to avoid spilling the blood of his men . Ironically , this led to failing to take the initiative against the enemy and therefore passing up good opportunities for decisive victories , which could have ended the war early , and thereby could have spared thousands of soldiers who died in those subsequent battles . Generals who proved successful in the war , such as Lee and Grant , tended to be more aggressive and more willing to risk a major battle even when all preparations were not perfect . McClellan himself summed up his cautious nature in a draft of his memoirs : 
