The people of the north are beginning to doubt the leadership. McClellan had been well respected, but now people are questioning whether he can assure a victory. The army had victories at both Shiloh and Antietam, if you could call them that. There was such a huge loss of life as a result of poor military leadership and strategy that you have to wonder if it was worth it, and the Northerners did. There was some hope that the situation would get better when General Ambrose Burnside took charge, but he made similar blunders and was charged with the death of many, many soldiers. Battle after battle and the enormous loss of life had Northerners doubting both the union leaders and the union cause.

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