'We live under a government of men and morning newspapers': image, expectation, and the Peninsula campaign of 1862

General George McClellan's 1862 Peninsula campaign of the American Civil War was judged a failure at the time because of his cautiousness. An examination of public expectations generated by newspapers and a comparison with U.S. Grant's 1864 campaign indicate expectations were unrealistically high early in the war but more moderate in 1864. Pres Lincoln was aware of the public disappointment in 1862 and ended the campaign. In 1864, both the public and political leaders had more realistic attitudes about the war and newspapers helped to bring about this change.