--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sending armies to McClellan is like…" description: "\"Sending armies to McClellan is like shoveling fleas across a barnyard, not half of them get there.\" — Abraham Lincoln" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/abraham-lincoln-88_armies_sending-armies-to-mcclellan-is-like-shov_2442690.png" --- # Sending armies to McClellan is like shoveling fleas across… ![“Sending armies to McClellan is like shoveling fleas across a barnyard, not half of them get there.” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/abraham-lincoln-88_armies_sending-armies-to-mcclellan-is-like-shov_2442690.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/abraham-lincoln-88_armies_sending-armies-to-mcclellan-is-like-shov_2442690.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/abraham-lincoln-88_armies_sending-armies-to-mcclellan-is-like-shov_2442690.png) > “Sending armies to McClellan is like shoveling fleas across a barnyard, not half of them get there.” [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Deploying troops inefficiently is like attempting a futile task that yields minimal results. **In simple terms:** Poor planning wastes effort. Key Takeaway Plan strategically to maximize impact. Themes military strategy efficiency logistics leadership Mood pragmatic inspirational Type leadership military When to use this quote - war planning - team projects - budgeting - event organization Key Concepts resource allocation command decisions battlefield tactics Questions to Reflect On - What tasks could be streamlined? - How do you ensure resources reach their target? A Different Perspective Inefficient actions can demoralize and waste resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Armies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armies/) [Armies Mcclellan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armies-mcclellan-500856/) [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Fleas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fleas/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Mcclellan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mcclellan/) [Mcclellan Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mcclellan-like-500857/) [Sending Armies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sending-armies-500858/) [Shoveling Fleas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoveling-fleas-500859/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Christians would show sense if they dispatched these argumentative Scotists and pigheaded Ockhamists and undefeated Albertists along with the whole regiment of Sophists to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/christians-would-show-sense-if-they-dispatched-these-argumentative/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [If I gave McClellan all the men he asked for, they could not find room to lie down; they'd have to sleep standing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-i-gave-mcclellan-all-the-men-he-asked-for-they-could-not-find-room/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [My Dear McClellan, if you don't want to use the army I should like to borrow it for a while. Yours respectfully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/my-dear-mcclellan-if-you-don-t-want-to-use-the-army-i-should-like-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Steve McClellan has drawn on an insider's lifetime view of how Wall Street really works to produce a practical and entertaining book of advice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-o-rossotti/steve-mcclellan-has-drawn-on-an-insider-s-lifetime-view-of-how-wall/) [Charles O. Rossotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-o-rossotti/) > [Military metaphors are rarely exact, but sending Republicans against Democrats when the issue hangs in the balance is nearly always as futile as sending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-pruden/military-metaphors-are-rarely-exact-but-sending-republicans-against/) [Wesley Pruden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-pruden/) > [What I hear about the book does not sound like the Scott McClellan I knew for two years. I can say, without fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-gannon/what-i-hear-about-the-book-does-not-sound-like-the-scott-mcclellan-i/) [Jeff Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-gannon/) > [But to hear Kennedy when he was grandstanding in front of the McClellan Committee you might have thought I was making as much out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-hoffa/but-to-hear-kennedy-when-he-was-grandstanding-in-front-of-the/) [Jimmy Hoffa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-hoffa/) > [All the armies of Europe combined could not by force make a track upon the Blue Ridge, or take a drink from the Ohio.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-the-armies-of-europe-combined-could-not-by-force-make-a-track/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [According to Washington insiders, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan could be the next official to leave the Bush administration. McClellan says he'd like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/according-to-washington-insiders-white-house-press-secretary-scott/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [I think if you'd had television cameras at Gettysburg, this would be two nations today. People would not have put up with that carnage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/i-think-if-you-d-had-television-cameras-at-gettysburg-this-would-be/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) > [The vast army of McClellan spread out before me. The marching columns extended back as far as eye could see in the distance. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-harvey-hill/the-vast-army-of-mcclellan-spread-out-before-me-the-marching-columns/) [Daniel Harvey Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-harvey-hill/) > [All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-the-armies-of-europe-asia-and-africa-combined-with-all-the-2/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-the-armies-of-europe-asia-and-africa-combined-with-all-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Countries, not just their armies, win wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/countries-not-just-their-armies-win-wars/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [It's with them that we have constituted a liberation front and brought our logistic support to armies to help their countries come out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/it-s-with-them-that-we-have-constituted-a-liberation-front-and/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) ## More by Abraham Lincoln > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If you wish to be a lawyer, attach no consequence to the place you are in, or the person you are with; but get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-you-wish-to-be-a-lawyer-attach-no-consequence-to-the-place-you-are/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [As we keep or break the Sabbath Day we nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which man rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-we-keep-or-break-the-sabbath-day-we-nobly-save-or-meanly-lose-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Tell the truth and you won't have so much to remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/tell-the-truth-and-you-won-t-have-so-much-to-remember/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [With high hope for the future, no prediction is ventured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/with-high-hope-for-the-future-no-prediction-is-ventured/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I am glad to see that a system of labor prevails under which laborers can strike when they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-glad-to-see-that-a-system-of-labor-prevails-under-which-laborers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't like that man. I must get to know him better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-don-t-like-that-man-i-must-get-to-know-him-better/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and to the young, it comes with bitterest agony because it takes them unawares.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/in-this-sad-world-of-ours-sorrow-comes-to-all-and-to-the-young-it/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The man does not live who is more devoted to peace than I am. None who would do more to preserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-man-does-not-live-who-is-more-devoted-to-peace-than-i-am-none-who/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Explore all 1,437 Abraham Lincoln quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More Armies quotes > [It's with them that we have constituted a liberation front and brought our logistic support to armies to help their countries come out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/it-s-with-them-that-we-have-constituted-a-liberation-front-and/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [Countries, not just their armies, win wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/countries-not-just-their-armies-win-wars/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [We are not intimidated by the size of the armies, or the type of hardware the US has brought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saddam-hussein/we-are-not-intimidated-by-the-size-of-the-armies-or-the-type-of/) [Saddam Hussein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saddam-hussein/) > [All the armies of Europe, Asia and Africa combined, with all the treasure of the earth (our own excepted) in their military chest; with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-the-armies-of-europe-asia-and-africa-combined-with-all-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If one is intelligent and applies himself well, what can he not accomplish? Even small bands of people, I have heard, have defeated whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sakya-pandita/if-one-is-intelligent-and-applies-himself-well-what-can-he-not/) [Sakya Pandita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sakya-pandita/) > [I sincerely believe... that banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-sincerely-believe-that-banking-establishments-are-more-dangerous-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Rule 1, on page I of the book of war, is: "Do not march on Moscow". Various people have tried it, Napoleon and Hitler,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-law-montgomery/rule-1-on-page-i-of-the-book-of-war-is-do-not-march-on-moscow-various/) [Bernard Law Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-law-montgomery/) > [If you're in the middle of a field, surrounded by armies, left right and centre, you can't just say: 'I've had enough now, sorry.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-pardew/if-you-re-in-the-middle-of-a-field-surrounded-by-armies-left-right/) [Alan Pardew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-pardew/) > [My favorite parts about 'The Battle of Five Armies' were the moments where you could clearly see that we were looking at New Zealand.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/my-favorite-parts-about-the-battle-of-five-armies-were-the-moments/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [As we've seen, deploying large armies abroad won't always be our best offense. Countries typically don't want foreign soldiers in their cities and towns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-brennan/as-we-ve-seen-deploying-large-armies-abroad-won-t-always-be-our-best/) [John O. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-brennan/) > [Armies are a purely human invention. Most soldiers who go to war nowadays don't even do it because they're inherently aggressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/armies-are-a-purely-human-invention-most-soldiers-who-go-to-war/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [“How long does it take for two armies to destroy each other when one has an abundance of bodies and the other an abundance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mazza/how-long-does-it-take-for-two-armies-to-destroy-each-other-when-one/) [Sarah Mazza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mazza/) > [Ants are so much like human beings as to be an embarrassment. They farm fungi, raise aphids as livestock, launch armies into war, use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/ants-are-so-much-like-human-beings-as-to-be-an-embarrassment-they/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [History shows that there are no invincible armies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/history-shows-that-there-are-no-invincible-armies/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [Great armies are nothing but a collection of weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-queen-of-sweden/great-armies-are-nothing-but-a-collection-of-weakness/) [Christina, Queen of Sweden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-queen-of-sweden/) [Browse all 123 Armies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/armies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sending armies to McClellan is like shoveling fleas across a barnyard, not half of them get there.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abraham Lincoln" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/sending-armies-to-mcclellan-is-like-shoveling-fleas-across-a-barnyard/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Armies" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/sending-armies-to-mcclellan-is-like-shoveling-fleas-across-a-barnyard/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/abraham-lincoln-88_armies_sending-armies-to-mcclellan-is-like-shov_2442690.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/abraham-lincoln-88_armies_sending-armies-to-mcclellan-is-like-shov_2442690.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5be/abraham-lincoln-88_armies_sending-armies-to-mcclellan-is-like-shov_2442690.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sending armies to McClellan is like shoveling fleas across a barnyard, not half of them get there.” — Abraham Lincoln", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Abraham Lincoln", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sending armies to McClellan is like...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/sending-armies-to-mcclellan-is-like-shoveling-fleas-across-a-barnyard/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/sending-armies-to-mcclellan-is-like-shoveling-fleas-across-a-barnyard/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```