If Jethro retained any lingering faith in McClellan’s character, Shad’s letter dispels it. McClellan’s actions arise form a desire to be liked rather than consideration for victory or personal conviction. In this way, his character contrasts with Bill’s, since Bill followed his conscience despite the contempt it brought on him and his family. Shad also shows himself to be a man of his own mind and convictions; he doesn’t blindly follow along with the crowd of soldiers in their admiration of McClellan, but instead he considers the situation carefully for himself before drawing his own conclusions. Finally, while the book glosses over the details of the Battle of Antietam, it’s notable that Shad’s letter occurs in its context—not only was it the bloodiest single day of American history, but it was the first major battle of the war to be fought on Union soil; thus McClellan’s failure there not only suggests his personal failures but maps metaphorically onto the initial underlying initial of Union leaders and supporters who didn’t expect meaningful resistance from the Southern states.