president lincoln, who saw the importance of conciliating a leader of the illinois war democrats, restored mcclernand to a field command in 1864. on february 20, 1864 mcclernand returned to his old xiii corps, now part of the department of the gulf. illness limited his role and by the time the red river campaign commenced, mcclernand had been replaced in command by thomas e. g. ransom. for several days at the end of april mcclernand returned to the field to command the detachment of two divisions from the xiii corps participating in the red river campaign. he resigned from the army on november 30, 1864 and in april 1865 played a prominent role in the funeral of lincoln, his old friendly rival.