The removal of McClellan was a loss for the army of the Potomac. The loss of McClellan was a loss of experience in army techniques, an advanced knowledge of organization, and an very qualified general. George McClellan was a very accomplished military general. He graduated second in his class from West point and had a mind for military organization and strategy. He trained the army of the Potomac for the Union army during the Civil War and improved the army's chances of winning the war because
summer of 1862 the Confederacy was feeling defeated after going sometime without a decisive victory over the Union forces. Additionally President Davis had not received any good news from the battle fronts in months. During this time The Army of the Potomac (Union) under the command of General George B. McClellan is putting on a show of force in the vicinity of Williamsburg road. This show of force, known as the engagement of King’s School house, brought General McClellan’s forces within six miles
orders, what were the underlying factors that led to this decision? Why did the general all but ensure the end of his military careen with months of ignoring orders and bantered correspondence with his Commander-in-Chief? This research discusses the army that McClellan built in the early stages of the war, but failed to use as the President commanded, as well as, provides insight into the final reasons for his removal. In the early years of the Civil War,
that what was true in 1863 is still true today. While many variables are vital to a successful army on the battlefield, none should be neglected. Each variable discussed in this examination will prove to be important, but the information battle will be paramount in the battle of Gettysburg. Gettysburg After the Confederate victory at Chancellorsville in May of 1863, General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia embarked on their 2nd invasion of the north. General Lee’s first campaign
McClellan was a Union general during the Civil War. He was born December 3, 1826 in Philadelphia, PA. He was also commander of the Army of the Potomac twice, which was the Union’s largest army. He fought as the General-in-Chief of the Union army until 1862, when he was removed by Abraham Lincoln, who thought he was a coward. This was because although he had many more men in his army, he often thought that he was outnumbered. This is a reason why Lincoln fired him. McClellan was a meticulous organizer and
A Southern refugee once reflected, and referred to the Army of the Potomac as the “greatest army in the planet.” Although this is a clear exaggeration, from a Southern perspective following the Battle of Antietam, this was not too far off. Relative to the Army of Northern Virginia, the Federal army was vastly larger, in better spirits, and strategically in better positions. To direct this army of great potential, President Lincoln appointed the reluctant Major General Ambrose Everett Burnside.
The battle of Chancellorsville is a victory that never materialized for the Army of the Potomac. The Union’s Army of the Potomac, on paper, was a force clearly superior in terms of manpower and technology to that of their adversary, however, tactical mistakes proved to be detrimental to their cause. On the contrary, planning and the execution of those plans propelled the Confederacy’s Army of Northern Virginia to the most recognized underdog victory in the American Civil War. Examining the Battle
General Robert E. Lee’s line of defense. Marye’s Heights also played a pivotal role in this battle, and the sunken road there gave cover to the rebel soldier keeping the federals back. The Army of the Potomac had been given to General Burnside for his command by president Abraham
July 1st through July 3rd in 1863 in the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The belligerents were the Army of the Potomac, led by MG George G. Meade and the Army of Northern Virginia, led by GEN Robert E. Lee. The goal is to analyze the decisions of GEN Lee using the six mission command principles described in the Army Doctrine Publication 6-0 and then assess the outcome of those decisions. The Army of Northern Virginia under the leadership of GEN Lee decided to advance north in and invade the state
Union army on Northern soil, which he hoped would force the Lincoln administration to negotiate for peace. Lee also sought to take the war out of the ravaged Virginia farmland and gather supplies for his Army of Northern Virginia. Using the Shenandoah Valley as cover for his army, Lee was pursued first by Union Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker, and then by Maj. Gen. George G. Meade, who replaced Hooker in late June. Lee's army crossed into Pennsylvania mid-June, and by June
humiliating defeat of the Union Army. The Battle of Ball’s Bluff led to federal government inquiries that would change how the union would fight the civil war. Near Leesburg in Loudoun County, along the Potomac River, a battle between the Union and the Confederates took place on October 21, 1861. The battle was one of the earlier battles in the civil war. The day before the battle on October 20, 1861, the Union Army sent a scouting party led by Capt. Chase Philbrick, across the Potomac River near
delivered his “Emancipation Proclamation” and the President was hard pressed for a victory to bolster public support for it. It would be remembered as the first major campaign for the newly appointed General of the Army of the Potomac. General Ambrose E. Burnside was given command of the Union Army due to an increased frustration President Abraham Lincoln was experiencing with his predecessor. However, General Burnside’s inexperience would cost him dearly on the battlefield. Historical data and battlefield
riding high. After a string of previous victories, including the Battle of Fredericksburg, Confederate General Robert E. Lee had decisively beaten the Union Army of the Potomac at Chancellorsville. The Northern forces, therefore, needed some assessment and introspection to turn the tide in their favor. Almost immediately, the demoralized army turned its introspection toward its leader, Major General Joseph Hooker and his command during the Battle of Chancellorsville. Accordingly, this paper intends
left over 4,000 were missing or captured. The 162,000 involved lives were changed for a battle that was found inclusive. What was this pointless battle called? Its known as “The Battle of the Wilderness”. This battle was between the Potomac, IX corps (Yankees) and the Army of Northern Virginia (confederates) .The Yankees were lead by Ulysses S.Grant and George G. Meade and the confederates were controlled by Robert E. Lee. The three generals that led in the Battle of the Wilderness were very bright
the novel, Shaara begins by describing the Armies. On the side of the South is the Army of Northern Virginia, led by Robert E. Lee. This army is composed of 70 thousand men who are volunteers and rebels. They are within a certain culture. The men of this army share not only a common language and religion, but they also share the same customs. Most of the men are Anglo-Saxon and Protestant. Their language is English. Most of all, this army is fighting for a mutual cause which is disunion
Though many state militias and volunteer infantry companies adopted regular army uniforms, more wealthy states designed and adopted their own. In 1861, New York created their own battle jacket as shown in Figure 5, which was a tailored shell jacket that went to the waist and featured eight to twelve buttons down the front (MacDonald). These coats were used largely by New York state volunteers, but were also issued to several neighboring state units (Troiani). Zouave companies and regiments had the
began when the Confederate’s general, Robert E. Lee, invaded the town of Gettysburg in hope of relieving Virginia farmers of the burden of war and to allow them to harvest crops for the Confederacy without interference (Thomason). Lee believed that his army could take advantage of the farms and woodlands of rural Pennsylvania during the plentiful summer months. The t... ... middle of paper ... ...rg on July 4th, (which took nearly six months) divided the Confederacy in two. It was significant that
McClellan– who supplanted the developing General Winfield Scott as prevalent expert of the Union Army after the primary times of the war– was worshiped by his troops, however his aversion to advance disillusioned Lincoln. In the spring of 1862, McClellan finally drove his Army of the Potomac up the projection between the York and James Rivers, getting Yorktown on May 4. The combined forces of Robert E. Lee and Jackson adequately drove back McClellan's
the “Army of the Potomac.” Whereas the Confederate generals, at least in the “Army of Northern Virginia” were much more stable in their position. Personalities, ambitions and emotions also played a big part in effective they were in the field, as well as their interactions with other officers. Each general that was appointed commander of the army in the east had his own plans when it came to defeating the Confederates. Beginning with McDowell, the first general to command a large army in the
Wilderness and Chancellorsville were fought in the same spot, but the 1864 battle was actually fought a few miles to the west, and only overlapped the old battlefield along the Brock Road on the Union army's left flank. On May 2, 1864, the Army of the Potomac, nominally under the command of Maj. Gen. George G. Meade, but taking orders from Grant, crossed the Rapidan River at three separate points and converged on the Wilderness Tavern, which had been the concentration point for the Confederates one