Army of Northern Virginia
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The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac.
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[edit] Origin
The name Army of Northern Virginia referred to its primary area of operation, as did most Confederate States Army names. The Army originated as the (Confederate) Army of the Potomac, which was organized on June 20, 1861, from all operational forces in northern Virginia. On July 20 and July 21, the Army of the Shenandoah and forces from the District of Harpers Ferry were added. The Army of the Northwest was merged in just prior to March 14, 1862. The army was renamed Army of Northern Virginia on March 14, 1862. The Army of the Peninsula was merged in April 12, 1862.[1].
Robert E. Lee's biographer, Douglas S. Freeman, asserts that the army received its final name from Lee when he issued orders assuming command on June 1, 1862.[2] However, Freeman does admit that Lee corresponded with Joseph E. Johnston, his predecessor in army command, prior to that date and referred to Johnston's command as the Army of Northern Virginia. Part of the confusion results from the fact that Johnston commanded the Department of Northern Virginia (as of October 22, 1861) and the name Army of Northern Virginia can be seen as an informal consequence of its parent department's name. Jefferson Davis and Johnston did not adopt the name, but it is clear that the organization of units as of March 14 was the same organization that Lee received on June 1, and thus it is generally referred to today as the Army of Northern Virginia, even if that is correct only in retrospect.
In addition to Virginians, it included regiments from all over the Confederacy, even those as far away as Texas and Arkansas. Militiamen from the New Mexico and Arizona territories also served among its members.
[edit] Command structure
The first commander of the Army of Northern Virginia was General P.G.T. Beauregard (under its previous name, Army of the Potomac), followed by Gen. Joseph E. Johnston and very briefly by Maj. Gen. Gustavus Woodson Smith. But on June 1, 1862, its most famous, and final, leader, General Robert E. Lee, took command after Johnston was wounded, and Smith suffered what may have been a nervous breakdown, at the Battle of Seven Pines.
In the first year of his command, Lee had two principal subordinate commanders. The "right wing" of the army was under the command of Lieutenant General James Longstreet and the left wing under Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. These wings were redesignated as the First Corps (Longstreet) and Second Corps (Jackson) on November 6, 1862. Following Jackson's death after the Battle of Chancellorsville, Lee reorganized the army into three corps on May 30, 1863, under Longstreet, Lt. Gen. Richard S. Ewell, and Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill. A Fourth Corps, under Lt. Gen. Richard H. Anderson, was organized on October 19, 1864; on April 8, 1865, it was merged into the Second Corps. The commanders of the first three corps changed frequently in 1864 and 1865. The Cavalry Corps was led by Major General J.E.B. Stuart. It was established on August 17, 1862, and abolished on May 11, 1864 (the day Stuart was mortally wounded), with cavalry units being assigned to the headquarters of the Army. The Reserve Artillery was commanded by Brigadier General William N. Pendleton.[1]
[edit] Corps organization
Although the Army of Northern Virginia swelled and shrank over time, it's units of organization consisted primarily of the following Corps', sometimes referred to as wings:
- First Corps
- Second Corps
- Third Corps
- Anderson's Corps
- Cavalry Corps
[edit] Campaigns and battles
The Army fought in a number of campaigns and battles, including:
| Campaign | Year | Major Battles |
|---|---|---|
| Peninsula Campaign | 1862 | Seven Pines (Fair Oaks) |
| Seven Days Battles | 1862 | Gaines' Mill, Malvern Hill |
| Northern Virginia Campaign | 1862 | Second Bull Run (Second Manassas) |
| Maryland Campaign | 1862 | Antietam (Sharpsburg) |
| Fredericksburg Campaign | 1862 | Fredericksburg |
| Chancellorsville Campaign | 1863 | Chancellorsville |
| Gettysburg Campaign | 1863 | Gettysburg |
| Bristoe Campaign | 1863 | |
| Mine Run Campaign | 1863 | |
| Overland Campaign | 1864 | Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, Cold Harbor |
| Richmond-Petersburg Campaign | 1864–65 | Siege of Petersburg, including the Battle of the Crater |
| Appomattox Campaign | 1865 | Five Forks |
On April 9, 1865, the Army of Northern Virginia surrendered to the Army of the Potomac at Appomattox Court House, effectively ending the Civil War, with General Lee signing the papers of surrender to General Ulysses S. Grant.
[edit] Characteristics
The army was noted for its aggressiveness and audacity[citation needed], almost always pitted in battle against an opponent that outnumbered it[citation needed], sometimes (such as at Antietam and Chancellorsville) two-to-one.
Robert E. Lee's Farewell to the Army of Northern Virginia read:[3]
After four years of arduous service, marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude, the Army of Northern Virginia has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and resources.
I need not tell the survivors of so many hard-fought battles who have remained steadfast to the last that I have consented to this result from no distrust of them; but feeling that valor and devotion could accomplish nothing that could compensate for the loss that would have attended the continuance of the contest, I determined to avoid the useless sacrifice of those whose past services have endeared them to their countrymen. By the terms of the agreement, officers and men can return to their homes and remain until exchanged.
You may take with you the satisfaction that proceeds from the consciousness of duty faithfully performed, and I earnestly pray that a merciful God will extend to you his blessing and protection.
With an unceasing admiration of your constancy and devotion to your country, and a grateful remembrance of your kind and generous consideration of myself, I bid you all an affectionate farewell.
– Robert E. Lee, Farewell to the Army of Northern Virginia
[edit] See also
- Gettysburg Confederate order of battle (detailed command organization at the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863)
[edit] References
- Eicher, John H., & Eicher, David J., Civil War High Commands, Stanford University Press, 2001, ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
- Freeman, Douglas S., R. E. Lee, A Biography (4 volumes), Scribners, 1934.
