Army of Northern Virginia

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Army of Northern Virginia

The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America

Confederate States of America

The Confederate States of America formed as the government set up from 1861 to 1865 by eleven Southern United States U.S. state of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S....
in the Eastern Theater

Eastern Theater of the American Civil War

This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War....
of the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several Naming the American Civil War, was a civil war in the United States....
. It was most often arrayed against the Union

Union Army

The Union Army was the army that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S....
Army of the Potomac

Army of the Potomac

The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War of the American Civil War....
. Three districts were created under the Department of Northern Virginia:

While the Aquia and Potomac Districts ceased to exist by the spring of 1862, the need remained for military organization in the Valley throughout the remainder of the war, and the Valley District

Valley District

The Valley District was an organization of the Confederate States Army and subsection of the Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War, responsible for operations between the Blue Ridge Mountains and Allegheny Mountains of Virginia....
remained in place for the duration of the war.

name Army of Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia

Northern Virginia consistsof several County and independent cities in the U.S. state of Virginia in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C....
referred to its primary area of operation, as did most Confederate States Army

Confederate States Army

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Origin

The name Army of Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia

Northern Virginia consistsof several County and independent cities in the U.S. state of Virginia in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C....
referred to its primary area of operation, as did most Confederate States Army

Confederate States Army

The Confederate States Army was a military organization whose primary mission was to provide the necessary forces and capabilities to support the National Security and defense of the Confederate States of America during its brief existence from 1861 to 1865....
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

Army of the Shenandoah (Confederate)

The Army of the Shenandoah was an army of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. Major General Kenton Harper of the Virginia Militia organized about two thousand volunteers at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia by April 21, 1861....
and forces from the District of Harpers Ferry were added. Units from the Army of the Northwest were merged into the Army of the Potomac between March 14 and May 17, 1862. The Army of the Potomac was renamed Army of Northern Virginia on March 14. The Army of the Peninsula

Army of the Peninsula

The Army of the Peninsula or Magruder's Army was a Confederate States Army army early in the American Civil War.In May 1861, Colonel John B....
was merged in April 12, 1862.

Robert E. Lee

Robert E. Lee

Robert Edward Lee , was a career United States United States Army officer , an engineer, and among the most celebrated generals in American history....
's biographer, Douglas S. Freeman

Douglas S. Freeman

Douglas Southall Freeman, , was an United States journalist and historian. He was the author of definitive biographies of George Washington and Confederate States Army General Robert E....
, asserts that the army received its final name from Lee when he issued orders assuming command on June 1, 1862. However, Freeman does admit that Lee corresponded with Joseph E. Johnston

Joseph E. Johnston

Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career United States Army officer, serving with distinction in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars, and was also one of the most senior general officers in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War....
, 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

Jefferson Davis

Jefferson Finis Davis was an United States politician who served as President of the Confederate States of America for its entire history, 1861 to 1865, during the American Civil War....
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 regiment

Regiment

A regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. Depending on the nation, military branch, mission, and organization, a modern regiment resembles a brigade, in that both range in size from a few hundred to 5,000 soldiers ....
s from all over the Confederacy, even those as far away as Texas

Texas

Texas is a U.S. state located in the South Central United States, nicknamed the Lone Star State. Texas is the second largest U.S. state in both area and population, spanning , and with a growing population of 24.3 million residents....
and Arkansas

Arkansas

Arkansas is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States of the United States. Arkansas shares a border with six states, with its eastern border largely defined by the Mississippi River....
. Of those, one of the most well known was the Texas Brigade

Texas Brigade

The Texas Brigade, also often referred to as Hood's Brigade, was an infantry brigade in the Confederate States Army that distinguished itself for its fierce tenacity and fighting capability during the American Civil War....
, made up of the 1st, 4th, and 5th Texas, and the 3rd Arkansas, which distinguished themselves in numerous battles, perhaps most notably during their fight for the Devil's Den

Devil's Den

Devil's Den is the nickname for a terrain feature south of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, that was the site of fierce fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War....
at the Battle of Gettysburg

Battle of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg , fought in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as part of the Gettysburg Campaign, was the battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War and is frequently cited as the war's Turning point of the American Civil War....
. Militia

Militia

The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service....
men from the New Mexico

New Mexico Territory

The Territory of New Mexico became an organized territory of the United States on September 9, 1850, and it existed until New Mexico became the 47th U.S....
and Arizona

Arizona Territory

The Territory of Arizona was an organized territory of the United States that existed between 1863 and 1912. A forerunner, almost identical in name but largely differing in location and size, was the Arizona Territory that existed officially from 1861 to 1863, when it was re-captured by the U.S., after which the Union created in 1863 their...
territories also served among its members.

Command under Brigadier General P. G. T. Beauregard

The first commander of the Army of Northern Virginia was General P.G.T. Beauregard (under its previous name, Army of the Potomac) from June 20 to July 20, 1861. His forces consisted of six brigades, with various militia and artillery from the former Department of Alexandria. During his command, Gen. Beauregard is noted for creating the battle flag of the army, which came to be the primary battle flag for all corps and forces under the Army of Northern Virginia. The flag was designed due to confusion during battle between the Confederate "Stars and Bars" flag and the flag of the United States. Beauregard continued commanding these troops as the new First Corps under Gen. J. E. Johnston as it was joined by the Army of the Shenandoah on July 20, 1861, when command was relinquished to General J. E. Johnston. The following day this army fought its first major engagement in the First Battle of Manassas.

Command under General J. E. Johnston

With the merging of the Army of the Shenandoah, Gen. Joseph E. Johnston

Joseph E. Johnston

Corps organization under Johnston

First Corps - commanded by Brig. Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard
Second Corps - commanded by Maj. Gen. G. W. Smith

Under the command of Johnston, the Army immediately entered into the First Battle of Manassas. On October 22, 1861, the Department of Northern Virginia was officially created, officially ending the Army of the Potomac. The Department comprised three districts: Aquia District, Potomac District, and the Valley District

Valley District

The Valley District was an organization of the Confederate States Army and subsection of the Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War, responsible for operations between the Blue Ridge Mountains and Allegheny Mountains of Virginia....
. In April 1862 the Department was expanded to include the Departments of Norfolk and the Peninsula (of Virginia). Gen. Johnston was eventually forced into maneuvering the Army southward to the defenses of Richmond during the opening of the Peninsula Campaign, where it conducted delay and defend tactics until Johnston was severely wounded at the Battle of Seven Pines

Battle of Seven Pines

Temporary command under Major General G. W. Smith

The army was very briefly commanded by Maj. Gen. Gustavus Woodson Smith

Gustavus Woodson Smith

Gustavus Woodson Smith , more commonly known as G.W. Smith, was a career United States Army officer who fought in the Mexican-American War, a civil engineer, and a Major General in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War....
on May 31, 1862, following the wounding of Gen. J. E. Johnston, while President Jefferson Davis drafted orders to place Gen. Robert E. Lee in command the following day.

Command under General R. E. Lee

On June 1, 1862, its most famous, and final, leader, General Robert E. Lee

Robert E. Lee

Robert Edward Lee , was a career United States United States Army officer , an engineer, and among the most celebrated generals in American history....
, took command after Johnston was wounded, and Smith suffered what may have been a nervous breakdown, at the Battle of Seven Pines

Battle of Seven Pines

The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War....
. In the first year of his command, Lee had two principal subordinate commanders. The "right wing" of the army was under the command of Lt. Gen. James Longstreet

James Longstreet

James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate States Army General officers of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E....
and the left wing under Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson

Stonewall Jackson

Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson was a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War, and probably the most well-known Confederate commander after General Robert E....
. 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

Battle of Chancellorsville

The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, fought near the village of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia, from April 30 to May 6, 1863....
, Lee reorganized the army into three corps

Corps

A Corps is either a large formation , or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service....
on May 30, 1863, under Longstreet, Lt. Gen. Richard S. Ewell

Richard S. Ewell

Richard Stoddert Ewell was a career United States Army officer and a Confederate States Army General officer during the American Civil War. He achieved fame as a senior commander under Stonewall Jackson and Robert E....
, and Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill. A Fourth Corps, under Lt. Gen. Richard H. Anderson

Richard H. Anderson

Richard Heron Anderson was a career United States Army officer, fighting with distinction in the Mexican-American War. He also served as a Confederate States Army General officer during the American Civil War....
, 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 Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart

J.E.B. Stuart

James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart was an American soldier from Virginia and a Confederate States Army general during the American Civil War. He was known to his friends as "Jeb", from the initials of his given names....
. 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 Brig. Gen. William N. Pendleton

William N. Pendleton

William Nelson Pendleton was an United States teacher, Episcopal Church in the United States of America priest, and soldier. He served as a Confederate States of America General officer during the American Civil War, noted for his position as Gen....
.

Corps organization under Lee

Although the Army of Northern Virginia swelled and shrank over time, its units of organization consisted primarily of the following corps, sometimes referred to as "wings" or "commands":

First Corps
First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia

The First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia was a military unit fighting for the Confederate States of America in the American Civil War. It was formed in early 1861 and served until the spring of 1865, mostly in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War....
Second Corps
Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia

The Second Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia was a military organization within the Confederate States Army Army of Northern Virginia during much of the American Civil War....
Third Corps
Third Corps, Army of Northern Virginia

The Third Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia was a military organization within the Confederate States Army Army of Northern Virginia during much of the American Civil War....
Fourth Corps
Fourth Corps, Army of Northern Virginia

The Fourth Corps was a military unit formed in October 1864 within the Army of Northern Virginia of the Confederate States Army. It fought for the Confederate States of America during the late stages of the American Civil War....
, often styled Anderson
Richard H. Anderson

Richard Heron Anderson was a career United States Army officer, fighting with distinction in the Mexican-American War. He also served as a Confederate States Army General officer during the American Civil War....
's Corps
Cavalry Corps
Cavalry Corps, Army of Northern Virginia

The Cavalry Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia was the only organized cavalry corps in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War....

Campaigns and battles

The Army fought in a number of campaigns and battles, including:

Campaign	Year	Army strength at the beginning of campaign	Major Battles
Peninsula Campaign Peninsula Campaign The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War....	1862	55,633	Seven Pines Battle of Seven Pines The Battle of Seven Pines, also known as the Battle of Fair Oaks or Fair Oaks Station, took place on May 31 and June 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War.... (Fair Oaks)
Seven Days Battles Seven Days Battles The Seven Days Battles was a series of six major battles over the seven days from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near Richmond, Virginia during the American Civil War....	1862	aprox. 92,000	Gaines' Mill Battle of Gaines' Mill The Battle of Gaines' Mill, also known as the First Battle of Cold Harbor or the Battle of Chickahominy River, took place on June 27, 1862, in Hanover County, Virginia, as the third of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War.... , Malvern Hill Battle of Malvern Hill The Battle of Malvern Hill, also known as the Battle of Poindexter's Farm, took place on July 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, was the sixth and last of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War....
Northern Virginia Campaign Northern Virginia Campaign }\|-\|\|}The Northern Virginia Campaign, also known as the Second Bull Run Campaign or Second Manassas Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during August and September 1862 in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War of the American Civil War....	1862	aprox. 54,000	Second Bull Run (Second Manassas)
Maryland Campaign Maryland Campaign The Maryland Campaign, or the Antietam Campaign, of September 1862 is widely considered one of the major Turning Point of the American Civil War of the American Civil War....	1862	aprox. 60,000	Antietam Battle of Antietam The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern United States soil.... (Sharpsburg)
Fredericksburg Campaign	1862	aprox. 75,000	Fredericksburg Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg, fought in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, from December 11 to December 15, 1862, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate States Army Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major general Ambrose E....
Chancellorsville Campaign	1863	aprox. 75,000	Chancellorsville Battle of Chancellorsville The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, fought near the village of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia, from April 30 to May 6, 1863....
Gettysburg Campaign Gettysburg Campaign File:Meade and Lee.jpgThe Gettysburg Campaign was a series of battles fought in June and July 1863, during the American Civil War. After his victory in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Confederate States Army Full General Robert E....	1863	75,054	Gettysburg Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg , fought in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as part of the Gettysburg Campaign, was the battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War and is frequently cited as the war's Turning point of the American Civil War....
Bristoe Campaign Bristoe Campaign The Bristoe Campaign was a series of battles fought in Virginia during October and November 1863, in the American Civil War. Major General#United States George G....	1863	55,221
Mine Run Campaign	1863
Overland Campaign Overland Campaign The Overland Campaign, also known as Grant's Overland Campaign and the Wilderness Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864, in the American Civil War....	1864	62,230	Wilderness Battle of the Wilderness The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lieutenant general Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against General Robert E.... , Spotsylvania Court House Battle of Spotsylvania Court House The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania, was the second major battle in Lieutenant general Ulysses S.... , Cold Harbor Battle of Cold Harbor The Battle of Cold Harbor, the final battle of Union Army Lieutenant general Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Overland Campaign during the American Civil War, is remembered as one of History of the United States bloodiest, most lopsided battles....
Richmond-Petersburg Campaign	1864–65	82,633	Siege of Petersburg Siege of Petersburg The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War.... , including the Battle of the Crater Battle of the Crater The Battle of the Crater was a battle of the American Civil War, part of the Siege of Petersburg. It took place on July 30, 1864, between the Confederate States Army Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E....
Appomattox Campaign Appomattox Campaign The Appomattox Campaign was a series of battles fought in Virginia that culminated in the surrender of Confederate States Army General Robert E....	1865	around 50,000	Five Forks Battle of Five Forks The Battle of Five Forks was fought on April 1, 1865, southwest of Petersburg, Virginia, in Dinwiddie County, during the Appomattox Campaign of the American Civil War....

On April 9, 1865, the Army of Northern Virginia surrendered to the Army of the Potomac

Army of the Potomac

The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War of the American Civil War....
at Appomattox Court House

Appomattox Court House

File:New Appomattox Court House.jpgFile:Appomattox Court House new and old marker.jpgThe Appomattox Court House is a courthouse in Appomattox, Virginia built in 1892....
, effectively ending the Civil War, with General Lee signing the papers of surrender to General Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant, born Hiram Ulysses Grant , was an United States general and the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States ....
. The day after his surrender, Lee issued his Farewell Address to the Army of Northern Virginia.

Characteristics

The army was noted for its aggressiveness and audacity, almost always pitted in battle against an opponent superior in numbers, sometimes (such as at Sharpsburg and Chancellorsville) more than two-to-one.

Army of Northern Virginia

Origin

Command under Brigadier General P. G. T. Beauregard

Command under General J. E. Johnston

Corps organization under Johnston

Temporary command under Major General G. W. Smith

Command under General R. E. Lee

Corps organization under Lee

Campaigns and battles

Characteristics

See also