First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia

The First Corps, Army of Northern Virginia (or Longstreet's Corps) was a military unit fighting for the Confederate States of America

Confederate States of America

The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...

in the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

. It was formed in early 1861 and served until the spring of 1865, mostly in the Eastern Theater

Eastern Theater of the American Civil War

The Eastern Theater of the American Civil War included the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, and the coastal fortifications and seaports of North Carolina...

. The 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...

was commanded by James Longstreet

James Longstreet

James Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his "Old War Horse." He served under Lee as a corps commander for many of the famous battles fought by the Army of Northern Virginia in the...

for much of its existence, as well as P.G.T. Beauregard

P. G. T. Beauregard

Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard was a Louisiana-born American military officer, politician, inventor, writer, civil servant, and the first prominent general of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Today he is commonly referred to as P. G. T. Beauregard, but he rarely used...

early on.

In part or as a whole, the corps fought in nearly all of the major battles in the Eastern Theater, such as Second Bull Run

Second Battle of Bull Run

The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...

, 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 soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...

, Fredericksburg

Battle of Fredericksburg

The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...

, Gettysburg

Battle of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...

, The Wilderness

Battle of the Wilderness

The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...

, Cold Harbor

Battle of Cold Harbor

The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864 . It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign during the American Civil War, and is remembered as one of American history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles...

, and the 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...

. The corps also fought in Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

and performed important forage service in Suffolk, Virginia

Suffolk, Virginia

Suffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...

. It was disbanded shortly following Gen. Robert E. Lee

Robert E. Lee

Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....

's surrender to Union

Union (American Civil War)

During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...

forces April 9, 1865.

Origins

The First Corps was originally the Confederate Army of the Potomac, under the command of Brig. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard. It fought under this name at the First Battle of Manassas, then merged with Joseph E. Johnston

Joseph E. Johnston

Joseph Eggleston Johnston was a career U.S. 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...

's Confederate Army of the Shenandoah and the entire force was called the Army of the Potomac. This army was composed of two wings, or commands; the first commanded by Beauregard, and the second commanded by Maj. Gen. Gustavus W. 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.-Early life and Mexico:Smith was born in Georgetown,...

, with Johnston in overall command.

On June 1, 1862, Robert E. Lee took command of the Army of the Potomac following Johnston's wounding during 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. It was the culmination of an offensive up the Virginia Peninsula by Union Maj. Gen....

, and shortly afterwards this army would be known as the Army of Northern Virginia

Army of Northern Virginia

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, as well as the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac...

. Lee re-organized the army as two "wings" (corps were not legally allowed by the Confederate Congress until September 18), with Longstreet in charge of the first wing and Lt. Gen.Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson

Stonewall Jackson

in charge of the second. This arrangement would continue until the mortal wounding of Jackson at Chancellorsville and Lee splitting the Second Corps

Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia

The Second Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia was a military organization within the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during much of the American Civil War. It was officially created and named following the Battle of Sharpsburg in 1862, but comprised units in a corps organization for quite...

. A Third Corps

Third Corps, Army of Northern Virginia

The Third Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia was a military organization within the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia during much of the American Civil War. The corps was formed in mid-1863 and served until Lee's surrender April 9, 1865, near the end of the war.-Formation:After the death of...

was created from about half of the Second combined with a division from the First. Longstreet would be in charge of First Corps up to the 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. Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, general-in-chief of all Union armies, directed the actions of the Army of the...

in May 1864, when he was severely wounded in The Wilderness. Maj. Gen. Richard H. Anderson

Richard H. Anderson

Richard Heron Anderson was a career U.S. Army officer, fighting with distinction in the Mexican-American War. He also served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War, fighting in the Eastern Theater of the conflict and most notably during the 1864 Battle of Spotsylvania Court House...

took the First Corps until Longstreet's return in October 1864, and he would then command it for the rest of its campaigns.

First Bull Run

Note: see First Bull Run order of battle for the command structure of the Army of the Potomac at this time.

Fought on July 21, 1861, near Manassas, Virginia

Manassas, Virginia

The City of Manassas is an independent city surrounded by Prince William County and the independent city of Manassas Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Its population was 37,821 as of 2010. Manassas also surrounds the county seat for Prince William County but that county...

, the First Battle of Bull Run (referred to as First Manassas throughout the South) was the first major battle of the war. Generals Beauregard and Johnston with their 32,500 Confederates engaged Union

Union Army

The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...

Brig. Gen. Irvin McDowell

Irvin McDowell

Irvin McDowell was a career American army officer. He is best known for his defeat in the First Battle of Bull Run, the first large-scale battle of the American Civil War.-Early life:...

's force of about 35,000 men. Despite early Union successes and the extremely untrained nature of both armies, the result was a Confederate victory and a rout of much of McDowell's men.

Beauregard's army consisted of six infantry

Infantry

Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...

brigade

Brigade

A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...

s, along with various 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. It is a polyseme with...

and artillery

Field Artillery in the American Civil War

Field artillery in the American Civil War refers to the important artillery weapons, equipment, and practices used by the Artillery branch to support the infantry and cavalry forces in the field. It does not include siege artillery, use of artillery in fixed fortifications, or coastal or naval...

from what was previously known as the Department of Alexandria. It was collected near Manassas Junction directly confronting McDowell's force, while Johnston's Army of the Shenandoah was in the valley

Shenandoah Valley

The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...

watching Maj. Gen. Robert Patterson

Robert Patterson

Robert Patterson was a United States major general during the Mexican-American War and at the beginning of the American Civil War...

's 18,000 or so men. Most of Beauregard's force was initially kept on the Confederate right, both to prevent a Union attack across that portion of Bull Run River

Bull Run (Occoquan River)

Bull Run is a free-flowing tributary stream of the Potomac River that originates from a spring in the Bull Run Mountains in Loudoun County, Virginia, and flows south to the Occoquan River...

and to allow for a Confederate attack on the Union left.

Corps officially created

The First Corps was officially created in the Army of Northern Virginia on March 14, with Longstreet, then in charge of the army's Second Division, its first commander.

Seven Pines

Note: see Seven Pines order of battle for the command structure of the Army of Northern Virginia at this time.

The Battle of Seven Pines

Battle of Seven Pines

(known as the Battle of Fair Oaks in the South) was fought on May 31 to June 1, 1862, near Fair Oaks Station in Henrico County, Virginia

Henrico County, Virginia

Henrico is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. As of 2010, Henrico was home to 306,935 people. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...

, as part of the 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. The operation, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B...

. Roughly equal numbers of northern and southern soldiers were engaged in this battle, with Johnston's army fighting Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan

George B. McClellan

George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...

'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.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...

. The conflict is usually referred to as inconclusive, and noted mainly for its casualties, as the largest battle in the east up to that point, and the wounding of Johnston coupled with the possible mental breakdown of Maj. Gen. Smith, which led to Robert E. Lee taking over the Army of Northern Virginia for the rest of the war.

The Seven Days

Note: see Seven Days order of battle for the command structure of the Army of Northern Virginia at this time.

The 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. Confederate General Robert E. Lee drove the invading Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, away from...

is the name given to six major battles from June 25 to July 1, 1862, near the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia

Richmond, Virginia

Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...

. Union General McClellan with some 104,000 men fought Lee's 92,000, the largest size the Army of Northern Virginia would ever reach. The primary results of these battles on the Virginia Peninsula

Virginia Peninsula

The Virginia Peninsula is a peninsula in southeast Virginia, USA, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay.Hampton Roads is the common name for the metropolitan area that surrounds the body of water of the same name...

were McClellan's army eventually being pushed away from Richmond and hotly followed to the James River

James River (Virginia)

The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...

, where the Federals gained some protection due to their naval presence on that river.

Second Bull Run

Note: see Second Bull Run order of battle

Second Bull Run Confederate order of battle

The following Confederate States Army units and commanders fought in the Second Battle of Bull Run of the American Civil War. The Union order of battle is listed separately.-Military rank:* MG = Major General* BG = Brigadier General...

for the command structure of the Army of Northern Virginia at this time.

The Second Battle of Bull Run, also known as Second Manassas, was fought from August 28–30, 1862, very near the ground used in the first battle there in July 1861. It was part of the 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. Confederate General Robert E...

, and casualties were around 10,000 for each participant. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia (about 50,000 strong) was against the hastily gathered Federal Army of Virginia

Army of Virginia

The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. It should not be confused with its principal opponent, the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by Robert E...

(roughly 62,000) led by Maj. Gen. John Pope

John Pope (military officer)

John Pope was a career United States Army officer and Union general in the American Civil War. He had a brief but successful career in the Western Theater, but he is best known for his defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run in the East.Pope was a graduate of the United States Military Academy in...

. A Confederate victory, the fight had widespread consequences on both side of the conflict; Pope was sent west for the duration of the war and Union corps commander Porter was court-martial

Court-martial

A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...

ed for this defeat, and the Army of Virginia was disbanded and absorbed into McClellan's forces.

Prelude and the Battle of Thoroughfare Gap

Battle of Thoroughfare Gap

The Battle of Thoroughfare Gap, also known as Chapman's Mill, took place on August 28, 1862, in Fauquier County and Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the Northern Virginia Campaign of the American Civil War. Confederate forces under Maj. Gen. James Longstreet successfully drove back Union...

Pope's movements and the weather had changed Lee's plans. While Jackson's wing was moving to intercept and spar with any part of the Army of Virginia it could, Lee with Longstreet's wing of five divisions followed Jackson's path of march to concentrate and defeat Pope. Jackson reached Culpeper

Culpeper, Virginia

Culpeper is an incorporated town in Culpeper County, Virginia, United States. The population was 9,664 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Culpeper County. Culpeper is part of the Culpeper Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Culpeper County. Both the Town of Culpeper and...

on August 7, and Lee sent Longstreet to join him on August 13, leaving two brigades to watch McClellan begin to withdraw north away from Richmond.

28 August

29 August

30 August

Antietam

Note: see Antietam order of battle

Antietam Confederate order of battle

The following Confederate States Army units and commanders fought in the Battle of Antietam of the American Civil War. The Union order of battle is listed separately.-Military rank:* Gen. = General* Lt. Gen. = Lieutenant General...

for the command structure of the Army of Northern Virginia at this time.

The Battle of Antietam was fought September 17, 1862, near the Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

town of Sharpsburg

Sharpsburg, Maryland

Sharpsburg is a town in Washington County, Maryland, United States, approximately south of Hagerstown. The population was 691 at the 2000 census....

, along the Antietam Creek

Antietam Creek

Antietam Creek is a tributary of the Potomac River located in south central Pennsylvania and western Maryland in the United States, a region known as the Hagerstown Valley...

. It would be the last time Lee and his army (45,000 soldiers) would fight the Army of the Potomac (87,000 men) with McClellan as its leader. This battle would register the highest casualties for a day's fighting in the Civil War, as well as any other battle by U.S. forces to date, with combined losses of around 23,000 men. Regarded as a draw tactically despite vicious fighting (the Confederates would ultimately hold their defensive lines), future events such as Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation

Emancipation Proclamation

The Emancipation Proclamation is an executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War using his war powers. It proclaimed the freedom of 3.1 million of the nation's 4 million slaves, and immediately freed 50,000 of them, with nearly...

made the battle a Union strategic win.

Fredericksburg

Note: see Fredericksburg order of battle

Fredericksburg Confederate order of battle

The following Confederate States Army units and commanders fought in the Battle of Fredericksburg of the American Civil War. The Union order of battle is listed separately.-Military rank:* Gen = General* LTG = Lieutenant General...

for the command structure of the Army of Northern Virginia at this time.

The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia

Fredericksburg, Virginia

Fredericksburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia located south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,286...

, starting on December 11 and concluding December 15, 1862, between Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and the Federal Army of the Potomac, now commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside. Remembered as one of the worst defeats of the Union Army, the battle resulted in very high casualties for the Federals and began an increase (on both sides) in the use and heightened fear of attacking prepared, entrenched positions.

The First Corps in this battle reached Marye's Heights on November 21 and deployed there to contest a possible pontoon

Pontoon bridge

A pontoon bridge or floating bridge is a bridge that floats on water and in which barge- or boat-like pontoons support the bridge deck and its dynamic loads. While pontoon bridges are usually temporary structures, some are used for long periods of time...

crossing of the Union army at Fredericksburg, with the Second Corps following quickly once Lee was more certain of Burnside's intentions. Until Lee was convinced, the First Corps did not deeply entrench until a couple of weeks before the actions on December 12. Once completed on the terrain and making use of a 4 feet (1.2 m) stone wall, a network of trench

Trench

A trench is a type of excavation or depression in the ground. Trenches are generally defined by being deeper than they are wide , and by being narrow compared to their length ....

es, abatis

Abatis

Abatis, abattis, or abbattis is a term in field fortification for an obstacle formed of the branches of trees laid in a row, with the sharpened tops directed outwards, towards the enemy. The trees are usually interlaced or tied with wire...

, and other fieldworks (combined with the artillery) made for a most stout defensive position.

Suffolk operations

Longstreet and part of the First Corps (With Ransom, Hood and Pickett's divisions) were detached from the Army of Northern Virginia on February 26 and sent to Suffolk, Virginia

Suffolk, Virginia

, to contend with the Federal pressure there from Burnside's Union forces, as well as allow supplies in the region to be collected by Confederate authorities. This appointment came about through Longstreet's political connections as well as direct contact with Southern President Davis

Jefferson Davis

Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...

, but would cause the corps to miss the Battle of Chancellorsville

Battle of Chancellorsville

The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...

early that May. Ransom's heavy division did not return however, and was left under D. H. Hill's care. Though the division never re-joined the Corps the units re-joined other units over time, Cooke and his brigade joined the III corps, and the rest joined Anderson's IV corps.

Gettysburg

Note: see Gettysburg order of battle

Gettysburg Confederate order of battle

The following units and commanders fought in the Battle of Gettysburg on the Confederate side. The Gettysburg Union order of battle is shown separately...

for the command structure of the Army of Northern Virginia at this time.

At the Battle of Gettysburg

Battle of Gettysburg

(lasting from July 1–3, 1863), Longstreet and his First Corps (as well as other Southern commanders) gave an often studied and controversial performance. The choice of the ground the battle was to be fought on was partly a result of decisions made by generals on both sides, but also a natural impulse given the radial-like design of the several roads and rail lines out of Gettysburg, plus the surrounding hills suitable for defense. The battle would result in a Union victory, the highest casualties of the war over its three days, Lee's retreat back to Virginia, and numerous other effects both home and abroad.

Positions June 30, Army of Northern Virginia: (approximate distance from Gettysburg)

First Corps - Chambersburg
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
Chambersburg is a borough in the South Central region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is miles north of Maryland and the Mason-Dixon line and southwest of Harrisburg in the Cumberland Valley, which is part of the Great Appalachian Valley. Chambersburg is the county seat of Franklin County...

(24 miles (38.6 km)); part at Greenwood (16 mi)
Second Corps & Jenkins' cavalry - Heidlersburg (10 mi); Johnson
Edward Johnson (general)
Edward Johnson , also known as Allegheny Johnson , was a United States Army officer and a Confederate general in the American Civil War.-Early life:...

's division & trains, near Green Village (23 mi)
Third Corps - from Greenwood (16 mi) to Cashtown (8 mi)
Stuart
J.E.B. Stuart
James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart was a U.S. Army officer 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. Stuart was a cavalry commander known for his mastery of reconnaissance and the use...

's cavalry - circling between York and Carlisle (out of sight)
Robertson's cavalry - in Virginia (beyond reach); Imboden
John D. Imboden
John Daniel Imboden was a lawyer, teacher, Virginia state legislator. During the American Civil War, he was a Confederate cavalry general and partisan fighter...

's cavalry - at Hancock (out of sight)
Headquarters at Greenwood

Positions June 30, Army of the Potomac: (approximate distance from Gettysburg)

I Corps - Marsh Run (6 miles (9.7 km)); II Corps - Uniontown (22 mi)
III Corps - Bridgeport (12 mi); V Corps - Union Mills (15 mi)
VI Corps & Gregg's cavalry - Manchester (22 mi)
XI Corps - Emmitsburg (12 mi); XII Corps - Littletown (9 mi)
Kilpatrick
Hugh Judson Kilpatrick
Hugh Judson Kilpatrick was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War, achieving the rank of brevet major general. He was later the United States Minister to Chile, and a failed political candidate for the U.S...

's cavalry - Hanover (13 mi); Buford
John Buford
John Buford, Jr. was a Union cavalry officer during the American Civil War, with a prominent role at the start of the Battle of Gettysburg.-Early years:...

's cavalry - in Gettysburg
Headquarters & Hunt
Henry Jackson Hunt
Henry Jackson Hunt was Chief of Artillery in the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. Considered by his contemporaries the greatest artillery tactician and strategist of the war, he was a master of the science of gunnery and rewrote the manual on the organization and use of artillery...

's Reserve Artillery - Taneytown (14 mi.)

Note: these positions put the Confederate forces about 2.5 miles (4 km) from the battlefield used, Union forces 2.5 miles (4 km) closer.

Prelude and July 1

Nearing the end of June 1863 the Army of Northern Virginia had passed up the Shenandoah Valley, crossed through Maryland and entered Pennsylvania, using the Blue Ridge Mountains

Blue Ridge Mountains

The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...

to hide their movements from Union cavalry patrol

Patrol

A patrol is commonly a group of personnel, such as police officers or soldiers, that are assigned to monitor a specific geographic area.- Military :...

s. Hooker's army followed cautiously, keeping in mind Lincoln's requirement that both Washington and Baltimore be covered by any move the Federal army made. Lead elements of Ewell's Second Corps had passed through Gettysburg and reached as far as York County

York County, Pennsylvania

York County is a county in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 434,972. It is in the Susquehanna Valley, a large fertile agricultural region in South Central Pennsylvania....

, with the newly created Third Corps of A.P. Hill

A. P. Hill

Ambrose Powell Hill, Jr. , was a career U.S. Army officer in the Mexican-American War and Seminole Wars and a Confederate general in the American Civil War...

close behind them. On June 29 Lee learned the Army of the Potomac was pursuing and had crossed its namesake river, with a new commander, George Meade. Lee sent out orders for his army to consolidate near Cashtown, about eight miles from Gettysburg.

The First Corps divisions of Hood and McLaws were far from Cashtown and would not arrive in time to partake in the first day's fighting on July 1, while Pickett's division was even further back, being left to guard the lines of communication through Chambersburg

Chambersburg, Pennsylvania

Chambersburg is a borough in the South Central region of Pennsylvania, United States. It is miles north of Maryland and the Mason-Dixon line and southwest of Harrisburg in the Cumberland Valley, which is part of the Great Appalachian Valley. Chambersburg is the county seat of Franklin County...

, and would not rejoin the army until late on July 2. Meanwhile throughout this first day of battle units of the Second and Third Corps (about a third of Lee's army) pushed both Union I

I Corps (ACW)

I Corps was the designation of three different corps-sized units in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The units served in the following armies:...

and XI Corps

XI Corps (ACW)

The XI Corps was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War, best remembered for its involvement in the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg in 1863.-Formation and the Valley Campaign:...

(about a fourth of Meade's) back through Gettysburg, despite stubborn resistance by the Federal cavalry and initially the infantry as well. As the rest of the Union army came up it joined these two battered corps on the defensive line being constructed along much of Cemetery Ridge

Cemetery Ridge

Cemetery Ridge is a geographic feature in Gettysburg National Military Park south of the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, that figured prominently in the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1 to July 3, 1863. It formed a primary defensive position for the Union Army during the battle, roughly the center of...

.

2 July

3 July

Chickamauga

Note: see Chickamauga order of battle

Chickamauga Confederate order of battle

The following Confederate States Army units and commanders fought in the Battle of Chickamauga of the American Civil War. The Union order of battle is listed separately.-Military rank:* Gen = General* LTG = Lieutenant General* MG = Major General...

for the command structure of the Army of Tennessee at this time.

On September 9 the First Corps was transferred to the Department of Tennessee, except for Pickett's division and the brigade of "Tige" Anderson

George T. Anderson

George Thomas Anderson was a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Nicknamed "Tige," Anderson was noted as one of Robert E...

. The Tennessee rail hub at Chattanooga

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...

was the primary goal of both armies in the West, these being the Army of the Cumberland

Army of the Cumberland

The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio.-History:...

under Union Maj. Gen. Rosecrans and numbering nearly 60,000 men, and the Army of Tennessee

Army of Tennessee

The Army of Tennessee was the principal Confederate army operating between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River during the American Civil War. It was formed in late 1862 and fought until the end of the war in 1865, participating in most of the significant battles in the Western Theater...

led by Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg

Braxton Bragg

Braxton Bragg was a career United States Army officer, and then a general in the Confederate States Army—a principal commander in the Western Theater of the American Civil War and later the military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.Bragg, a native of North Carolina, was...

and with the First Corps combined with the division of Maj. Gen. Hiram T. Walker would grow to about 70,000. The Battle of Chickamauga

Battle of Chickamauga

The Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign...

began on September 19 and the First Corps arrived in time to take part on September 20. This fight is considered the most significant Union defeat in the Western Theater

Western Theater of the American Civil War

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

, with total casualties on both sides exceeding 34,000.

To get to and reinforce Bragg's army, the First Corps would use 16 railroads on a nearly 800-mile (1,350 km) route through the North

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

and South Carolina

South Carolina

South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...

to reach the Army of Tennessee, stationed in northern Georgia. This round-about route was necessary due to the different gauges of the surviving Southern rail system between the forces, and would take three weeks to complete. Reporting to Bragg on September 17, Longstreet was given command of the left units of the army consisting of the divisions of Hood, McLaws, Johnson, Stewart

Alexander P. Stewart

Alexander Peter Stewart was a career United States Army officer, college professor, and a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...

, Preston

William Preston

William Preston may refer to:*William Preston , Scottish author of Illustrations of Masonry*William Preston , Irish-born frontier Virginia leader, signer of the Fincastle Resolutions...

, Hindman

Thomas C. Hindman

Thomas Carmichael Hindman, Jr. was a lawyer, United States Representative from the 1st Congressional District of Arkansas, and a Major General in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War....

, his own and Robertson's artillery, and the cavalry under Wheeler

Joseph Wheeler

Joseph Wheeler was an American military commander and politician. He has the rare distinction of serving as a general during war time for two opposing forces: first as a noted cavalry general in the Confederate States Army in the 1860s during the American Civil War, and later as a general in the...

and Forrest

Nathan Bedford Forrest

Nathan Bedford Forrest was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He is remembered both as a self-educated, innovative cavalry leader during the war and as a leading southern advocate in the postwar years...

. The right of the army was given to Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk

Leonidas Polk

Leonidas Polk was a Confederate general in the American Civil War who was once a planter in Maury County, Tennessee, and a second cousin of President James K. Polk...

, and these commands were chosen based on where units were then.

Knoxville Campaign

Battle of Campbell's Station

The Battle of Campbell's Station was a battle of the Knoxville Campaign of the American Civil War, occurring on November 16, 1863, at Campbell's Station, , Knox County, Tennessee....

Battle of Fort Sanders

The Battle of Fort Sanders was the decisive engagement of the Knoxville Campaign of the American Civil War, fought in Knoxville, Tennessee, on November 29, 1863. Assaults by Confederate Lt. Gen. James Longstreet failed to break through the defensive lines of Union Maj. Gen...

Winter quarters 1863–64

About an hour after the failed attack on Fort Sanders on November 29, a telegram from President Jefferson Davis arrived, informing Longstreet of Bragg's defeat at Chattanooga and directing the First Corps to rejoin the Army of Tennessee. At first Longstreet decided to leave the Knoxville area immediately, so he directed the wagon train to move rearward at once. Then two messages from Bragg came in, suggesting the First Corps should cross the mountain ranges into Georgia to reach the army retreating there. As Longstreet held councils of war

Council of war

A council of war is a term in military science that describes a meeting held to decide on a course of action, usually in the midst of a battle. Under normal circumstances, decisions are made by a commanding officer, optionally communicated and coordinated by staff officers, and then implemented by...

with his senior officers, the logistical problems of crossing the mountains came to light, and it was decided to stay at Knoxville until Union reinforcements arrived then go into winter quarters near Bristol, Virginia

Bristol, Virginia

Bristol is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Washington County, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee, and Sullivan County, Tennessee....

.

On December 1 Confederate cavalry patrols captured an enemy courier, carrying a message for Burnside stating three columns had been sent to his aid. Longstreet acted on this information—later proved to be a ruse—and ordered his wagons started eastward under guard. The 15,000 infantrymen began to follow late in the day on December 4, marching in a heavy rain all night. Over the next four days the First Corps retreated toward Virginia, passing through Bean's Station

Bean Station, Tennessee

Bean Station is a city in Grainger County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Morristown, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city was incorporated in November 1996...

and heading for Rogersville

Rogersville, Tennessee

Rogersville is a town in Hawkins County, Tennessee, United States. It was settled in 1775 by the grandparents of Davy Crockett and is the second-oldest town in the state. It is named for its founder, Joseph Rogers....

in Hawkins County, Tennessee

Hawkins County, Tennessee

Hawkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 56,833. Its county seat is Rogersville, Tennessee's second-oldest town....

, where Longstreet halted on December 9. The following day he received discretionary authority from Davis covering all soldiers in his region, and with this he recalled the cavalry units that had been ordered to Bragg in Georgia. Longstreet rested his command at Rogersville until December 13, when he learned of pursuing Union infantry and cavalry back at Bean's Station; he then decided to turn and attack them the next day.

The Wilderness

Note: see Wilderness order of battle

Wilderness Confederate order of battle

The following Confederate States Army units and commanders fought in the Battle of the Wilderness of the American Civil War. The Union order of battle is listed separately.-Military rank:* Gen = General* LTG = Lieutenant General...

for the command structure of the Army of Northern Virginia at this time.

The Battle of the Wilderness was fought on May 5–6, 1864, west of the battlefield used in the Chancellorsville

Battle of Chancellorsville

fight a year earlier. Regarded as inconclusive tactically, the results were about 18,000 Union and roughly 11,000 Confederate casualties, and the continuation of Grant's offensive campaign

Overland Campaign

to destroy Lee's army.

The First Corps was 25 miles (40 km) away guarding rail lines at Gordonsville

Gordonsville, Virginia

Gordonsville is a town in Louisa and Orange counties in the U.S. state of Virginia. The population was 1,496 at the 2010 census.-History:Nathaniel Gordon purchased in 1787 and in 1794, or possibly earlier, applied for and was granted a license to operate a tavern...

when the rest of Lee's army engaged the Meade's Army of the Potomac. Grant and Meade did not want battle within Spotsylvania's dense forestry (called the "Wilderness") as it would negate the Federal advantage of numbers and artillery, and Lee wished a fight there for those very reasons to even up the long odds his force would face. Throughout May 5 the Second Corps went after the Union V Corps to the left and fought to a standstill, while the Third Corps started against the Union II Corps

II Corps (ACW)

There were five corps in the Union Army designated as II Corps during the American Civil War.* Army of the Cumberland, II Corps commanded by Thomas L. Crittenden , later renumbered XX Corps...

on the right and was pushed back in very heavy fighting. By mid-day on May 6 the Third Corps was in danger of being swamped over by the II Corps and numerous reinforcements when the First Corps arrived to fill in the gap created by the fight. Longstreet put in his men directly against the now-worn out II Corps and regained almost all of the ground lost in the battle so far, then pushed the II Corps a mile (1.6 km) further. An unfinished railroad cut between the Union wings was now used to get at more of the II Corps, however Longstreet did not have enough soldiers to complete the victory and most fighting petered out as the sun was setting. Shortly afterwards the general was seriously hit in his neck by friendly fire

Friendly fire

Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...

and the First Corps was now commanded by Maj. Gen. Richard Anderson (6–7 May the corps was temporarily commanded by Maj. Gen. Field

Charles W. Field

Charles William Field was a career military officer, serving in the United States Army and then, during the American Civil War, in the Confederate States Army. His division was considered as one of the finest in the Army of Northern Virginia...

) until Longstreet's recuperation and return despite an arm paralyzed in October 1864.

Spotsylvania Court House

Note: see Spotsylvania order of battle

Spotsylvania Court House Confederate order of battle

The following Confederate States Army units and commanders fought in the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House of the American Civil War. The Union order of battle is listed separately.-Military rank:* Gen = General* LTG = Lieutenant General...

for the command structure of the Army of Northern Virginia at this time.

The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House was fought May 8–21, along a trench line four miles long, in and around Spotsylvania, about 10 miles southeast of the Wilderness battlefields.

On the evening of May 7, Lee ordered Maj. Gen. Richard Anderson to move his corps to Spotsylvania Court House, believing that Grant was headed to the same place. He told Anderson to have his men on the move by three in the morning, but Anderson decided to move at ten that evening, a decision that would prove to help the Army of Northern Virginia considerably. At the same time Lee put Anderson in motion, Grant decided to move his army to the same location in hopes of drawing Lee out into the open and get between Lee and Richmond.

The First Corps had just arrived to Block House Bridge when Anderson was informed that Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart was holding off Grant’s infantry (elements of Warren’s V Corps

V Corps (ACW)

The V Corps was a unit of the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War.-1862:The corps was first organized briefly under Nathaniel P. Banks, but then permanently on May 18, 1862, designated as the "V Corps Provisional"...

) on Brock Road and needed reinforcements. He sent the brigades of Henegan and Humphreys to his aid, and upon their arrival, Stuart deployed them along the crest of Laurel Hill, where they successfully held off the Federal advance. No sooner had Anderson sent his first two brigades off when he was approached by a courier from Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee

Fitzhugh Lee

Fitzhugh Lee , nephew of Robert E. Lee, was a Confederate cavalry general in the American Civil War, the 40th Governor of Virginia, diplomat, and United States Army general in the Spanish-American War.-Early life:...

, who was engaged with Federal cavalry units of Brig. Gen. James H. Wilson

James H. Wilson

James Harrison Wilson was a United States Army topographic engineer, a Union Army Major General in the American Civil War and later wars, a railroad executive, and author.-Early life and engineering:...

, who had just broken through to the Court House. Anderson immediately sent the brigades of Bryan and Wofford, who are able to help Lee fend off the cavalrymen.

The First Corps would spend the majority of the battle defending against repeated assaults of Laurel Hill made by both V Corps infantry as well as units from Hancock’s II Corps, and was not heavily involved in the fighting in and around the “Bloody Angle.”

Cold Harbor

Note: see Cold Harbor order of battle

Cold Harbor Confederate order of battle

The following Confederate States Army units and commanders fought in the Battle of Cold Harbor of the American Civil War. The Union order of battle is listed separately.-Military Rank:* Gen = General* LTG = Lieutenant General* MG = Major General...

for the command structure of the Army of Northern Virginia at this time.

The first corps in this battle

Five Forks and Appomattox

Following Lt. Gen. A.P. Hill's death at Petersburg

Battle of Petersburg III

The Third Battle of Petersburg, also known as the Breakthrough at Petersburg or the Fall of Petersburg, was a decisive Union assault on the Confederate trenches, ending the ten-month Siege of Petersburg and leading to the fall of Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia.-Fort Mahone:The Union IX Corps...

, the Third Corps was merged with the First on April 2.

Major battles

Here is a listing of significant battles in which the First Corps participated.

1862

Dates	Battle name	Alternate name
May 31–June 1, 1862	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. It was the culmination of an offensive up the Virginia Peninsula by Union Maj. Gen....	Battle of Fair Oaks
June 27, 1862	Battle of Gaines' Mill Battle of Gaines' Mill The Battle of Gaines's Mill, sometimes 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...	First Battle of Cold Harbor
July 1, 1862	Battle of 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, on the seventh and last day of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War. Gen. Robert E. Lee launched a series of disjointed assaults on the nearly impregnable...	Battle of Poindexter's Farm
August 28–30, 1862	Second Battle of Bull Run Second Battle of Bull Run The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...	Second Manassas
September 17, 1862	Battle of 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 soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...	Battle of Sharpsburg
December 12–15, 1862	Battle of Fredericksburg Battle of Fredericksburg The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...	none

1863

Dates	Battle name	Alternate name
April 11–May 4, 1863	Siege of Suffolk Siege of Suffolk The Siege of Suffolk was fought around Suffolk, Virginia, from April 11 to May 4, 1863, during the American Civil War.-Background:In 1863 Lt. Gen. James Longstreet was placed in command of the Confederate Department of Virginia and North Carolina. Longstreet was given four objectives: 1) to...	none
July 1–3, 1863	Battle of Gettysburg Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...	none
September 18–20, 1863	Battle of Chickamauga Battle of Chickamauga The Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863, marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign...	none

1864

Dates	Battle name	Alternate name
May 5–6, 1864	Battle of the Wilderness Battle of the Wilderness The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...	none
May 8–21, 1864	Battle of 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 Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Overland Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the bloody but inconclusive Battle of the Wilderness, Grant's army disengaged...	Battle of Spotsylvania
May 31–June 12, 1864	Battle of Cold Harbor Battle of Cold Harbor The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864 . It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign during the American Civil War, and is remembered as one of American history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles...	none
June 15, 1864–March 25, 1865	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...	none

1865

Dates	Battle name	Alternate name
June 15, 1864–March 25, 1865	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...	none
April 1, 1865	Battle of 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. The battle, sometimes referred to as the "Waterloo of the Confederacy," pitted Union Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan against...	none