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What general was first offered the command of the army of the Potomac by President Lincoln?
ChuckSiata
General Irving McDowell was originally the commander of the Army of Northeastern Virginia which fought and lost the First Battle of Bull Run. Upon his arrival in Washington D.C., General George B. McClellan's original assignment was to command the Division of the Potomac, which included the Department of Northeast Virginia under McDowell and the Department of Washington under Brig. Gen. Joseph K. Mansfield.
On July 26, 1861, the Department of the Shenandoah, commanded by Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks, was merged with McClellan's departments and on that day, McClellan formed the Army of the Potomac, which was composed of all military forces in the former Departments of Northeastern Virginia, Washington, Pennsylvania, and the Shenandoah. The men under Banks's command became an infantry division in the Army of the Potomac. The army started with four corps, but these were divided during the Peninsula Campaign to produce two more. After the Second Battle of Bull Run, the Army of the Potomac absorbed the units that had served under Maj. Gen. John Pope.
It is a popular, but mistaken, belief that John Pope commanded the Army of the Potomac in the summer of 1862 after McClellan's unsuccessful Peninsula Campaign. On the contrary, Pope's army consisted of different units and was named the Army of Virginia. During the time that the Army of Virginia existed, the Army of the Potomac was headquartered on the Virginia Peninsula, and then outside Washington, D.C., with McClellan still in command, although three corps of the Army of the Potomac were sent to northern Virginia and were under Pope's operational control during the Northern Virginia Campaign.
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Why did President Lincoln appointment of General Joseph Hooker to command the Army of the Potomac?
Increased support of the war in the north:)
Who did Lincoln replace George b McClellan with?
On March 11, 1862, Lincoln relieved McClellan as General-in-Chief and took direct command of the Union armies. On November 2, 1862, Lincoln named Ambrose E. Burnside as Commander of the Army of the Potomac, replacing McClellan.
How did Union General Henry W Halleck reorganize the command structure in the Eastern Theater?
As General Joseph Hooker was doing his best to boost the morale of the Army of the Potomac, and being credited with his great success, Halleck, under fire from US President Lincoln, began to reorganize the command structure in the Eastern Theater. This was a challenge, and a major reason was the fact that Lincoln believed that Halleck had failed in more than one way to correctly exercise his role as general in chief. Because of that, General Hooker convinced Lincoln that he could break the normal chain of command and report directly to President Lincoln. This was a serious flaw by any military measure.With that said, Halleck took the following measures:* He placed the troops at Harper's Ferry and troops in the Shenandoah Valley under the command of Major General Robert Schenck;* Halleck reassigned the 9th Corps of the Army of the Potomac to Major General Dix at Fort Monroe; and* Halleck retained Major General Heintzelman as commander of the Washington DC defense troops.Halleck believed that these armies were too weak to defend themselves and ordered General Hooker to support them from the Army of the Potomac as needed.Lincoln again stepped in to break the chain of command by offering Hooker command of the Washington DC garrison, bur Hooker declined.Halleck was able to give to Hooker the same instructions that Lincoln had approved for the last commander of the Army of the Potomac, General Burnside, the command to focus on destroying Lee's army.
Who was the unions commander during the Gettysburg battle?
Major General George G. Meade was in command of the Union forces at the Battle of Gettysburg.
When was general Burnside put in overall command of Union forces?
After the battle of Antietam, Lincoln decided to replace General McClellan as the top military commander with general Ambrose E. Burnside. On November 3rd of 1862, Lincoln made this important change in the Union's military forces.
What abnormal military command error was made by US President Lincoln when General Joseph Hooker was placed in charge of the Army of the Potomac?
As a condition for taking command of the Army of the Potomac, General Joseph Hooker was allowed to report directly to President Lincoln. No other Union field general was granted this privilege, and the dual high command structure then in place caused problems in command and control. It also contributed to the Union's defeat at the Battle of the Second Bull Run.
How many times did Union General Burnside receive requests from President Lincoln to take command of the Army of the Potomac?
President Lincoln had great faith in the abilities of General Ambrose Burnside. Three times he asked Burnside to take command of the Army of the Potomac. If he agreed, then Lincoln would dismiss McClellan and replace him with Burnside. On the third request Burnside accepted. McClellan was informed on November 7, 1862 that he was dismissed.
Why did President Lincoln appointment of General Joseph Hooker to command the Army of the Potomac?
Increased support of the war in the north:)
Who did Lincoln replace George b McClellan with?
On March 11, 1862, Lincoln relieved McClellan as General-in-Chief and took direct command of the Union armies. On November 2, 1862, Lincoln named Ambrose E. Burnside as Commander of the Army of the Potomac, replacing McClellan.
What plan did General Burnside present to President Lincoln upon assuming command of the Army of the Potomac?
Not long after Major General Ambrose Burnside took command of the Army of the Potomac in the Fall of 1862, he formulated a battle plan which he sent to President Lincoln for approval. Burnside's approved plan was to march to Fredericksburg, just beyond General Lee's right flank, crossing the Rappahannock River on pontoons. His ultimate goal was to assault Richmond and he counted on supplies ferried to him by the Union Navy.
Who did Lincoln give command of the army after he fired McClellan?
Burnside.An Alternate Answer:On March 11, 1862, Lincoln relieved McClellan as General-in-Chief and took direct command of the Union armies.On November 2, 1862, Lincoln named Ambrose E. Burnside as Commander of the Army of the Potomac, replacing McClellan.
Who replaced Joseph Hooker as commander of the Army of the Potomac?
US President Lincoln replaced General Hooker with General George Meade as commander of the Army of the Potomac. He won the Battle of Gettysburg.
How did Union General John Pope alienate his new command of the Army of the Potomac?
Based on his outstanding performance in the Western Theater, President Lincoln appointed General John Pope to command the Army of the Potomac. Pope immediately had a bad start by issuing a statement to his new army that the performance of Western Theater armies of the Union were superior than those of the Eastern Theater.
How did Union General Henry W Halleck reorganize the command structure in the Eastern Theater?
As General Joseph Hooker was doing his best to boost the morale of the Army of the Potomac, and being credited with his great success, Halleck, under fire from US President Lincoln, began to reorganize the command structure in the Eastern Theater. This was a challenge, and a major reason was the fact that Lincoln believed that Halleck had failed in more than one way to correctly exercise his role as general in chief. Because of that, General Hooker convinced Lincoln that he could break the normal chain of command and report directly to President Lincoln. This was a serious flaw by any military measure.With that said, Halleck took the following measures:* He placed the troops at Harper's Ferry and troops in the Shenandoah Valley under the command of Major General Robert Schenck;* Halleck reassigned the 9th Corps of the Army of the Potomac to Major General Dix at Fort Monroe; and* Halleck retained Major General Heintzelman as commander of the Washington DC defense troops.Halleck believed that these armies were too weak to defend themselves and ordered General Hooker to support them from the Army of the Potomac as needed.Lincoln again stepped in to break the chain of command by offering Hooker command of the Washington DC garrison, bur Hooker declined.Halleck was able to give to Hooker the same instructions that Lincoln had approved for the last commander of the Army of the Potomac, General Burnside, the command to focus on destroying Lee's army.
What was the joke told by President Lincoln upon visiting General McClellan's camp after the Battle of Antietam?
At the camp, President Lincoln was in a conversation with another politician. After referring to the Army of the Potomac, he made a joke. He said " excuse me, I was not referring to the Army of the Potomac, I meant to say " McClellan's bodyguard".
Abraham Lincoln's response to General McClellan's Command?
Lincoln's response to General McClellan's command was that Lincoln relieved McClellan of Command.
When did US President Lincoln demand that General George B McClellan cross the Potomac River to amplify the results of the Battle of Antietam?
Lincoln paid a visit to McClellan on October 1, 1862, during which he urged the general to act energetically, crossing the Potomac, but the Army of the Potomac was put in motion to cross the river only on the 26th, after a peremptory request of both Halleck and Lincoln.
