Maryland Campaign - Background Info Flashcards
When did the Maryland Campaign begin?
September 2nd - 4th, 1862 - just days after the decisive Confederate victory at the Second Battle of Bull Run / Battle of Second Manassas.
What town in Northern Virginia did the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia encamp at prior to crossing into Maryland?
Leesburg, Virginia
Approximately how many men did the Army of Northern Virginia have in its ranks at the start of the Maryland Campaign?
Around 55,000 men
Name three reasons why General Robert E. Lee chose to invade Maryland in September of 1862
1: To garner the support of the Marylanders, who a year earlier had been divided in their loyalties to the Union as a Border State.
2: To press Washington into suing for peace with a combined Confederate invasion of the North happening simultaneously on three fronts: Lee’s army in Maryland, Braxton Bragg’s army in Kentucky, and Earl Van Dorn’s army in Missouri.
3: To hopefully gain the open support and recognition of foreign powers such as Great Britain and France.
Name the two corps commanders in charge of the “wings” of the Army of Northern Virginia. How many infantry divisions were in each Wing?
Left Wing: Major General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson; 4 Divisions
Right Wing: Major General James Longstreet; 5 Divisions
Approximately how many men did the Union Army of the Potomac have in its ranks at the start of the Maryland Campaign?
Approximately 102,000 men
List the Union Army of the Potomac’s corps and their commanders at the start of the Maryland Campaign.
I Corps - Major General Joseph Hooker
II Corps - Major General Edwin V. “Bull” Sumner
First Division, IV Corps - Major General Darius N. Couch
V Corps - Major General Fitz John Porter
VI Corps - Major General William B. Franklin
IX Corps - Major General Ambrose E. Burnside
XII Corps - Major General Joseph K. Mansfield
Where did Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia cross the Potomac River? What song did the soldiers sing as they crossed?
White’s Ford, north of Leesburg; “Maryland, My Maryland.”
What city in Maryland did the Confederates occupy from September 6th - 9th, 1862?
Frederick
What was General Lee’s strategy for the Maryland Campaign once his army reached Frederick?
Lee would split his army into four parts: Stonewall Jackson’s Left Wing would march towards Harpers Ferry and eliminate the Union garrison in the town, which threatened Lee’s line of communications with the Shenandoah Valley. Longstreet’s Right Wing would march northwest from Frederick through Boonsboro to occupy Hagerstown. J. E. B. Stuart’s Cavalry Division and D. H. Hill’s Division of Jackson’s Left Wing would guard guard the army’s rear at South Mountain.
What was the famous “Lost Order” that detailed Lee’s campaign movement plans called? Where and when was it discovered by Union troops?
Special Order 191; it was discovered on September 13th, south of Frederick near the Best Farm along the Monocacy River.
Name the infantry divisions and their commanders in Longstreet’s Right Wing; how many infantry brigades were in each division?
McLaws’ Division - Major General Lafayette McLaws; 4 Brigades
Anderson’s Division - Major General Richard H. Anderson; 6 Brigades
Jones’ Division - Major General David R. (D. R.) Jones; 6 Brigades
Walker’s Division - Major General John G. Walker; 2 Brigades
Hood’s Division - Brigadier General John Bell Hood; 2 Brigades
Name the infantry divisions and their commanders in Jackson’s Left Wing; how many infantry brigades were in each division?
Ewell’s Division - Brigadier General Alexander Lawton; 4 Brigades
A. P. Hill’s Light Division - Major General Ambrose P. Hill; 5 Brigades
Jackson’s Division - Brigadier General John R. Jones; 4 Brigades
D. H. Hill’s Division - Major General Daniel H. Hill; 5 Brigades
