Who commanded the Army of the Peninsula in May 1861?
Colonel John B. Magruder received his assignment to command operations on the lower Virginia Peninsula in May 1861. He later held the rank of major general by the end of that year.
Questions about Army of the Peninsula
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When was the Department of the Peninsula officially created?
The Confederate Secretary of War LeRoy Pope Walker issued an order on the 26th of May 1861 to officially create the Department of the Peninsula. This administrative action brought the military force into existence under a new name.
How many men were in Magruder's army by the end of 1861?
By year's end, the force had swollen to 13,000 men under Magruder's leadership. Recruitment efforts expanded rapidly across the Virginia Peninsula region throughout 1861.
What happened to the Army of the Peninsula in April 1862?
In April 1862 Magruder's army was incorporated into the right wing of Joseph E. Johnston's larger army. The formal designation of the Army of the Peninsula ceased to exist at this moment.
Why did Magruder delay George B. McClellan's advance on Richmond?
Magruder used local knowledge to slow the Union advance through deliberate tactics. His decisions delayed enemy progress long enough for additional Confederate reinforcements to arrive.