— Ch. 1 · Constitution And Formation —
Army of Virginia.
~3 min read · Ch. 1 of 5
General Orders Number 103 arrived on the 26th of June 1862 to reshape the Union war effort in Virginia. This single document dissolved four separate departments into one massive fighting force. John C. Frémont led the Mountain Department before its absorption. Irvin McDowell commanded the Department of the Rappahannock until that unit merged. Nathaniel P. Banks directed the Department of the Shenandoah prior to consolidation. Samuel D. Sturgis brought his brigade from the Military District of Washington to join the new structure. Major General John Pope received command over this newly formed organization. The Army of Virginia began with three corps containing more than 50,000 men under Pope's direct orders.
Political Ideology And Composition
Radical Republicans in Congress viewed this army as a vehicle for radical change during the conflict. Senior officers within the ranks advocated strongly for abolishing slavery and destroying the southern way of life. These leaders held different political views than their counterparts in other Union forces. A smaller proportion of West Point graduates served among these officers compared to George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac. The Cabinet saw the Army of Virginia taking the lead in widening the goals of the war beyond mere preservation of the Union. This ideological shift created tension between the new army and traditional military establishments.