Upon his return to command of the Army, General McClellan wasted no time in clearing house. The supremely unlucky Irwin McDowell was replaced by Joseph Hooker. Nathaniel Banks was "promoted" to the command of the defenses around the capital. On 12 September, Banks's corps, under its new designation as the 12th Corps of the Army of the Potomac, was placed under the command of Joseph Mansfield, a 40-year Army man with no combat experience. An engineer, Mansfield had been trying to weedle a field command for himself for months.
In Gordon's brigade, 2 new regiments were received: the 13th New Jersey (Col. Carman) & the 107th New York (Col. Van Valkenburg). While the addition of 2,000 fresh rifles was welcomed, both regiments were completely green.
The air was filled with rumors about Lee's movements. Lt. Col. Dwight was doubtful that the enemy would cross the Potomac in force and drive deep into Maryland, but if they did, he was confident that the much abused Federal soldiery would strike Lee a death blow "if our hearts have really not died within us."
Lee did cross the river on 4 September and occupied Frederick, MD. The panicked North looked to McClellan for salvation. On the 7th, he advanced to meet Lee, assisted by the discovery of the famous "lost order," by a member of the 27th IN of Gordon's brigade.
The 12th Corps (and thus the 2nd MA) took no part in the Battle of South Mountain on 14 September, but as the two armies began to concentrate around Sharpsburg, MD, it was obvious to all that a major battle was about to take place.
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