General Lee's HQ.

MAIN DATE PAGE PRIOR TO 1861 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865

BACK HOME
1862
March 4th, 1862. Lee is recalled from command of South Carolina and Georgia to be the Military Adviser to President Davis.
May, 1862. Lee is appointed Commander of the main Confederate Army.
June 1st, 1862. Lee assumes command of the defense of Richmond.
June 15th, 1862. As a result of J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry actions, Lee becomes convinced that Union communications are largely unprotected. He therefore orders Jackson to move down the Shenandoah Valley to join up with the Army of Northern Virginia. As a smokescreen, Lee sends 10,000 troops in Jackson's starting direction. Lee hopes this will confuse the enemy, and disguise his true intent
June 26th, 1862. Lee launches his assault on the Union army commanded by McClellan. The major action of the initial thrust being a heavy attack on the single Union corps commanded by Fitz John Porter. The engagement occurs along the Chickahominy River.
June 27th, 1862. Lee wins his first major victory of the war. Confederate forces drive Porter back at Gaines Mill.
June 29th, 1862. Lee's forces pursue the retreating army of the Potomac. A heavy engagement occurs at Savage's Station. Sumner's corp delay the advancing Confederates, but eventually withdraw - leaving behind 2,500 sick and wounded Union soldiers.
June 30th, 1862. In an attempt to cut off McClellan's army, Lee attempts a co-ordinated attack using his entire 80,000 men. The Confederates are unable to attack in unison however, and the plan fails. The Union forces are able to withdraw in good order.
July 1st, 1862. McClellan's army digs in on Malvern Hill (overlooking the James River). Lee is eager for a total defeat of the enemy and orders an assault on the Union's strong defensive position. The fighting continued for six days (for some reason refered to in history books as the Seven Days Battle). The Confederate forces are decimated - 3,000 dead, 15,000 wounded and 1,000 missing (It is a pity Lee did not remember this folly at Gettysburg). McClellan does not push the initative, if he had of done so - the Confederate army may have well been crushed.
July 7th, 1862. Lee pulls his forces back towards Richmond.
July 8th, 1862. The redeployment to Richmond continues. Lee employs a cavalry screen to prevent McClellan from discovering his movements.
July 21st, 1862. In order to protect the capital of the Confederacy (Richmond), Lee sends Stonewall Jackson to take possession of Gordonsville.
August 13th, 1862. Robert E. Lee's army of Northern Virginia begins to advance on Gordonsville.
August 20th, 1862. Lee's army (now 80,000 strong) arrives at the west bank of the Rappahannock. Their arrival is presaged by a cavalry clash at Brandy Station. Lee's men push aside Pope's pickets at Rappahannock Station and now oppose Pope across the river. Lee's northward mach is geared towards turning the Union troops right - and for the next two days, Lee will attempt to force his way across the river.
August 21st, 1862. Lee's army exchanges heavy artillery fire with Pope's along the Rappahannock.
August 22nd, 1862. Lee makes plans to cross the river. The 6th Virginia Cavalry, under Jeb Stuart, cross the river and are able to get inside Pope's headquarters at Catlett's Station. Stuart's force capture several Union staff officers, and more importantly they gain access to Pope's dispatch book - learning many important pieces of information.
August 23rd, 1862. Heavy night rain swells the Rappahannock by six to eight feet and sweeps away bridges. Lee's plans of crossing the river are now impossible. Lee turns his mind to planing a new strategy. With the information gained from Jeb Stuart's raid, Lee decides to distract Pope with a holding force, whilst the majority of his force marches rapidly beyond the Union right and then around to their rear. This, Lee hopes, will cut Pope's communication line with Washington and enable Lee's force to crush Pope's.
August 25th, 1862. The first part of Lee's new plan goes into action. Stonewall Jackson takes 66 regiments of infantry and all of Lee's cavalry and leaves the Rappahannock, marching up the valley between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Bull Run Mountains. The force reaches Salem by midnight and prepares, using the Thorofare Gap, to fall on Pope's rear the next day.
August 26th, 1862. Lee's army continues to move into position. Jackson moves through Thorofare Gap and seizes Manassas Junction. Longstreet discontinues his demonstrations against Pope, and moves as quickly as he can to join up with Jackson at Manassas.
August 27th, 1862. Jackson is now firmly in control of Manassas Junction. The rest of Lee's army is moving along the Bull Run Mountains to cross through Thorofare Gap. Several small engagements break out between Union and Confederate forces. Hooker (Union) runs into Ewell (Confederate) as he, Hooker, is heading for Bristoe. Their respective divisions engage at Kettle Run. Another engagement occurs at Bull Run Ridge. The Union force is unable to drive the Confederates from their position, and Union General G.W.Taylor is mortally wounded in the action.
August 28th, 1862. Jackson's force comes into danger of being cut off by Pope before Longstreet will arrive through Thorofare Gap. Jackson, therefore, feigns a retreat back towards Shenandoah Valley. Jackson engages Pope again at Groveton,(Near the battlefield of 1st Bull Run), raining artillery fire down on Pope's exposed flank. A vicious fight ensues. The engagement is brought to a close at nightfall.
August 29th, 1862. The Battle of 2nd Bull Run is now underway. Pope throws his army at Jackson's position, he believes that Jackson is merely fighting a rear guard action - and will break very soon. As part of the assault, Pope orders Fitz John Porter to attack Jackson's right flank. Porter begins his assault when suddenly, Longstreet's divisions arrive on the field. Porter breaks off the assault and digs in, expecting a Confederate counter-offensive at any moment. That night sees a situation of stalemate.
August 30th, 1862. Pope repeatedly assaults the Confederate line. Jackson's force is so hard pressed by the action that some companies run out of ammunition.These companies are forced to throw stones or use their muskets as clubs. Jackson's line eventually begins to yield slightly. In an attempt to relieve the pressure on Jackson, Lee sends Longstreet's corps to turn the left of the Union line. Pope is forced to withdraw troops to bolster the left flank and Jackson immediately launches a counter-offensive of his own. Pope seeing that the tide of battle has turned, orders a retreat towards Washington. Lee's army has won the day.
August 31st, 1862. Manassas is gripped by a heavy rainstorm. The downpour hampers Lee in his pursuit of the defeated Union army.
September 1st, 1862. The Second Bull Run campaign closes with a clash at Ox Hill. The engagement occurs during a torrential thunderstorm. During the confused battle, Union General's Isaac Stevens and Philip Kearney are killed.
September 5th, 1862. Lee strikes onward towards Maryland. The Confederate army reaps a rich harvest from the fields and larders of Maryland. Back home farmers of ravaged northern Virginia are able to gather what is left of their harvest. Lee's northern invasion has taken the war away from them, as well as boosting southern morale in general.
September 7th, 1862. Lee crosses the Potomac near Leesburg, Virginia, and enters Maryland. Lee is aware that he cannot storm Washington (his army is simply not strong enough), but by taking the war to the north, he hopes to prevent another invasion of Virginia. Lee's advance does cause panic in Washington - In fact ships are put on standby to evacuate the cabinet.
September 8th, 1862. A proclamation is issued to the people of Maryland. In the proclamation, Lee urges the people of Maryland to rally to his standard and restore Maryland to her rightful place in the Confederacy. The proclamation further promises that joining is a free choice: The Confederate army will not apply force in this matter.
September 9th, 1862. The people of Maryland do not rush to Lee's aid. Hardly anyone either joins the army or offers to provision it. Lee's men are now badly suffering from the summer's campaign. Nevertheless, Lee decides to press north into Pennyslvania. He issues Special Order 191. This order instructs his troops to follow divergent routes before concentrating again at Hagerstown, Maryland. It is from Hagerstown that Lee hopes to draw from his supply base at Winchester in the Shenandoah Valley.
September 10th, 1862. Lee's army departs from their encampment at Frederick. Longstreet and D.H. Hill cross South Mountain and march on Hagerston. Jackson attacks Harper's Ferry, while McLaws occupies the Maryland Heights. The heights overlooked the town from the north side of the Potomac. Walker approaches from the east and seizes the Loudon Heights. These heights are across the Shenandoah from Harper's Ferry.
September 11th, 1862. Jackson, after having halted overnight near Boonsboro, leads his troops to Williamsport. They ford the Potomac and then head for Martinsburg. Jackson's plan is to drive the Union garrison there into the trap at Harper's Ferry.
September 12th, 1862. Stuart's cavalry rear guard capture an Union brigade commander in a surprise counter-attack. The cavalry then withdraws down the Hagerstown road.
September 13th, 1862. Lady Luck turns against Lee. Two soldiers from Indiana find some cigars wrapped in paper at the site of Lee's encampment. The paper is a copy of Special Order 191. The paper is turned over to Union commander McClellan.
September 14th, 1862. Lee's force withdraws west over three narrow roads leading over the slopes of South Mountain. Lee's rear guards come under attack early in the asfternoon. Lee becomes extremely discouraged by the speed of the Union's pursuit, so much so, that he writes orders cancelling the offensive planned for that evening. Just as the orders are completed, a messanger rides in with the news from Jackson : Harper's Ferry is as good as taken.
September 15th, 1862. McLaws and Walker establish cannon on the heights overlooking Harper's Ferry, this positioning renders the town untenable. The artillery launches a brief bombardment which shatters the Union batteries. The Union commander, General Dixon A. Miles is forced to hoist the white flag. Ironically, Miles is killed by shells from a Confederate battery that is unaware that a surrender has taken place. When the town is seized, some 12,000 Union troops are captured. Jackson leaves A.P.Hill's force in charge of the prisoners, then leads his men on a forced march to join with Lee before McClellan can close on Lee's force. Lee, meanwhile, is in Sharpsburg with a mere 18,000 men, facing McClellan's troops who are assembling before the town. The battle of Antietam is soon to commence.
September 16th, 1862. Lee finds himself hopelessly outnumbered at Sharpsburg. The rolling countryside around the town offers many possibilities for defense, but Lee has his back to the Potomac. The situation looks grim indeed. As the morning fog lifts, McClellan's cannon open a bombardment. At the same time, 75,000 Union troops begin to deploy. Jackson arrives on the field at this stage, bringing with him 9,000 travel weary troops. Jackson's men join the Confederate line. The line is stretched thinly over a four mile front. Later in the afternoon, McClellan dispatches Joe Hooker, along with I Corps, to turn Lee's left. Hooker's force is detected at 6 pm., and a short exchange of fire breaks out as Hooker crosses Antietam Creek.
September 17th, 1862. The day's battle consists largely of a series of uncontrolled Union assaults (In fact thousands of Union troops will remain unengaged - waiting for orders that McClellan fails to send them). Hooker opens his attack at 6am, but his early progress is halted by a strong counter-attack from Jackson ( Jackson even manages to route Mansfield's XII Corps). Burnside (Union) commits his troops to a slaughter around the bridge. The futile act is only succesful for Burnside in the sense that the bridge now bears his name. A.P. Hill marches the 17 miles from Harper's Ferry, eventually launching a surprise attack at 4 pm. This attack saves Lee's right flank from collapsing. As night falls, the Confederate line is still holding strong - but Lee knows, with cold certainty, that his invasion of the north is over.
September 18th, 1862. The two opposing armies hold their positions during the day's engagement. In the afternoon, Lee orders the Army of Northern Virginia to withdraw. Longstreet takes the lead, marching across Blackford's Ford at midnight.
September 19th, 1862. In the early hours of the morning, Lee's army withdraws over the Potomac. Lee is able to eavacuate all of his supply trains and wounded without interference from the Union Army.
September 21st, 1862. Troops from Fitz John Porter's V Corps cross the Potomac. The Union reconnaissance force finds itself the subject of a strong reprisal from the Lee's rear guard. A.P. Hill's division engages the Union force and manages to push the Union reconnaissance force back.
September 23rd, 1862. Lee continues to fall back, gathering stragglers along the way. His first destination is Martinsburg, but he has given his army instructions to reassemble at Winchester in the Shenandoah Valley.
September 28th, 1862. Lee's command begins to concentrate at Winchester. Lee now has 53,000 men under his command.
October 28th, 1862. Lee begins to slowly move his army southward up the valley of the Shenandoah. His aim is to avoid being encircled by McClellan's Army of the Potomac. McClellan is currently moving towards Warrenton, Virginia.
October 29th, 1862. Lee orders Jackson's corps and Stuart's cavalry to remain in place to observe Union movements. He further instructs them to take any spoiling opportunity that presents itself. for the next two days Lee's force will be marching almost parallel with McClellan's - in fact the two forces are only a few miles apart.
November 17th, 1862. Lee sends two divisions ,accompanied by artillery and cavalry, to bolster the defense of Fredericksburg.
November 18th, 1862. Reconnaissance, carried out by J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry, confirms that the Union army has left Warrenton. Lee immediately sends Longstreet and his command towards Fredericksburg.
November 19th, 1862. General Lee orders Jackson to depart from the Shenandoah Valley and bring up his command to rejoin the main army. Lee has a variety of options available to him at this point, and he considers his next move carefully.
November 20th, 1862. Lee and his army arrive at Fredericksburg. The feel of an approaching battle must have been heavy in the air.
November 21st, 1862. Lee's army begins to entrench itself outside the town. The mayor of Fredericksburg pays no heed to Burnside's (Union Commander - replacing McClellan) request to surrender the town, instead he busies himself with sending non-combatants to safety.
November 29th, 1862. The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia has now adopted a formal corps structure. Longstreet commands I Corps - Anderson, Pickett, Ransom, Wood and M`Laws are his division commanders (total strength: 21 brigades). Jackson commands II Corps - includes the divisons of A.P.Hill, Ewell, Taliaferro and D.H. Hill (when this force arrives from the Shenandoah Valley). Stuart and his cavalry are independent, though they act in close concert with Jackson's II Corps during the Battle of Fredericksburg As befits their new commands, Jackson and Longstreet receive field promotions to lieutenant-general.
November 30th, 1862. Stonewall Jackson arrives at Fredricksburg with his corps. Lee's Confederate army now totals roughly 80,000 men in Fredericksburg.
December 4th, 1862. Minor skirmishes breakout at Fredericksburg. These actions occur between patrols who are facing each other on opposite banks of the Rappahannock River.
December 11th, 1862. From behind their stongly fortified positions in the wooded heights around the town, Lee's army watches as The Army of the Potomac move across the Rappahannock River and occupies the town of Fredericksburg. Lee is firmly resolved to await the Union attack.
December 13th, 1862. The short, but extremely bloody, battle of Fredericksburg begins. The Army of the Potomac makes a two prong attack. Franklin's Grand Division attacks Jackson's corps to the south, whilst Sumner attacks Longstreet to the north. The battle in the south is a hard-fought engagement. Union forces eventually penetrate Jackson's line, but Ewell's division (which is thrown in to 'plug the gap') manages to repell the Union assault. In a repeat of Antietam, Union orders are confused and as a result, many of Franklin's forces do not enter the engagement. Longstreet has an easier time in the north. The Confederate forces are entrenched in wooded ground on Marye's heights. From their positions they are able to rain almost continuous artillery and musket fire down onto advancing Union troops. French's and Hancock's divisions make assault after assault on the Confederates but their troops are cut to pieces. The final assault on Longstreet comes towards dusk. Hooker's Grand Division makes a charge...but they too are slaughtered. The casualty rate is appaling amongst Union forces. It is estimated that at the end of the battle, 1,200 men are killed.... 9,000 are wounded and 2,145 are missing. These figures were made worse due to the fact that Union wounded could not be evacuated from the field. Many men died during the bitterly cold night. Those who survived were often forced to use the bodies of dead comrades for shelter and warmth. Lee himself was emotionally moved by the site of so many Union bodies piled up around the sunken road and stone wall at the base of Marye's Heights. As he gazed at the fallen he remarked, "It is well that war is so terrible; we should grow too fond of it.". December 14th, 1862. General Lee and his men await another assault - to their surpise none is forthcoming. Burnside is keen to continue the battle, but his officers convince him to retire across the Rappahannock. The Army of Northern Virginia is once again triumphant.

MAIN DATE PAGE PRIOR TO 1861 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865

BACK HOME

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page

SIGNIFICANT DATES IN LEE'S LIFE

1862

March 4th, 1862. Lee is recalled from command of South Carolina and Georgia to be the Military Adviser to President Davis.

May, 1862. Lee is appointed Commander of the main Confederate Army.

June 1st, 1862. Lee assumes command of the defense of Richmond.

June 26th, 1862. Lee launches his assault on the Union army commanded by McClellan. The major action of the initial thrust being a heavy attack on the single Union corps commanded by Fitz John Porter. The engagement occurs along the Chickahominy River.

June 27th, 1862. Lee wins his first major victory of the war. Confederate forces drive Porter back at Gaines Mill.

June 29th, 1862. Lee's forces pursue the retreating army of the Potomac. A heavy engagement occurs at Savage's Station. Sumner's corp delay the advancing Confederates, but eventually withdraw - leaving behind 2,500 sick and wounded Union soldiers.

June 30th, 1862. In an attempt to cut off McClellan's army, Lee attempts a co-ordinated attack using his entire 80,000 men. The Confederates are unable to attack in unison however, and the plan fails. The Union forces are able to withdraw in good order.

July 7th, 1862. Lee pulls his forces back towards Richmond.

July 8th, 1862. The redeployment to Richmond continues. Lee employs a cavalry screen to prevent McClellan from discovering his movements.

July 21st, 1862. In order to protect the capital of the Confederacy (Richmond), Lee sends Stonewall Jackson to take possession of Gordonsville.

August 13th, 1862. Robert E. Lee's army of Northern Virginia begins to advance on Gordonsville.

August 21st, 1862. Lee's army exchanges heavy artillery fire with Pope's along the Rappahannock.

August 26th, 1862. Lee's army continues to move into position. Jackson moves through Thorofare Gap and seizes Manassas Junction. Longstreet discontinues his demonstrations against Pope, and moves as quickly as he can to join up with Jackson at Manassas.

August 31st, 1862. Manassas is gripped by a heavy rainstorm. The downpour hampers Lee in his pursuit of the defeated Union army.

September 1st, 1862. The Second Bull Run campaign closes with a clash at Ox Hill. The engagement occurs during a torrential thunderstorm. During the confused battle, Union General's Isaac Stevens and Philip Kearney are killed.

September 11th, 1862. Jackson, after having halted overnight near Boonsboro, leads his troops to Williamsport. They ford the Potomac and then head for Martinsburg. Jackson's plan is to drive the Union garrison there into the trap at Harper's Ferry.

September 12th, 1862. Stuart's cavalry rear guard capture an Union brigade commander in a surprise counter-attack. The cavalry then withdraws down the Hagerstown road.

September 13th, 1862. Lady Luck turns against Lee. Two soldiers from Indiana find some cigars wrapped in paper at the site of Lee's encampment. The paper is a copy of Special Order 191. The paper is turned over to Union commander McClellan.

September 18th, 1862. The two opposing armies hold their positions during the day's engagement. In the afternoon, Lee orders the Army of Northern Virginia to withdraw. Longstreet takes the lead, marching across Blackford's Ford at midnight.

September 19th, 1862. In the early hours of the morning, Lee's army withdraws over the Potomac. Lee is able to eavacuate all of his supply trains and wounded without interference from the Union Army.

September 21st, 1862. Troops from Fitz John Porter's V Corps cross the Potomac. The Union reconnaissance force finds itself the subject of a strong reprisal from the Lee's rear guard. A.P. Hill's division engages the Union force and manages to push the Union reconnaissance force back.

September 23rd, 1862. Lee continues to fall back, gathering stragglers along the way. His first destination is Martinsburg, but he has given his army instructions to reassemble at Winchester in the Shenandoah Valley.

September 28th, 1862. Lee's command begins to concentrate at Winchester. Lee now has 53,000 men under his command.

October 28th, 1862. Lee begins to slowly move his army southward up the valley of the Shenandoah. His aim is to avoid being encircled by McClellan's Army of the Potomac. McClellan is currently moving towards Warrenton, Virginia.

November 17th, 1862. Lee sends two divisions ,accompanied by artillery and cavalry, to bolster the defense of Fredericksburg.

November 18th, 1862. Reconnaissance, carried out by J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry, confirms that the Union army has left Warrenton. Lee immediately sends Longstreet and his command towards Fredericksburg.

November 19th, 1862. General Lee orders Jackson to depart from the Shenandoah Valley and bring up his command to rejoin the main army. Lee has a variety of options available to him at this point, and he considers his next move carefully.

November 20th, 1862. Lee and his army arrive at Fredericksburg. The feel of an approaching battle must have been heavy in the air.

November 21st, 1862. Lee's army begins to entrench itself outside the town. The mayor of Fredericksburg pays no heed to Burnside's (Union Commander - replacing McClellan) request to surrender the town, instead he busies himself with sending non-combatants to safety.

November 30th, 1862. Stonewall Jackson arrives at Fredricksburg with his corps. Lee's Confederate army now totals roughly 80,000 men in Fredericksburg.

December 4th, 1862. Minor skirmishes breakout at Fredericksburg. These actions occur between patrols who are facing each other on opposite banks of the Rappahannock River.

December 11th, 1862. From behind their stongly fortified positions in the wooded heights around the town, Lee's army watches as The Army of the Potomac move across the Rappahannock River and occupies the town of Fredericksburg. Lee is firmly resolved to await the Union attack.

December 14th, 1862. General Lee and his men await another assault - to their surpise none is forthcoming. Burnside is keen to continue the battle, but his officers convince him to retire across the Rappahannock. The Army of Northern Virginia is once again triumphant.