how did lee's appointment to head the army of northern virginia affect the course of war

by Markus Nikolaus 5 min read

How did Lee's appointment to head the Army of Northern Virginia affect the course of the war? He took over the army became more offensive because he though the North was at a low point, which went against the South's plan of defense.

How did General Lee reorganize the US Army?

Mar 25, 2012 · How did lees appointment to head s northern Virginia affect the course of the war? Lee's appointment as commander of the Army of Northern Virginia put him in a position to thwart the offensives of...

What was Lee’s relationship with his soldiers like?

Apr 01, 2011 · How did lees appointment to head s northern Virginia affect the course of the war? Lee's appointment as commander of the Army of Northern Virginia put him in a position to thwart the offensives of...

How was the army of Northern Virginia organized during the war?

The Army of Northern Virginia is the best-known and most successful of all the Confederate armies in the American Civil War. Its mark on the popular consciousness is so strong that many people believe that it was the Confederate Army; that General Robert E. Lee was the ranking Confederate general for the entire war; and that Appomattox, where ...

How did General Lee fight in the Overland Campaign?

May 20, 2018 · Lieutenant General James Longstreet, Lee’s most trusted corps commander, argued that the invasion should be offensive in strategy but defensive in tactics. When Lee did not directly object, Longstreet began preparing his corps as if Lee had agreed. The Army of Northern Virginia had 13,000 fewer men after the Battle of Chancellorsville.

What impact did Robert E. Lee have on the Civil War?

Robert E. Lee commanded the Army of Northern Virginia, the most successful of the Southern armies during the American Civil War, and ultimately commanded all the Confederate armies. As the military leader of the defeated Confederacy, Lee became a symbol of the American South.

Why did Robert E. Lee lead the Army of Northern Virginia?

But in Richmond, Lee sought to inspire his troops by drawing upon Virginia's storied military tradition, telling them that "every man has resolved to maintain the ancient fame of the Army of Northern Virginia and the reputation of its general and to conquer or die in the approaching contest."

What was the outcome of Lee's invasion of the North?

The Gettysburg campaign was a military invasion of Pennsylvania by the main Confederate army under General Robert E. Lee in summer 1863. The Union won a decisive victory at Gettysburg, July 1–3, with heavy casualties on both sides. Lee managed to escape back to Virginia with most of his army.

What is the significance of Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia entering Maryland in September 1862?

Thousands of Maryland citizens wondered if their liberties would stand in abeyance for the duration of the war. Lee believed the influence of his victorious army might embolden Maryland's military-age men to step forward in active support of the Confederacy, after which they could once again, as he put it in a ...

Was the Confederate Army Northern Virginia?

The Army of Northern Virginia was the most successful Confederate army during the American Civil War (1861–1865). With Robert E. Lee at its head, Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson commanding one of its corps, and J. E. B.

Why was the Confederate army called the Army of Northern Virginia?

The name Army of Northern Virginia referred to its primary area of operation, as did most Confederate States Army names. The Army originated as the Army of the Potomac, which was organized on June 20, 1861, from all operational forces in northern Virginia.

What outcome did Davis and Lee expect from a Confederate invasion of the North?

What outcome did Davis and Lee expect from a confederate invasion of the north? The north recognized their independence. How was the battle of Antietam a crucial victory for the Union? It was the first battle to take place and the bloodiest.

What was General Lee's strategy for defeating the North?

Meade faced Lee's army in Virginia. Lee's strategy was to use terrain and fortified positions to his advantage, thus decreasing the importance of the Union's superiority in numbers. He hoped to make the cost of trying to force the South back into the Union so high that the Northern public would not stand for it.

What happened to the Confederate army after the Battle of Gettysburg?

Eventually, almost 2 years later in April 1865, the Confederate army surrendered their last army, resulting in the end of the Civil War. In terms of what happened locally after the battle ended, the town of Gettysburg was left with thousands of dead bodies to bury and even more soldiers that needed care.Jun 21, 2021

Why did Lee invade North?

In June 1863, Confederate general Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia invaded the North in hopes of relieving pressure on war-torn Virginia, defeating the Union Army of the Potomac on Northern soil, and striking a decisive blow to Northern morale.

Why did the Confederate troops head to the town of Gettysburg?

The invasion would allow the Confederates to live off the bounty of the rich Northern farms while giving war-ravaged Virginia a much-needed rest. In addition, Lee's 72,000-man army could threaten Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, and possibly strengthen the growing peace movement in the North.

What was the goal of the Confederacy and Robert E Lee during the invasion of the North in September of 1862 that culminated in the Battle of Antietam?

Following his victory in the northern Virginia campaign, Lee moved north with 55,000 men through the Shenandoah Valley starting on September 4, 1862. His objective was to resupply his army outside of the war-torn Virginia theater and to damage Northern morale in anticipation of the November elections.

What happens if Lee gets there?

If he gets there it will become a siege and then it will be a mere question of time," Lee writes to another general. Lee is totally unaware that at this very moment, his fear is becoming a reality. Grant's army races toward the James and Petersburg to wage an attack on the city.

Who was the Union General who cut off Richmond from its supply lines?

In anticipation that Petersburg will prove of major importance in Grant's plan to cut off Richmond from its supply lines, Union General Benjamin Butler 's Army of the James makes two demonstrations against the city.

What was the name of the trench line that the Confederates dug around Petersburg?

The Confederates have long realized the importance of Petersburg. In fact, in 1862, a ten-mile trench line named after its engineer, Charles Dimmock, was dug around Petersburg in a "U" shape. The line anchored on the south bank of the Appomattox both to the east of Petersburg and to the west.

What was the first objective of Grant's movements?

As soon as the trenches are dug in preparation for a siege on Petersburg, the Federals head out for a series of eight offensive movements to the south and then toward the west of the city. The Weldon Railroad is the first objective of Grant's movements.

What was the Confederate general's plan to relieve the pressure to the West?

The Confederate general has been plotting to relieve the pressure to the west by waging a surprise attack on the eastern portion of the line at Union Fort Stedman. Before sunrise on March 25 a large contingent of Lee's men begin their assault with a rush toward the Union fort.

What city did Grant lay siege to?

Following many attempts and again realizing how futile it is to attack well manned earthworks, Grant decides to lay siege to the city of Petersburg. With greater manpower and a seemingly endless supply of food and materials, the Union forces decide to starve the Confederates into submission.

What happened on June 15, 1864?

At 7 p.m. on the evening of June 15, 1864 20,000 Union soldiers wage a surprise and deadly attack along the eastern portion of the defense line. A frantic General Beauregard sends urgent messages to General Lee explaining that they are under attack by a large portion of Grant's army.

What was the Northern Virginia Army?

The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac .

Who was the first commander of the Northern Virginia Army?

Gen. P. G. T. Beauregard. The first commander of the Army of Northern Virginia was General P. G. T. Beauregard (under its previous name, the Confederate Army of the Potomac) from June 20 to July 20, 1861. His forces consisted of six brigades, with various militia and artillery from the former Department of Alexandria.

What happened at the Five Forks?

Five Forks, Battle of Appomattox Court House. On April 9, 1865, the Army of Northern Virginia surrendered to the Army of the Potomac at Appomattox Court House, effectively ending the Civil War, with General Lee signing the papers of surrender to General Ulysses S. Grant.

What was the name of the department that ended the Army of the Potomac?

On October 22, 1861, the Department of Northern Virginia was officially created, officially ending the Army of the Potomac. The Department comprised three districts: Aquia District, Potomac District, and the Valley District. In April 1862, the Department was expanded to include the Departments of Norfolk and the Peninsula (of Virginia).

What were the defects in the Northern Virginia and Maryland campaigns?

The Northern Virginia and Maryland Campaigns still showed numerous defects in the organization and leadership of the Army of Northern Virginia, particularly the high rate of straggling and desertion during the invasion of Maryland.

How many soldiers were in the army at Gettysburg?

Lee ordered the artillery battalions of the Reserve Artillery to serve directly with the Corps for the duration of the Gettysburg Campaign. The Army of Northern Virginia now comprised a total of 75,054 soldiers at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Where did the Army originate?

The Army originated as the Army of the Potomac, which was organized on June 20, 1861, from all operational forces in northern Virginia. On July 20 and July 21, the Army of the Shenandoah and forces from the District of Harpers Ferry were added.