Student Handout 1 - Itinerary
Itinerary of the Army of the Potomac and co-operating forces, June 5-July 31, 1863 The Gettysburg Campaign
O.R. - SERIES I - VOLUME XXVII/1 [S# 43]
This is the itinerary of the Army of the Potomac during the Gettysburg Campaign as it appears in the Official Records. It begins while Hooker is still in command of the army, and continues through the Meade’s appointment to command and the pursuit of Lee's army after the Battle of Gettysburg.
June 5.--The Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker, with headquarters near Falmouth, was posted on the north bank of the Rappahannock River, confronting the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, under General Robert E. Lee, mainly concentrated about the town of Fredericksburg, on the south bank of the river. The several commands of the Army of the Potomac were distributed as follows: First Corps (Reynolds'), in the vicinity of White Oak Church; Second Corps (Couch's), near Falmouth; Third Corps (Birney's), at Boscobel, near Falmouth; Fifth Corps (Meade's), in the vicinity of Banks', United States, and adjacent fords on the Rappahannock; Sixth Corps (Sedgwick s), near White Oak Church, with the Second Division (Howe's) thrown forward to Franklin's Crossing of the Rappahannock, a little below Fredericksburg, near the mouth of Deep Run; Eleventh Corps (Howard's), near Brooke's Station, on the Aquia Creek Railroad; and the Twelfth Corps (Slocum's), near Stafford Court- House and Aquia Landing. The Cavalry Corps (Pleasonton's, with headquarters at Manassas Junction) had two divisions (Duffié's and Gregg's) and the Cavalry Reserve Brigade, all under Buford, in the vicinity of Warrenton Junction, and one division (B. F. Davis') in the neighborhood of Brooke's Station. The Artillery Reserve (R. O. Tyler's) was near Falmouth.
June 12.--The First Corps marched from Fitzhugh's plantation and White Oak Church to Deep Run; the Third Corps from Hart-wood Church to Bealeton, with Humphreys' (Third) division, advanced to the Rappahannock; the Eleventh Corps from the vicinity of Brooke's Station to Hartwood Church; and Headquarters Cavalry Corps from Manassas Junction to Warrenton Junction. The advance of the Confederate army skirmished with the Union troops at Newtown, Cedarville, and Middletown, in the Shenandoah Valley.
June 13.--The First Corps marched from Deep Run to Bealeton; the Fifth Corps from the vicinity of Banks' Ford, via Grove Church, toward Morrisville; Wright's (First) and Newton's (Third) divisions, Sixth Corps, from Franklin's Crossing to Potomac Creek; the Eleventh Corps, from Hartwood Church to Catlett's Station; the Twelfth Corps from near Stafford Court-House and Aquia Creek Landing en route to Dumfries; Wyndham's brigade of Gregg's cavalry division from Warrenton Junction to Warrenton; and the Artillery Reserve from
Student Handout 1 from “Where are You, Sgt. Humiston?”
Student Handout 1 - Itinerary
near Falmouth to Stafford Court-House. McReynolds' (Third) brigade, of Milroy's division, Eighth Army Corps, marched from Berryville to Winchester.
June 14.--Headquarters Army of the Potomac moved from near Falmouth to Dumfries; the First and Third Corps marched from Bealeton to Manassas Junction; the Fifth Corps arrived at Morrisville, and marched thence, via Bristersburg, to Catlett's Station; Wright's (First) and Newton's (Third) divisions, Sixth Corps, moved from Potomac Creek to Stafford Court-House; the-Eleventh Corps from Catlett's Station to Manassas Junction, and thence toward Centreville; the Twelfth Corps reached Dumfries; and the Artillery Reserve moved from Stafford Court- House to Wolf Run Shoals. Daniel Tyler's command, of the Eighth Army Corps, fell back from Martinsburg to Maryland Heights.
June 15.--Headquarters Army of the Potomac moved from Dumfries to Fairfax Station; the Second Corps (Hancock’s) moved from Falmouth to near Aquia; the Fifth Corps from Catlett's Station, via Bristoe Station, to Manassas Junction; the Sixth Corps from Aquia Creek and Stafford Court-House to Dumfries; the Twelfth Corps from Dumfries to Fairfax Court-House; the Cavalry Corps (except Wyndham's brigade, which marched from Warrenton to Manassas Junction, and thence on the 16th to Union Mills) from Warrenton Junction to Union Mills and Bristoe Station; the Artillery Reserve from Wolf Run Shoals to Fairfax Court- House; and the Eleventh Corps arrived at Centreville. Milroy's (Second) division, of the Eighth Army Corps, evacuated Winchester, and fell back to Maryland Heights and Hancock, Md.
June 16.--The Second Corps marched from near Aquia, via Dumfries, to Wolf Run Shoals, on the Occoquan; the Sixth Corps from Dumfries to Fairfax Station; and the Cavalry Corps from Union Mills and Bristoe Station to Manassas Junction and Bull Run.
June 17.--The First Corps marched from Manassas Junction to Herndon Station; the Second Corps from Wolf Run Shoals to Sangster's Station', the Third Corps from Manassas Junction to Centreville; the Fifth Corps from Manassas Junction to Gum Springs; the Eleventh Corps from Centreville to Cow-Horn Ford, or Trappe Rock, on Goose Creek; and the Twelfth Corps from Fairfax Court-House to near Dranesville. The Cavalry Corps moved from Manassas Junction and Bull Run to Aldie.
June 24.--Newton's (Third) division, Sixth Corps, moved from Germantown to Centreville, and the Eleventh Corps from Cow-Horn Ford, or Trappe Rock, on Goose Creek, to the south bank of the Potomac, at Edwards Ferry. Stahel's cavalry division moved from Fairfax Court-House to near Dranesville.
June 25.--The First Corps marched from Guilford Station, Va., to Barnesville, Md.; the Third Corps from Gum Springs, Va., to the north side of the Potomac, at Edwards Ferry and the mouth of the Monocacy; the Eleventh Corps from Edwards
Student Handout 1 from “Where are You, Sgt. Humiston?”
Student Handout 1 - Itinerary
Ferry, Va., to Jefferson, Md.; and the Artillery Reserve from Fairfax Court-House, Va., to near Poolesville, Md. These commands crossed the Potomac at Edwards Ferry. The Second Corps marched from Thoroughfare Gap and Gainesville to Gum Springs. Howe's (Second) division, Sixth Corps, moved from Bristoe Station to Centreville; Crawford's division (two brigades) of Pennsylvania Reserves, from the Defenses of Washington, marched from Fairfax Station and Upton's Hill to Vienna. Stannard's Vermont Brigade, from the Defenses of Washington, left the mouth of the Occoquan en route to join the Army of the Potomac. Stahel's cavalry division moved from near Dranesville, Va., via Young's Island Ford, on the Potomac, en route to Frederick, Md.
June 26.--Headquarters Army of the Potomac moved from Fairfax Court- House, Va., via Dranesville and Edwards Ferry, to Poolesville, Md.; the First Corps from Barnesville to Jefferson, Md.; the Second Corps from Gum Springs, Va., to the north side of the Potomac, at Edwards Ferry; the Third Corps from the mouth of the Monocacy to Point of Rocks, Md.; the Fifth Corps from Aldie, Va., via Carter's Mills, Leesburg, and Edwards Ferry, to within 4 miles of the mouth of the Monocacy, Md.; the Sixth Corps from Germantown and Centreville to Dranesville, Va.; the Eleventh Corps from Jefferson to Middletown, Md.; the Twelfth Corps from Leesburg. Va., via Edwards Ferry, to the mouth of the Monocacy, Md.; and the Cavalry Corps (Buford's and Gregg's divisions) from Aldie to Leesburg, Va. Stahel's cavalry division was en route between the Potomac and Frederick, Md. Crawford's Pennsylvania Reserves moved from Vienna to Goose Creek, Va.
June 28.--The First Corps marched from Middletown to Frederick; the Second Corps from Barnesville to Monocacy Junction; the Third Corps from Middletown to near Woodsborough; the Sixth Corps from near Poolesville to Hyattstown; the Eleventh Corps from Middletown to near Frederick, and the Twelfth Corps from Knoxville to Frederick. Buford's cavalry division moved from near Jefferson to Middletown; Gregg's cavalry division reached Frederick, and marched thence to New Market and Ridgeville. Crawford's Pennsylvania Reserves marched from the mouth of the Monocacy, and joined the Fifth Corps at Ballinger's Creek. Stahel's cavalry division was assigned to the Cavalry Corps, as the Third Division, under Brig. Gen. Judson Kilpatrick, with Brig. Gen. Elon J. Farnsworth commanding the First Brigade and Brig. Gen. George A. Custer commanding the Second Brigade.
June 29.--Headquarters Army of the Potomac moved from Frederick to Middleburg; the First and Eleventh Corps from Frederick to Emmitsburg; the Second Corps from Monocacy Junction, via Liberty and Johnsville, to Uniontown; the Third Corps from near Woodsborough to Taneytown; the Fifth Corps from Ballinger's Creek, via Frederick and Mount Pleasant, to Liberty; the Sixth Corps from Hyattstown, via New Market and Ridgeville, to New Windsor; the Twelfth Corps from Frederick to Taneytown and Bruceville; Gamble's (First) and Devin's (Second) brigades, of Buford's (First) cavalry division, from Middletown, via Boonsborough, Cavetown, and Monterey Springs, to near Fairfield; Merritt's reserve cavalry brigade, of the same division, from Middletown to Mechanicstown;
Student Handout 1 from “Where are You, Sgt. Humiston?”
Student Handout 1 - Itinerary
Gregg's (Second) cavalry division from New Market and Ridgeville to New Windsor; Kilpatrick's (Third) cavalry division from Frederick to Littlestown; and the Artillery Reserve from Frederick to Bruceville.
July 1.--The First Corps moved from Marsh Run and the Eleventh Corps from Emmitsburg to Gettysburg; the Second Corps from Uniontown, via Taneytown, to near Gettysburg; the Third Corps from Bridgeport, via Emmitsburg, to the field of Gettysburg; the Fifth Corps from Union Mills, via Hanover and McSherrystown, to Bonaughtown; the Sixth Corps from Manchester en route to Gettysburg; and the Twelfth Corps from Littlestown, via Two Taverns, to the field of Gettysburg. Gregg's cavalry division marched from Manchester to Hanover Junction, whence McIntosh's and J. I. Gregg's brigades proceeded to Hanover, while Huey's brigade returned to Manchester. Kilpatrick's cavalry division moved from Hanover, via Abbottsville, to Berlin; and the Artillery Reserve (Ransom's and Fitzhugh's brigades) from Taneytown to near Gettysburg. Stannard's Vermont Brigade, from the Defenses of Washington, joined the First Corps on the field of Gettysburg. W.F. Smith's (First) division, of the Department of the Susquehanna, marched from the vicinity of Harrisburg to Carlisle. Kenly's and Morris' brigades of French's division reached Frederick.
Student Handout 1 from “Where are You, Sgt. Humiston?”