À. V. Colburn to George B. McClellan, March 8, 1862

No. 2. Washington, March 8, 1862.

Ordered, 1. That the major-general commanding the Army of the Potomac proceed forthwith to organize that part of the said army destined to enter upon active operations (including the reserve, but excluding the troops to be left in the fortifications about Washington) into four army corps, to be commanded according to seniority of rank, as follows: Bes.

First Corps to consist of four divisions, and to be commanded by Maj. Gen. I. McDowell. – Second Corps to consist of three divisions, and to be commanded by Brig. Gen. E. V. Sumner.

Third Corps to consist of three divisions, and to be commanded by Brig. Gen. S. P. Heintzelman. 2

Fourth Corps to consist of three divisions, and to be commanded by Brig. Gen. E. D. Keyes. >

2. That the divisions now commanded by the officers above assigned to the commands of army corps shall be embraced in and form part of their respective corps.

3. The forces left for the defense of Washington will be placed in command of Brig. Gen. James S. Wadsworth, who shall also be military governor of the District of Columbia. :

4. That this order be executed with such promptness and dispatch as not to delay the commencement of the operations already directed to be undertaken by the Army of the Potomac. ? è

5. A fifth army corps, to be commanded by Maj. Gen. N. P. Banks, will be formed ‘from his own and General Shields’ (late General Lander’s) divisions.

The following order, which was made as soon as circumstances permitted, exhibits the steps taken to carry out the requirements of the President’s War Order, No. 2: :

GENERAL ORDERS, y HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, No. 151. Fairfax Court-House, Va., March 13, 1862.

In compliance with the President’s War Order, No. 2, of March 8, 1862, the active portion of the Army of the Potomac is formed into army corps, as follows:

First Corps, Maj. Gen. Irvin McDowell, to consist for the present of the divisions of Franklin, McCall, and King. E

as Corps, Brig. Gen. E. V. Sumner; divisions, Richardson, Blenker, and Sedgwick.

Third Corps, Brig. Gen. S. P. Heintzelman; divisions, F. J. Porter, Hooker, and Hamilton. ;

Fourth Corps, Brig. Gen. E. D. Keyes; divisions, Couch, Smith, and Casey.

Fifth Corps, Maj. Gen. N. P. Banks; divisions, Williams and Shields. — ~

The cavalry regiments attached to divisions will for the present remain so. Subsequent orders will provide for these regiments, as well as for the reserve artillery, regular infantry, and regular cavalry. Arrangements will be made to unite the divismone OF each any corps as promptly as possible.

_The commanders of divisions will at once report in person, or, where that is i –

sible, by letter to the commander of their uu GOES nU xe.

By command of Major-General MeClellan :