Army of the Potomac

George McClellan

On July 26, 1861, General George McClellan formed the Army of the Potomac, composed of all Union military forces in the former Departments of Northeastern Virginia, Washington, Baltimore and the Shenandoah. This was the principal Union army of the first years of the American Civil War. This was also the army that William joined following his enlistment in Elmira, New York in July 1862.

At the time William joined the Army of the Potomac it was still commanded by George McClellan. With victory an ever elusive goal, it went through three other commanders before the end of the War in 1865. 

The known letters of William Graham begin on September 1, 1862 with a message from Camp Seward on the Arlington Heights in Virginia. These heights upon the south bank of the Potomac River overlook Washington, DC on the north bank. This was the site of the main base of the Union army during most of the war.

The map below shows the relationship of the Arlington Heights with the river and the City of Washington. The map was drawn in May 1861, a little over a year before William arrived with the 107th NY Regiment. Interestingly, almost all the regiments shown entrenched on the heights, with the exception of two from New Jersey, are from New York. Clicking on the map will enlarge it, clearly setting forth the details.  

1861 map showing Arlington Heights with its fortifications defending Washington DC located across the Potomac

 

Letter Commentary

By the beginning of 2019, less than 30 of William's letters had been brought to my attention. This letter addressed to John Boyes has the earliest date. For further information on John Boyes, see William's Letter Correspondents.

If William wrote one letter a week during the three years he served with Union forces in the American Civil War, this means less than one out of five letters have been brought to light.

Camp Seward

Camp Seward was located on the Arlington Heights. It was the entry point for many Union soldiers in the Civil War. It was also the name that the 107th gave to its early camps in the Washington area while guarding the nation's capital.

It was named after William Seward, Lincoln's Secretary of State, and his former rival for the presidency as well as the former Governor of the State of New York. Seward was also an 1820 graduate of Union College, my alma mater.

William H. Seward

The Union fortifications on the Arlington Heights served as a defense line for the city. William's regiment, the 107th, was attached to Whipple's Command, Defenses of Washington, D.C., until sometime in September, 1862. In September, the 107th Regiment was assigned to the 12th Army Corps.

When the 107th arrived at Washington President Lincoln presented them with a regimental banner, a gift of New York State Governor Morgan. It was never carried into battle, but was left in Washington at the residence of Secretary of State Seward, and taken back at the conclusion of the war. It was framed by the regimental association and currently hangs in the Chemung County History Society building in Elmira, NY.

Chantilly

When this letter was written the 107th had yet to take active part in battle. The battles discussed in the letter are probably the Battle of Chantilly that took place on September 1, 1862 about 15 miles from Arlington Heights and the Second Battle of Manassas or Bull Run that occured August 28-30, 1862 about 25 miles away.

General Philip Kearny's fatal charge at the Battle of Chantilly (Ox Hill)

According to the National Park Service battle summaries, Chantilly began on September 1, 1862 with a wide flank march by Jackson who hoped to cut off the Union retreat from Bull Run. Jackson sent his divisions against two Union divisions under Kearny and Stevens. The Confederate attacks were stopped by fierce Union fighting during a severe thunderstorm.  Union generals Stevens and Kearny were both killed.

Recognizing that his army was still in danger, Maj. Gen. Pope ordered the retreat to continue to Washington. With Pope no longer a threat, Lee turned his army west and north to invade Maryland, initiating the Maryland Campaign and the battles of South Mountain and Antietam. Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan assumed command of Union forces around Washington.