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[291]

The Army and Flotilla at Cairo,

And a Naval Force in the Gulf of Mexico, be ready for a movement on that day.

That all other forces, both land and naval, with their respective commanders, obey existing orders for the time, and be ready to obey additional orders when duly given.

That the Heads of Departments, and especially the Secretaries of War and of the Navy, with all their subordinates, and the General-in-Chief, with all other commanders and subordinates of land and naval forces, will severally be held to their strict and full responsibilities for the prompt execution of this order.


Executive mansion, Washington, March 8, 1862.
President's General War Order, No. 2.

Ordered, I. That the Major-General commanding the Army of the Potomac proceed forthwith to organize that part of 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:

First Corps, to consist of four divisions, and to be commanded by Major-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.

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

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

III. The forces left for the defence of Washington will be placed in command of Brig.-General James Wadsworth, who shall also be Military Governor of the District of Columbia.

IV. That this order be executed with such promptness and despatch, as not to delay the commencement of the operations already directed to be undertaken by the Army of the Potomac.

V. A fifth Army Corps, to be commanded by Major-Gen. N. P. Banks, will be formed from his own and Gen. Shields's, late Gen. Lander's, division.


Executive mansion, Washington, March 11, 1862.
President's War Order, No. 3.

Major-Gen. McClellan having personally taken the field at the head of the Army of the Potomac until otherwise ordered, he is relieved from the command of the other military departments, he retaining command of the Department of the Potomac.

Ordered, further, That the two departments now under the respective commands of Generals Halleck and Hunter, together with so much of that under Gen. Buell as lies west of a north and south line indefinitely drawn through Knoxville, Tennessee, be consolidated and designated the Department of the Mississippi, and that until otherwise ordered Major-Gen. Halleck have command of said department.

Ordered, also, That the country west of the Department of the Potomac and east of the Department of the Mississippi be a military department, to be called the Mountain Department, and that the same be commanded by Major-Gen. Fremont.

That all the Commanders of Departments, after the receipt of this order by them respectively, report severally and directly to the Secretary of War, and that prompt, full, and frequent reports will be expected of all and each of them.


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