General Orders, No. 15 (Headquarters of the Army)

August 17, 1861

On August 17, 1861, Lieutenant General Winfield Scott issued General Orders, No. 15 (Headquarters of the Army) announcing the creation of the Department of the Potomac commanded by Major General George B. McClellan.

George McClellan, Portrait

On August 17, 1861, Lieutenant General Winfield Scott issued General Orders, No. 15 (Headquarters of the Army) announcing the creation of the Department of the Potomac commanded by Major General George B. McClellan (pictured here). [Wikimedia Commons]

Advertisement

General Orders, No. 15

Headquarters of the Army
Washington,August 17, 1861

The Departments of Washington and Northeastern Virginia will be united into one, to which will be annexed the Valley of the Shenandoah, the whole of Maryland and of Delaware, to be denominated the Department of the Potomac, under Major-General McClellan – headquarters Washington – who will proceed to organize the troops under him into divisions and independent brigades.

By command of Lieutenant-General Scott

E. D. TOWNSEND
Assistant Adjutant General.

Citation Information

The following information is provided for citations.

  • Article Title General Orders, No. 15 (Headquarters of the Army)
  • Date August 17, 1861
  • Author
  • Keywords scott, mcclellan
  • Website Name American History Central
  • Access Date June 8, 2023
  • Publisher R.Squared Communications, LLC
  • Original Published Date
  • Date of Last Update May 5, 2022

General Orders, No. 15 (Headquarters of the Army) is Part of the Following on AHC