General Orders, No. 20 (U.S. War Department)

January 25, 1863

On January 25, 1863, the U.S. War Department issued General Order 20, relieving Ambrose E. Burnside as commander of the Army of the Potomac and replacing him with Joseph Hooker.

Portrait of Ambrose Burnside

On January 25, 1863, the U.S. War Department issued General Order 20, relieving Ambrose E. Burnside as commander of the Army of the Potomac and replacing him with Joseph Hooker. [Wikimedia Commons]

General Orders No. 20.

Washington, D. C., January 25, 1863.

I. The President of the United States has directed:

1st. That Major General A. E. Burnside, at his own request, be relieved from the command of the Army of the Potomac.

2d. That Major General E. V. Sumner, at his own request, be relieved from duty in the Army of the Potomac.

3d. That Major General W. B. Franklin be relieved from duty in the Army of the Potomac.

4th. That Major General J. Hooker be assigned to the command of the Army of the Potomac.

II. The officers relieved as above will report in person to the Adjutant-General of the Army.

By order of the Secretary of War:

E. D. TOWNSEND,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

Citation Information

The following information is provided for citations.

  • Article Title General Orders, No. 20 (U.S. War Department)
  • Date January 25, 1863
  • Author
  • Keywords army of the potomac, burnside, hooker
  • Website Name American History Central
  • Access Date October 1, 2023
  • Publisher R.Squared Communications, LLC
  • Original Published Date
  • Date of Last Update May 5, 2022

General Orders, No. 20 (U.S. War Department) is Part of the Following on AHC