Skip to main content

Army of the Potomac Reports

 Collection
Identifier: spe-w00080

Scope and Contents

The collection is comprised of official returns, morning reports and various other personnel listings and reports for departments in the Army of the Potomac, which was the Union’s primary army fighting in the eastern theater during the American Civil War, 1861-1865. In addition to corps reports, reports from other departments appear, including artillery, ordnance, signal and medical, among others. Commanding officers authorized the reports by signature, and so the signatures of many well-known military commanders appear. These reports were filed February-July 1863.

Dates

  • 1863 February-July

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are open without restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Please consult staff to determine ability to reuse materials from collection.

Biographical / Historical

The Army of the Potomac was the Union’s primary army fighting in the eastern theater during the American Civil War, 1861-1865. Important military officers led the Army of the Potomac and are represented in this collection, including Winfield Scott Hancock, William Hays, Joseph Hooker, Oliver O. Howard, Rufus Ingalls, George G. Meade, Alfred Pleasanton, Daniel Sickles and Henry W. Slocum. These reports were filed February-July 1863.

Extent

9.75 Linear Feet (in 9 oversize folders)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The collection is comprised of official returns, morning reports and various other personnel listings and reports for departments in the Army of the Potomac, which was the Union’s primary army fighting in the eastern theater during the American Civil War, 1861-1865.

Arrangement

Material was arranged in chronological order.

Custodial History

Purchased from Joseph H. Wood, Jr., by Abraham Lincoln Bookshop of Chicago in 1967. Wood originally offered the collection to the Huntington Library in San Marino, California. Allan Nevins of the Huntington Library declined the donation as it did not fit their collecting scope. Nevins sent the collection to Newman to be sold on Wood’s behalf.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated to Chicago Public Library by Abraham Lincoln Bookshop’s Ralph G. Newman in December 1977.

Related Materials

  • American Civil War Documents, Manuscripts, Letters and Diaries and Grand Army of the Republic Collection
  • American Civil War Photographs and Images and Grand Army of the Republic Photographs and Images

Processing Information

Please note that current Chicago Public Library staff has only minimally processed the material. Material was inventoried by the donor and/or earlier library staff. Subjects may be dispersed throughout the entire collection.

Title
Guide to the Army of the Potomac Reports
Status
Completed
Author
Johanna Russ, February 2018. Updated and ingested into ArchivesSpace by Johanna Russ, 2021.
Date
2018 February
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Unit at Harold Washington Library Center Repository

Contact:
Harold Washington Library Center, 9th Floor
Chicago Public Library
400 S. State Street
Chicago IL 60605 United States
(312) 747-4875