Ulysses S. Grant Takes Command of all Union Armies

Wednesday, March 9, 1864

General Ulysses S. received his commission to assume command of all Union armies from President Lincoln. The U.S. Congress had prepared the way for Grant's commission by reviving the rank of Lieutenant General two weeks earlier on February 26.¹

References:
¹Richard F. Miller, Harvard's Civil War: A History of the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (Lebanon, New Hampshire: University Press of New England, 2005), 324.

Meade Launches a New Offensive

Saturday, November 7, 1863

Under pressure from President Abraham Lincoln to pursue Confederate General Robert E. Lee Army of the Potomac commander George Meade planned a new offensive movement to strike the Confederates near Brandy Station. Early this morning the Army of the Potomac began a march to cross the Rappahannock River, with the Second Corps crossing at Kelly's Ford. General Robert E. Lee, however, declined to meet Meade near Brandy Station, and withdrew to a position on the south side of the Rapidan River. General Meade decided to relocate the Army of the Potomac for winter quarters positioned between the Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers near Stevensburg.¹

References:
¹Richard F. Miller, Harvard's Civil War: A History of the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (Lebanon, New Hampshire: University Press of New England, 2005), 304-5.

Burnside Replaced with Hooker

Wednesday, January 28, 1863

By order of President Abraham Lincoln General Ambrose Burnside was removed from command of the Army of Potomac and replaced by General Joseph Hooker. General Edwin "Bull" Sumner, the commander of the Right Grand Division, resigned due to ill health. General William Franklin also resigned his commission due to the change in command.¹

References:
¹George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 226.

Advancing toward Fredericksburg

Friday, November 14, 1862

General-In-Chief Henry Halleck returned to Washington, D.C. on Thursday to confer with President Abraham Lincoln about General Ambrose Burnside's plans to attack Fredericksburg as a prelude to an attack on Richmond. President Lincoln approved General Burnside's plan, and General Halleck sent a telegraph of approval to General Burnside at Warrenton. Immediately General Burnside ordered the Army of the Potomac to advance toward Falmouth along the left bank of the Rappahannock River.¹

References:
¹George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 183.

McClellan Relieved of Command

Friday, November 7, 1862

The beautiful summerlike weather ended abruptly with the arrival of a blinding northeast snowstorm that dropped several inches of snow on Rectortown. In addition to the weather a storm of a different kind reached the camp. General George McClellan received orders from President Abraham Lincoln that relieved him of command of the Army of the Potomac and replaced him with General Ambrose Burnside.¹

References:
¹George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 181.

On the Move

Thursday, October 30, 1862

Under pressure from President Abraham Lincoln, Union General George McClellan began a new campaign to pursue the Confederate Army. At 2:00 P.M. the Twentieth Massachusetts regiment, along with the entire Second Corps, broke camp at Bolivar Heights and began a southward march. Crossing the Shenandoah River on a pontoon bridge the Twentieth marched through the Pleasant Valley eight miles to Hillsborough.¹

References:
¹George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 179. Richard F. Miller, Harvard's Civil War: A History of the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (Lebanon, New Hampshire: University Press of New England, 2005), 185.

President Lincoln visits Bolivar Heights

Wednesday, October 1, 1862

President Abraham Lincoln arrived for a visit with General George McClellan. President Lincoln, General McClellan, and General Edwin "Bull" Sumner reviewed the men of the Second Corps, including the Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment. ¹

References:
¹George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 177.

March to the Potomac River

Saturday, August 30, 1862

On Thursday afternoon at 3:00 P.M. the Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment disembarked the steamer "Atlantic" at Alexandria and marched along the Little River Turnpike toward Fairfax Court House, making camp at Cloud's Mills for the evening. Expecting to march at 9:00 A.M. on Friday, the Twentieth delayed to await new recruits sent from Washington, D.C. The Twentieth could not accept these recruits, as they had no armaments, and sent them back to Washington. At 5:00 P.M. they began their march toward the Potomac River, continuing their progress until shortly after midnight. At 12:30 A.M. this morning they bivouacked on the road and resumed their march at 5:30 A.M. They reached Fort Marcy by 1:30 P.M and crossed the Potomac at Chain Bridge at 5:00 P.M., where they camped for the evening.

During their march the Twentieth heard heavy artillery fire coming from the direction of Centerville, near Manassas, and became aware that a fierce battle was raging. Union General John Pope, in charge of the Army of Virginia, was furiously fending off a series of Confederate attacks in a conflict later known as the Second Battle of Manassas. General Pope had been in charge of the Army of Virginia since the Seven Days Battles in June. President Abraham Lincoln had become dissatisfied with General George McClellan's leadership during the Seven Days Battles and had organized a new fighting force under the command of General Pope. Lincoln had hoped to squeeze Richmond from two directions, with Pope attacking from the west and McClellan attacking from the east. General Robert E. Lee, anticipating this dual attack, led both Pope and McClellan away from Richmond by driving north toward Washington. Lee's northward move succeeded in dividing Pope's and McClellan's forces and by driving both wings of the Union Army away from Richmond. The Second Battle of Manassas proved to be another Union defeat. Pope's vanquished forces were pushed back to Washington, D.C.¹

References:
¹George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 143-4. Richard F. Miller, Harvard's Civil War: A History of the Twentieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (Lebanon, New Hampshire: University Press of New England, 2005), 159,161.

Dress Parade

Friday, July 11, 1862

As President Abraham Lincoln continued his visit to Harrison's Landing, the Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment had their first dress parade in several weeks.¹

References:
¹George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 139.

President Lincoln at Harrison's Landing

Wednesday, July 9, 1862

In order to honor the arrival of President Abraham Lincoln at Harrison's Landing, General John Sedgwick performed an inspection of his division, including the Twentieth Massachusetts Regiment, on the spacious grounds of Berkeley Plantation along the James River.¹

References:
¹George A. Bruce, The Twentieth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry 1861 - 1865 (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Riverside Press, 1906), 139.