November 14, 1862
On November 14, 1862, Major General Ambrose E. Burnside issued General Order No. 184 (Army of the Potomac) dividing the Army of the Potomac into three "grand divisions."
General Order, No. 184
Headquarters, Army of the Potomac,
Near Warrenton, Va., Friday, Nov. 14, 1862
;
I.– The organization of a portion of this army into three grand divisions is hereby announced. These grand divisions will be formed and commanded as follows:
The Second and Ninth Corps will form the right Grand Division, and will be commanded by Maj.-Gen. E.V. Sumner.
The First and Sixth Corps will form the left Grand Division, and will be commanded by Maj.-Gen. W.B. Franklin.
The Third and Fifth Corps will form the centre grand division, and will be commanded by Maj.-Gen. Joseph Hooker.
The Eleventh Corps, with such other troops as may hereafter be assigned to it, will constitute a reserve force, under command of Maj.-Gen. F. Sigel.
Assignments of cavalry and further details will be announced in further orders.
II.– In accordance with instructions from the Department, the Commanders of these Grand Divisions will have power to decide such questions relating to the interior management of their commands as are now forwarded to these headquarters for final action.
Maj.-Gen. Sigel will exercise all the powers in respect to his command above assigned, as to the Commanders of the Grand Divisions.
III.– The cases which can be fully decided by the Department at Washington they will forward directly to that Department without reference to these headquarters.
All matters relating to movements of troops, together with returns, reports, &c. will be forwarded to these headquarters as usual.
The Commanders of these Grand Divisions will retain with them their respective Staffs.
IV. — The senior officers of the Second, Third, Fifth and Sixth Corps will take the command of these corps, and will forward to these headquarters a list of recommendations of officers to fill their Staffs.
V. — Brig.-Gen. S. Williams, A.A.G., is appointed Inspector-General of the Adjutant-General's Department of this Army.
VI. — Lieut.-Col. Joseph A. Hardee, Aid-de-Camp and acting A.A.G., will act as Assistant Inspector-General in the same department.
The heads of the various Staff Departments at these headquarters, other than the Adjutant-General and his deputy, will remain as heretofore until further orders.
VII. — Lieut.-Col. Lewis Richmond, Assistant Adjutant-General, is announced as a General at these headquarters.
VIII.– All orders conflicting with these are hereby rescinded.
By command of Major-General BURNSIDE.
S. WILLIAMS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
