Army of the Potomac

[ ahr-mee uhv thuh puh-toh-muhk ]

noun

, U.S. History.

1. Union forces, trained and organized by General George B. McClellan, that guarded Washington, D.C., against a Confederate invasion across the Potomac and fought battles in the eastern sector during the Civil War.
2. Confederate forces from the Alexandria, Potomac, and Shenandoah districts from mid–1861 to mid–1862: later known as Army of Northern Virginia.

Example Sentences

President Abraham Lincoln fired the his commander of the Army of the Potomac, Gen. George B. McClellan, in the civil war, and during the Korean War, President Truman dismissed Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

From New York Times

I am reminded of President Abraham Lincoln’s sarcastic request of the inert Gen. George McClellan that if the general was not planning to employ the Army of the Potomac, perhaps he could borrow it.

From Washington Post

The Library of America has just reissued Bruce Catton’s Army of the Potomac trilogy, a welcome omnibus of “Mr. Lincoln’s Army,” “Glory Road” and the Pulitzer Prize-winning “A Stillness at Appomattox.”

From Washington Post

Trouble was, the war was going badly for the Union that summer, and Lincoln had been alternating generals to lead his Army of the Potomac in search of one who could snare consistent victories on the field.

From Washington Times

Now, Lee was kicking the Army of the Potomac all over Virginia.

From Washington Times