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Army of the Potomac Trivia Quiz

A quiz on the various commanders and battles associated with the Army of the Potomac.

A multiple-choice quiz by DarthNefarus. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
DarthNefarus

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
259,553

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
1413

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The Federal forces at First Manassas/Bull Run were in the Army of the Potomac.

True

False

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Question 2 of 10

2. Which general is credited with the creation of the official Army of the Potomac and its initial organizational structure? Hint

Ulysses Grant

George McClellan

Irving McDowell

Henry Halleck

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Question 3 of 10

3. The Army of the Potomac's first major offensive operation against the Confederacy was___________? Hint

the Peninsula Campaign/Seven Days' Battles

the Battle of Second Manassas/Bull Run

the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1862

the Battle of Sharpsburg/Antietam

NEXT>

Question 4 of 10

4. Which one of these four Peninsula Campaign/Seven Days' battles was the only one in which the Army of the Potomac was actually defeated? Hint

Malvern Hill

Savage Station

Gaine's Mill

Beaver Dam Creek

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Question 5 of 10

5. General John Pope commanded the Army of the Potomac at Second Manassas/Bull Run.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. During the Battle of Sharpsburg/Antietam, which Federal corps commander led the Union forces in the Cornfield and West Woods? Hint

William B. Franklin

Ambrose Burnside

Joseph Hooker

Edwin Sumner

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Question 7 of 10

7. Which of these corps commanders was the oldest general to fight in the Civil War? Hint

Darius Couch

Joseph Hooker

Edwin Sumner

William B. Franklin

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Question 8 of 10

8. Commanders of the Army of the Potomac came in this order: George McClellan, Ambrose Burnside, Joseph Hooker, George Meade, Ulysses Grant.

True

False

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. What corps commander was offered command of the Army of the Potomac after Hooker's resignation, only days before the Battle of Gettysburg. Hint

John Reynolds

John Sedgwick

Winfield Hancock

Daniel Sickles

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Question 10 of 10

10. Which corps commander was killed by a sniper at the Battle of Spotsylvania in 1864. Hint

Gouverneur Warren

Ambrose Burnside

John Sedgwick

Winfield Hancock

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The Federal forces at First Manassas/Bull Run were in the Army of the Potomac.

Answer: False

The Federal force was merely a collection of corps and the army did not have an official name at the time.

2. Which general is credited with the creation of the official Army of the Potomac and its initial organizational structure?

Answer: George McClellan

It is often said McClellan was too afraid to use the magnificent army he had created in battle because he didn't want his "creation" destroyed.

3. The Army of the Potomac's first major offensive operation against the Confederacy was___________?

Answer: the Peninsula Campaign/Seven Days' Battles

The Army of the Potomac came to within sight of the taller building in Richmond (9 miles away) before McClellan withdrew them, having been bluffed into defeat by the new Confederate general, Robert E. Lee.

4. Which one of these four Peninsula Campaign/Seven Days' battles was the only one in which the Army of the Potomac was actually defeated?

Answer: Gaine's Mill

All the other battles in the campaign were won by the Federal forces but General McClellan kept withdrawing them after eacg victory. Malvern Hill was actually a decisive defensive victory for the North.

5. General John Pope commanded the Army of the Potomac at Second Manassas/Bull Run.

Answer: False

Pope's army was called the Army of Virginia. Some elements of the Army of the Potomac were temporarily reassigned to Pope, but the bulk of the Army of the Potomac was either still on the Peninsula or en route back to Washington.

6. During the Battle of Sharpsburg/Antietam, which Federal corps commander led the Union forces in the Cornfield and West Woods?

Answer: Joseph Hooker

Burnside was the commander at the southern edge of the battlefield, where the now-famous bridge bears his name. Sumner commanded the center of the line where the savage fighting at Bloody Lane occured, and Franklin's corps was in reserve.

7. Which of these corps commanders was the oldest general to fight in the Civil War?

Answer: Edwin Sumner

Sumner resigned his command after the disasterous Battle of Fredricksburg in December of 1862. He died of natural causes in the spring of 1863.

8. Commanders of the Army of the Potomac came in this order: George McClellan, Ambrose Burnside, Joseph Hooker, George Meade, Ulysses Grant.

Answer: False

Meade retained command of the Army of the Potomac from Gettysburg until the war's end. Grant simply established his field HQs as General-in-Chief with the Army of the Potomac with Meade still nominally in command.

9. What corps commander was offered command of the Army of the Potomac after Hooker's resignation, only days before the Battle of Gettysburg.

Answer: John Reynolds

Reynolds turned down the command and it subsequently went to George Meade. The possibility of Reynolds accepting command is one of the big "what ifs" of the Gettysburg campaign since he most likely would not have been killed on July 1st if he had done so.

10. Which corps commander was killed by a sniper at the Battle of Spotsylvania in 1864.

Answer: John Sedgwick

Sedgwick was killed instantly seconds after telling his men that the enemy "couldn't hit an elephant at this distance".

Source: Author DarthNefarus

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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