Osprey Men-at-Arms 38 : Army of the Potomac

For General George B. McClellan, the dejected Union troops who poured into Washington fresh from defeat at Bull Run on Monday 22 July, 1861, were to provide the raw material which he would train, equip, organise and ultimately transform from a mere mob into an effective fighting force. In October 1861 the Army of the Potomac officially came into being. This book from the same team of author Philip Katcher and artist Michael Youens who produced Osprey Men-at-Arms 37: The Army of Northern Virginia, explores how this transition came about, with particular emphasis on weapons, uniforms and equipment. Separate chapters on infantry, cavalry, personal equipment, the medical corps and insignia paint and in-depth picture of life for a Union soldier. There are contemporary accounts, photographs and detailed commentaries throughout, together with eight full page colour plates.

Contents

• Introduction
• The Men and Their Regiment
• The Infantry Regiment
• Personal Equipment
• Weapons and Insignia
• The Artillery
• The Cavalry
• The Technical Corps
• The Medical Serivce
• Corps Insignia
• The Plates