The sword of Lincoln

An authoritative history of the Army of the Potomac's contributions to the Civil War draws on previously unpublished sources to document such events as their defeat at Bull Run, their victory at Gettysburg, and the leadership changes that directly influenced their effectiveness. By the author of Gettysburg: Day Three. The Sword of Lincoln is the first authoritative single-volume history of the Army of the Potomac in many years. From Bull Run to Gettysburg to Appomattox, the Army of the Potomac repeatedly fought -- and eventually defeated --^ Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia. Jeffry D. Wert, one of our finest Civil War historians, brings to life the battles, the generals, and the common soldiers who fought for the Union and ultimately prevailed. The obligation throughout the Civil War to defend the capital, Washington, D.C., infused a defensive mentality in the soldiers of the Army of the Potomac. They began ignominiously with defeat at Bull Run. Suffering under a succession of flawed commanders -- McClellan, Burnside, and Hooker --^ they endured a string of losses until at last they won a decisive battle at Gettysburg under a brand-new commander, General George Meade