The Peninsula campaign was the first large-scale Union offensive in the Eastern Theater, failing to capture Richmond and reshaping Confederate command under Robert E. Lee.
Key Facts
- Duration
- March to July 1862
- Union Commander
- Major General George B. McClellan
- Confederate Commanders
- Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, then Gen. Robert E. Lee
- Landing Point
- Fort Monroe, Virginia
- Key Engagement
- Seven Days Battles, June 25–July 1, 1862
- Confederate Capital Targeted
- Richmond, Virginia
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Union sought to end the war quickly by capturing the Confederate capital of Richmond. Major General George B. McClellan devised an amphibious turning movement to bypass Confederate forces in Northern Virginia, landing on the Virginia Peninsula to approach Richmond from the southeast and avoid a costly frontal assault.
McClellan landed his Army of the Potomac at Fort Monroe in March 1862 and advanced northwest toward Richmond. He faced delays at the Warwick Line and Yorktown, fought at Williamsburg and Seven Pines, and was ultimately repulsed during the Seven Days Battles after Robert E. Lee replaced the wounded Johnston and launched aggressive counterattacks from June 25 to July 1.
The Union army failed to capture Richmond and withdrew to the James River at Harrison's Landing. Johnston's wounding elevated Robert E. Lee to command of the Army of Northern Virginia, fundamentally changing Confederate strategy. The campaign's failure ended Union offensive momentum in the Eastern Theater for that year and boosted Southern morale.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
George B. McClellan.
Side B
1 belligerent
Joseph E. Johnston, Robert E. Lee, John B. Magruder.