General Orders, Army of the Potomac, No. 6, February 5, 1863

GENERAL ORDERS, HDQRS. ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

No. 6.

Camp near Falmouth, Va., February 5, 1863.

I. The division of the army into grand division, impeding rather than facilitating the dispatch of its current business, and the character of the service it is liable to be called upon to perform being adverse to the movement and operations of heavy columns, it is discontinued, and the corps organization is adopted in its stead. They will be commanded as follows:

First Corps, Major General John F. Reynolds.

Second Corps, Major General D. N. Couch.

Third Corps, Brigadier General D. E. Sickles (temporarily)

Fifth Corps, Major General George G. Meade.

Sixth Corps, Major General John Sedgwick.

Eleventh Corps, Major General Franz Sigel.

Twelfth Corps, Major General H. W. Slocum.

II. Hereafter the corps will be considered as a unit for the organization of the artillery, and no transfers of batteries will be made from one corps or division to others except for purposes of equalization, and then only under the authority of the chief of artillery.

III. The cavalry of the army will be consolidated into one corps, under the command of Brigadier-General Stoneman, who will make the necessary assignments for detached duty.

IV. The foregoing changes in command will be made as early as convenient.

V. The major-generals commanding grand division will report to these headquarters the names of such staff officers as are for assignment for duty in the execution of this order.

By command of Major-General Hooker:

JOS. DICKINSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General.