The Second corps was still in the hands of the veteran Sumner. Sedgwick, Richardson, and French were his division commanders.
Sedgwick and Richardson had been through the Peninsular campaign. They came up at Fair Oaks in a critical moment, and decided the day in that hard-fought battle. They had stood motionless through the long summer day at Savage Station,—a wall of adamant against Stonewall Jackson and Magruder. Richardson held the bridge at White-Oak Swamp, while Sedgwick with Hooker repulsed A. P. Hill at Glendale. French's troops had been under General Wool at Fortress Monroe and Norfolk. They had seen skirmishes, but had never been engaged in a great battle. French had one brigade of new troops, fresh from the home barracks, inexperienced in drill and discipline, and unacquainted with the indescribable realities of a great battle. It was a powerful corps.
The Sixth corps was commanded by Franklin, and was composed of Smith's and Slocum's divisions, old soldiers of the Peninsula. A portion of them were engaged in the battle of Williamsburg. Smith's division was in the fight at Fair Oaks; and Slocum crossed to the north bank of the Chickahominy, in season to save Fitz-John Porter from annihilation in the battle of Gaines's Mills. They held the rear at White-Oak Swamp, and had borne their share in the battle of Malvern.
The Fifth corps was commanded by Porter, and was composed of Sykes's division of Regulars and Morell's division; the same which had fought gloriously at Gaines's Mills, and Malvern, and reluctantly at Groveton.
The Ninth corps was commanded by Burnside. He had four divisions,—Wilcox's, Sturgis's, Rodman's, and Cox's.
Sturgis's and Rodman's troops were Burnside's own, which had a good record at Roanoke and Newbern. Wilcox's were of Sherman's army from Port Royal, and had seen some of the hardships of campaigning. They had been hurried up from the South, when it was discovered that Lee contemplated an invasion of the North. The Thirty-fifth Massachusetts in this corps had been but a few days in the service. How well they fought, we shall see hereafter.
The troops commanded by General Cox were of the Kanawha division,—Western Virginia and Ohio soldiers, who had seen service among the mountains.
The Twelfth corps, which had fought at Winchester and Cedar Mountain under Banks, was now commanded by General Mansfield. It contained but two divisions, Williams's and Greene's.
Couch commanded an independent division, the troops which had stemmed the tide at Seven Pines.
These corps composed the Army of the Potomac, which was organized into three grand divisions.