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 entertaining volume from the same team of author Philip Katcher and artist Michael Youens who produced Men-at-Arms 37 The Army of Northern Virginia, explores how this transition came about, with a particular emphasis on weapons, uniforms and equipment.

Philip Katcher was born in Los Angeles, California, to parents involved in the film industry. He was educated at the University of Maryland and served in the US Army in Vietnam. He has also been an active participant in living history activities, especially in the 18th and 19th century periods. He has written a number of books on various periods of US military history and presently is editor/publisher of Military Images Magazine.