6 1 ▁ ▁The ▁Military ▁Department ▁of ▁Northern ▁Virginia ▁was ▁emb att led ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 8 6 1 . ▁The ▁department ▁initially ▁consisted ▁of ▁three ▁districts ▁under ▁the ▁overall ▁command ▁of ▁General ▁Joseph ▁E . ▁John ston . ▁ ▁On ▁February ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁there ▁were ▁ 4 7 , 6 1 7 ▁soldiers ▁present ▁for ▁duty ▁to ▁the ▁military ▁district . ▁ ▁The ▁Caval ry ▁Brigade ▁was ▁provided ▁from ▁the ▁Pot om ac ' s ▁Military ▁District ▁and ▁under ▁direct ▁control ▁from ▁the ▁Def ense ▁District . ▁The ▁art illery ▁formed ▁an ▁Art illery ▁Corps ▁with ▁ 1 0 9 ▁can n ons . ▁ ▁Organ ization ▁April ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 8 6 2 ▁ ▁The ▁Army ▁of ▁Northern ▁Virginia ▁was ▁established ▁on ▁March ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 8 6 2 , ▁again ▁under ▁John ston . ▁Though ▁the ▁military ▁department ▁stayed ▁exist ent ▁its ▁role ▁changed ▁into ▁an ▁administrative ▁division ▁for ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁out set ▁of ▁the ▁Pen ins ula ▁Camp aign ▁the ▁Army ▁of ▁Northern ▁Virginia ▁had ▁more ▁than ▁ 5 5 , 6 3 3 ▁soldiers . ▁The ▁can non ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁brig ades , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁Reserve ' s ▁art illery . ▁N omin ally , ▁Jackson ' s ▁Corps ▁in ▁the ▁Sh en ando ah ▁Valley , ▁was ▁sub ordinate ▁to ▁the ▁Army . ▁Since ▁Jackson ▁led ▁his ▁own