The Army of Virginia was a major military formation of the Union during the American Civil War. Established in 1862, it was created to defend the northern Virginia region against the Confederate forces. The army was commanded by John Pope and played a significant role in the Second Battle of Bull Run. The Army of Virginia was short-lived, as it was dissolved later that year. Its troops were absorbed into the Army of the Potomac, which continued to fight in the eastern theater of the war. The army's formation and subsequent dissolution highlighted the challenges faced by Union leadership during the conflict.