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Chancellorsville
Civil War Encyclopedia >> Battles
| April 30, 1863 | Army of the Potomac forces set up camp in The Wilderness surrounding the Chancellor family home after crossing the Rappahannock River | Virginia |
| Army of the Potomac | ||
| May 1, 1863 May 4, 1863 |
Battle of Chancellorsville
General "Fighting Joe" Hooker's Army of the Potomac is defeated by Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia as it crosses the Rappahannock on the way to Richmond Union: 17,268 Confederate: 12,821 |
Virginia |
| Robert E. Lee | ||
| Joseph Hooker | ||
| Bloodiest Civil War battles | ||
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| Army of Northern Virginia | ||
| Army of the Potomac | ||
| Lafayette McLaws | ||
| John Reynolds | ||
| Darius Couch | ||
| George Stoneman | ||
| May 2, 1863 | General Stonewall Jackson is shot 3 times in a friendly fire incident | Virginia |
| Stonewall Jackson | ||
| Generals Who Died In the Civil War | ||
| May 3, 1863 | Second Battle of Fredericksburg
John Sedgwick drives Jubal Early south past the city of Fredericksburg. The following day, as Early prepares to counterattack he finds the city empty. Sedgwick had followed the river west to aid the Army of the Potomac at Chancellorsville |
Virginia |
| Jubal Anderson Early | ||
| John Sedgwick | ||
| May 3, 1863 May 4, 1863 |
Battle of Salem Church
Battle of Banks Ford Wilcox's Brigade of Early's Division stops the Union IV Army Corps with a position around rural Salem Church. Sedgwick decided to withdraw to the north when Lee reinforces Wilcox with two divisions and Early moves on Sedgwick's rear. |
Virginia |
| John Sedgwick | ||
| Jubal Anderson Early |
Chancellorsville
Twelve miles west of Fredericksburg a small village formed at a roadway intersection, anchored by the wealthy Chancellor family's home. Early in May, 1864, the village would be the centerpiece of a failed Union attack and Confederate rout that is considered Robert E. Lee's greatest victory.
With the Confederate Army protecting Fredericksburg and the Washington to Richmond Road from the mountains south of the city, Joe Hooker decided to outflank his opponent to the west. He intended to cross the Rappahannock then return to the Washington to Richmond Road south of the entrenched Rebels. Once south of Fredericksburg the road ran through farmland occasionally broken by river valleys. It would be much easier to move a the Army of the Potomac through this terrain.
Lee's biggest problems in the Army of Northern Virginia were men and supplies. The Union Army vastly outnumbered his Confederates and was much better fed. He was writing Jefferson Davis about these problems when word reached him that a large part of the Union Army was moving west north of the Rappahannock River.
Links appearing on this page:
Twelve miles west of Fredericksburg a small village formed at a roadway intersection, anchored by the wealthy Chancellor family's home. Early in May, 1864, the village would be the centerpiece of a failed Union attack and Confederate rout that is considered Robert E. Lee's greatest victory.
With the Confederate Army protecting Fredericksburg and the Washington to Richmond Road from the mountains south of the city, Joe Hooker decided to outflank his opponent to the west. He intended to cross the Rappahannock then return to the Washington to Richmond Road south of the entrenched Rebels. Once south of Fredericksburg the road ran through farmland occasionally broken by river valleys. It would be much easier to move a the Army of the Potomac through this terrain.
Lee's biggest problems in the Army of Northern Virginia were men and supplies. The Union Army vastly outnumbered his Confederates and was much better fed. He was writing Jefferson Davis about these problems when word reached him that a large part of the Union Army was moving west north of the Rappahannock River.
Links appearing on this page:
Army of Northern Virginia
Army of the Potomac
Jefferson Davis
Joe Hooker
May, 1864
Robert E. Lee
Civil War Encyclopedia >> Battles
Chancellorsville was last changed on - May 1, 2009
Chancellorsville was added on - June 4, 2006
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