In the final days of April 1863 the Union Army of the Potomac once again crossed the Rappahannock River to find and fight the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and, hopefully, make its way to Richmond and end the Civil War. Major General Joseph Hooker, its new commander, had restored the army’s confidence and spirit after the dark days of Ambrose Burnside, who had nearly destroyed the army in the Battle of Fredericksburg and the Mud March.
Hooker’s campaign started brilliantly. He was able to surprise Lee and move four army corps across the river and onto the Confederate flank. It was done so rapidly that Lee would have no time to return the two temporarily detached divisions under Longstreet – a quarter of his army – in time to take part in the battle. Outnumbered and outflanked, by all rights Lee should have fallen back from his fortifications at Fredericksburg and been gobbled up by the much larger Union army in the open country to the south.
But that’s not what happened.
Lee instead split his smaller army into three parts – and attacked. A small force was left in the defensive lines at Fredericksburg. Two divisions under Lee’s personal command held back Hooker’s army. Meanwhile “Stonewall” Jackson with 30,000 men made an all-day march around the Union army to fall on Hooker’s unsuspecting and unprepared flank. It was absurdly risky – but it worked. Hooker’s flank crumpled, he contracted his lines, and Lee never let him take back the initiative. By May 6 every Federal infantryman was back north of the Rappahannock.
Monday, April 27
At first light Howard’s Eleventh Corps led Hooker’s flanking column west out of the camps at Brooke’s Station. The Federal Second, Fifth and Twelfth Corps follow.
Tuesday April 28
Buschbeck’s Brigade of Howard’s Eleventh Corps crossed the Rappahannock at Kelly’s Ford at 6 in the evening. A pontoon bridge was laid by 10:30 pm and the rest of the Eleventh Corps began crossing. They were followed by Slocum’s Twelfth Corps and Meade’s Fifth Corps.
Wednesday, April 29
The Sixth Corps and First Corps crossed the Rappahannock downstream from Fredericksburg. At the Sixth Corps crossing three Pennsylvania regiments of Russell’s brigade lost one man killed and ten wounded. The defending 54th North Carolina lost 2 men captured.
After a delay in getting pontoon boats to the river’s edge, the First Corps’ Iron Brigade crossed the river by boat under a barrage of artillery support. They storm the far bank. The westerners lost 57 casualties, while the defending 6th Louisiana lost 7 killed, 12 wounded and 78 captured and the 13th Georgia lost 28 captured.
The two Fredericksburg bridgeheads united on the north side of the Old Richmond Road, faced by Early’s Division of Jackson’s Corps.
“Stonewall” Jackson sent his wife and infant daughter to safety on the Richmond train after seeing them off the station. It was the last time they would see each other.
Far upstream at Kelly’s Ford, the three Union infantry corps finished their crossing under the command of General Slocum. Stoneman’s Cavalry followed them across. Most of them are ordered to strike out independently for a raid on the Confederate supply line. Meade’s Fifth Corps marched for Ely’s Ford on the Rapidan while Slocum’s Twelfth Corps (under Alpheus Williams while Slocum acts as wing commander) led Howard’s Eleventh Corps to Germanna Ford.
Hooker anticipated the biggest Confederate threat to the flanking column to be at Germanna ford. He told Slocum to lead with his best troops. Slocum selected Ruger’s Brigade. It rushed the Confederate detachment at the ford, capturing 125 Confederates at the cost of one man killed and 4 wounded. Two more men drowned fording the deep and rushing current, but a bridge was thrown across within two hours. Geary’s Division and the Eleventh Corps crossed without getting their feet wet.
Meade’s Fifth Corps waited for the Eleventh Corps to clear the roads, then started for Ely’s Ford. It was undefended. The men waded the deep and rocky ford, a line of lifeguard cavalry placed downstream to rescue those swept away.
Back at Kelly’s Ford, Stoneman’s cavalry finished crossing and made a slow start to their raid, moving four miles south of the ford before bedding down for the night.
Thursday, April 30
Meade’s Fifth Corps reached the Chancellorsville clearing.
Richard Anderson’s Confederate Division dug in at Zoan Church.
Most of Jackson’s Corps began its march from the Fredericksburg area.
Early’s Division and Barksdale’s Brigade from McLaws’ Division were left behind to cover the Fredericksburg crossings, 10,000 men to defend against 60,000.
Friday, May 1
Hooker moved the main body out of Chancellorsville on three routes. Meade’s Fifth Corps advanced along the River Road.
The first clash of the main bodies of infantry of both armies occured southeast of Chancellorsville. After Hooker’s advance troops met Anderson’s men, he pulled back to a defensive line around Chancellorsville. That night, Lee and Jackson met and planned a daring flank attack.
Saturday May 2
While Lee with two divisions held Hooker back southeast of Chancellorsville, Jackson began his march around the Union right flank. By late afternoon Jackson was in place. He launched a devastating attack on the unprepared men of Howard’s Eleventh Corps which caused their complete collapse. As he tried to push his now disorganized forces forward in the darkness to cut the entire Union army off from its river crossing Jackson was badly wounded by his own men. A.P. Hill was wounded at the same time, leaving no experienced division commander to take over Jackson’s Corps. J.E.B. Stuart was quickly brought in to take over.
Sunday May 3
The heaviest fighting of the battle occured on May 3. Hooker’s men were slowly pushed out of the clearings at Hazel Grove, Fairview, and finally around Chancellorsville itself. Hooker was nearly killed by an artillery shot that left him stunned and unresponsive for some time. By the end of the day Union forces were compressed into a defensive perimeter around the Rappahannock River ford.
Around Fredericksburg the Union Sixth Corps under Sedgwick made two assaults on the Confederate force on Marye’s Heights, successfully seizing the position.
Monday May 4
After fighting the Battle of Salem Church Sedgwick failed to break through to Hooker, and was in danger of being surrounded. But he fought his way north and escaped back across the river. Meanwhile, Hooker began his retreat across the Rappahannock.
Tuesday May 5
The last Union forces crossed north of the river.
Sunday May 10
Jackson died at Guinea Station.