Battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville

The Union tried to divide the

Confederate Army at Fredericksburg, but the attempt

failed.

Ambrose Attacks • November 1862• General Ambrose E. Burnside sent to

replace McClellan as leader of Army of the Potomac.

• Strategy: attack Richmond by way of Fredericksburg

• Burnside caught Lee by surprise but delays in crossing the river left Lee enough time to organize and entrench Confederate forces.

• The Union lost the battle and suffered heavy casualties. – Union army was forced to charge uphill– Union Casualties = 12,600 and Confederate

Casualties = 5,300

Chancellorsville

Hooker Attacks • April 1863• General Joseph Hooker sent to replace

Ambrose as leader of Army of the Potomac.

• Strategy: outflank the Confederate army at Fredericksburg – Hooker planned to attack the flank of Lee’s

Army while it was stationed at Fredericksburg– Ended up entrenching his men at

Chancellorsville– Lee attacked the entrenchment

– Lee almost manages to divide the Union line, but after 3 days of attack Hooker will call for a retreat.

• The Confederates win a major victory.– This battle was Lee’s tactical masterpiece, as he

flanked Hooker’s flank. Hooker had been knocked off his horse and was not thinking clearly in the battle.

At the Battle of Chancellorsville on May 2,

1863, Stonewall Jackson was killed by friendly fire.

http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/chancellorsville/maps/first-day-at-chancellorsville.html