Wright’s butternuts would strike at the Yankee flank and rear. Hooker, unaware of Stoneman’s delay, reassured Lincoln that, despite the rain, he was sure Stoneman had crossed. While on reconnaissance the evening prior to the battle, Rebel horsemen ran pell-mell into Lt. Col. Duncan McVicar’s 6th New York Cavalry. Satisfied that Sedgwick’s and Reynold’s corps were just performing a feint at Fredericksburg, Lee confidently rode toward Chancellorsville on the afternoon of May 1. Earlier, Colonel Benjamin F. Davis’ brigade had splashed across the river upstream at Sulphur Spring. Hooker took up defensive positions, and Lee again divided his own army, sending Jackson on march around the Union’s left flank. His goal was nothing less than the capture of the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. Two related battles were fought nearby on May 3 in the vicinity of Fredericksburg. This was the last major fighting around Chancellorsville itself. Hooker, concerned about Sickles' ability to hold what was now a salient into the Confederate lines, pulled the III Corps back to Chancellorsville that night. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Chancellorsville Campaign, aka Battle of Chancellorsville © HistoryOnTheNet 2000-2019. His death was a devastating loss for the Confederacy. The Confederates resumed the offensive on May 3, forcing Hooker’s army into a defensive posture near the fords that were their only means of retreat. The three divisions of the II Corps came on in waves, with the Stonewall Division striking first, followed by Rodes' and A.P. President Davis approved. McLaws’ division was alerted to move up and support Anderson. The remainder of Jackson’s corps would march to Chancellorsville to bolster Anderson’s men, who were already there. There is no sense in defying the Almighty when you are fighting General Lee. remarked a jubilant Meade. The Battle of Chancellorsville was fought around Fredericksburg, Virginia. Hooker’s main force retreated across the river on May 5 and 6, with hardly a shot fired. Morale in the Army of the Potomac was sinking rapidly. Bang whiz bang–we were saluted by a volley of musketry, recalled one Pennsylvania officer. He would attack. [cat totalposts=’25’ offset=’0′ category=’1047′ excerpt=’true’ order=’desc’ orderby=’post_date’], VIDEO: Battery H Of The 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery At Gettysburg, Dan Bullock: The youngest American killed in the Vietnam War, Tank Driver Braved Flames, Bullets to Save Friends in Vietnam. He ordered an advance at 11 a.m. along two roads toward Chancellorsville: McLaws's division and the brigade of Brig. The second, also under Burnside, had fizzled out in the infamous Mud March. This was the third attempt the North made to break through Lee’s lines along the Rappahannock River to take Richmond. fr:Bataille de Chancellorsville With only 60,000 men engaged, he suffered 13,303 casualties* (1,665 killed, 9,081 wounded, 2,018 missing), losing some 22% of his force in the campaign—men that the Confederacy, with its limited manpower, could not replace.