CHAN'CELLORSVILLE, BATTLE OF. One of the most important battles of the Civil War. fought May 2-4, 1803, at Chaneellorsville, 11 miles west of Fredericksburg, between the Federal Army of the Potomac, numbering about 130.000. under General Hooker, and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, num about 60.000. under General Lee. Hooker had superseded Burnside on January 26, and by the middle of April had succeeded in thoroughly reorganizing his army, restoring its morale, and preparing it for action. At this time the Fed eral and Confederate armies lay facing each other across the Rappahannock at Fredericksburg. Hooker resolved to turn the Confederate left flank, first sending nearly all his cavalry, under Stoneman, to destroy Lee's communications with Richmond. The main movement began on April 27. when Hooker sent a portion of the army. under Seffgwiek, to distract Lee's attention by cossing. below Fredericksburg. while the main force effected a crossing This was successfully executed, and during the night of April 30 the main force was eoneen trated at Chancellorsville. on left flank. Lee then turned to face Hooker, and on nty 1 the latter timidly drew in his advance, and placed himself on the delenske. Early on Nay 2. Lee ordered Jackson, who had been stationed on his extreme with 311,1n1 men. to make a wide detour. and. stringing round to the extreme right of the federal position. make an unexpected as sault upon the enemy's think. The direction of this movement was not apparent to the Federal,., who began to regard it in the nature of a retreat. About It P.m_ alter a march of some 15 miles. .lackson fell suddenly upon the flank and rear of Howard's corps, which constituted the right flank of the Federal army, and. taking it by surprise. stampeded it; Jackson. while in ad vance of his troops, was tired upon and mortally wounded by his own men, a ho mistook his cseort for a detachment of Dur ing the progress of this movement Lee sought to divert the attention of Hooker by a lively dent c•nstr.11ion on his front. on the morning of Nay
1.ee made a vigorous attack on front and flank, in which .1ackson's force, now commanded by Stuart. played a leading part. The brunt of the assanit fell upon General Sickle., on the Federal right. and General Slocum. at the centre. Booker, who was stunned by the impact of a ball on a pil lar against which he was leaning. showed Sickles. Who hail stayed Stuart's fierce on slaught, fell short of ammunition; some 30-000 fresh troops were not called into action: and at last the Federal line gave way, the army, however, fadllggl back only a short distance to a strong de fensive position. Lee was deterred from imme diately follinving up his advantage by the news that his position was threatened on the right by the advance of the Federal force under Sedg wick. At night, on \lay 2, 'Hooker had sent word to Sedgwiek to advanee on Chancellorsville from Fredericksburg. On Alay 3 Sedgwiek attempted to execute the order and captured Fredericks burg and the heights behind it. Lee sent re inforcement• whielt checked his advance, and on the night of Nay 4-5 Sedg•iek recrossed the Rap pahanniiek. Lee then prepared to advance against Hooker on the 5th, but the latter hastily with drew his army across the river during a heavy storm. In the four days, 1-4, the Federals had lost about 17.311t1 in killed, wounded. and missing; thy Confederates about 12,465. Lee had clearly outgeneraled Hooker at every point. and had won an important vh-tory with greatly in ferior forces; bnt his sne•ess was almost •ounter by his loss of Jackson. by this vietury and the apparent demoralization of the Federal army, he pldnned his invasion of Pennsylvania. which ended in the battle of Get tYslairg thv•) • Consult : Dodge, Tio• Campaign of I 'ham, ( ) : 'Doubleday. r /war. gm/ ed., New York, ISS21 : Johnson and Buel (editors 1. 11111 .1) /11)11 /,schuss of I ler ciril War, Vol. III. ( 4 yids , New York, 15'.-17 4 ; Official yids N\ \'. 15.0)).