Hooker Begins His Campaign

Hooker's Plan for the Campaign

General Joseph Hooker, commander of the Union Army of the Potomac, did not want to make the same mistake as Burnside had at the Battle of Fredericksburg in December. So he would not try a direct attack on the entrenched Confederates. This left him with two options - he could either cross the Rappohannock above, or below Fredericksburg. He chose to cross above so he could continue to cover Washington to prevent Lee from making a quick rush at the city. His plan was for George Stoneman to cross with the cavalry thirty miles north of Fredericksburg and sweep into Lee's rear, riding over JEB Stuart's outnumbered troops, and spreading havoc in rebel communications. The infantry corps of Slocum, Howard and Meade would then cross at Kelley's Ford. This ford appeared to be unguarded, and he hoped that he could cross and get in Lee's rear before his presence was discovered. As this Union force advanced south they would uncover Bank's Ford, where Couch's Corp would cross. Meanwhile Sedgwick, Reynolds and Sickles would cross just south of Fredericksburg, where Jackson had fought in December's battle, to hold those Confederates in place. If Hooker's plan worked as he hoped, he would envelope Lee and give him no choice but to fight on the ground of Hooker's choosing. "My plans are perfect," Hooker declared, "and when I start to carry them out, may God have mercy on Bobby Lee, for I shall have none."

Hooker had his men moving the last week of April, getting into position to cross the river. The cavalry was late in starting, and failed to cause the confusion in the southern plans that Hooker hoped for. The infantry crossed the river on the night of April 28th, 150 years ago today. The Union troops concentrated in an area called the Wilderness around a crossroads called Chancellorsville. The Wilderness was a large jungle of woods and underbrush that was destined become the scene of the bloodiest battles in Virginia. Hooker soon had four corps concentrating in the area, with another one, Sickels, on the way from the left. It seemed that everything was going perfectly in the Federal favor. Hooker proclaimed on April 30th:

Hooker

It is with heartfelt satisfaction the commanding general announces to the army that the operations of the last three days have determined that our enemy must either ingloriously fly, or come out from behind his defenses and give us battle on our own ground, where certain destruction awaits him. Lincoln remained sceptical. He had heard this talk before, particularity from John Pope, who had been whipped by Lee at 2nd Manassas. He commented, "The hen is the wisest of all the animals in creation because she never cackles until the egg is laid." Hooker’s plans would fall apart when Lee responded with one of Lee’s most daring plans of the entire war.