It was the best of times, it was the worst of times
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Following the Fredericksburg I debacle, President Abraham Lincoln replaced Burnside with Joseph Hooker. Hooker, on the east bank of the Rappahananock at Fredericksburg had more than 130,000 troops and 412 artillery pieces, more than twice the strength of Lee in all three combat arms: infantry, cavalry, and artillery. He intended to use these superior numbers to effect a plan whereby he would employ a pincer movement against Lee. One half of the army under Sedgwick would cross the Rappahanock River below Fredericksburg and the other half would cross upstream to move against Lee's rear. Each Federal wing would be almost the size of Lee's entire command. The Federal cavalry meanwhile, would attempt to create confusion by operations behind Lee's lines, west and south of Chancellorsville.
Begining April 29, 1863 Sedgwick's men crossed and consolidated their bridgeheads at Franklin's Crossing and Pollock's Mill (Fitzhugh's Crossing) of the Rappahanock below Fredericksburg, Lee decided that the main threat was Hooker's right flanking column. Lee therefore moved the bulk of his army westward towards Hooker and left Major General Jubal Early with about 10,000 men to contain Sedgwick at Fredericksburg.
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Last Updated 04 May 2002
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times
Click on any [Item] below to go to that page
[Return to Glossary Page]
[Return to 43rd Pennsylvania Home Page]
© 1998-2004 Benjamin M. Givens, Jr.