The Campaign of Chancellorsville

The Campaign of Chancellorsville

by Theodore A. Dodge

To the members of The Military Historical Society of Massachusetts, of

whose researches into the history of our Civil War the following pages

form but a modest part, this volume is, with Sincere Regard, Dedicated

by the author.

THE CAMPAIGN OF CHANCELLORSVILLE.

It must seem to the casual reader of the history of the war of

1861-65, that enough has already been written upon the campaign of

Chancellorsville. And there are numerous brilliant essays, in the

histories now before the public, which give a coup-d'oeil more or less

accurate of this ten-days' passage of arms. But none of these spread

before the reader facts sufficiently detailed to illustrate the

particular theory advanced by each to account for the defeat of the Army

of the Potomac on this field.

The stigma besmirching the character of the Eleventh Corps, and of

Howard, its then commanding general, for a panic and rout in but a small

degree owing to them; the unjust strictures passed upon Sedgwick for his

failure to execute a practically impossible order; the truly remarkable

blunders into which Gen. Hooker allowed himself to lapse, in endeavoring

to explain away his responsibility for the disaster; the bare fact,

indeed, that the Army of the Potomac was here beaten by Lee, with

one-half its force; and the very partial publication, thus far, of the

details of the campaign, and the causes of our defeat,--may stand

as excuse for one more attempt to make plain its operations to the

survivors of the one hundred and eighty thousand men who there bore

arms, and to the few who harbor some interest in the subject as mere

history.

To say that Gen. Hooker lapsed into blunders in explaining his share in

this defeat, is to use a form of words purposely tempered to the memory

of a gallant soldier, who, whatever his shortcomings, has done his

country signal service; and to avoid the imputation of baldly throwing

down the gauntlet of ungracious criticism. All reference to Gen.

Hooker's skill or conduct in this, one of the best conceived and most

fatally mismanaged of the many unsuccessful advances of the Army of

the Potomac, is made with sincere appreciation of his many admirable

qualities, frankly, and untinged by bitterness. But it must be

remembered, that Gen. Hooker has left himself on record as the author of

many harsh reflections upon his subordinates; and that to mete out even

justice to all requires unvarnished truth.

The most uncalled-for slur upon the conduct of his lieutenants probably

occurs in his testimony before the Committee on the Conduct of the War.

Before withdrawing from the south side of the Rappahannock, after the

decisive events of the battle-field had cooped up the army between

the river and its intrenchments, Hooker called together all his corps

commanders, and requested their several opinions as to the advisability

of attack or retreat. Whatever discussion may have then been had, it was

generally understood, in after-days, that all but one of these generals

had expressed himself freely for an immediate advance. In referring

to this understanding, while denying its correctness, Hooker used the

following language:--

"So far as my experience extends, there are in all armies officers more

valiant after the fight than while it is pending; and, when a truthful

history of the Rebellion shall be written, it will be found that the

Army of the Potomac is not an exception."

Merely to characterize as ungenerous this aspersion upon the courage

of such men as then served under Hooker, savors of error on the side of

leniency. And, inasmuch as these words strike, as it were, the keynote

of all the statements which Hooker has vouchsafed with reference to

these events, they might be assumed fairly to open the door to unsparing

criticism. But it is hoped that this course has been avoided; and that

what censure is dealt out to Gen. Hooker in the succeeding pages will

be accepted, even by his advocates, in the kindly spirit in which it is

meant, and in which every soldier of the beloved old Army of the Potomac

must uniformly refer to every other.

There is, moreover, no work on Chancellorsville which results from