The Battle of Chancellorsville is widely considered to have been one of the most perfectly executed battles in American history as well as the second bloodiest single day in American war history. The battle occurred in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the rural village of Chancellorsville from April 30 to May 6, 1863 and was part of a larger conflict known as the Campaign of Chancellorsville. The battle was fought between the Union’s Army of the Potomac, led by Major General Joseph Hooker, and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by General Robert E. Lee. The area around Chancellorsville was crisscrossed by three river systems, the Rappahannock, the Rapidan, and the Potomac, as well as several smaller tributaries; essentially …show more content…
6). Even with these hardships, the Confederates still had a high overall morale, which can most likely be attributed to the major victories they had accomplished recently beforehand and the resulting turn-over for Union Army command. The most distinct difference in the two sides comes from the leaders of the two forces, Lee and Hooker. While both had a similar educational background, having been West Point graduates, they couldn’t have been further apart in experience or personalities. Lee had already been through six major battles at this point, resulting in three wins, two losses, and one draw; while Hooker had only been given command of the Union Army three months prior, and had commanded them in no major battles. Hooker was known for his bravado, having told President Lincoln that “my plans are perfect” and “may God have mercy on General Lee for I will have none” according to Cullen (1988, p.4). The Confederates were located just south of the convergence of the Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers, utilizing the Chancellorsville valley to forage for supplies through the winter before continuing their campaign towards the Union capital of Washington, while having smaller flanking