The Battlefields of Virginia, Chancellorsville

Jedidiah Hotchkiss (1828-1899) was best known for his roll as map maker for Generals Jackson and Lee during the War Between the States. He possessed many talents along with a deep Christian faith. "With a map before him, General J…

Jedidiah Hotchkiss (1828-1899) was best known for his roll as map maker for Generals Jackson and Lee during the War Between the States. He possessed many talents along with a deep Christian faith. "With a map before him, General Jackson suggested an entire circuit of the right of the opposing army, and that the attack be made on its rear. Lee inquired with what force he would do this. Jackson replied, "With my whole corps, present." Lee then asked what would be left to him with which to resist an advance of the enemy towards Fredericksburg. "The divisions of Anderson and McLaws," said Jackson. For a moment Lee reflected on the audacity of this plan in the face of Hooker's superior numbers. With less than forty-two thousand muskets, he was in the presence of sixty thousand. To divide his army into two parts, and place the whole Federal force between them, was extremely hazardous." From the Preface: "The Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30-May 6, 1863, resulted in a Confederate victory that stopped an attempted flanking movement by Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker's Army of the Potomac against the left of Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Fought in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, Lee's bold decision to fight a force twice his size--The Army of the Potomac--by splitting his own army in two made the Battle of Chancellorsville go down in history as Lee's most momentous strategic victory." "It's the object of the succeeding pages to give a plain narrative of one of the most important events in our great civil contest. Information therein has been drawn, almost entirely, from official documents; the contemporary newspaper accounts being too conflicting and unreliable to be available. We have mainly consulted the official report of the officers engaged on both sides. . . we have added a sketch on the last days of the Confederate chieftain whose name will ever be associated with Chancellorsville, as the scene of his last and perhaps most brilliant achievement. It is from the pen of Dr. Hunter McGuire, Professor  of Surgery in the Richmond Medical College, and late Medical Director for Lieut. Gen. Jackson."