VII: Jackson's Flank Attack
The Union 11th Corps was the smallest corps in the Army of the Potomac only about 8,000 men. It was a unique in having the largest of men with Germanic ancestry referred to as "dutchmen" by their fellow soldiers. In recent months morale in the unit had sunk to an all time low. The corps popular commander Franz Sigel had been replaced by Oliver Otis Howard. The men saw Sigel as a fatherly figure one of their own while Howard wasn't given the same affection. Howard, though a very brave officer having lost an arm in the Peninsula, was outwardly reserved and pious, he did little to inspire the men. At Chancellorsville, Howard and the men of the 11th found themselves at the extreme right flank of the Union lines.
By May 1st Hooker was settling in at his new headquarters the Chancellorsville House. His army now rested in a salient facing outward with Meade, Couch, Slocum were engaged Confederates to the east, Sickles was probing due south and Howard was holding to the western flank. After spending the day inspecting and assessing his position, Hooker realized that Howard's force was in no condition to hold the right alone. In response that night he sent orders for Reynold's 1st corps to be pulled from Sedgwick and redeploy with the main body. Reynold's would take up a new position to reinforce Howard. Sedgwick wasn't happy but under the circumstances begrudgingly understood. Before they could arrive however disaster struck.
On the afternoon of May 2nd, Stonewall Jackson at the head of over 20,000 men assailed the Union right in one of the most spectacular attacks on the war. Howard's men had failed to entrench and were taken largely by surprise. Outnumbered three to one at the point of attack the corps was shattered losing over a third of its strength. Howard's heroic attempts to rally the corps amounted to not. The Union position was only salvaged by the onset of night. The rest of the army cursed the men of the 11th as "Howard's Cowards" and the "flying dutchmen" This was largely unfair as many units had put up a good fight against long odds. Having taken a beating the men of the 11th, and the Army of the Potomac as a whole wondered what tomorrow would bring.
The Union 11th Corps was the smallest corps in the Army of the Potomac only about 8,000 men. It was a unique in having the largest of men with Germanic ancestry referred to as "dutchmen" by their fellow soldiers. In recent months morale in the unit had sunk to an all time low. The corps popular commander Franz Sigel had been replaced by Oliver Otis Howard. The men saw Sigel as a fatherly figure one of their own while Howard wasn't given the same affection. Howard, though a very brave officer having lost an arm in the Peninsula, was outwardly reserved and pious, he did little to inspire the men. At Chancellorsville, Howard and the men of the 11th found themselves at the extreme right flank of the Union lines.
By May 1st Hooker was settling in at his new headquarters the Chancellorsville House. His army now rested in a salient facing outward with Meade, Couch, Slocum were engaged Confederates to the east, Sickles was probing due south and Howard was holding to the western flank. After spending the day inspecting and assessing his position, Hooker realized that Howard's force was in no condition to hold the right alone. In response that night he sent orders for Reynold's 1st corps to be pulled from Sedgwick and redeploy with the main body. Reynold's would take up a new position to reinforce Howard. Sedgwick wasn't happy but under the circumstances begrudgingly understood. Before they could arrive however disaster struck.
On the afternoon of May 2nd, Stonewall Jackson at the head of over 20,000 men assailed the Union right in one of the most spectacular attacks on the war. Howard's men had failed to entrench and were taken largely by surprise. Outnumbered three to one at the point of attack the corps was shattered losing over a third of its strength. Howard's heroic attempts to rally the corps amounted to not. The Union position was only salvaged by the onset of night. The rest of the army cursed the men of the 11th as "Howard's Cowards" and the "flying dutchmen" This was largely unfair as many units had put up a good fight against long odds. Having taken a beating the men of the 11th, and the Army of the Potomac as a whole wondered what tomorrow would bring.