Hurrah for Old Joe!: Hooker Wins at Chancellorsville

Your welcome. Went to Fredericksburg a long time ago myself. Sad how their isn't anything left of that battlefield other than the stone wall. Never got the chance to get over to Chancellorsville though. The weather at the time was really wet.
 
Your welcome. Went to Fredericksburg a long time ago myself. Sad how their isn't anything left of that battlefield other than the stone wall. Never got the chance to get over to Chancellorsville though. The weather at the time was really wet.
I have heard that there are efforts to buy back portions of the battlefield that have been developed and restore them. Also, the part of the battlefield where Meade made his breakthrough is, if I remember correctly, still intact. But yeah, that's about it.
 
Actually Hooker did not get along with Halleck to the point when he took command he would not report to him but to the President and Sectary of War.
 
Actually Hooker did not get along with Halleck to the point when he took command he would not report to him but to the President and Sectary of War.
And Halleck withheld the use of troops in the Valley from Hooker, but instantly handed them over to Meade when he took command. Halleck was a spiteful soul.
 
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In the aftermath of his great victory, Hooker and the Army of the Potomac began a period of rest and refitting that would last the next two months. With enlistments expiring, Hooker's army began to bleed manpower reducing its offensive capabilities. Hooker also lost the services of his capable second in command Darius Couch who retired from active field command. Couch was succeeded in his role by General Henry Slocum. Slocum was a solid officer and would fulfill the role adequately.
No surprise there; Hooker will want to make the AotP ready for a new offensive. Fortunately, the AotP is coming off a major victory so re-enlisting the 2 year men should be easier.
Not everything was entirely quiet skirmishing continued along the front. Lee had reconstituted his forces somewhat and molded them again into a capable force. The Confederate commander was determined to strike back in some way and he looked to the Shenandoah Valley as a weak spot in the Union defenses. In mid June, Lee dispatched General Richard Ewell and roughly 12,000 men for a strike into the Valley. Ewell had previously been Stonewall Jackson's most able subordinate and he knew the Shenandoah extremely well. He succeeded in capturing Winchester along with its 4,000 man garrison. This was a significant setback and embarrassment for the Union. A furious Hooker, responded to the move by dispatching his trusted General Sedgwick at the head of 20,000 men to resecure the area.
That makes sense; the Valley is a natural invasion route so Lee can use it to pull forces away from the AoNV. I suspect Hooker will have to make sure to take control of the Valley before resuming his offensive.
BTW with Jackson's death, I would assume Lee reorganized the AoNV similar to OTL?
Dealing with Hallack was a more complicated manner. The two men had a long history of animosity that prevented them from working well together. They clashed constantly over the most minor of details.
Actually Hooker did not get along with Halleck to the point when he took command he would not report to him but to the President and Sectary of War.
Considering Halleck's personality, I am not surprised Hooker would bypass him; I would imagine he would want nothing better than to see Halleck removed from his post.....
 
If I remember correctly Hooker accused Halleck of corruption as a lawyer in California prewar.
 
Actually Hooker did not get along with Halleck to the point when he took command he would not report to him but to the President and Sectary of War.

If I remember correctly Hooker accused Halleck of corruption as a lawyer in California prewar.

Thanks I'll edit. I've also heard a story that Hooker supposedly owed Halleck money pre war.

BTW with Jackson's death, I would assume Lee reorganized the AoNV similar to OTL?
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Ewell would ascend to corps command, perhaps with less men available Hill won't get a corps though?
 
I read that Lee thought the Corps too large even before Chancellorsville thought i am not sure if that actually something that he would change with the different events.
 
I read that Lee thought the Corps too large even before Chancellorsville thought i am not sure if that actually something that he would change with the different events.
Depends on Lee's numbers; darius, with Ewell detached, how strong is the AoNV at this point? If he's regained enough strength, he might elevate A.P. Hill to a Corps command to have two Corps.
 
Depends on Lee's numbers; darius, with Ewell detached, how strong is the AoNV at this point? If he's regained enough strength, he might elevate A.P. Hill to a Corps command to have two Corps.

I was figuring something around 45,000-48,000. Similar to what they were fielding in Bristoe Station/Mine Run OTL.
 
The problem with using them number is that Longstreet was in Tennessee so you would need to take that into account if you did not.
 
I read that Lee thought the Corps too large even before Chancellorsville thought i am not sure if that actually something that he would change with the different events.

After TTL Chancellorsville, I think while Jackson's corps took the most damage, there might not be a problem with oversized units anymore...
 
The problem with using them number is that Longstreet was in Tennessee so you would need to take that into account if you did not.
Longstreet was not at Tennessee, he was at Suffolk, Virginia.
I was figuring something around 45,000-48,000. Similar to what they were fielding in Bristoe Station/Mine Run OTL.
You might need to revise that number. The TL stated that the AoNV suffered 20,000 losses (an increase of about 7,046 casualties from OTL), this means that Lee only has 37,061 troops remaining after Chancellorsville. However, with the Suffolk Campaign aborted, Hood’s, Pickett’s and, possibly Samuel G. French’s division will reinforce them, adding 25,000 troops (including French) to Lee’s battered force. I don’t know how large Lee’s reinforcements were after Chancellorsville, and it will take some time for me to calculate the full reinforcements.

EDIT-I just remembered that Stuart’s Cavalry ‘Division’ (Corps really) was given back several of his cavalry ‘brigades’ along with two cavalry brigades that had been operating at the Shenandoah Valley which brought him up to 10,292 cavalrymen (basically a reinforcement of 7,552 cavalrymen to Lee’s Army)
 
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Longstreet was not at Tennessee, he was at Suffolk, Virginia.

You might need to revise that number. The TL stated that the AoNV suffered 20,000 losses (an increase of about 7,046 casualties from OTL), this means that Lee only has 37,061 troops remaining after Chancellorsville. However, with the Suffolk Campaign aborted, Hood’s, Pickett’s and, possibly Samuel G. French’s division will reinforce them, adding 25,000 troops (including French) to Lee’s battered force. I don’t know how large Lee’s reinforcements were after Chancellorsville, and it will take some time for me to calculate the full reinforcements.

EDIT-I just remembered that Stuart’s Cavalry ‘Division’ (Corps really) was given back several of his cavalry ‘brigades’ along with two cavalry brigades that had been operating at the Shenandoah Valley which brought him up to 10,292 cavalrymen (basically a reinforcement of 7,552 cavalrymen to Lee’s Army)

I'm completely flexible with the numbers. So you would estimate around 60-65 then for Lee with the addition of Longstreet and reinforcements? If they had 75k for OTL Gettysburg campaign, that would make sense.
 
I'm completely flexible with the numbers. So you would estimate around 60-65 then for Lee with the addition of Longstreet and reinforcements? If they had 75k for OTL Gettysburg campaign, that would make sense.
Yes, roughly 65,000-68,000 seems to be appropriate. I used to have research notes on the reinforcements Lee got before launching the Gettysburg Campaign, but I left behind my notebook and history books when I left to go to university.
 
Yes, roughly 65,000-68,000 seems to be appropriate.
OK so let's work on the assumption that the AoNV has 65-68,000 troops with somewhere between 9,500-10,500 Cavalry. Ewell has 12,000 troops in the Valley (I'm assuming he has maybe 2,000 Cavalry with him.) So Lee would have 53,000-56,000 troops with 7,500-8,500 Cavalry, resulting in about 44,500-48,500 Infantry and Artillery. For now I'm thinking maybe its organized as a single corps under Longstreet with 2-3 Divisions. plus artillery.
BTW ITTL with heavier losses for the AoNV, there's a chance more officers (especially senior commanders) may have been wounded or killed; Lee will have to factor this in on any reorganization.
 
Two months with no activity .....

What are the current troop strengths and dispositions in the East? Does Hooker have something up his sleeve, like perhaps a slide to the East or is he going to try to bull doze ahead? How about another peminslar campaign? Or how about a corps advance up the James and another Corps to advance from NC north. Does the Union have the men for this and a strong front south of the Rappahanic?

NY draft riots will occur as otl as well.

Troop disposition is

Sheandoah
CSA - 12k under Early
USA - 20k

North of Richmond
AotP - 100k?
ANV - 65k

Garrisons like Wash DC?

Ok lets see what happens. Hopefully, the Union stays south of the wilderness.
 
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