Storymania - "Lee At Chancellorsville" by Mauricio Esquenazi

"Lee At Chancellorsville"
Mauricio Esquenazi

During the civil war, many battles were fought, and many different general commanded these. All these commanders were important, and many of these battles were important too. There was one leader in particular who became famous for leading the southern army at the battle of Chancellorsville. This commander was Robert Edward Lee. He was always positive about almost everything, and had many good qualities. Lee was clever, brave, gentle, handsome, generous, charming, noble and modest. For having all these qualities Lee was very much admired by his men, southern leaders, and even Northern. However as many leaders, Lee had failures too. For example on the battle of Gettysburg after Chancellosvile, and when he lost the war. The battle of Chancellorsville was a brilliant battle for Robert E. Lee.

Some of the reasons for Lee to become important are that he was very brilliant. � �We are half they�re size, but two times more intelligent than them� �I trust you all, and know we will kill�. These are some of his words when fighting at Chancellorsville. Lee was a very confident man; he believed on his men, he trusted them. On Chancellorsville, Lee only took around 60.000 troops and Hooker took around two times what Lee took. He could have had have half the men Hooker had, but with his comprehension and attitude his soldiers were able to win the battle. Lee had something unique that made his men and southern generals trust him. He was an honest man. �I was born as a Southern, and I will die as a Southern�. Lee told the north when they wanted him to command one of their armies. He was a trustful man for refusing the offer the north had given him. This made President Jefferson Davis have more trust on Lee.
The battle of Chancellorsville was one of the most confusing battles. It all started on April 30, 1863. A couple of days before this tragedy, General Hooker putted the Army of the Potomac at Fredericksburg to defend it. This way he would keep all of Lee�s attention there, but Hooker�s plan did not succeed. Then on April 30, the battle of Chancellorsville in Virginia started. This event had duration of eight days more or less. This battle really started on May 1st. Troops led by Jackson opposed Hooker from advancing on the Orange Turnpike and Orange Plant Road. This was the first fight of the battle. It happened during the night. Here the south began killing the north, but then with no luck started shooting everywhere killing their own army. This was a big mistake, but this way the army of the Potomac was reduced as well as the southern army. Lee attacks again. On May 3rd he massed fifty cannons on the high grounds of Hazel Grove. This attack made Hooker move back covering the US Ford. The last attacks of this battle weren�t that important, but they helped to win the battle of Chancellorsville. Lee had a great success before this battle before this one, but after Jackson died he started coming down. For example on Gettysburg, what happened to Lee? Why did he loose? And then on the following battle the same thing started to happen. Lee lost confidence and had bad temper attacks. The south did not have many men, and the north did so for these and many other reasons the war was lost. But on the battles before Chancellorsville Lee had a lot of succeed, since he was more confidence, had more men than he did after Chancellorsville, and had Jackson.

On this battle Hooker was very confident, well he sought his plans were great. Hooker started by attacking Lee from the west, after he crossed the Rappahanack and the Rapid Rivers. He left a part of his army with commander John Sedgwick to trick Lee. Sedgwick marcher towards the back part of Lee�s lines. By now Hooker could be able to come up on the east, behind Lee�s lines. This he could do only by crossing a dense wooded area, which is called the wilderness. This area was so thick and so tangled with vines that a soldier was just able to see with-in some yards ahead. This gave Hooker more problems since they could not see the enemy come. After seeing what Lee was doing, Hooker lost control and pulled his troops back to Chancellorsville. Hooker failed again. His plan had come down when Lee noticed what was coming up. This was one of Hookers best plan at chancellorville, just if he had not taken his troops back. He had Lee trapped between him and Sedgwick.

Lee�s plans were very good, and very famous. To win Lee had to employ brilliant techniques, which involved daring chances and leadership. One of his plans, which he used in Chancellorsville, was to strike Hooker�s forces in front, mean while Jackson took advantage and attacked around the other side. Any problem can occur, and on this attack, which happened during night General Jackson was accidentally wounded. An other great plan Lee used on this battle and successfully killed many northern enemies, was on may 3rd. when Hooker started a march towards the high ground of Hazel Grove, Lee waited for them to get a litter more near, and when he knew it was time he massed 50 cannon on the high ground of Hazel Grove and fired. He was able to kill many northern. Lee thought of an other plan, which will help him win the battle. Hooker had started a forced march to come up on the east, behind Lee�s lines. But lee thought fast enough to peeper and take all of his men on a forced march to Chancellorsville. With this march Lee took advantage of the situation since Hooker was not well prepared for thinking his plan was great. When both groups met, Hooker lost all of his confidence, for a reason we don�t know, because Lee�s army was not as big as Hooker�s, and immediately pulled all of his trops back. Lee was able to shoot a have success by killing many. Not all of Lee�s plans worked and had success, but most of them did. For that he was well recognized by Jefferson Davis and many other important people. His plans were very unique for coming up with strange plans and dangerous chances of loosing.

The battle of Chancellorsville was one or the most confusing battles. It all started on April 30, 1863. A couple of days before this tragedy, General Hooker numbered the army of the Potomac on Fredericksburg to defend it. This way he would keep all of Lee�s attention there, but Hooker�s plan did not succeed. Then on April 30, the battle of Chancellorsville in Virginia started. This event had duration of eight days more or less. This battle really started on May 1st. Troops led by Jackson opposed Hooker from advancing on the Orange Turnpike and Orange Plant Road. This was the first fight of the battle. It happened during the night. Here the south began killing the north, but then with no luck started shooting everywhere killing their own army. This was a big mistake, but this way the army of the Potomac was reduced as well as the southern army. Lee attacks again on may three; he massed fifty cannons on the high grounds of Hazel Grove. This attack hooker move back covering the US Ford. The last attacks of this battle weren�t that important, but they helped to win the battle of Chancellorsville. Lee had a great success before this battle before this one, but after Jackson died he started coming down. For example on Gettysburg, what happened to Lee? Why did he loose? And then on the following battle the same thing started to happen. Lee lost confidence and had bad temper attacks. The south did not have many men, and the north did so for these and many other reasons the war was lost. But on the battles before Chancellorsville Lee had a lot of succeed, since he was more confidence, had more men than he did after Chancellorsville, and had Jackson.

�He has lost his left arm, but I have lost my right hand.� These were Lee�s words when he new Jackson was wounded. It was an afoul disgrace, and afoul mistake when he was wounded. It was during the Mexican War, where Jackson first met Lee. On those moments and so on, Lee started to frustrated and loose control really fast. Lee was very tense. Lee was feeling terribly sorry. He had now lost what helped him become that great man he became. Jackson was a very important commander for the south. His soldiers loved him and trusted his abilities. When Jackson got shot, Lee had nothing else to do than to call for J.E.B. Stuart, who took a temporary command over Jackson�s troops. �Stonewall�, Jackson�s nickname, got Pneumonia, and was wounded for more or lees one week, then died. Lee felt sense of loss and personal ill. This battle was the last of �LEE-JACKSON�. It was the last and most dramatic maneuvers. On the moment �stonewall� died, Hooker showed respect and held back a defense position waiting for Lee to calm down. Days after the tragedy, things were kind of back to normal. Even though lee continued the constanting leadership and strategic generous for which he is well remembered, the army of �northern Virginia was never the same. His death made the south loose the men who best carried Lee�s dynamic strategy. For his greatness and collaboration �stonewall� is today well remembered. Even though Chancellorsville was a brilliant battle for Lee, there was also a great loss for him; it was the death of Jackson.

Evnthought Lee could not win the Civil War, he had some great battles. To win all the battles he won, he had to make some great plans, which took a lot of courage and failing chances. His well known partner Stonewall Jackson, who died on one of the most dramatic battles; Chancellorsville, was Lee�s right hand. Lee was able to success, and become a great commander when he had Jackson by his side, but after �Stonewall died Lee started coming down. During the battle of chancellorsville, Lee became one of the most recognized commanders in America. He had offers from the North, to fight for them, and Jefferson Davis gave him all his trust. That is why this battle was brilliant for Robert E. Lee.