Battle of Chancellorsville, 1863

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Chancellorsville Battlefield is west of Fredericksburg, Virginia on Route 3. Here the Union Army under Joseph Hooker attempted to intercept Lee's army in the Spring of 1863. Hooker, who had previously behaved bravely, lost his nerve after suffering an injury and bungled the outcome of the battle in spite of a great numerical advantage. Over a three-day period, both sides suffered great losses for a total of over 30,000 men killed, wounded, or captured.

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September 20, 2003 - Hurricane Isabel had wrought havoc on Northern Virginia two days earlier, but our group still showed up in Chancellorsville for the scheduled field trip. The battlefield stood serene and lovely as ever.		Some of the roads were closed due to flooding and fallen trees, as was the visitors' center.
McLaw's Trail - Straight ahead is a swampy area that slowed Union troops.		The painting on the left depicts the last meeting of Lee and Jackson
Intersection on Plank Road where Lee made plans with Stonewall Jackson	Sickles attacked at Catherine Furnace, an old iron producing furnace.	At this site, Jackson formed his famous flank attack.

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