United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College Marine Corps University 2076 South Street Marine Corps Combat Development Command Quantico, Virginia 22134-5068 MASTER OF MILITARY STUDIES Commander’s Intent of Major General Joseph Hooker during the Chancellorsville Campaign SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF MILITARY STUDIES Major William M. Jurney AY 2000-2001 Mentor: Dr. Richard L. DiNardo Approved:________________ Date:_____________________ Mentor: Prof E. H. Grayson, Col, USA (Ret) Approved:________________ Date:_____________________ Report Documentation Page Report Date Report Type Dates Covered (from... to) 06042001 N/A - Title and Subtitle Contract Number Commander’s Intent of Major General Joseph Hooker during the Chancellorsville Campaign Grant Number Program Element Number Author(s) Project Number Jurney, William M. Task Number Work Unit Number Performing Organization Name(s) and Address(es) Performing Organization Report Number USMC Command and Staff College 2076 South Street, MCCDC Quantico, VA 22134-5068 Sponsoring/Monitoring Agency Name(s) and Sponsor/Monitor’s Acronym(s) Address(es) Sponsor/Monitor’s Report Number(s) Distribution/Availability Statement Approved for public release, distribution unlimited Supplementary Notes The original document contains color images. Abstract Did "Fighting Joe" Hooker of the army of the Potomac lose his nerve during the Chancellorsville Campaign of 1863? Perhaps history has failed to recognze Major General Joseph Hooker’s true commander’s intent for this campaign. Hooker’s intent was simple: maneuver forces to Lee’s flank and rear in order to force a withdrawal of Confederate troops from Fredericksburg. Hooker had no intention of engaging in a "risky confrontation" with General Robert E. Lee and the army of northern Virginia. Hooker’s plan would fail due to his own steadfast belief in the ability of his plan to force Lee to withdraw. To say that Lee defeated the army of the Potomac is misleading because Lee did not defeat the army, he defeated Hooker as he fought a very effective defensive battle that removed the federal threat from Virginia due to Hooker’s failings as an army commander. Subject Terms Chancellorsville; Hooker; Civil War; Commander’s Intent Report Classification Classification of this page unclassified unclassified Classification of Abstract Limitation of Abstract unclassified UU Number of Pages 70 REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE FORM APPROVED - - - OMB NO. 0704-0188 public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington headquarters services, directorate for information operations and reports, 1215 Jefferson davis highway, suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the office of management and budget, paperwork reduction project (0704-0188) Washington, dc 20503 1. AGENCY USE ONLY (LEAVE BLANK) 2. REPORT DATE 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED 06 APR 2001 STUDENT RESEARCH PAPER 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS COMMANDER’S INTENT OF MAJOR GENERAL JOSEPH HOOKER DURING N/A THE CHANCELLORSVILLE CAMPAIGN 6. AUTHOR(S) MAJOR WILLIAM M. JURNEY, USMC 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER USMC COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE NONE 2076 SOUTH STREET, MCCDC, QUANTICO, VA 22134-5068 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY REPORT NUMBER: SAME AS #7. NONE 11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES NONE 12A. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 12B. DISTRIBUTION CODE NO RESTRICTIONS N/A 13. ABSTRACT (MAXIMUM 200 WORDS) DID “FIGHTING JOE” HOOKER OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC LOSE HIS NERVE DURING THE CHANCELLORSVILLE CAMPAIGN OF 1863? PERHAPS HISTORY HAS FAILED TO RECOGNIZE MAJOR GENERAL JOSEPH HOOKER’S TRUE COMMANDER’S INTENT FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. HOOKER’S INTENT WAS SIMPLE: MANEUVER FORCES TO LEE’S FLANK AND REAR IN ORDER TO FORCE A WITHDRAWAL OF CONFEDERATE TROOPS FROM FREDERICKSBURG. HOOKER HAD NO INTENTION OF ENGAGING IN A “RISKY CONFRONTATION” WITH GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE AND THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA. HOOKER’S PLAN WOULD FAIL DUE TO HIS OWN STEADFAST BELIEF IN THE ABILITY OF HIS PLAN TO FORCE LEE TO WITHDRAW. TO SAY THAT LEE DEFEATED THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC IS MISLEADING BECAUSE LEE DID NOT DEFEAT THE ARMY, HE DEFEATED HOOKER AS HE FOUGHT A VERY EFFECTIVE DEFENSIVE BATTLE THAT REMOVED THE FEDERAL THREAT FROM VIRGINIA DUE TO HOOKER'S FAILINGS AS AN ARMY COMMANDER. 14. SUBJECT TERMS (KEY WORDS ON WHICH TO PERFORM SEARCH) 15. NUMBER OF PAGES: 62 CHANCELLORSVILLE, HOOKER, CIVIL WAR, COMMANDER’S INTENT 16. PRICE CODE: N/A 17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF REPORT 18. SECURITY 19. SECURITY 20. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT CLASSIFICATION OF CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGE: ABSTRACT UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Title: Commander’s Intent of Major General Joseph Hooker during the Chancellorsville Campaign Author: Major William M. Jurney, USMC Thesis: Did “Fighting Joe” Hooker of the Army of the Potomac lose his nerve during the Chancellorsville Campaign of 1863? Perhaps history has failed to recognize Major General Joseph Hooker’s true commander’s intent for this campaign. Hooker’s intent was simple: maneuver forces to Lee’s flank and rear in order to force a withdrawal of Confederate troops from Fredericksburg. Hooker had no intention of engaging in a “risky confrontation” with General Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia. Discussion: Hooker’s approach for planning his spring offensive would focus the Army of Potomac’s efforts toward outmaneuvering Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. Hooker had put forth the idea of moving on Richmond and Lincoln advised him that his objective was Lee’s army and not Richmond. Hooker does pursue Lee’s army, as the main objective and not Richmond as the President had directed but the means that Hooker pursued to that end are misleading. Hooker entered what he considered the initial stage of his spring offensive at Chancellorsville thinking that he would first defeat Lee’s army by maneuver. Prior to Chancellorsville, however, Hooker was already making preparations for driving to Richmond. Hooker had intended to confront Lee with the dilemma of being threatened from all sides. Unfortunately, Hooker had failed to communicate his intentions for his army’s movements of May 1, 1863 and confusion ran rampant among his subordinate commanders. Almost exclusively, Hooker developed the actual details of the plan himself. This flaw would result in numerous disconnects in Hooker’s plan. Fully aware of Lee’s supply situation, Hooker believed that if Lee’s lines were cut, he would have to respond to protect them by retreating. In addition to threatening Lee’s supply lines, Hooker also believed that his planned actions would flank Lee out of his fortified positions, as Lee would be squeezed between two of Hooker’s main elements. In the event that Lee did not move to oppose the Union’s maneuvers, Hooker planned to assume a tactical defense. That Lee would choose to fight instead of retreat was beyond Hooker’s consideration. Hooker remained unshaken in his conviction that Lee would be forced to retreat. Conclusions: Hooker’s plan would fail due to his own steadfast belief in the ability of his plan to force Lee to withdraw. To say that Lee defeated the Army of the Potomac is misleading because Lee did not defeat the army, he defeated Hooker as he fought a very effective defensive battle that removed the Federal threat from Virginia due to Hooker's failings as an army commander. iii Table of Contents Page MMS Cover Sheet...................................................................................................................i Disclaimer..............................................................................................................................ii Executive Summary ..............................................................................................................iii Table of Contents..................................................................................................................iv List of Illustrations..................................................................................................................v Introduction............................................................................................................................1 Analysis of Influences on Hooker's Intent................................................................................2 Strategic Setting...............................................................................................................3 Preparation Phase.............................................................................................................7 Hooker's Decision Making Process....................................................................................9 Development of the Campaign Plan.................................................................................14 Hooker's Concept of Operations......................................................................................18 What's the Plan..............................................................................................................21 Analysis of Hooker's Intent During Execution........................................................................25 Cavalry Action and Inaction............................................................................................25 A Change to the Plan, or Was It .....................................................................................27 To Steal a March on Lee.................................................................................................31 What's Lee Doing...........................................................................................................33 Attack, Defend, or Wait..................................................................................................35 Our Enemy must Ingloriously Fly....................................................................................39 Lee's Retreating, or Is he.................................................................................................45 Back Across the River....................................................................................................48 Conclusions..........................................................................................................................50 Bibliography.........................................................................................................................62 iv DISCLAIMER THE OPINIONS AND CONCLUSIONS EXPRESSED HEREIN ARE THOSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT AUTHOR AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF EITHER THE MARINE CORPS COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY. REFERENCES TO THIS STUDY SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOREGOING STATEMENT. QUOTATION FROM, ABSTRACTION FROM, OR REPRODUCTION OF ALL OR ANY PART OF THIS DOCUMENT IS PERMITTED PROVIDED PROPER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IS MADE. ii List of Illustrations Page Figure 1. Overview.............................................................................................................55 Figure 2. April 27-30, 1863...............................................................................................56 Figure 3. May 1, 1863........................................................................................................57 Figure 4. May 2, 1863........................................................................................................58 Figure 5. May 3, 1863........................................................................................................59 Figure 6. May 4, 1863........................................................................................................60 Figure 7. May 6, 1863........................................................................................................61 v