Rockingham Castle 3-Day Battle Scenario
CHANCELLORSVILLE
(or a bad weekend to be blue!)
Day 1 (Saturday) – Tabernacle Church
Opening Action – 15 minutes
Largely skirmishing (Cavalry, USSS) Column Marches into position – no pyro
Just before noon on May 1st 1863, General “Stonewall” Jackson advanced and drove back General Joseph Hooker's skirmishers, who were in the act of opening the way to Fredericksburg. When Jackson reached the vicinity of Tabernacle church, he found Anderson(C) busily engaged, with pick and shovel, strengthening his position. He, in command as the ranking officer present, immediately ordered the discontinuance of such operations, and that an immediate advance should be made to meet the one he shrewdly supposed Hooker (U) was already making. McLaws (C) was sent forward along the old turnpike, and Anderson (C) along the plank road, while Jackson supported the more exposed left of the movement. The two roads thus taken converged at Chancellorsville.
Main Battle- 20 Minutes
Extensive engagement, Pyro to support Artillery
As Jackson had divined, Hooker, having started at 11 a.m., was at the same time marching a column along each of these roads toward Fredericksburg consequently these opposing forces met about midway between Tabernacle church and Chancellorsville, and the issue of battle was joined in the fields along the roads and in the dense intervening forest. Alexander quickly placed one battery from his battalion in front, on the plank road, and sent one accompanying the skirmishers. Lee came up at about this time, and he and Jackson, riding side by side, followed in the line on the left. With wild cheers for these two trusted and beloved commanders, the Confederates rushed forward and drove back the oncoming Federals.
Closing Action – 10 minutes
Volley Fire over entrenchments followed by gradual fall back – no pyro
Lee's skirmishers followed until they found themselves confronted by formidable entrenchments of logs, protected by abates, in the forest in front.
Hooker had concentrated his army in a most formidable position, which he had carefully and skilfully fortified, but he was surprised and mortified that his first movement had been unsuccessful. Informed, by his advance, as to Hooker's position and the disposition of his forces, Lee withdrew his army for a short distance, as the day closed, and his men slept in lines of battle covering the roads leading from Chancellorsville.
Day 2 (Sunday) – The Wilderness
Opening Action – 15 minutes
Artillery and pyro
The morning sun of the 2nd of May was barely visible when Jackson began his march with 26,000 war and camp hardened veterans led by Jackson in person, with four regiments of cavalry. The Union Artillery discovered Jackson's column moving southward, by way of Catherine furnace, and opened on it with long-range artillery.
This caused Jackson to diverge to his left, after throwing out a brigade to protect his flank. The Union Commander Sickles advanced on this and captured a Georgia regiment, which induced the Federal officers to believe that Lee was in retreat toward Richmond. They then organized a strong movement in pursuit of Jackson, sending three divisions after him; but Lee turned the Union guns upon Sickles(U) and checked his movement.
Sickles(U) then called for reinforcements, and late in the afternoon he sent a brigade to the furnace; but it was then too late, for Jackson's column of march was already far beyond his reach, and so far he had successfully concealed the object and direction of his movement. The only result was that Hooker had sent 20,000 men away from his centre, into the tangled wilderness, searching for Jackson, at the very time that the latter was ready to throw the weight of his whole corps upon Hooker's extended and weak right flank.
Main Battle- 20 Minutes
Cavalry and Volley with Artillery Support
By the middle of the day Jackson's advance reached the plank road, two miles southwest of Hooker's right flank under Howard. There he detached the Stonewall brigade to support Fitz Lee's(C) cavalry in an advance toward Chancellorsville, along the forest-enclosed road.
Jackson hurried an aide to order to cross the turnpike and form at right angles to it, along the concealed front of the field of observation and through the forest to the left, with his right extended nearly to the Orange plank road, which was held by the Stonewall brigade. With a wild "rebel yell," that startled the profound silence that had hitherto reigned in "the Wilderness," his veterans rushed forward through the forest, driving game of all kinds before them, and in an incredibly short time fell upon Howard’s (U) corps, holding Hooker's right, which, unconscious even of the near presence of an enemy, was engaged in cooking its supper. Thus unexpectedly attacked, a fearful panic ensued, and Howard's men rushed in dismay along the turnpike toward Chancellorsville, sweeping all organizations along with them in their flight. Six guns of Beckham's(C) horse artillery, of Stuart's corps, galloped at even pace, along the turnpike, with Jackson's men, and by sections of twos poured canister into the retreating Federals.
Closing Action – 10 minutes
Cavalry and Confederates only – Stonewall Jackson needed!
Jackson, accompanied by his staff and escort, rode forward along the turnpike, through the twilight intensified by the heavy forest on each side of the road, and up to his skirmish line to reconnoitre, the accompanying engineers even riding up to a Federal battery which had halted in the road, and where one of them, Captain Howard of A. P. Hill's staff, was captured. The ringing of the axes of the stalwart brigade of Federal pioneers told Jackson that Hooker was already throwing obstacles in the way of his advance, so he promptly turned back and rode at a trot toward his own command. As he approached Hill's newly formed line of battle, some one called out, "A Yankee cavalry charge," for such was suggested by the sudden appearance of Jackson and the score or more that accompanied him, coming through the darkness of the forest; when, without orders, the Eighteenth North Carolina fired a volley, of ounce musket balls, which desperately wounded Jackson, killed Captain Boswell, his chief engineer, and one of his escort.
Day 3 (Monday) – Hazel Grove
Opening Action – 15 minutes
Artillery and pyro
Dawn of the morning of Sunday, May 3rd, found Lee ready for an assault upon Hooker in his entrenched position around Chancellorsville, and saying to his staff, as he mounted his horse: "Those people shall be pressed immediately
Stuart began the battle at early dawn by moving against Hooker's right, mainly north of the plank road and against the heavy line of defences of timber and abates that the active Federal army had thrown up before and during the preceding night. Stuart, in person, rode behind the line of battle, his black plume waving as, in merry mood and clear, sharp voice, he sang, "Fighting Joe Hooker, come out of the Wilderness!"
His right soon took the lead and attacked Hooker's centre near Hazel Grove, capturing four Federal guns and gaining a position on the south end of the Chancellorsville plateau. As the light of day increased, Stuart's quick military eye detected the advantages of this Hazel Grove position, and he ordered Walker to concentrate thirty guns upon that point. These gave him enfilade, as he was at the apex of Hooker's salient, along both the right and the left wing of the Federal army. Anderson's guns, under Hardaway, coming forward from toward Catherine furnace, also secured an enfilading position, and under the concentrated fire of these well served big guns, Hooker's position became untenable in about an hour.
Main Battle – 20 Minutes
Cavalry and Volley with Artillery Support – loads of pyro!
A stubborn fight, of stroke and counter-stroke, began. Three times the bold Confederates took the Federal line of defences, and three times were they driven from them by Hooker's brave fighters. His many well-handled guns aided in the repulses; but those of Lee finally overcame those of Hooker.
Lee rode in the midst of his line of battle as his men pressed forward in pursuit, pouring volley after volley into Hooker's retreating army, while the shells of the numerous Confederate batteries were thrown over their heads, to burst in the Federal ranks and add to their confusion. The surrounding forests were soon in flames, the accumulated leaves of the preceding autumn having been fired by the burning cartridges and fuses, while flames burst from the large Chancellor house and added to the smoke of the conflict and of the burning forest
Closing Action – 10 minutes
Dead and wounded remain in place, – Robert E Lee needed!
After the cheer Medics come on to the field. Lots of drifting smoke.
Commentary and Trumpeter needed
Lee's presence was the signal for one of those uncontrollable bursts of enthusiasm which none can appreciate who has not witnessed them. The fierce soldiers, with their faces blackened with the smoke of battle, the wounded crawling with feeble limbs from the fury of the devouring flames, all seemed possessed with a common impulse. One long unbroken cheer, in which the feeble cry of those who lay helpless on the earth blended with the strong voices of those who still fought, rose high above the roar of battle and hailed the presence of a victorious chief. He sat in the full realization of all that soldiers dream of--triumph; and as I looked at him in the complete fruition of the success, which his genius, courage, and confidence in his army had won, I thought that it must have been from some such scene that men in ancient days ascended to the dignity of gods.
While the great hero lingered in life, Lee sent him many messages of condolence, and when word came that his wounds, complicated by illness, would probably prove fatal, he said, almost overcome with emotion: "Surely General Jackson must recover. God will not take him from us now that we need him so much. Surely he will be spared to us in answer to the many prayers which are offered for him."
Jackson died on Sunday, the 10th of May.
Taps etc – loads of emotion
Page Last Updated: March, 2008