Poor Lincoln

Poor Lincoln. He didn't get elected to end slavery, merely to limit its expansion. But the South knew that if slavery did not expand, it would die, so it took its states and formed a new Confederacy. But Lincoln was a strong Union man. He would not allow that to happen without a fight.

Trouble was, the South had most of the best fighting generals. The North was eager to fight, but Lincoln had a terrible time finding anyone to lead the troops competently, and his heart bled as the graveyards and hospitals filled.

Lincoln got a bit of a break in the second year of the war when General McClellan fought Lee to a draw at the bloodbath called Antietam. But McClellan was insubordinate and Lincoln had to let him go. Lincoln gave the job to Burnside who didn't want it. He led the army to the debacle known as Fredericksburg.

In desperation Lincoln gave the job to Joseph Hooker who was a drinker and a carouser. But at least he was a bold fighter. Hooker came up with an ingenious plan to surround and destroy Lee's army in northern Virginia. Hooker managed to get his army, which was twice the size of Lee's, across the Rappahannock River to confront Lee near the backwoods village of Chancellorsville.

The battle began on this day in 1863. Against all military logic, Lee divided his army twice to face the threat. Lee had sized up Hooker's character and knew exactly what he could get away with. He sent Stonewall Jackson and almost half of the total Southern army through the woods on a flanking movement of Hooker's Army. It's infuriating to read how Union scouts’ reports of this movement were pooh-poohed by their superiors. "No one would ever try to attack through those woods."

While the Union troops were cooking their evening meal they noticed a herd of rabbits and deer running through their camp. Jackson and his 30,000 troops were coming on,  hollering the Rebel yell. Only darkness saved the Union Army from total disaster. Jackson was all for reorganizing his troops and launching a nighttime attack. He went out ahead of his lines to scout the situation and on his way back was shot in the arm by friendly fire. The wound was not not mortal, but after the arm was amputated, pneumonia set in and Jackson died a few days later. Lee said, "I have lost my strong right arm."

The battle was decided by blunders by Hooker and by accidents beyond his control. Hooker was very fortunate to get his army back across the river before it was captured. Lee convinced President Jefferson Davis to let him cross into northern territory. If he could win another battle in the North, the war would be over.

But the Battle of Gettysburg was not to be his. Had Jackson been there things might have been different. But that's just speculation. Battles often turn on luck and the North had luck on its side at Gettysburg. It was downhill for the South from then on, but the war dragged on for another two years, filling the hospitals and graveyards with thousands more. Lincoln's persistence was vindicated on April 9, 1865 when Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House. A week later Lincoln was shot and killed while enjoying a play at the Ford Theater.

Hooker got a statue for his troubles. Mass. State House, Boston .