Blame at Chancellorsville

Seeing as I didn't blog a while, I will make up by posting a few times today. The Battle of Chancellorsville has always held my facination. With losses of nearly 31,000, it was almost the bloodiest battle ever fought. We all recognize the rout of the XI Corps as one of the worst disasters to befall the hardluck Army of the Potomac. But, was it all that much of a suprise? No. 1. Hooker knew that Jackson was marching, and believed two things; he was either retreating, or about to fall upon his right. 2. He ordered Howard to entrench and face some regiments to the left. 3. Howard did not. He went so far as to lie to his commanding officer by telling him that they did. 4. General Devins, one of Howard's officers, knew that Jackson was about to fall on his flank, but did not report it to Howard. 5. Howard ordered his reserve Corps to help Sickles capture Jacksons' rearguard. 6. Nearly a mile gap was created by Sickles and Howard between the III and XI Corps. 7. Pickets were posted by the two regiments that were facing west, and they had enough time to alert the rest of the Corps. 8. Devins could have stopped the retreat from becoming a rout. He had several brigades that could have wheeled to face the enemy and be able to have enough time to rally the other units. Devins would not allow it. 9. Howard was not even present with his Corps until the rout was well underway. So much for Jackson being such a good general. The reason why he was so good was because he faced such a bad general. Then, Jackson lost the war for the South by riding out at night, and not telling his picket regiments that he was going to do so. They had no idea that Jackson was out riding.

In essence, Jackson lost the War for the South by getting himself killed, thus allowing such blunders at Gettysburg that allowed a northern victory.