CHAPTER 18THE WINTER OF NORTHERN

DISCONTENT

RECAP: WHAT’S HAPPENING

McClellan has been removed from command by

President Lincoln• Gen. Don Carlos Buell has also been removed from

command in the West

President Lincoln is working out the final

preparations to pass the Emancipation Proclamation

The Confederacy is fervently trying to secure

European aid

THE BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBU

RG

In late 1862, Lincoln

replaced McClellan with

Ambrose E. Burnside

(left).

Burnside was a reluctant

commander and had

turned down this position

in the past, but Lincoln

had no other options at

this point.

THE BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG

Burnside quickly moved the Army of the Potomac south,

feinting towards the Orange and Alexandria RR while

actually moving towards Falmouth.

Burnside planned to move across the Rappahannock

River and swiftly march on Richmond, just over 50 miles

south of Falmouth.

For once Lincoln believed he had found an able and

dynamic general.

THE BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG

Unfortunately, Burnside’s pontoons did not arrive

on time.

This gave Lee and the Confederate army time to

occupy Fredericksburg and the heights

overlooking the town from the Southwest.

Movie time

AFTERMATH

The Union suffered 12,600 casualties to the

Confederacy’s sub-5,000.

The Union army retreated North once again in

defeat and Burnside was quickly removed from

command.

THE WAR IN THE WEST

During the final days of 1862, the Army of the

Cumberland under William Rosecrans engaged the

Army of Tennessee at Stones River, just outside of

Murfreesboro, TN.

On the night of Dec. 30th, the bands of the two

armies played popular songs back and forth to each

other.

THE BATTLE OF STONES RIVER

Like most battles, the Confederacy struck early in the morning,

surprised the Yankees, and appeared to have won the battle easily

on the first day.

And like most battles, the Union army rallied before the end of

the day and was able to stall the Confederate attacks the next day.

Union casualties: 31%

Confederate casualties: 33%

Highest combined rate of the war

THE VICKSBURG CAMPAIGN

During the debacle of Fredericksburg and the

battle of Stones River, General Ulysses S. Grant was

having troubles of his own in the Deep South.

The Union army had taken control of most of the

Mississippi River, with the exception of one major

city; Vicksburg.

THE VICKSBURG CAMPAIGN

Vicksburg sat at the top of a tall bluff overlooking a bend

in the Mississippi River. If the Union captured it, they would

have complete control over the Mississippi River.

For the first 4 months of 1863, Grant tried many different

methods to bypass Vicksburg altogether. None worked.

However, by late March, Grant had a risky plan that might

finally succeed.

THE VICKSBURG CAMPAIGN

Grant moved his troops overland south of Vicksburg and

sent his gunboats downriver past Vicksburg.

Overall, the plan worked: the boats made it past with

minimal casualties and were able to ferry Grant’s army

across the river onto the east bank, on the side of

Vicksburg.

Grant struck out east, took Jackson, then turned around

and headed for Vicksburg.

THE VICKSBURG CAMPAIGN

Once Grant reached Vicksburg, he had his troops

surround the city on the land side and moved his gunboats

in to cut the city off from the river.

However, for the first time in months, the Rebels turned

the Yankees away from Vicksburg in a series of frontal

assaults ordered by Grant.

In response, Grant settled down for a siege and waited for

the Southerner’s food and supplies to run out.

BACK EAST

After Burnside was removed from command,

General Joseph Hooker took his place.

Hooker, a fiery man, took many steps to revive

morale in the Army of the Potomac.

Hooker boasted that he had created the finest

army on the planet in late spring. And finally, he

began to move.

CHANCELLORSVILLE

Like Burnside, Hooker started off great. He divided his

forces, leaving 40,000 in front of Lee at Fredericksburg

while taking 70,000 downriver and moving in on Lee’s flank.

However, like Burnside and McClellan before him, when

Hookers forces encountered Lee’s near Chancellorsville on

May 1st, he chickened out and pulled back.

The following night, Lee found a way to outwit the Army of

the Potomac once again.

AFTER CHANCELLORSVILLE

In the night following the battle, General Stonewall

Jackson was mortally wounded by friendly fire and

would die soon after.

Grant was stuck in front of Vicksburg and Hooker

limped back north toward Washington with his army.

CONCLUSION

In the east, the Army of the Potomac was broken

multiple times by Robert E. Lee and the Army of

Northern Virginia, due to incompetent generaling.

In the west, General Grant was causing havoc and

threatened to finally take control of the Mississippi

and divide the Confederacy in two.