The winter of 1862-1863 found the Union's Army of the Potomac in sad shape. Bloody battles; multiple defeats; lack of adequate provisions and high desertion rates had left even the hardiest Union soldiers dispirited. With Major General Joseph Hooker's advent to the army command; he set about revamping the army's conditions; establishing a generous furlough program; implementing a system of corps insignia and setting new sanitary standards. While his administrative efforts were extremely successful; his battlefield manner left something to be desired. Instructed by President Lincoln to make the destruction of General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia the Union's top priority; Hooker mounted the Chancellorsville Campaign. Lee's aggressive battlefield manner coupled with Hooker's failure to initiate an assault led to a sound defeat by Confederate forces and left Hooker - who ultimately had only himself and his lack of initiative to blame - looking for a scapegoat. Among those Hooker attempted to hold responsible was the courageous Sixth Army Corps; the unit responsible for the sole Union victory of the entire campaign. This military history focuses on the battlefield engagements of the Union's Sixth Army Corps on May 3 and 4; 1863. Compiled from contemporary accounts as well as a variety of postwar histories; it examines the role which the Sixth Army Corps and their commander; Major General John Sedgwick; played in the Chancellorsville Campaign. Particular attention is given to evaluating the impact that the Corps' actions had on Major General Hooker's offensive and refuting the accusations which Hooker made following Federal retreat from the engagement. The battles of Second Fredericksburg; Salem Church and Bank's Ford are consequently examined in detail. Appendices provide information detailing the organization of the Army of Northern Virginia; the Army of the Potomac and the Sixth Army Corps in the spring of 1863.
#3301428 in Books Mcfarland n Co Inc Pub 2002-10-28Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.52 x .43 x 6.30l; .61 #File Name: 0786413522190 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. John Taylor Wood - An Exciting Life of Service ValorBy Blockade RunnerThis is a fine; well researched work by Canadian archivist; John Bell. It follows the interesting; albeit little known; exploits of Confederate sea hero John Taylor Wood. What is most enjoyable is that the book chronicles Wood's life before and after his Confederate service. Upon moving with his family to Halifax; Canada after the war; John Taylor Wood became a very successful businessman. I suppose the adage that the "cream always rises to the top" is certainly appropriate in the case of Captain Wood.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. an INTRODUTION TO AN AMAZING MANBy Donald C. BowmanThe Confederacy's needs fostered a risk taking military and John Taylor Wood was one of the boldest.I enjoyed the book and wished for someone to expand upon it in the future. The book is actually two biographies bound in the same volume. Both are summary in nature; and some digging into the expanding store of Civil War history should provide a follow on that at does full credit to Wood; one of two men who held high rank in both Army and Navy. More! More!4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. A Great Naval Hero Recieves a Fresh LookBy Robert G. CarroonJohn Bell has written an excellent summary of the life of John Taylor Wood; commanding officer of the C.S.S. Tallahassee; one of the Confederate Navy's most successful cruisers in the War Between the States. While there have been several excellent accounts of the military action in which Wood participated this is the first full biography to give the complete story of this intrepid seaman. As Commander of the C.S.S. Tallahassee Chapter of the Military Order of the Stars and Bars I can unreservedly recommend this excellent study.---Dr. Robert G. Carroon
