Download or read book The Great Battle Fought at Manassas written by George Wilkes and published by . This book was released on 1861 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The First Battle of Manassas written by John J. Hennessy and published by Stackpole Books. This book was released on 2015-12-15 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On July 21, 1861, near a Virginia railroad junction twenty-five miles from Washington, DC, the Union and Confederate armies clashed in the first major battle of the Civil War. This revised edition of Hennessy's classic is the premier tactical account of First Manassas/Bull Run. • Combines narrative, analysis, and interpretation into a clear, easy-to-follow account of the battle's unfolding • Features commanders who would later become legendary, such as William T. Sherman and Thomas J. Jackson, who earned his "Stonewall" nickname at First Manassas

Download or read book The Great Battle Fought At Manassas written by George Wilkes and published by Legare Street Press. This book was released on 2023-07-18 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As a correspondent for the New York Tribune, George Wilkes was stationed at the Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) in 1861 and reported on the carnage that ensued. His vivid first-hand account describes the battlefield, the bravery of the troops, and the devastating loss of life. This book is an essential primary source for anyone interested in the American Civil War. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Download or read book A Single Grand Victory written by Ethan S. Rafuse and published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. This book was released on 2002-04-01 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: More than 800 men lost their lives and 2,700 were wounded. Confederate General Thomas J. Jackson earned his legendary nickname "Stonewall" here as fellow Confederate General Barnard Bee, later fatally wounded in the battle, shouted, "Yonder stands Jackson like a stone wall!" Both the North and the South believed that a single victory in this first major battle would decide the war before it barely started. Yet the first battle of Manassas, or Bull Run, has not received nearly the same attention as the other major clashes of the Civil War. A Single Grand Victory is a highly readable, concise, comprehensive narrative by Ethan S. Rafuse, professor of history at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Rafuse worked as a park ranger at Bull Run, where he gained great familiarity with the site and the literature on this battle. His new book incorporates insights offered in recent scholarship on Civil War military, political, and cultural history. The author describes the factors that led President Abraham Lincoln to order an offensive against Confederates at Manassas Junction at a time when his most prominent military men advised against it. The war policies of both the Union and Confederate sides are explained. Rafuse offers descriptions and analysis of the individuals involved and the circumstances that influenced the manner in which the campaign was conducted. He covers the critical events and operational and tactical decisions that shaped the campaign's course and outcome. In addition, A Single Grand Victory provides insights into American life in the nineteenth century by examining what motivated men to fight in 1861 and describing what led both North and South to expect the war would be a short one. Southerners had anticipated that one victory like Bull Run would persuade the North to abandon the effort to restore the Union by force. Northerners believed support for the Confederate rebellion was so shallow that one battle would end the war. Civil War buffs will enjoy this

Download or read book Donnybrook written by David Detzer and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 2005-09 with total page 596 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Detailing the Battle of Bull Run from its origins through its aftermath, Donnybrook uses copious primary source material--including the recollections of hundreds of soldiers--to create an epic account. 8-page B&W photo insert.

Download or read book The Greatest Civil War Battles written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-02-14 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Includes pictures of the battle's important generals and locations. Includes several maps of the battle. Includes accounts of the fighting written by important generals like McDowell, Longstreet, Sherman, Beauregard, and more. Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "Today will be known as BLACK MONDAY. We are utterly and disgracefully routed, beaten, whipped by secessionists." - George Templeton Strong, Northern diarist After the Battle of Fort Sumter in April 1861 ignited the Civil War, many in the North expected a relatively quick victory, including Abraham Lincoln. Days after the smoke had cleared in Charleston Harbor, the Lincoln Administration pushed for a quick invasion of Virginia, with the intent of defeating Confederate forces and marching toward the Confederate capitol recently relocated to Richmond. Despite the fact commanding general Irvin McDowell knew his troops were inexperienced and unready, pressure from the Washington politicians forced him to launch a premature offensive against Confederate forces in Northern Virginia. McDowell's strategy during the First Battle of Bull Run was grand, and in many ways it was the forerunner of a tactic Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson and James Longstreet executed brilliantly on nearly the same field during the Second Battle of Bull Run in August 1862. McDowell's plan called for parts of his army to pin down Beauregard's Confederate soldiers in front while marching another wing of his army around the flank and into the enemy's rear, rolling up the line. McDowell assumed the Confederates would be forced to abandon Manassas Junction and fall back to the next defensible line, the Rappahannock River. In July 1861, however, this proved far too difficult for his inexperienced troops to carry out effectively. As the first major land battle of the Civil War, the First Battle of Bull Run made history in several ways. McDowell's army met Fort Sumter hero P.G.T. Beauregard's Confederate army near the railroad junction at Manassas on July 21, 1861, just 25 miles away from Washington D.C. Many civilians from Washington came to watch what they expected to be a rout of Confederate forces, and for awhile it appeared as though that might be the case. However, Confederate reinforcements under General Joseph E. Johnston's Army, including a brigade led by Thomas Jonathan Jackson, arrived by train on the eve of the battle, evening up the numbers between Union and Confederate. Shoring up the Confederates' left flank, Jackson's brigade helped reverse the Union's momentum and ultimately turn the tide, along with Confederates that arrived by train during the middle of the battle itself. As the battle's momentum switched, the inexperienced Union troops were routed and retreated in disorder back toward Washington in an unorganized mass. With over 350 killed on each side, it was the deadliest battle in American history to date, and both the Confederacy and the Union were quickly served notice that the war would be much more costly than either side had believed. The Greatest Civil War Battles: The Battle of First Bull Run (First Manassas) comprehensively covers the campaign and the events that led up to the battle, the fighting itself, and the aftermath of the battle. Accounts of the battle by important participants are also included, along with maps of the battle and pictures of important people, places, and events. You will learn about the First Battle of Bull Run like you never have before, in no time at all.

Download or read book Battle at Bull Run written by William C. Davis and published by Doubleday. This book was released on 2012-06-06 with total page 431 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Two great, untested armies were readying for the first—and what many believed would be the last—major conflict between North and South. On the eve of July 21, 1861, one Northerner wrote: “The sky is perfectly clear, the moon is full and bright, and the air was still as if it were not within a few hours to be disturbed by the roar of cannon and the shouts of contending men.” So optimistic were the people in Washington that a crowd of civilians came from the city with picnic hampers to witness the crushing defeat of the upstart “rebels.” It was, says William C. Davis, “the twilight of America’s innocence,” and the following day the mood would shatter in a battle that confounded the expectations of both sides—the first Battle at Bull Run. William C. Davis has written a compelling and complete account of this landmark conflict. The Battle at Bull Run (or Manassas) is notable for many reasons. It was a surprise victory for the Confederacy, a humiliating defeat for the Union, and the first ominous indication that a long and bloody war was inevitable. It marked the first strategic use of railroads in history, and the first time the horrors of the battle were photographed for the folks back home. It was also a training ground for some of America’s most colorful military figures: P.G.T. Beauregard, Joe Johnston, Irvin McDowell and “Stonewall” Jackson. Drawing from a wealth of material—old letters, journals, memoirs and military records—Davis brings to life a vivid and vital chapter in American history.

Download or read book The Greatest Civil War Battles the First Battle of Bull Run First Manassas written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by . This book was released on 2013-10-15 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Includes pictures of the battle's important generals and locations. Includes several maps of the battle. Includes accounts of the fighting written by important generals like McDowell, Longstreet, Sherman, Beauregard, and more. Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "Today will be known as BLACK MONDAY. We are utterly and disgracefully routed, beaten, whipped by secessionists." - George Templeton Strong, Northern diarist After the Battle of Fort Sumter in April 1861 ignited the Civil War, many in the North expected a relatively quick victory, including Abraham Lincoln. Days after the smoke had cleared in Charleston Harbor, the Lincoln Administration pushed for a quick invasion of Virginia, with the intent of defeating Confederate forces and marching toward the Confederate capitol recently relocated to Richmond. Despite the fact commanding general Irvin McDowell knew his troops were inexperienced and unready, pressure from the Washington politicians forced him to launch a premature offensive against Confederate forces in Northern Virginia. McDowell's strategy during the First Battle of Bull Run was grand, and in many ways it was the forerunner of a tactic Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson and James Longstreet executed brilliantly on nearly the same field during the Second Battle of Bull Run in August 1862. McDowell's plan called for parts of his army to pin down Beauregard's Confederate soldiers in front while marching another wing of his army around the flank and into the enemy's rear, rolling up the line. McDowell assumed the Confederates would be forced to abandon Manassas Junction and fall back to the next defensible line, the Rappahannock River. In July 1861, however, this proved far too difficult for his inexperienced troops to carry out effectively. As the first major land battle of the Civil War, the First Battle of Bull Run made history in several ways. McDowell's army met Fort Sumter hero P.G.T. Beauregard's Confederate army near the railroad junction at Manassas on July 21, 1861, just 25 miles away from Washington D.C. Many civilians from Washington came to watch what they expected to be a rout of Confederate forces, and for awhile it appeared as though that might be the case. However, Confederate reinforcements under General Joseph E. Johnston's Army, including a brigade led by Thomas Jonathan Jackson, arrived by train on the eve of the battle, evening up the numbers between Union and Confederate. Shoring up the Confederates' left flank, Jackson's brigade helped reverse the Union's momentum and ultimately turn the tide, along with Confederates that arrived by train during the middle of the battle itself. As the battle's momentum switched, the inexperienced Union troops were routed and retreated in disorder back toward Washington in an unorganized mass. With over 350 killed on each side, it was the deadliest battle in American history to date, and both the Confederacy and the Union were quickly served notice that the war would be much more costly than either side had believed. The Greatest Civil War Battles: The Battle of First Bull Run (First Manassas) comprehensively covers the campaign and the events that led up to the battle, the fighting itself, and the aftermath of the battle. Accounts of the battle by important participants are also included, along with maps of the battle and pictures of important people, places, and events. You will learn about the First Battle of Bull Run like you never have before, in no time at all.

Download or read book Thirteen Months at Manassas Bull Run written by Don Johnson and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2013-09-19 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Civil War history focuses on Prince William County, Virginia, where two of the war's greatest engagements were fought, thirteen months apart. The First and Second Battles of Manassas are described in profound detail but so are the lives of resident families as a cloud of despair hangs over their lands. The book captures the experiences of leaders and privates, the good and the bad, while revealing horrific accounts of civilian victims, largely undisclosed until the writing of this book.

Download or read book Battles of the Civil War written by Thomas Elbert Vineyard and published by Library of Alexandria. This book was released on 2020-09-28 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At the beginning of July, 1861, the Federals had 30,000 men encamped along the Potomac near the heights of Arlington under the general command of General Winfield Scott, who was a veteran of the war of 1812, as well as the Mexican war, but who was at this time aged and infirm, and remained in Washington, and Brigadier-General Irvin McDowell was in immediate command of the army. Another 20,000 men lay at Martinsburg under General Patterson who like Scott was a veteran of the war of 1812 and of the Mexican war. At Manassas Junction, about thirty miles from Washington, lay the Confederate army under Brigadier-General Beauregard. General Joseph E. Johnston was in command of 9,000 men in the Shenandoah Valley. Johnston and Beauregard, as well as McDowell, had with Scott and Patterson battled at the gates of Mexico. General Scott gave orders to McDowell to move against Beauregard and on the 16th day of July the army, with waving banners and lively hopes of victory, and with "On to Richmond" as their battle cry, moved on Manassas. General McDowell brought his army to a halt at Centreville within seven miles of Manassas. Beauregard was apprised of the coming of the Federals. The stream of Bull Run, from which the first great battle of the war derived its name, flowed between the two armies. Patterson failed to detain Johnston in the valley, and General Johnston reached Manassas with his army on the afternoon of the 20th. General Longstreet was also there, who some months later played a distinctive part in the struggle at Gettysburg and in the death grapple of Lee and Grant in the wilderness. McDowell, after resting his troops for two days at Centreville, thought the time for an engagement was now at hand, so on Sunday, July 21st, at half-past two in the morning, the men were roused for the coming conflict. Their dream of easy victory had already received a rude shock, for on their second day at Centreville a skirmish between two minor divisions of the opposing armies resulted in the defeat of the Union forces with some loss. Ambrose E. Burnside and William T. Sherman were at this time subordinate officers under General McDowell. Burnside, who figured later in the far more disastrous battle of Fredericksburg, and Sherman, distinguished for his march to the sea. The Union plan was that General Tyler should lead his division westward and cross Bull Run at the Stone Bridge about four miles from Centreville, and the remainder of the army under Hunter and Heintzelman was to make a circuit of several miles through a dense wood and cross Bull Run at Sudley's Ford. The plan was to attack the Confederate left wing. The march to Sudley's Ford was slower than expected and it was almost noon before this division of the army reached the field near Stone Bridge. General Tyler early in the day opened fire at Stone Bridge on the Confederates under General Evans, but merely kept up a desultory fire. As the morning wore away the Confederates suddenly discovered clouds of dust rising above the treetops along the Warrenton turnpike, which told them that the main Federal army was on them. Evans quickly turned about and made ready for battle and waited calmly for the approach of the enemy. Presently there was a glimmer of sunlight reflected from burnished steel among the trees and Colonel Burnside led the Federal army from the woods and without delay the battle began and raged furiously.

Download or read book Great Battles of the Civil War written by John MacDonald and published by Wiley. This book was released on 1992-04-15 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 17 of the Greatest Battles of the Civil War Come Alive as Never Before For the first time, breakthrough computer graphics re-create every detail of the Civil War's most important battles. A team of experts has researched every aspect of every battle—from topography to troop strength—and, using the computer's latest capabilities, reconstructs the battlefields in vivid detail and analyzes why and how the winners won. Also included is a wealth of contemporary anecdotes, eyewitness accounts, character studies, paintings, drawings and period photographs that reveal a uniquely accurate picture of the most memorable battles of the Civil War. An amazing commander's view. Had the generals possessed these graphics, history might have changed. Here's how it works: From a standard 2-dimensional map, the computer constructs a sophisticated 3-dimensional graphic of the battle site. Then the artists overlay all the details of the battle: troop movement, weapon deployment, the state of the terrain, even the exact weather conditions.

Download or read book The Greatest Civil War Battles written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-02-14 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures of important people, places, and events. *Includes maps of the battle. *Analyzes the generalship of the battle's most important leaders, including Robert E. Lee, James Longstreet, and John Pope. *Includes descriptions of the fighting from the post-battle reports and memoirs of some of the leading generals, including Stonewall Jackson, Longstreet, Pope, Lee, and more. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "A splendid army almost demoralized, millions of public property given up or destroyed, thousands of lives of our best men sacrificed for no purpose. I dare not trust myself to speak of this commander as I feel and believe. Suffice to say...that more insolence, superciliousness, ignorance, and pretentiousness were never combined in one man." - Union II Corps Commander Alpheus Williams The Second Battle of Bull Run (August 28-30, 1862) was one of the most decisive battles fought during the Civil War, and it was also one of the most unlikely. Less than three months before the battle, Joseph E. Johnston's Army of Northern Virginia had been pushed back nearly all the way to Richmond by George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac, so close that Union soldiers could see the church steeples of the Confederate capital. And yet, at the end of Second Manassas, Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia found itself in the field unopposed about 20 miles away from the Union capital of Washington D.C. How could such a remarkable reversal of fortunes take place so quickly? After Lee succeeded the wounded Johnston, he pushed McClellan's Army of the Potomac away from Richmond and back up the Peninsula in late June, only to then swing his army north to face a second Union army, John Pope's Army of Virginia. Needing to strike out before the Army of the Potomac successfully sailed back to Washington and linked up with Pope's army, Lee daringly split his army to threaten Pope's supply lines, forcing Pope to fall back to Manassas to protect his flank and maintain his lines of communication. At the same time, it left half of Lee's army (under Stonewall Jackson) potentially exposed against the larger Union army until the other wing (under James Longstreet) linked back up. Thus, in late August 1862, the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of Virginia found themselves fighting over nearly the exact same land the South and North fought over in the First Battle of Bull Run 13 months earlier. When Pope's army fell back to Manassas to confront Jackson, his wing of Lee's army dug in along a railroad trench and took a defensive stance. Pope spent the first two days of the battle concentrating on Jackson's men, which unwittingly opened up the Union army's left flank for Longstreet's wing, which marched 30 miles in 24 hours to reach the battlefield by the late afternoon of August 29. Lee used Longstreet's wing on August 30 to deliver a devastating flank attack before enough reinforcements from the retreating Army of the Potomac reached the field, sweeping Pope's Army from Manassas and forcing the Union soldiers into yet another retreat from Manassas to Washington D.C., a scene eerily reminiscent of the First Battle of Bull Run. The Greatest Civil War Battles: The Second Battle of Bull Run comprehensively covers the campaign and the events that led up to the battle, the fighting itself, and the aftermath of the battle. Accounts of the battle by important participants are also included, along with maps of the battle and pictures of important people, places, and events. You will learn about the Second Battle of Bull Run like you never have before, in no time at all.

Download or read book Return to Bull Run written by John J. Hennessy and published by University of Oklahoma Press. This book was released on 2014-10-30 with total page 625 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “This comprehensively researched, well-written book represents the definitive account of Robert E. Lee’s triumph over Union leader John Pope in the summer of 1862. . . . Lee’s strategic skills, and the capabilities of his principal subordinates James Longstreet and Stonewall Jackson, brought the Confederates onto the field of Second Manassas at the right places and times against a Union army that knew how to fight, but not yet how to win.”—Publishers Weekly

Download or read book Great Battles of the Civil War written by Katie Marsico and published by Britannica Digital Learning. This book was released on 2013-03-01 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Experience great battles of the Civil War through engaging text, detailed illustrations, and photos of artifacts.

Download or read book A Commentary on the Campaign and Battle of Manassas of July 1861 written by Gustave Toutant Beauregard and published by . This book was released on 1890 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Greatest Civil War Battles the Second Battle of Bull Run Second Manassas written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by . This book was released on 2013-10-15 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures of important people, places, and events. *Includes maps of the battle. *Analyzes the generalship of the battle's most important leaders, including Robert E. Lee, James Longstreet, and John Pope. *Includes descriptions of the fighting from the post-battle reports and memoirs of some of the leading generals, including Stonewall Jackson, Longstreet, Pope, Lee, and more. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "A splendid army almost demoralized, millions of public property given up or destroyed, thousands of lives of our best men sacrificed for no purpose. I dare not trust myself to speak of this commander as I feel and believe. Suffice to say...that more insolence, superciliousness, ignorance, and pretentiousness were never combined in one man." - Union II Corps Commander Alpheus Williams The Second Battle of Bull Run (August 28-30, 1862) was one of the most decisive battles fought during the Civil War, and it was also one of the most unlikely. Less than three months before the battle, Joseph E. Johnston's Army of Northern Virginia had been pushed back nearly all the way to Richmond by George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac, so close that Union soldiers could see the church steeples of the Confederate capital. And yet, at the end of Second Manassas, Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia found itself in the field unopposed about 20 miles away from the Union capital of Washington D.C. How could such a remarkable reversal of fortunes take place so quickly? After Lee succeeded the wounded Johnston, he pushed McClellan's Army of the Potomac away from Richmond and back up the Peninsula in late June, only to then swing his army north to face a second Union army, John Pope's Army of Virginia. Needing to strike out before the Army of the Potomac successfully sailed back to Washington and linked up with Pope's army, Lee daringly split his army to threaten Pope's supply lines, forcing Pope to fall back to Manassas to protect his flank and maintain his lines of communication. At the same time, it left half of Lee's army (under Stonewall Jackson) potentially exposed against the larger Union army until the other wing (under James Longstreet) linked back up. Thus, in late August 1862, the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of Virginia found themselves fighting over nearly the exact same land the South and North fought over in the First Battle of Bull Run 13 months earlier. When Pope's army fell back to Manassas to confront Jackson, his wing of Lee's army dug in along a railroad trench and took a defensive stance. Pope spent the first two days of the battle concentrating on Jackson's men, which unwittingly opened up the Union army's left flank for Longstreet's wing, which marched 30 miles in 24 hours to reach the battlefield by the late afternoon of August 29. Lee used Longstreet's wing on August 30 to deliver a devastating flank attack before enough reinforcements from the retreating Army of the Potomac reached the field, sweeping Pope's Army from Manassas and forcing the Union soldiers into yet another retreat from Manassas to Washington D.C., a scene eerily reminiscent of the First Battle of Bull Run. The Greatest Civil War Battles: The Second Battle of Bull Run comprehensively covers the campaign and the events that led up to the battle, the fighting itself, and the aftermath of the battle. Accounts of the battle by important participants are also included, along with maps of the battle and pictures of important people, places, and events. You will learn about the Second Battle of Bull Run like you never have before, in no time at all.

Download or read book Robert E Lee s Greatest Victories written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-01-20 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Includes pictures of the battles'' important generals and locations. Includes maps of the battles. Includes accounts of the fighting written by important generals like Lee, Longstreet, Stonewall Jackson, and more. Includes a Bibliography of each battle for further reading. With the exception of George Washington, perhaps the most famous general in American history is Robert E. Lee (January 19, 1807 - October 12, 1870), despite the fact he led the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia against the Union in the Civil War. Lee is remembered today for constantly defeating the Union''s Army of the Potomac in the Eastern theater from 1862-1865, considerably frustrating Lincoln and his generals. His leadership of his army led to him being deified after the war by some of his former subordinates, especially Virginians, and he came to personify the Lost Cause''s ideal Southern soldier. His reputation was secured in the decades after the war as a general who brilliantly led his men to amazing victories against all odds. Among those victories, the three most decisive and stunning victories were Second Manassas (August 1862), Fredericksburg (December 1862) and Chancellorsville (May 1863). The Second Battle of Bull Run (August 28-30, 1862) was one of the most decisive battles fought during the Civil War, and it was also one of the most unlikely. Less than three months before the battle, Joseph E. Johnston''s Army of Northern Virginia had been pushed back nearly all the way to Richmond by George B. McClellan''s Army of the Potomac, so close that Union soldiers could see the church steeples of the Confederate capital. And yet, at the end of Second Manassas, Robert E. Lee''s Army of Northern Virginia found itself in the field unopposed about 20 miles away from the Union capital of Washington D.C. With Washington urging Army of the Potomac commander Ambrose Burnside to advance against Lee, Burnside launched an ill fated operation near Fredericksburg in December 1862. From December 12-13, Burnside struggled to get his army across the river while it was under fire from Confederates in Fredericksburg, and things only got worse when they did. The battle is mostly remembered for the piecemeal attacks the Union army made on heavily fortified positions Longstreet''s men took up on Marye''s Heights. As they threw themselves at Longstreet''s heavily fortified position along the high ground, the Northern soldiers were mowed down again and again. During the battle, Lee turned to Longstreet and commented, "It is well that war is so terrible, otherwise we should grow too fond of it." In early May 1863, the Army of the Potomac was at the height of its power as it bore down on Lee''s Army of Northern Virginia near Fredericksburg. With an army nearing 130,000 men, Joe Hooker''s Army of the Potomac was twice the size of the Army of Northern Virginia. Despite being outnumbered, Lee sized up his opponents and decided to divide his forces in the face of the enemy, sending Stonewall Jackson to turn the Union army''s right flank while the rest of the army maintained positions near Fredericksburg. The Battle of Chancellorsville is one of the most famous of the Civil War, and the most famous part of the battle was Stonewall Jackson''s daring march across the Army of the Potomac''s flank, surprising the XI Corps with an attack on May 2, 1863. Having seized the initiative, half of Lee''s army launched desperate attacks on Hooker''s forces near the Wilderness over the next 2 days, while simultaneously defending against Union attacks around Fredericksburg that pushed the other half of his army back several miles on May 3. Lee''s heavily outnumbered army had just won the most stunning victory of the war. Robert E. Lee''s Greatest Victories analyzes all three of the battles, including the campaigns that led up to them and the way they affected the Civil War at the time and in the future. You''ll learn about the 3 battles like never before.