The Gettysburg Campaign (June 3 - 13, 1863)

The Army of Northern Virginia was at its zenith in the late spring and early summer of 1863. Their commander, General Robert E. Lee, decided to gamble the fate of his army of 75,000 on the hopes of invading the north, scoring a significant victory, and bringing President Lincoln to his knees. Lee wasn't looking for another battle; Lee was looking for a victory that would effectively end the war. With one more great victory, foreign powers might intervene and conduct mediation between the United States and a newly-formed Confederate States government. The destruction of the Army of The Potomac was one of the primary objectives, and Lee and his soldiers had almost accomplished this task before the Gettysburg Campaign had even started.

In December of 1862, Lee positioned his army overlooking the town of Fredericksburg, Virginia. General Ambrose Burnside, commander of the Army of The Potomac, launched an attack against the Confederate troops positioned on the heights outside of the town. The attack failed, resulting in thousands of Union casualties. Again, in January of 1863, Burnside attempted another offensive maneuver against Lee, but the winter rains and conditions of the roads ultimately bogged down the operation. Burnside’s second attempt at dislodging Lee had been a failure, even without a battle. On January 26, 1863, President Lincoln accepted Burnside’s resignation.

General “Fighting” Joe Hooker was Burnside’s replacement. In fact, after Hooker took command, the morale of the Army of The Potomac soared to new levels. Hooker rearranged the diets of the soldiers, made camp sanitary changes, improved the army’s quartermaster system, and modified the furlough system for soldiers returning home. Additionally, Hooker introduced stronger officer training, drilled soldiers more, and combined all of the Union cavalry into a single Corp. The Union soldiers felt confidence in their new leader, and believed that great things were on the horizon. The Battle of Chancellorsville (4/30 - 5/6/1863) would derail Hooker’s position as commander of the Army of The Potomac. “Lee’s Perfect Battle” destroyed Union morale, but at a great cost. General “Stonewall” Jackson was wounded by his own troops at the height of his flanking attack, and would later have his arm amputated. Jackson developed pneumonia, and died a few days later.

Now was the perfect time to strike. Lee’s plan was bold; advance up the Shenandoah Valley, threaten Washington DC, Baltimore, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia. Along the way, Confederate soldiers could live off of the rich farmlands in Maryland and Pennsylvania, giving Virginia farmers a chance to grow crops and maintain livestock once again.

On June 3, 1863, Lee’s army began to slip away from Fredericksburg in fragments. A.P. Hill’s III Corp was left behind to protect the Confederate rear, while General Longstreet’s I Corp and General Ewell’s II Corp marched to the west and north. General Hooker sensed there was movement, and ordered General Sedgwick to probe Hill’s line. After a spirited skirmish, Sedgwick convinced himself, and Hooker, that Lee still occupied the line with the Army of Northern Virginia. Lee halted General’s Longstreet and Ewell briefly, fearing a Union assault. When it appeared that Hooker would not press the issue, Lee once again mobilized his army.

On June 8, 1863, General Lee’s cavalry commander, General J.E.B. Stuart, held a grand review near Brandy Station, Virginia. Over 9,000 Confederate troopers would pass in front of General Stuart and his commander, General Lee. Stuart’s cavalry would be a crucial component to Lee’s invasion plan. Stuart’s primary objective was to shield the Army of Northern Virginia from observation or interference as it moved north. Lee also ordered Stuart to raid Union positions, and to disrupt Union supply lines.

On June 9, 1863, Union cavalry surprised the Confederate cavalry at Brandy Station. The battle resulted in a draw, although General Stuart boasted the engagement was a Confederate victory because his troops held the field at the end of the day. For the first time during the war, Union cavalry matched the skills of the Confederate cavalry in a battle. For Stuart, Brandy Station must have been a blow to his ego. The Confederate cavalry was hit with a surprise-attack; the kind of attack the cavalry is supposed to prevent. The Battle of Brandy Station was the largest cavalry engagement on North American soil. The battle was also embarrassing for Stuart, and put into motion a chain of events that would end up hurting the Army of Northern Virginia instead of aiding it.

June 13, 1863 found both armies on the move. General’s Longstreet and Ewell were filtering into the Shenandoah valley, while General Hooker was pursuing cautiously. In fact, Hooker had divided his army into 2 wings; the left wing, commanded by Major General John F. Reynolds, would pursue the Army of Northern Virginia, while the right wing remained behind to collect and cover the withdraw of government property. The Union I (Reynolds), III (Sickles), V (Sykes), and XI (Howard) Corp marched North-West towards the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. The Union VI (Sedgwick) and XII (Slocum) Corp marched North towards Dumfries, Virginia, and the Union II (Hancock) Corp remained behind to cover the Union rear. The Army of Northern Virginia was less active on this day. General Hill’s III Corp prepared to break camp around Fredericksburg, while Ewell’s II Corp continued north, engaging the Union garrison at the Second Battle of Winchester (6/13-6/15). General Longstreet’s Corp was given a day of rest. By the end of June 13, Union and Confederate forces were scattered from the Shenandoah Valley to Fredericksburg, Virginia.