Hey everyone, welcome to episode number 273 of our Civil War podcast.

My name is Rich.

And I'm Tracy.

Hello y'all.

Thanks for tuning into the podcast.

As y'all recall, the Chancellor'sville campaign was the result of the Federal Commander,

Major General Joseph Hooker's decision to set in motion a bold plan in late April 1863.

Hooker would split his huge army into three pieces.

One piece, his cavalry corps, would make a wide circle around the enemy's left flank and

drive toward the vulnerable rebel rail system and also threaten Richmond.

The Federal Infantry Force, seven full corps, consisting of nearly 120,000 men, was split

into two additional pieces.

Hooker would leave three and a half corps in the Frederick Spurge area to hold the enemy's

attention there, while fighting Joe himself accompanied the rest of the troops on a march

up the Rapa Hannock.

Once that river and the Rapa Dan had been crossed upstream from Frederick Spurge, Hooker's

maneuver force would be in a position to sweep down upon the Confederate Army's flank

and into their rear.

Hooker hoped to either smash the badly outnumbered Confederates between his forces or compel

the rebels to withdraw south toward Richmond.

Hooker boasted, quote, our enemy must engloriously fly or come out from behind his defenses and

give us battle on our own ground where certain destruction awaits him.

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