Description

Easton Press leather edition of John Bigelow, Jr.'s "The Campaign of Chancellorsville: A Strategic and Tactical Study," a COLLECTOR'S edition, one of the LIBRARY OF AMERICAN HISTORY series, published in 1991. Bound in brown leather, the book has camel tan moire silk end leaves, satin bookmarker, hubbed spine, acid-free paper, gold gilt on three edges---in FINE condition. COLLECTOR'S NOTES is included. John Bigelow, Jr. graduated from WEST POINT in 1877 and retired from the Army in 1904. He became a Professor of Military History at both M.I.T. and Rutgers. Bigelow died in 1936. In 1862, the Civil War had lasted a year and nearly nine months. In this time the North had wrested from the South the border states of Kentucky and Tennessee and secured the possession of the Mississippi River. In January 1863, President Lincoln, as Commander-in-chief of the army and navy of the U.S. issued his Proclamation of Emancipation, giving freedom to the slaves of secession masters. Its influence abroad was decisive in turning the tide of sympathy from South to North. President Abraham Lincoln wrote General Joseph HOOKER in January 1963, "Beware of rashness, but with energy and sleepless vigilance go forward and give us victories." Hooker replaced A.E. BURNSIDE, commander of the Army of the Potomac. "Fighting Joe" Hooker had long schemed to obtain leadership of the Army. Hooker had graduated from WEST POINT in 1837 but had not distinguished himself in the Mexican War. Hooker was six feet tall, well proportioned, with sandy blonde hair, a thick hairy chest, steel-blue eyes, and soldierly in bearing; long known as a "lady's man," he was spoken of as the handsomest man in the army. [There is a popular legend that "hooker" as a slang term for a prostitute is derived from his last name because of parties and a lack of military discipline at his headquarters near the Murder Bay district of Washington, D.C. Some versions claim that the band of prostitutes that followed at his division was derisively referred to as "General Hooker's Army" or Hooker's Brigade."] Hooker's reputation for courage and his soldierly appearance made him a hero of the rank and file, but his bitter denouncement of President Lincoln as an incompetent leader, surprised many soldiers. After Burnside's defeat at Fredericksburg in December 1862, he got his chance. Upon taking command, Hooker devoted himself to raising the spirits of his 130,000 troops whose morale had been sorely wounded by the Fredericksburg debacle. Union and Rebel forces were camped on opposite sides of the Rappahannock River, waiting for spring weather but Hooker took his army and crossed the river and within 72 hours diverted Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army. Lee was one of the world's greatest military leaders as McClellan, Pope, and Burnside had failed or been defeated by his armies. Lee faced 45,000 soldiers in front of him and 70,000 behind him. Realizing that that a frontal attack would assault now be suicide, Lee divided his forces and sent STONEWALL JACKSON on a daring 12-mile stretch northwest and Jackson's "foot cavalry" burst upon the Union's right flank and routed the unsuspecting Yankee troops, allowing Lee to seize a victory from "fighting Joe." Union causalities at Chancellorsville numbered 17,287, Confederate 12,463, but one of the South's casualties was Stonewall Jackson who was mortally wounded by his own soldiers in an accidental shooting. Hooker was allowed to resign from command when Lincoln determined that both the check at Chancellorsville and retreat were inexcusable. Later, Hooker led President Lincoln's funeral procession in Springfield, Illinois. 528 pages. I offer combined shipping.