The Union Army was there. Hooker was the Union Commander so this answer makes no sense. In the Spring of 1863, after the horrible slaughter of Union troops at Fredricksburg on Dec. 13, 1862, Lincoln sacked yet another General of the Army of the Potomac(Ambrose Burnside). He appointed General Joseph Hooker. Hooker,wanting to bring ultimate victory for the North saw his chance to trap Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against the Rappahannock River. Hooker's main force was still opposite of part of Lee's Army at Fredricksburg(on the opposite side of the river. Hooker devised what he thought to be a masterful plan,leaving part of his force in easy view of the Confederates and moving the bulk of his army along the bank of the river to a point where,after crossing ,he would emerge "behind" Lee's Army with Lee's back against the river. His movement was discovered by Confederate cavalry and reported to General Lee,who moved quickly to confront Hooker as he emerged from the dense forest(The Wilderness). To abbreviate this answer I will just say that after 4 days of fighting Hooker retreated back to the north side of the river. Because of specific bold actions taken by Lee,this victory is considered by most to be his greatest battle victory.
Union General Hooker and Sickles lll Corps were outflanked by Jackson while Hooker was attempting to outflank Lee. J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry screened Jackson's flanking movement. Union General Sickles was fooled thinking he was seeing a Confederate retreat.
By wrong-footing Hooker and refusing to fight on the field Hooker had chosen. Then sending in Stonewall Jackson for a surprise attack at Chancellorsville that totally routed the Union troops.
Major General Ambrose Burnside was replaced by Major General Joseph Hooker because of the disastrous Battle of Fredricksburg in December of 1862. Also for the failed attack on Lee's army in early 1863.
Robert E. Lee
After General Lee had beaten Union General Joseph Hooker at Chancellorsville, he had pushed Hooker back on his heels and was confident that a raid into the North was needed to take the initiative away from the North. He reorganized his army and in early June of 1863, he out maneuvered General Hooker by conducting a flank march to the west with two corps while the remaining corps maintained contact with the enemy. General Hooker was not aware until June 9th of Lee's movement and was undecided as to what it meant. With Lee's third and remaining corps now following, Lee's army stretched over 100 miles by mid-June, marching as many as 30 miles on some days with his whole army averaging 15 miles per day. Lee took advantage of the Blue Ridge Mountains for protection from a Union flank attack.. Yet, at the same time, Lee could always threaten an attack east through the mountain passes. He had in fact stolen the march and was on the flank of Hooker's army.
Based on the plan of attack that Washington DC had provided to Union General Joseph Hooker, om May 1, 1863, he assaulted General Robert E. Lee's left flank with 73,000 troops. He left another 40,000 troops to guard Fredericksburg. His advantage in numbers was awesome. His assault did encounter Rebel resistance, and Hooker hesitated and withdrew to form a defensive position at the town of Chancellorsville. This was not in the plan given to Hooker by Washington DC. Hooker's generals were awestruck at this maneuver. It not only gave Lee time to recover, but the rough terrain around Chancellorsville, diminished hie numerical advantage. This error was the first one Hooker made that if not done, could have easily made Chancellorsville a Union victory. The battle would continue another two days.
General Joseph Hooker's plan to defeat Robert E. Lee's army was thwarted primarily by poor intelligence and unexpected Confederate maneuvers. Hooker underestimated Lee's ability to reposition his forces quickly, allowing Lee to divide his troops and attack Hooker's flanks. Additionally, Hooker's hesitance and lack of decisive leadership during critical moments contributed to the plan's failure, ultimately leading to a Confederate victory at the Battle of Chancellorsville.
Taking advantage of Hooker's caution, Lee sent Jackson's corps on an attack on Hooker's exposed right flank. The attack rolled up the Eleventh Corps, and sent the federal army down to defeat.
The Army of the Potomac was led by Major General Joseph Hooker during the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863. Despite having a larger force than the Confederate Army commanded by General Robert E. Lee, Hooker's army suffered a significant defeat, largely due to Lee's bold tactics and the unexpected flank attack by Stonewall Jackson. This battle is often noted for Lee's audacious strategy and the high cost of the Union forces.
Confederate Lieutenant General Robert E. Lee gave General Stonewall Jackson an immense responsibility at the 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville. Jackson was entrusted with 21,500 troops. His orders were to gain a position from which he could turn and attack Union General Joseph Hooker's right flank which was not properly protected in the dense woods of the area called the Wilderness near Chancellorsville. To do this Jackson used most of May 2, 1863 to perform this task.
The Battle of Chancellorsville, fought in May 1863, featured key strategies from both the Union and Confederate forces. The Confederate General Robert E. Lee executed a bold plan by dividing his forces, sending General Stonewall Jackson on a flanking maneuver to surprise the Union Army led by General Joseph Hooker. Hooker initially had the advantage with superior numbers and defensive positions but failed to effectively capitalize on them, leading to confusion and disarray. Ultimately, Lee's audacious tactics and Jackson's successful flank attack resulted in a significant Confederate victory despite being outnumbered.
The strategy for the Battle of Chancellorsville, fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, involved Confederate General Robert E. Lee dividing his forces to confront the larger Union Army led by General Joseph Hooker. Lee sent General Stonewall Jackson on a flanking maneuver to attack Hooker's right flank, which was poorly defended. This bold tactic created confusion and disarray among Union troops, leading to a significant Confederate victory despite being outnumbered. The battle demonstrated Lee's tactical brilliance and the effectiveness of aggressive engagement in warfare.
Union General Hooker and Sickles lll Corps were outflanked by Jackson while Hooker was attempting to outflank Lee. J.E.B. Stuart's cavalry screened Jackson's flanking movement. Union General Sickles was fooled thinking he was seeing a Confederate retreat.
At the Battle of Chancellorsville on May 2, 1863, General Lee gave General Jackson 21,5000 troops. Jackson's mission was to gain a tactical position that would allow the Confederates to attack the left flank of General Hooker's Army of the Potomac. It was a risky maneuver that involved a sizable portion of Lee's army. It turned out to be a successful maneuver for the Rebels.
By wrong-footing Hooker and refusing to fight on the field Hooker had chosen. Then sending in Stonewall Jackson for a surprise attack at Chancellorsville that totally routed the Union troops.
Major General Ambrose Burnside was replaced by Major General Joseph Hooker because of the disastrous Battle of Fredricksburg in December of 1862. Also for the failed attack on Lee's army in early 1863.
The key flanking attack by Confederate Stonewall Jackson on Union General Hooker's forces turned the tide in favor of the Southern army. Jackson fooled Union General into thinking that he was retreating from the battle as he moved his men southwards. Jackson was planning a surprise attack instead. His closest Union adversary, General Sickles informed General Hooker of the apparent retreat. Hooker and his top commanders became complacent. Undetected, Jackson's force then turned and moved forward. His astounding flank attack on the surprised Federals caused them to retreat and the battle was lost.