Chancellorsville is an ahistorical account of Stonewall Jacksons attack on the right flank of the
Army of the Potomac on May 2nd, 1863 

THE SETTING

By May 1, Hooker had approximately 70,000 men concentrated in and around Chancellorsville, while Lee worked 
frantically to concentrate his own army. He confronted Hooker at Chancellorsville with 40,000 men, while on his right, 
Maj. Gen. Jubal Early manned Fredericksburg's formidable Marye's Heights with 12,000 troops, hoping to keep 
Sedgwick out of Lee's rear. The next day, the Union and Confederate troops clashed on the Chancellorsville front, 
with some Union forces actually pushing their way out of the impenetrable thickets and scrub pine that characterized the area. 
This was seen by many Union commanders as a key to victory. If the larger Union army fought in the woods, 
known as the Wilderness of Spotsylvania, its huge advantage in artillery would be minimized, 
since artillery could not be used to any great effect in the Wilderness.

However, Hooker had decided before beginning the campaign that he would fight the battle defensively, forcing Lee, 
with his small army, to attack his huge one. At the Battle of Fredericksburg, the Union army had done the attacking 
and met with a bloody and dreadful defeat. Hooker knew Lee could not take such a defeat and keep an effective army in the field. 
So he ordered his men to withdraw back into the Wilderness and take a defensive position around Chancellorsville, 
daring Lee to attack him or retreat with superior forces at his back.

Lee accepted Hooker's gambit and planned an attack for May 2. On the night before, Lee and his top subordinate, 
Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, came up with a tremendously risky plan of attack. 
They would split the 40,000-man force at Chancellorsville, with Jackson taking his Second Corps of 28,000 men around to 
attack the Union right flank. Lee, on the other hand, would exercise personal command of the other 12,000 (the other half 
of Longstreet's First Corps, commanded directly by Lee during the battle) facing Hooker's entire 70,000 man force at Chancellorsville.

For this to work, several things had to happen. First, Jackson had to make a 12-mile march via roundabout roads to 
reach the Union right, and he had to do it undetected. Second, Lee had to hope that Hooker stayed tamely on the defensive.
Third, Early would have to keep Sedgwick bottled up in Fredericksburg. And last but not least, 
when Jackson launched his attack, he had to hope that the Union forces were unprepared.

Incredibly, all of this happened. Confederate cavalry under Maj. Gen. J.E.B. Stuart kept the Union forces from spotting 
Jackson on his long flank march, which took almost all day.

Jackson was to deliver his punch to the right flank of the Union Army manned by Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howard. Howard, whose 
11,000 men were posted at the far right of the Union line, they failed to make any provision for his defense in case of a surprise attack, 
even though Hooker ordered him to. The Union right flank was not anchored on any natural obstacle, and the only defenses against 
a flank attack consisted of two cannon pointing out into the Wilderness. Making matters worse, the XI Corps was a poorly trained unit 
made up almost entirely of German immigrants, many of whom didn't even speak English.


THIS OOB

CONFEDERATES

This ahistorical OOB consists of Jackson entire II Corps of 4 Divisions - around 26,000 men

A/P Hills Light Division - Brig. Gen Robert Rodes 2nd Division - Maj. Gen Jubal Early's 3rd Division and Brig. Gen Raliegh Colston's 4th Division - 
these were all veteran troops and considered the finest shock troops in the confederate Army.

UNION

Facing Jackson was O.O. Howard's very inexperienced XI Corps and a better trained and veteran  II Corps under the command of
Darius Couch - 2 Corps and 7 Divisions all together - totalling around 36,000 men.  Overall command of these forces in this OOB is General Hooker


NOTES

Because of the inexperince of the XI Corps these forces are just about evenly matched.

The Artillery has been greatly reduced - making this a very good manuevering game.  It has been playtested extensively.

This game is MEANT to be played on a LARGE scale.  I cannot say what the breakup of forces you will have to deal with
if you play on Small or Medium Battle options

This game will play will all patched versions of the game up to and including 2.53

SPECIAL CHANGES

THIS GAME WILL ONLY PLAY IN THE DIXIE 2 MOD

YOU MUST PLAY THIS BATTLE WITH THE HI-RES FLAGS  OPTION SELECTED

REB'S

All ammo wagons now have the LARGE Stars and Bars instead of the the small cavalry flag.  As do all Battery commanders.

UNITS

You will find many units that you are familier with in this OOB - The famous "Stonewall" Brigade in Colston's Division
The "Irish" Brigade in Hancock's Division.  The Elite 1st Minnesota and a lot of familiar names and units

The Union has large edge in manpower - but the Rebs have more veteran units - this can be won by either side.

Will Stonewall be succesfull in his last charge!  Will you be good enough to win........................??

TO PLAY

This file is meant to be played in the DIXIE 2 Modded game with Hi-Res flags selected.

Un-zip this file and drag and drop or copy and paste it into the "Open Play" folder of your TC2M Directoty


Gary - MMG TEAM