Now that the slaves were considered free in all of the Confederate states, the war for many became a crusade. Any slave who escaped to the Union lines was declared a free person; often they immediately volunteered to fight for the Union. However it took a while before blacks would wear the Union uniform. The film Glory depicts the brief history of the 54th Massachusetts regiment, the first all black unit in the Union.
Lincoln once again changed commanders after Ambrose Burnside disappointed his superiors. Fighting Joe Hooker, an aggressive corps commander at Antietam, was promoted to command the Army of the Potomac. His orders were to destroy Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, and was given vast resources to complete his task. He devised a very sound plan to trap and destroy Lee.
He moved the army into Virginia and crossed the Rappahannock River in April with a force fully 30,000 men larger than Lee's army. In early May he began execution of his plan to flank Lee near Chancellorsville and destroy the Confederate force once and for all. But Lee, taking great risks, divided his smaller army not once, but twice and outmaneuvered, surprised Hooker's flanking force. Lee's army, led by the audacious, pious General Stonewall Jackson, drove the Union force back in disarray. Hooker was stunned when a shell slammed into a porch he was standing on and took him out of the battle. But he was completely unnerved by that time and later apologized to Lincoln for his failure.
Chancellorsville is considered Lee's masterpiece. His tactical brilliance and exceptional use of resources are still studied at military academies today. Prussian observers were so impressed with Lee's management of the army that they incorporated much of what they learned in their 1870-1 victory over France. Lee's stunning success further added to his gathering legend, and added to Union morale problems.
But Lee suffered one loss that would have profound impact throughout the rest of the war. On the evening of the second day of the battle, Stonewall Jackson was shot by friendly fire as he inspected the lines. He died a few days later, and his last words were reported as "let us cross over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees."
Nevertheless, Lee decided the time was right to invade the North again. He prepared to strike north and west of Washington toward the important railhead of Harrisburg PA. The stage was set for Gettysburg, the greatest battle ever fought on the North American continent.
