Battle of Chancellorsville
1863 CE · Virginia, USA
The Battle of Chancellorsville was fought in 1863 CE in Virginia, USA between Confederate States vs the United States (Union); Confederate victory against an army twice its size; Jackson was mortally wounded by his own men.
Battle of Chancellorsville: quick facts
- Date
- 1863 CE
- Location
- Virginia, USA
- Belligerents
- Confederate States vs the United States (Union)
- Commanders
- Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson vs Joseph Hooker
- Result
- Confederate victory against an army twice its size; Jackson was mortally wounded by his own men.
- Casualties
- about 30,000 killed, wounded or missing across both armies
- Era
- 🦅 American Wars
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Chancellorsville?
Facing a Union army twice his size under General Hooker, Robert E. Lee made the audacious decision to split his force and send Stonewall Jackson on a flanking march through the Virginia Wilderness. Jackson's surprise attack crushed the Union right flank, leading to a stunning Confederate victory. However, the triumph was marred when Jackson was accidentally shot by his own troops and died days later, a loss Lee called losing his 'right arm.'
Did you know?
Stonewall Jackson was accidentally shot by his own men at Chancellorsville while returning from a nighttime reconnaissance. Lee remarked, 'He has lost his left arm, but I have lost my right.'
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Chancellorsville on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.