Sedgwick Attacks: Salem Church (May 3, 1863)

May 3rd, 1863 is a somewhat forgotten day in ACW history but it had 21,357 casualties and was the second bloodiest day of the American Civil War. Part of that day's butcher bill involved General John Sedgwick's VI Corps. General hooker was losing possession of the Chancellorsville Crossroads and he ordered Sedgwick to advance out of the Fredericksburg, take Mayre's Heights and come up behind Lee's army at Chancellorsville. It was a tall order but Sedgwick was able to take Marye's Heights, which had been impregnable four and a half months ago, and suddenly the way to Chancellorsville looked open.

Sedgwick continued on his way but immediately started looking over his shoulder, worried about Early's Confederate forces. They had retreated from their Fredericksburg positions but were reforming in Sedgwick's rear. Sedgwick then makes a mistake and stopped to reshuffle his troops for his advance towards Lee's forces. He traded time for strength Cadmus Wilcox showed real initiative and conducted a skillful delaying action with his Confederate troops. AL the while, troops sent by Lee rushed to help Wilcox's small Brigade. Sedgwick was now heading for an ambush and his Corps was in much bigger trouble than he realized.

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