Chris Calle (American, B. 1961) "Chancellorsville" Signed lower right. Original Mixed Media painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original which appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the 32c Battle of Chancellorsville Classic Collection Series stamp issued June 29, 1995. After the Battle of Fredericksburg, when General Ambrose E. Burnside attacked Robert E. Lee on Virginia's Rappahannock River, Burnside was relieved of command at his own request. Replacing him as commander of the Army of the Potomac was General Joseph "Fighting Joe" Hooker. On April 27, 1863, Hooker sent his force of 120,000 men against Lee's army of only 60,000 men, still holding the Rappahannock line. Hooker's plan was to engage Lee's attention at Fredericksburg, then send another force around the town to attack the Confederate flank. The two pincers would try to isolate and crush the Army of Northern Virginia. But Hooker's right wing force had to march through a thickly wooded area making it vulnerable to surprise attack. Alert to Hooker's strategy, Lee left a screening force to protect his right flank at Fredericksburg and attacked Hooker straight on, at the same time sending General Stonewall Jackson to strike at the Union right. Jackson's savage attack from the pine thickets on May 2, at the crossroads junction known as Chancellorsville, caught the Northern army by surprise. After battling for three days across a 10-mile area, Hooker retreated. Union casualties were over 17,000, while the Confederate cost was 12,800. For Lee, his greatest victory was sadly Pyrrhic, since Jackson was mortally wounded by his own men. Nevertheless, Lee decided to launch a second invasion of the North, hoping to capture an important city like Harrisburg or Baltimore and possibly effect a triumphant peace. Image Size: 14 x 13.5 in. Overall Size: 23 x 18 in. Unframed. (B15196)