At Chancellorsville, the Union was winning pretty handily, until Hooker lost his nerve. For some inexplicable reason, he ordered a messy retreat. When the messenger with the order to retreat arrived at one Union regiment, the colonel who was whipping the Rebs, had him arrested and told him if he was lying he would have him shot. He sent his own orderly to confirm the order. The messenger was spared.
General Hooker had his problems this battle would help to settle that issue for “Honest Abe”.
He was relieved of command in time for General Meade to lead during the Battle of Gettysburg and the rest is history.
Hooker’s problems reminded me of Grant at Shiloh. Sherman said, “Well Grant, we’ve had the Devil’s own day. Grant said, Yep, lick’em tomorrow though. The Union seemed to have to go through all the Eastern generals before Abe could choose one from the West.