The First Day Of Chancellorsville
N 38° 17.770 W 077° 35.793
18S E 272931 N 4241866
Walk through a Civil War battlefield in Spotsylvania, VA and learn about the first day of the Chancellorsville campaign.
Waymark Code: WM8JN9
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 04/10/2010
Views: 6
A self-guided tour takes you along a graded trail/path interspersed with historical signs. It is maintained by the Civil War Preservation Trust and on the Civil War Discovery Trail.
On May 1, 1863, this is the site where Confederate forces of Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia clashed with Union forces of Gen. Joseph Hooker's Army of the Potomac along the OrangeTurnpike (modern-day Rt. 3). Hooker withdrew his forces and Lee would go on to gain one of his biggest victories of the war at Chancellorsville.
There is a series of interlocking trails. A 2-mile loop covers the entire area and allows one to envision and imagine the skirmishes, personal stories, and strategic points that were a part of the War Between The States over 100 years ago. (For coordinates to locations along the trail, right-click and save this GPX file.)
The First Day at Chancellorsville tour is easily accessed off Rt. 3 in Spotsylvania County, west of Fredericksburg. It is free and open daily from sunrise to sunset.