May 4th, the final day of the 
Chancellorsville Campaign, 
began with Sedgwick falling 
back into his defensive 
position at Salem Church.  
Lee, meanwhile, had to move 
his army into position for a 
major assault.  Threatened on 
the front, rear, and flank, 
Sedgwick troops held on until 
midnight, when they finally 
broke and withdrew across the 
Rappahonnock at Banks's Ford -
 the Confederates had won.

Though the Confederacy won 
the battle, Chancellorsville 
may have proven a victory for 
the Union.  Hooker suffered 
more than 17,000 casualties, 
but those losses only 
accounted for 13 percent 
of his total strength.  As 
for the Confederates, Lee's 
13,000 casualties ammounted 
to 22 percent of his army - 
men who were difficult to 
replace.  The loss of 
"Stonewall" Jackson could 
never be filled.

Lee's triumph at Fredricksburg
imbued him with the belief 
that his army was invincible.
He convinced the Richmond 
government to endorse his 
proposed offensive into 
Pennsylvania.  Within six 
weeks, the Army of Northern 
Virginia confidently marched 
to a place called 
Gettysburg...