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Seizing Destiny: The Army of the Potomac's "Valley Forge" and the Civil War Winter that Saved the Union
FINALIST, 2017, RICHARD HARWELL AWARD, GIVEN BY THE CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE OF ATLANTA
"Depression. Desertion. Disease. The Army of the Potomac faced a trio of unrelenting enemies during the winter of 1863. Following the catastrophic defeat at the battle of Fredericksburg in December of 1862, the army settled into winter quarters—and despair settled into the army. Morale sank to its lowest level of the war while desertions reached an all-time high. Illness packed the hospitals. Political intrigues, careerist schemes, and harsh winter weather demoralized everyone. Even the army’s livestock suffered, with more than 1,000 horses and mules dying every week.
Major General Joseph Hooker, a pugnacious tactician aptly nicknamed “Fighting Joe,” took command of the army. And then a remarkable thing a man known for his hardscrabble battlefield tenacity showed an amazing brilliance for organization and leadership. With Chief of Staff Dan Butterfield working alongside him, Hooker literally rebuilt the army from the bottom up. In addition to instituting vital logistical, ordnance, and administrative reforms, he insisted on proper troop care and rigorous inspections and battle drills. Hooker doled out promotions and furloughs by merit, conducted large-scale raids, streamlined the army’s command and control, and fielded a new cavalry corps and military intelligence organization.
Hooker’s war on poor discipline and harsh conditions revitalized a dying army and instilled individual and unit pride. During this 93-day resurgence, the Army of the Potomac reversed its fortunes and set itself on the path to ultimate victory. No other American citizen-army at war has engineered a more complete turnaround in the field. Hooker’s achievement represents nothing less than the greatest non-battle turning point since Valley Forge in the American Revolution—a linkage recognized by hundreds of contemporary soldiers and civilian participants. Modern historians, however, have either failed to notice or have made only a passing reference to that link.
Seizing The Army of the Potomac’s “Valley Forge” is the first in-depth examination of one of the war’s true crucial turning points, a time when the army nearly dissolved from its own despair even as the nation depended on that body of bayonets to defend the promises implied by the Emancipation Proclamation. Authors Albert Conner and Chris Mackowski ground their research in hundreds of primary sources and let the soldiers speak, from the lowest private to the highest general. The result is a rich and satisfying portrait of an overlooked success story that made Appomattox Court House in 1865 possible.
Here, finally, is the full story of how the citizen-soldiers of the Army of the Potomac overcame adversity, seized their destiny, and saved the nation through leadership, perseverance, patriotism, and faith."
"Depression. Desertion. Disease. The Army of the Potomac faced a trio of unrelenting enemies during the winter of 1863. Following the catastrophic defeat at the battle of Fredericksburg in December of 1862, the army settled into winter quarters—and despair settled into the army. Morale sank to its lowest level of the war while desertions reached an all-time high. Illness packed the hospitals. Political intrigues, careerist schemes, and harsh winter weather demoralized everyone. Even the army’s livestock suffered, with more than 1,000 horses and mules dying every week.
Major General Joseph Hooker, a pugnacious tactician aptly nicknamed “Fighting Joe,” took command of the army. And then a remarkable thing a man known for his hardscrabble battlefield tenacity showed an amazing brilliance for organization and leadership. With Chief of Staff Dan Butterfield working alongside him, Hooker literally rebuilt the army from the bottom up. In addition to instituting vital logistical, ordnance, and administrative reforms, he insisted on proper troop care and rigorous inspections and battle drills. Hooker doled out promotions and furloughs by merit, conducted large-scale raids, streamlined the army’s command and control, and fielded a new cavalry corps and military intelligence organization.
Hooker’s war on poor discipline and harsh conditions revitalized a dying army and instilled individual and unit pride. During this 93-day resurgence, the Army of the Potomac reversed its fortunes and set itself on the path to ultimate victory. No other American citizen-army at war has engineered a more complete turnaround in the field. Hooker’s achievement represents nothing less than the greatest non-battle turning point since Valley Forge in the American Revolution—a linkage recognized by hundreds of contemporary soldiers and civilian participants. Modern historians, however, have either failed to notice or have made only a passing reference to that link.
Seizing The Army of the Potomac’s “Valley Forge” is the first in-depth examination of one of the war’s true crucial turning points, a time when the army nearly dissolved from its own despair even as the nation depended on that body of bayonets to defend the promises implied by the Emancipation Proclamation. Authors Albert Conner and Chris Mackowski ground their research in hundreds of primary sources and let the soldiers speak, from the lowest private to the highest general. The result is a rich and satisfying portrait of an overlooked success story that made Appomattox Court House in 1865 possible.
Here, finally, is the full story of how the citizen-soldiers of the Army of the Potomac overcame adversity, seized their destiny, and saved the nation through leadership, perseverance, patriotism, and faith."
384 pages, Hardcover
First published October 19, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 10, 2016
The center of this book is between a 4 and a 5. The last few lines of the book reduce my rating to 3.
First, the value of this book. The Army of the Potomac was in a deep funk after the bungled battle at Fredericksburg. General Ambrose Burnside demonstrated that his sense that he as not up to the job of commanding the Army was accurate. Then, the ill-fated "Mud March." Morale was low; provisions were not adequately distributed; the winter was horrible (hence, in part, the analogy with the winter of 1863 with Washington's army at Valley Forge). The book focuses on the redevelopment of the army between the twin fiascoes orchestrated by Burnside. Where would the army go? Desertions had become a problem. . . .
Burnside was replaced by General Joseph Hooker, ambitious (probably too much so), a bit of a blowhard, and a pretty good general at division and corps level. Could he handle an army? Indeed. The author (and other works as well) argued that Hooker showed surprising skills as an organizer and motivator. Such matters as a furlough program, between logistics increasing the quality of food, continual training (as at Valley Forge), patches that served to enhance the pride in one's unit by soldiers (the badges denoted corps and division within a corps). He reorganized to some extent the army, creating a cavalry corps, for instance. The author notes the lives of the soldiers and their concerns--one of which was a healthy dislike of northerners who questioned and criticized the war effort.
Then, the sad tale of Hooker's not being able to "pull off" a victory at Chancellorsville. But the good news? The Army of the Potomac still had the pride and sense of value from the three months as it was "rebuilt." This volume suggests that that helped greatly in the Federal victory at Gettysburg.
In that sense, this book makes a very nice contribution. But I cannot get out of my mind the final sentences of the book--seemingly coming out of nowhere. Recalling troops' anger at those who questioned the war in 1863, the book says "To be true to the Army of the Potomac's history and memory, Americans must forever understand that, once an army is committed by the nation to war, anything less than full support, and all out effort is inexcusable. It is not possible to 'support the troops' and simultaneously oppose what they do." I am sorry to say that that is not defensible. We have seen the United States involved in mistaken wars (Iraq being a prime example). To keep silent in the face of folly would be far worse than to shut up to support the military--especially if those soldiers had been put in a position where the odds of success were dismal.
First, the value of this book. The Army of the Potomac was in a deep funk after the bungled battle at Fredericksburg. General Ambrose Burnside demonstrated that his sense that he as not up to the job of commanding the Army was accurate. Then, the ill-fated "Mud March." Morale was low; provisions were not adequately distributed; the winter was horrible (hence, in part, the analogy with the winter of 1863 with Washington's army at Valley Forge). The book focuses on the redevelopment of the army between the twin fiascoes orchestrated by Burnside. Where would the army go? Desertions had become a problem. . . .
Burnside was replaced by General Joseph Hooker, ambitious (probably too much so), a bit of a blowhard, and a pretty good general at division and corps level. Could he handle an army? Indeed. The author (and other works as well) argued that Hooker showed surprising skills as an organizer and motivator. Such matters as a furlough program, between logistics increasing the quality of food, continual training (as at Valley Forge), patches that served to enhance the pride in one's unit by soldiers (the badges denoted corps and division within a corps). He reorganized to some extent the army, creating a cavalry corps, for instance. The author notes the lives of the soldiers and their concerns--one of which was a healthy dislike of northerners who questioned and criticized the war effort.
Then, the sad tale of Hooker's not being able to "pull off" a victory at Chancellorsville. But the good news? The Army of the Potomac still had the pride and sense of value from the three months as it was "rebuilt." This volume suggests that that helped greatly in the Federal victory at Gettysburg.
In that sense, this book makes a very nice contribution. But I cannot get out of my mind the final sentences of the book--seemingly coming out of nowhere. Recalling troops' anger at those who questioned the war in 1863, the book says "To be true to the Army of the Potomac's history and memory, Americans must forever understand that, once an army is committed by the nation to war, anything less than full support, and all out effort is inexcusable. It is not possible to 'support the troops' and simultaneously oppose what they do." I am sorry to say that that is not defensible. We have seen the United States involved in mistaken wars (Iraq being a prime example). To keep silent in the face of folly would be far worse than to shut up to support the military--especially if those soldiers had been put in a position where the odds of success were dismal.
October 27, 2025
As the title states, it discusses what the authors compare to the Revolutionary War Valley Forge. The roughly three months between the Battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorville were that time. That winter saw the change of commanders, the institution of policies that restored the army to a fighting trim not seen before. Several additional changes were to come later that would see the Army through Gettysburg on to the end of the war.
Photos and maps are included that support the text and allow reader to understand.
Photos and maps are included that support the text and allow reader to understand.
February 14, 2017
One of the most memorable hardships in American History is the camp at Valley Forge for the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. It sticks in our mind as one of those stories of endurance and the American Spirit. Albert Z. Conner Jr. and Chris Mackowski bring us Seizing Destiny, the story of the winter of 1863 following the aftermath of defeat at Fredericksburg in December of 1862. The Battle of Fredericksburg, being one of the worst Union losses in the war, brought down the morale of the Army of the Potomac, the leadership of General Joseph Hooker brought around a rebirth in this demoralized army.
Albert Z. Conner Jr. is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute along with a degree from Georgetown University. He is a Vientam veteran and an intelligence officer. He has worked as a military historian and has studied the armed forces of several other nations. He is the former president of the Fredericksburg Civil War Roundtable and Stafford County Historical Society. He is also a volunteer at the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. Chris Mackowski, Ph.D., is a professor at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, New York. He is the co-founder of the Emerging Civil War blog and series. He has also written Chancellorsville’s Forgotten Front: The Battles of Second Fredericksburg and Salem Church, May 3, 1863.
When I first began studying the American Civil War, I gravitated, as many do, towards the Battle of Gettysburg. Throughout my reading of that campaign, I began to gain a picture of a certain commander which has painted my view of him since that time. General Joseph Hooker has always been an interesting character and was always painted as incompetent on the field, but rumors flew around in these works that he was an incredible intelligence officer. While reading Seizing Destiny, my opinion about the man began to change. I had never known about this winter of 1863 and the ways in which the morale was boosted for the Army of the Potomac by Hooker. Though the defeat at the Battle of Chancellorsville did not help his posterity or stature, this book hopefully repairs some of the damage history has done to Hooker’s reputation. This work also answers the question about why we have forgotten this moment in the annals of Civil War history. The authors speak of the journalist William Swinton and the reporting of the incident. Whether or not it was done purposefully remains to be seen. Nevertheless, Seizing Destiny is one of the Civil War works which was needed in this time to help us understand the period between Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville and how it affected not only the commanders, but the soldiers as well.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Civil War. Far too often, when reading Civil War narratives, the period between Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville gets skipped over and the battles are placed back to back, but here, Conner and Mackowski give us the fair due of this time period with hopes of better understanding the hardship of the Civil War’s “Valley Forge.” The narrative is excellent and accompanied by well drawn maps and accounts. Highly recommended!
Matthew Bartlett
Albert Z. Conner Jr. is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute along with a degree from Georgetown University. He is a Vientam veteran and an intelligence officer. He has worked as a military historian and has studied the armed forces of several other nations. He is the former president of the Fredericksburg Civil War Roundtable and Stafford County Historical Society. He is also a volunteer at the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. Chris Mackowski, Ph.D., is a professor at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, New York. He is the co-founder of the Emerging Civil War blog and series. He has also written Chancellorsville’s Forgotten Front: The Battles of Second Fredericksburg and Salem Church, May 3, 1863.
When I first began studying the American Civil War, I gravitated, as many do, towards the Battle of Gettysburg. Throughout my reading of that campaign, I began to gain a picture of a certain commander which has painted my view of him since that time. General Joseph Hooker has always been an interesting character and was always painted as incompetent on the field, but rumors flew around in these works that he was an incredible intelligence officer. While reading Seizing Destiny, my opinion about the man began to change. I had never known about this winter of 1863 and the ways in which the morale was boosted for the Army of the Potomac by Hooker. Though the defeat at the Battle of Chancellorsville did not help his posterity or stature, this book hopefully repairs some of the damage history has done to Hooker’s reputation. This work also answers the question about why we have forgotten this moment in the annals of Civil War history. The authors speak of the journalist William Swinton and the reporting of the incident. Whether or not it was done purposefully remains to be seen. Nevertheless, Seizing Destiny is one of the Civil War works which was needed in this time to help us understand the period between Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville and how it affected not only the commanders, but the soldiers as well.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Civil War. Far too often, when reading Civil War narratives, the period between Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville gets skipped over and the battles are placed back to back, but here, Conner and Mackowski give us the fair due of this time period with hopes of better understanding the hardship of the Civil War’s “Valley Forge.” The narrative is excellent and accompanied by well drawn maps and accounts. Highly recommended!
Matthew Bartlett
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews