AoP

[MikeyB]

Starting to read about the Chancellorsville campaign and in the prologue, the author discusses the state of affairs post-Fredericksburg and the condition and morale of the AoP. I always knew Hooker came in and cleaned things up, but I never realized exactly the magnitude of how bad things were. Now perhaps Sears is overstating the case, so my question is:
Was post-Fredericksburg the low point for the AoP? There were certainly many other losses, but morale, conditions, and mismanagement, on top of having a general no one believed in make for an awful combination.

 

[sarladaise]

Post-Fredericksburg was definitely a low point for the North and the AOP. Morale had plummeted, with desertions
totaling 86.330 by the end of January 1863 - almost 27 % of the entire AOP.

 

[rpkennedy]

Starting to read about the Chancellorsville campaign and in the prologue, the author discusses the state of affairs post-Fredericksburg and the condition and morale of the AoP. I always knew Hooker came in and cleaned things up, but I never realized exactly the magnitude of how bad things were. Now perhaps Sears is overstating the case, so my question is:
Was post-Fredericksburg the low point for the AoP? There were certainly many other losses, but morale, conditions, and mismanagement, on top of having a general no one believed in make for an awful combination.

Short answer: yes. Long answer: no question.

Ryan