• Hooker, who fought at Fredericksburg, knew the futility of an assualt against the Confederate position atop Mayre's Heights. Instead he planned a bold move to send half his army (the corps of Meade, Howard, and Slocum) several miles up the Rappahannock River to cross in secrecy and out-flank Lee's position at Fredericksburg.

• Hooker told no one of his plan, not even his own staff. He did not issue a general order before the move, instead he issued specific movement orders to individual commanders.
• He assigned Couch's Second Corps to make a demonstration at Bank's Ford (he pretended to prepare a crossing to distract Lee.)
• Hooker also sent Stoneman's Cavalry Corps far behind Lee in an effort to cut his communications with Richmond.
• Meanwhile, on April 28th, Hooker's flanking columns crossed the Rappahannock undetected, and crossed the Rapidan River the next day.

• Couch then abandoned his demonstration at Bank's Ford and crossed at U.S. Ford to join Hooker at Chancellorsville. On April 30th, Sickles corps was also ordered to cross the Rappahannock and join Hooker.
• Hooker's plan was a success! He had outmaneuvered the "Gray Fox," General Lee, and managed to gather five of his seven corps (about 75,000 men) on Lee's flank. Hooker then issued his General Order No. 47:

"It is with heartfelt satisfaction the commanding general announces to the army that the operations of the last three days have determined that our enemy must either ingloriously fly, or come out from behind his defenses and give us battle on our own ground, where certain destruction awaits him...."

Gen. Joseph "Fighting Joe" Hooker

• Much to the dismay of Hooker's subordinates, he now chose to wait at Chancellorsville for his rear columns to catch up, rather than seize the opportunity to attack the rear of Lee's army:

"The General directs that no advance be made from Chancellorsville until the columns are concentrated. He expects to be at Chancellorsville tonight."

• Lee didn't react the way Hooker expected. Instead of "inglorious" retreat, Lee seized the initiative back from Hooker with the first of several brilliant manuveurs for which he is renowned.