Burnside, despite the defeat at Fredericksburg and…

Burnside, despite the defeat at Fredericksburg and the dismay felt in Washington, has not yet been relieved from command.

He had planned to resume his offensive north of Fredericksburg, but it had gone amiss on January 20 and 21 in the humiliating Mud March.

Following this, a cabal of his subordinate generals has made it clear to the government that Burnside is incapable of leading the army.

One of those conspirators is Major General Joseph Hooker, who is appointed to command the Army of the Potomac on January 26, 1863.

Hooker, who has an excellent record as a corps commander in previous campaigns, will spend the remainder of the winter reorganizing and resupplying his army, paying special attention to health and morale issues.

Known for his aggressive nature, he plans a complex spring campaign against Robert E. Lee.