Critical Decisions at Chancellorsville
What is a “critical decision”? How did critical decisions unfold during the Battle of Chancellorsville, fought in Central Virginia during the spring of 1863? This program offers an overview of the Battle of Chancellorsville, an outline of 16 key decisions, and then a “deep dive” into 2 of those impactful decisions and their outcomes. Get ready to be an “armchair general,” judge the choices of the past, and rediscover the Battle of Chancellorsville through the lens of military decisions.

Sarah Kay Bierle graduated from Thomas Edison State University with a BA in History and works in the Education Department at the American Battlefield Trust. She has spent years exploring ways to share quality historical research in ways that will inform and inspire modern audiences, including school presentations, writing, battlefield tours, and speaking engagements. She has published seven books, including Glorious Courage: John Pelham in the Civil War (Savas Beatie, 2025) and Decisions at Chancellorsville (University of Tennessee Press, 2025).