Mission command is a philosophy and a war fighting function that supports the army’s operation concept, unified land operation. 1 It involves the exercise of the commander’s authority and direction to enable discipline within the commander’s intent. In war, armies are required to seize, retain and gain an advantage over their enemies. Thus, mission command is vital in achieving these initiatives since the commander integrates the principles of mission fighting by applying the art of command and its supportive science of control. General Robert Lee, a Confederate Commander during the American Civil War, is famed for his mission command abilities as evidenced by his success in the Battle of Chancellorsville against a stronger and numerically advantaged Union force. 2 The battle was fought between April 30th and May 6th of 1863, putting General Lee against Major General Joseph Hooker of the Union Army. 3 This was the principal battle of the Chancellorsville campaign. Under Lee’s command, 60,000 ill-equipped Confederate forces won the battle against Hooker’s powerful 130,000 Union forces. 4 Basing on the battle of Chancellorsville, this paper will prove General Lee’s ability to apply the principles of mission command and how the application of these principles shaped his victory at Chancellorsville.
Building Cohesive Teams through Mutual Trust
Mutual trust is not limited to limited to commanders. It extends to leaders at lower levels and other partners. Mutual trust in warfighting refers to the ability of the forces to pursue their initiative with honesty and belief for the commander's decisions. Mutual trust creates confidence which in turn builds cohesive teams. Trust is built over long periods through actions of the commander and upholding of the army's values and principles. 5 The Battle of Chancellorsville offered a concrete test on Lee’s abilities to hold together his teams and also build confidence among his subordinates. Several decisions taken by Lee in the course of the battle proved his excellent ability build trust and confidence among those in his command. At the start of the battle, Lee took an unprecedented decision to divide his troops in the face of Hooker’s numerical advantage. This decision was neither objected nor did it taint the morale of his troops, proving the level of trust they had bestowed upon him. General Lee’s confidant, Thomas Jackson was the first person that Lee shared with his decision, again proving the mutual trust that existed between Lee and his generals. 6 Also, during the fierce battles where Lee's troops were outnumbered and ill-equipped as compared to the Union forces, the confidence that he had managed to instill in his troupes helped him in motivating them. Together with his subordinated, Lee ensured that his troops fought as a unit throughout the battle, even in situations where they were divided to gain the initiative.
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Provide a Clear Commander Intent
Commander’s intent in battle refers to a concise statement of the desired outcome to the subordinate commanders and soldiers. 7 Thus, a commander’s intent lays clear the purpose of the mission which includes its objectives, tasks that will be undertaken to achieve the target and the desired outcome. In the battle of Chancellorsville, Lee's main purpose for the mission was to stop the advancing Union forces from gaining an advantage over the Confederates. He shared the meaning of the mission with his support commanders and laid down plans to achieve this initiative. Achieving the purpose of the mission was a complicated task for General Lee, hence the decision to take risky tactical moves that ultimately proved successful.
The tasks that Lee undertook to achieve the purpose of the mission were also shared with those in his command. Hooker’s superior numbers meant that Lee had to use superior tactics against the enemy. His intention to seize an advantage over the enemy led him to the decision to divide his troops which he put under a different command. Additionally, Lee offered clear instructions to his subordinates such that they were always aware of the moves that they should take and the expected outcome. For instance, a day after General Jackson’s injury, Lee appointed General Stuart to take over with clear instructions to unite two sections of the troops that were divided during battle. The other tasks of Lee’s mission intention were to keep pressing the Union forces once a competitive advantage had been achieved. The pressing would then pin the enemy into a defensive position and ensure victory. Lee’s intended outcome for the mission was to achieve victory over the Union forces in the Battle of Chancellorsville. He was able to achieve his purpose in the six-day battle although with a high number of casualties. His decision and tactical approach to the battle however strongly support the claim that Lee excellently applied a clear commander’s intent during the battle.
Accept Prudent Risk
Warfighting is characteristically risky with the uncertainty inherent with war situations. Thus, the commander assesses the level of risk before making a decision. Accepting prudent risk involves taking decisions that may expose troops to potential danger in situations where the commander determines that the outcome of the mission is worth the risk is taken. 8 General Lee’s decision during the Battle of Chancellorsville was mostly against conventional military wisdom and outrightly risky. After Hookers troops had crossed the Rappahannock River, Lee had to take a decision that would ensure the battle began with him on a strong position. Surprising, he decided to divide his troops to seize the initiative despite the enemy’s superior number. 9 This would precede other decisions throughout the battle that was risky but unexpected by the enemy.
Again, when Hooker divided his army to trap Confederate troops, another vital decision awaited Lee. Conventional military wisdom required that Lee withdraws his troops to escape the trap. 10 The situation was further complicated by the Union’s better trained, well-equipped and numerically advantaged soldiers. Contrary to expectations, Lee decided to take on Hooker’s troops. His decision hinged on the fact that victory over this section would force them into a defensive position, thus giving the Confederates the advantage. Another situation that called for a prudent risk was after the injury of General Thomas Jackson. Lee appointed General Stuart to take over the command and unite the separated forces. This again was a difficult task since the Stuart ran the risk of getting outflanked. The success of Lee’s risky decisions proved vital in the Confederates success at the battle of Chancellorsville although at a cost since about two thousand men died. 11
Use Mission Orders
Mission orders are a set of directives issued by the commander on how to subordinates on how to attain certain results, but the tactics that the subordinates will use are not specified. 12 Mission orders aim to give the subordinate the freedom to take certain decisions without the limit of the commander's orders. It also symbolizes the level of trust the commander bestows on those in his command. Certainly, Lee's tactical approach to the Battle of Chancellorsville required the support of trusted generals and other subordinates. General Jackson, Lees trusted confidant, led the majority of the troops after Lee had first divided them in the battlefield. Lee placed the remainder of the forces under the command of Major General Jubal with the orders to stop the advancing Union forces. The fact that Lee placed such huge amounts of responsibility on his commanders signifies his utilization of mission orders.
Outcome
Eventually, General Lee’s utilization of mission command principles significantly contributed to the Confederates victory. By building cohesive teams through mutual trust, Lee motivated his troops and created belief in them. It is the belief and spirit of the soldiers that defined the outcome of the battle. Additionally, Lee’s clear commander intent was the driving principle of the battle. Subordinates understood the purpose of each move and took measures to achieve these purposes. Importantly, Lee’s audacious risks define the battle of Chancellorsville as the biggest Confederate victory in the civil war. Beginning the battle from a disadvantaged position, Lee’s risk taking abilities finally paid off against a determined Maj. Gen. Hooker. Finally, although General Lee receives the most credit for the victory at Chancellorsville, the contribution of his support commanders cannot be undermined. The mission command orders that Lee issued were rightfully executed by the commanders hence the victory.
In conclusion, General Lee’s command at the Battle of Chancellorsville proves him as an effective commander at applying the command mission principles. His decisions and their execution resonate with the principles of mission command. In the face of a better equipped and numerically advantaged army, Lee was able to score a famous victory against the Union Forces thus proving the effectiveness of tactical command principles. He effectively utilized the principle of accepting prudent risks to fulfill his initiative in the battle. Again, though cohesive teams and a clear command intent, Lee comes across as a potent mission commander.
Bibliography
Civilwar.org.
Chancellorsville Animated Map. Filmed [17 February 2016]. Video File, 00:04. Posted [17 February 2016]. https://vimeo.com/155731759.
Department of the Army. ADP 6-0: Mission Command. Washington, DC: Army Doctrine Publication, 2013.
Perkins, David. " Understanding Mission Command. " Filmed [18 January 2012]. YouTube video, 00:20. Posted [29 October 2012]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw6lcaqA5MM.
Wineman, Bradford. The Chancellorville Campaign. Washington, DC: Center of Military History, 2013.
1 David Perkins, "Understanding Mission Command," Filmed, [18 January 2012], YouTube video, 00:20, Posted [29 October 2012], https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw6lcaqA5MM.
2 Bradford Wineman, The Chancellorville Campaign , [Washington, DC: Center of Military History, 2013], 5.
3 Ibid., 5
4 Civilwar.org, “ Chancellorsville Animated Map,” Filmed [17 February 2016], Video File, 00:04, Posted [17 February 2016], https://vimeo.com/155731759.
5 Department of the Army, ADP 6-0: Mission Command , [Washington, DC: Army Doctrine Publication, 2013], 2
6 Bradford Wineman, The Chancellorsville Campaign, 18
7 Department of the Army, ADP 6-0: Mission Command, 3
8 Department of the Army, ADP 6-0: Mission Command, 5
9 Bradford Wineman, The Chancellorsville Campaign, 18
10 Civilwar.org. Chancellorsville Animated Map
11 Bradford Wineman, The Chancellorsville Campaign, 43
12 Bradford Wineman, The Chancellorsville Campaign, 18
