Civil War Question

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61. Jackson's flank attack wrecked the XI Corps

The remainder of the Army of the Potomac remained on the field, although they did give ground the following day as the result of heavy and costly Confederate attacks. And of course Jackson was wounded in the bargain, which led to his death a few weeks later. Hooker entrenched, defending the fords over the Rapidan. Lee was ready to launch another round of bloody frontal assaults against entrenched troops but Hooker lost his nerve and withdrew across the river. While a great tactical victory for Lee, Chancellorsville was no Saratoga.

As far as Union victories with greater strategic significance than Chancellorsville, I can argue for a few, mostly delivered by Grant. The Forts Henry and Donelson Campaign resulted in the surrender of one Southern Army and the loss of western and central Tennessee to the Confederacy. At Shiloh Grant fended off the CSA's attempt to retrieve their position in Tennessee, leading to the capture of the important railroad junction at Corinth. (And it shouldn't be forgotten that the Southern concentration of forces prior to Shiloh meant that New Orleans was barren of troops when Farragut and Butler came calling.)

At the same time Hooker and Lee were fighting at Chancellorsville in May, 1863, Grant was launching the operations that led to the Siege of Vicksburg and the destruction of a second Confederate Army, opening the Mississippi to trade and essentially wrapping up a theater of the war. And a few months later the Federal strategic grip on Tennessee was completed and confirmed with Grant's relief of Chattanooga and Burnside's seizure and defense of Knoxville.

Of course, none of these ended the war at one blow. That may have been asking too much of any one battle. But each of these Union victories extended federal control, while eliminating southern armies and putting resources forever beyond the reach of the rebellion.