Full Answer
What caused the Battle of Fredericksburg?
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 13, 1862, during the American Civil War (1861–1865) and saw Union forces suffer a bloody defeat. Having grown angry with Major General George B. McClellan's unwillingness to pursue General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia after the Battle of Antietam, President Abraham Lincoln relieved him on November 5, 1862, and replaced him with ...
Where did the Battle of Bunker Hill really take place?
The Battle of Bunker Hill and the patriots' retreat took place on a small peninsula north of Boston. The Americans set up their defenses on Breed's Hill. The site is built over today, but it was open country in 1775. The British advanced from Boston by boat.
Why was the Battle of Fredericksburg important?
Battle Of Fredericksburg Facts
- Location
- Dates
- Generals. Confederate: General Robert E. Lee
- Soldiers Engaged
- Important Events & Figures
- Outcome. Battle of Fredericksburg Summary: The Battle of Fredericksburg was an early battle of the civil war and stands as one of the greatest Confederate victories.
Who won Battle of Fredericksburg?
The WIN of the Confederacy gave the South excitement and confidence after the Battle of Fredericksburg. They had been outnumbered and still won! (Union-over 100,000 troops & Confederacy-over 72,000 troops) The Union lost more than 13,000 while the Confederates lost approximately 5,300.
What state did the Battle of Fredericksburg take place?
Fredericksburg, VirginiaOn December 13, 1862, Confederate General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia repulses a series of attacks by General Ambrose Burnside's Army of the Potomac at Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Where did the Battle of Fredericksburg start and end?
Battle of FredericksburgDateDecember 11–15, 1862LocationSpotsylvania County and Fredericksburg, Virginia38.2995°N 77.4705°WResultConfederate victory
Who won the Battle of Fredericksburg take place?
Battle of Fredericksburg Summary: The Battle of Fredericksburg was an early battle of the civil war and stands as one of the greatest Confederate victories. Led by General Robert E. Lee, the Army of Northern Virginia routed the Union forces led Maj Gen. Ambrose Burnside.
When did the Battle of Fredericksburg take place?
December 11, 1862Battle of Fredericksburg / Start date
Why did the Battle of Fredericksburg take place?
Throughout much of the Civil War, a key Union objective was to penetrate the South and seize the city of Richmond, Virginia, the capital of the Confederacy.
Why was the Battle of Fredericksburg so important?
With nearly 200,000 combatants—the greatest number of any Civil War engagement—Fredericksburg was one of the largest and deadliest battles of the Civil War. It featured the first opposed river crossing in American military history as well as the Civil War's first instance of urban combat.
How long did the Battle of Fredericksburg last?
When was the Battle of Fredericksburg? The battle lasted from December 11 to December 18, 1862. The majority of the fighting and the worst casualties were on December 13, when Burnside tried to break the Confederate defensive line at two points.
What happened in the Battle of Fredericksburg?
Confederate soldiers were strategically placed behind a stone wall along the Sunken Road. The battle resulted in significant casualties for the Union Army. The entire Battle of Fredericksburg resulted in 12,653 Union casualties and 4,201 Confederate casualties.
What time did the Battle of Fredericksburg start?
December 11, 1862 – December 15, 1862Battle of Fredericksburg / Period
What famous battles happened in Virginia?
Civil War Battlefields in VirginiaCedar Mountain - August 9, 1862.Kelly's Ford - Match 17, 1863.Brandy Station - June 9, 1863.Bristoe Station -October 14, 1863 (& Kettle Run, August 27, 1862)Rappahannock Station - November 7, 1863.Mine Run Campaign - November 26 - December 1, 1863.Todd's Tavern - May 7, 1864.More items...•
Why did the Union lost the Battle of Fredericksburg?
The Battle of Fredericksburg was a crushing defeat for the Union, whose soldiers fought courageously and well but fell victim to mismanagement by their generals, including confused orders from Burnside to Franklin.
Why did Lee's forces dig trenches at Fredericksburg?
Why did Lee's forces dig trenches at Fredericksburg? By digging trenches it gave them an advantage of higher ground from which to fight. Why was Vicksburg an important part to the outcome of the war? The Battle of Vicksburg was an important part because the tide of the Civil War had turned.
How did the Battle of Fredericksburg end?
The Battle of Fredericksburg was a crushing defeat for the Union, whose soldiers fought courageously and well but fell victim to mismanagement by their generals, including confused orders from Burnside to Franklin.
How long did the Battle of Fredericksburg last?
When was the Battle of Fredericksburg? The battle lasted from December 11 to December 18, 1862. The majority of the fighting and the worst casualties were on December 13, when Burnside tried to break the Confederate defensive line at two points.
What happened at Fredericksburg during the Civil War?
Confederate soldiers were strategically placed behind a stone wall along the Sunken Road. The battle resulted in significant casualties for the Union Army. The entire Battle of Fredericksburg resulted in 12,653 Union casualties and 4,201 Confederate casualties.
What was the outcome of the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862 quizlet?
Who led the Union troops in the battle of Fredericksburg and what was the outcome? In December 1862, General Burnside marched 120,000 men to Richmond. Lee had 75,000 men at Fredericksburg, VA. The Union suffered 13,000 casualties and the South only lost 5,000. This was a Confederate victory.
What river did the Union build at Fredericksburg?
Union engineers constructing a pontoon bridge across the Rappahannock River during the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Confederate forces can be seen in the distance firing on the engineers. Drawing by Alfred R. Waud, December 1862.
What battle did the Union defeat?
See an animated map on the defeat of the Union army at the Battle of Fredericksburg during the American Civil War. Learn from animated maps how squandered opportunities and futile assaults resulted in a costly Union defeat at the Battle of Fredericksburg (December 11–15, 1862) during the American Civil War.
What was the name of the battle that took place in 1862?
Learn about the Battle of Fredericksburg during the American Civil War. Listen to an overview of the Battle of Fredericksburg (December 11–15, 1862) during the American Civil War. Battle of Fredericksburg, (December 11–15, 1862), bloody engagement of the American Civil War fought at Fredericksburg, Virginia, between Union forces under Maj. Gen.
What river did the Army of the Potomac cross?
A lithograph depicting the Army of the Potomac as it crosses the Rappahannock River on the morning of Dec. 13, 1862, during the Battle of Fredericksburg. Prints and Photographs Division/Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (digital file no. LC-USZC4-1757)
How many casualties did the Union have?
The Union had suffered nearly 13,000 casualties, while the Confederates suffered approximately 5,000. The political consequences of the Union loss were great in the North. Many blamed Lincoln, claiming that he had allowed Burnside to embark on an offensive that was inevitably going to fail.
What was Lee's most audacious victory?
In the South the victory boosted morale after the near disaster of Antietam. Lee’s army wintered along the Rappahannock, and, when Union forces once again crossed the river in the spring, he won what was perhaps his most audacious victory, at Chancellorsville in May. Kate Lohnes The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Where was Lee's left flank at the Battle of Fredericksburg?
While he sat down to wait for them, Lee moved into a strong position on the south bank, with his left flank on the river above Fredericksburg and his right near Hamilton’s Crossing on the Richmond railway.
What happened at Fredericksburg?
The Battle of Fredericksburg had repercussions for its citizens that lasted well after the engagement between Union and Confederate troops in December 1862. When Gen. Burnside arrived in November of that year, most residents—but not all—chose to flee as 100,000 Union and 80,000 Confederate troops bore down on them.
What river did the Union troops cross?
Under fire, regiments from Michigan and Massachusetts successfully cross the Rappahannock and drive the riflemen from the riverbank. More Union regiments follow across the river, and the Confederates withdraw after a few hours of house-to-house fighting in the street of town. December 12.
How long did it take Burnside to move his troops to Falmouth?
Leaving the Warrenton area on November 15, Burnside moves his 100,000-man army 35 miles to Falmouth on the north bank of the Rappahannock in just two days.
Where did James Longstreet take up position in Fredericksburg?
James Longstreet’s wing moves east from Culpeper and Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson’s men hurry toward the Rappahannock from the Shenandoah Valley. Longstreet takes up a position on Marye’s Heights, overlooking Fredericksburg from the west.
What was the plan of Burnside?
Burnside approves a plan to shell the town and drive out the Confederate snipers. Late that morning, over 150 Federal guns arrayed on Stafford Heights bombard the Fredericksburg, blasting scores of buildings and terrifying the civilians, many of whom cower in their cellars.
Why did the Federals withdraw from the Rappahannock?
After the battle, the Federals withdraw across the Rappahannock to avoid being trapped, relinquishing the gains they made. The embarrassing and crushing Union defeat sparks recriminations in Washington, causing a crisis among members of Lincoln’s cabinet, which the president deftly remedies.
Where is Longstreet in Fredericksburg?
Longstreet takes up a position on Marye’s Heights, overlooking Fredericksburg from the west. To the south, Jackson’s men are entrenched in a line stretching over Prospect Hill and on to Hamilton’s Crossing four miles from the town. On November 25, Burnside’s long-awaited pontoon bridges begin to arrive. December 11.
What river did Lee and his army fight on?
Lee at first anticipated that Burnside would beat him across the Rappahannock and that to protect Richmond, he would assume the next defensible position to the south, the North Anna River. But when he saw how slowly Burnside was moving (and Confederate President Jefferson Davis expressed reservations about planning for a battle so close to Richmond), he directed all of his army toward Fredericksburg. By November 23, the corps commanded by Lt. Gen. James Longstreet had arrived and Lee placed them on the ridge known as Marye's Heights to the west of town, with Anderson's division on the far left, McLaws's directly behind the town, and Pickett's and Hood's to the right. He sent for Jackson on November 26, but his Second Corps commander had anticipated the need and began forced-marching his troops from Winchester on November 22, covering as many as 20 miles a day. Jackson arrived at Lee's headquarters on November 29 and his divisions were deployed to prevent Burnside crossing downstream from Fredericksburg: D.H. Hill's division moved to Port Royal, 18 miles down river; Early's 12 miles down river at Skinker's Neck; A.P. Hill's at Thomas Yerby's house, "Belvoir", about 6 miles southeast of town; and Taliaferro's along the RF&P Railroad, 4 miles south at Guinea Station.
What was the name of the river that Lincoln crossed at Fredericksburg?
A visitor to the battlefield described the battle to U.S. President Abraham Lincoln as a "butchery". Burnside's plan was to cross the Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg in mid-November and race to the Confederate capital of Richmond before Lee's army could stop him.
What did Meade complain about after the Battle of Gibbon?
After the battle Meade complained that some of Gibbon's officers had not charged quickly enough. But his primary frustration was with Brig. Gen. David B. Birney, whose division of the III Corps had been designated to support the attack as well. Birney claimed that his men had been subjected to damaging artillery fire as they formed up, that he had not understood the importance of Meade's attack, and that Reynolds had not ordered his division forward. When Meade galloped to the rear to confront Birney with a string of fierce profanities that, in the words of one staff lieutenant, "almost makes the stones creep," he was finally able to order the brigadier forward under his own responsibility, but harbored resentment for weeks. By this time, however, it was too late to accomplish any further offensive action.
Where did Burnside cross his army?
Burnside originally planned to cross his army east of Fredericksburg at Skinker's Neck, but an advance movement by Federal gunboats to there was fired upon and drew Early's and D.H. Hill's divisions into that area, a movement spotted by Union balloon observers.
How many acres are there in Fredericksburg?
It consists of more than 8,300 acres that cover parts of four Civil War battlefields – Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania Court House, The Wilderness and Chancellorsville.
What was the name of the battle in 1862?
Major battle (1862) of the American Civil War. Battle of Fredericksburg. Part of the American Civil War. Assault on Prospect Hill at the Battle of Fredericksburg by Carl Röchling. Date. December 11–15, 1862. Location. Spotsylvania County and Fredericksburg, Virginia. 38°17′58″N 77°28′14″W / .
What did Lincoln do in 1862?
In November 1862, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln needed to demonstrate the success of the Union war effort before the Northern public lost confidence in his administration. Confederate armies had been on the move earlier in the fall, invading Kentucky and Maryland. Although each had been turned back, those armies remained intact and capable of further action. Lincoln urged Major General Ulysses S. Grant to advance against the Confederate stronghold of Vicksburg, Mississippi. He replaced Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell with Maj. Gen. William S. Rosecrans, hoping for a more aggressive posture against the Confederates in Tennessee, and on November 5, seeing that his replacement of Buell had not stimulated Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan into action, he issued orders to replace McClellan in command of the Army of the Potomac in Virginia. McClellan had stopped General Robert E. Lee 's forces at the Battle of Antietam in Maryland, but had not been able to destroy Lee's army, nor did he pursue Lee back into Virginia aggressively enough for Lincoln.
What river did the Federals cross to cross?
This called for a rapid march by the Federals from their positions in northern Virginia to Fredericksburg on the Rappahannock River. Burnside planned to cross the river at that point and then continue south. The campaign began promisingly for the Union.
How many attacks did Burnside throw against the Confederate lines?
Burnside decided to attack anyway. On December 13, he hurled 14 attacks against the Confederate lines. Although the Union artillery was effective against the Rebels, the 600-yard field was a killing ground for the attacking Yankees.
What day did Burnside stop the attack?
Burnside considered continuing the attack on December 14, but his subordinates urged him to stop. On December 15, a truce was called for the Union to collect their dead and wounded soldiers. Burnside retreated northward under the cover of darkness and rain.
How many men did the Yankees lose in the Battle of the Potomac?
The one-sided nature of the battle was reflected in the casualty figures. The Yankees suffered around 12,650 killed and wounded, while Lee lost only about 4,200 men. General Joseph Hooker replaced Burnside as commander of the Army of the Potomac in January 1863.
What was the battle of Fredericksburg?
Battle of Fredericksburg. On December 13, 1862, Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia repulses a series of attacks by General Ambrose Burnside’s Army of the Potomac at Fredericksburg, Virginia. The defeat was one of the most decisive loses for the Union army, and it dealt a serious blow to Northern morale in the winter ...
Why was the pontoon bridge not in place for several days?
The army moved quickly down the Rappahannock, but then stalled across the river from Fredericksburg. Due to poor execution of orders , a pontoon bridge was not in place for several days.
Who was the commander of the Army of the Potomac?
Burnside assumed command of the Army of the Potomac in November 1862 after George McClellan failed to pursue Lee into Virginia following the Battle of Antietam in Maryland on September 17. Burnside immediately crafted a plan to move against the Confederate capital at Richmond, Virginia.
What was the argument between Sedgwick and Barksdale?
Following the campaign, Early became embroiled in an argument with Barksdale over what Barksdale considered a slight to his brigade in a newspaper letter that Early had written; the exchange continued until Lee ordered the two generals to cease. Sedgwick had lost 1,100 men during the engagement.
How many men did Sedgwick lose?
Sedgwick had lost 1,100 men during the engagement. At first he started to pursue Early's division but then followed the orders he received the previous day and started west along the Plank Road towards Hooker's army at Chancellorsville. Gibbon's division was left in Fredericksburg to guard the city.
What was Sedgwick's plan for Fredericksburg?
Sedgwick originally planned to attack the ends of Marye's Heights but a canal and a stream blocked the Union forces. He then decided to launch an attack on the Confederate center on the heights, which was manned by Barksdale's brigade, with John Newton's division; this attack was defeated. Colonel Thomas M. Griffin of the 18th Mississippi Infantry granted the Union forces a truce in order to gather in their wounded. During this truce, the Union commanders noticed that the flank of Barksdale's left regiment was unprotected.
What battle was the Confederate dead behind?
Battle. Confederate dead behind the stone wall of Marye's Heights, Fredericksburg, Virginia, May 3, 1863. General Haupt and W. Wright, Superintendent of the Mlilitary Railroad survey a Confederate Artillery Battery on Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg Va that was wrecked by Union artillery fire May 5, 1863.
How many men were killed in the Battle of the Confederate?
Confederate casualties totaled 700 men and four cannons. Early withdrew with his division two miles to the south, while Wilcox withdrew westward, slowing Sedgwick's advance. When he learned of the Confederate defeat, Lee started moving two divisions east to stop Sedgwick. Following the campaign, Early became embroiled in an argument with Barksdale over what Barksdale considered a slight to his brigade in a newspaper letter that Early had written; the exchange continued until Lee ordered the two generals to cease.
Why did Lee order early to retreat?
Early was ordered by Lee to watch the remaining Union force near Fredericksburg; if he was attacked and defeated, he was to retreat southward to protect the Confederate supply lines. If the Union force moved to reinforce Hooker, then Early was to leave a covering force and rejoin Lee with the remainder of his troops.
Where was the second Battle of Fredericksburg?
The Second Battle of Fredericksburg , also known as the Second Battle of Marye's Heights, took place on May 3, 1863, in Fredericksburg, Virginia, as part of the Chancellorsville Campaign of the American Civil War .
Overview
Battle
Union engineers began to assemble six pontoon bridges before dawn on December 11, two just north of the town center, a third on the southern end of town, and three farther south, near the confluence of the Rappahannock and Deep Run. The engineers constructing the bridge directly across from the city came under punishing fire from Confederate sharpshooters, primarily from the …
Background
In November 1862, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln needed to demonstrate the success of the Union war effort before the Northern public lost confidence in his administration. Confederate armies had been on the move earlier in the fall, invading Kentucky and Maryland. Although each had been turned back, those armies remained intact and capable of further action. Lincoln urged Major Gen…
Opposing forces
Burnside organized his Army of the Potomac into three so-called grand divisions, organizations that included infantry corps, cavalry, and artillery, comprising 120,000 men, of whom 114,000 would be engaged in the coming battle:
• The Right Grand Division, commanded by Maj. Gen. Edwin V. "Bull" Sumner, consisted of the II Corps of Maj. Gen. Darius N. Couch (divisions of major generals Winfield S. Hancock, Oliver O. Ho…
Aftermath
The Union army suffered 12,653 casualties (1,284 killed, 9,600 wounded, 1,769 captured/missing). Two Union generals were mortally wounded: Brig. Gens. George D. Bayard and Conrad F. Jackson. The Confederate army lost 5,377 (608 killed, 4,116 wounded, 653 captured/missing), most of them in the early fighting on Jackson's front. Confederate Brig. Gens. Maxcy Gregg and T. R. R. Cobb were both mortally wounded. The casualties sustained by each army showed clearly how …
Battlefield preservation
The Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park was established in 1927 under the War Department and transferred to the National Park Service in 1933. It consists of more than 8,300 acres that cover parts of four Civil War battlefields – Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania Court House, The Wilderness and Chancellorsville.
In popular culture
The Battle of Fredericksburg was depicted in the 2003 film Gods and Generals, based on the novel of the same name, a prequel of The Killer Angels from which the earlier film Gettysburg was adapted. Both the novel and film focused primarily on the disastrous charges on Marye's Heights, with the movie highlighting the charges of Hancock's division of II Corps, the Irish Brigade, Caldwell's brigade, and Zook's brigade, and the 20th Maine Infantry Regiment (V Corps).
See also
• Armies in the American Civil War
• Bibliography of Abraham Lincoln
• Bibliography of Ulysses S. Grant
• Bibliography of the American Civil War